Liberia’s new Defense Minister resigned from his post just 10 days after assuming office, following protests led by soldiers’ wives, the presidency announced on Monday. This marks the first political challenge for Liberia’s new President Joseph Boakai since his inauguration at the end of January.
President Boakai swiftly accepted the resignation of the recently confirmed Minister of National Defense, Mr. Prince C. Johnson, and appointed General Geraldine Janet George as a provisional replacement, according to a statement from the presidency.
In his resignation letter, Johnson cited “the current political and civil disturbances occasioned by the protest of women believed to be wives of service men” and expressed his desire to “preserve the peace and security of the State.”
The wives of Liberian soldiers staged roadblocks near the capital Monrovia and in other parts of the country, prompting Boakai to cancel planned National Army Day celebrations.
The women raised various grievances, including low salaries, inadequate pensions, lack of social security, electricity shortages, and corruption within the armed forces. They specifically demanded the defense minister’s resignation, holding him responsible for reducing the salaries of Liberian soldiers returning from peace missions in Mali.
President Boakai instructed the army to lift the roadblocks “immediately” and held a meeting with the soldiers’ wives, pledging to address their concerns and establish a commission to investigate. He also ordered the restoration of electricity and the provision of free classes at the Edward Binyah Kesselly barracks.
In a statement, Boakai’s team emphasized that the president had taken immediate steps to address longstanding issues within his short time in office and urged calm and peaceful cooperation as the government addresses the grievances.
