Sierra Leone News: President Bio Warns Women Officers and Recruits
By Stephen V. Lansana
The Commander-In-Chief of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), President Julius Maada Bio has on Saturday September 7, 2019, warned women officer cadets and recruits against politics.
President Bio made this comment during the commissioning and passing out parade of 327 female trainees which include 59 officer cadets and 268 recruits into at Armed Forces Training Centre (AFTC), Benguema Barracks in Waterloo.
With the support from the government of Sierra Leone and the International Security and Advisory Team (ISAT), this is the first direct entry commissioning and direct entry recruits course for females since 1978 and 1979, when 10 female cadet officers and 64 recruits enlisted in the military.
The training started on March 9, 2019. There were two medical doctors, three lawyers, two engineers, Information and communication technology practitioner, six nurses and one surgeon.
While reviewing the passing-out parade and commissioning ceremony, President Bio commended the soldiers for their resilience and tenacity, but urged them not to be involved in partisan politicking or engaged in partisan political discussions.
“As professional soldiers, do not allow yourselves to be unduly influenced by politicians irrespective of your personal relationships or other unseemly affinities with them. You serve the Republic of Sierra Leone and no one individual’s personal interests or ambitions,” he said.
He added, “May I remind you also of your responsibilities. The oath of allegiance, to which you subscribed moments ago, means that you have agreed to subject yourself to public scrutiny as a soldier both on and off duty. You have sworn to respect, uphold, and protect the National Constitution of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and to obey all lawful orders from any superior placed over you without question.”
The President said that when his government in conjunction with the United Kingdom Government and the International Security Advisory Team (ISAT), launched the Special Female Recruitment, it was because they believed that expanding the presence and role of women in the national security sector was good for national peace, cohesion, and development.
He added that while the initiative aligned firmly with United Nations expectations to further leverage the invaluable role of women soldiers in peace engagement and peace support operations, it was also good for expanding the country’s role in international peacekeeping and peace support operations the world over.
President Bio emphasised that the soldiers had indeed accomplished themselves with great distinction in training and had proven again that what men could do, women could do even better.
“As commander-in-Chief, let me formally welcome you into the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. Let me also assure you that you are coming into this noble institution at a time when there is growing opportunity for female service personnel in terms of career progression, educational development, and participation in global Peace Support Operations.
“We are also fully committed to recruiting, training, and retaining more women soldiers, and we will promote women leadership within the RSLAF. We will put in place accountability mechanisms to ensure that our RSLAF pursues a progressive agenda for women and our institution will continue to evolve as we learn lessons and best practices across the globe,” he said.
The President disclosed that since 1978 and 1979, when 10 female cadet officers and 64 recruits enlisted in the military, more women had volunteered to serve and had over 40 years of dedicated service to country shown an uncommon valour, courage, adaptability, selflessness, leadership, and they had carried through their pledge to defend and protect the land that they loved.
“To you our new soldiers, you have just sworn into one of the finest military traditions and institutions — one that has hewn and shaped patriots; men and women who have fought and made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation in war and in peace. They have served selflessly from Burma to the Congo, from Timor Leste to Lebanon, Sudan, Somalia, Liberia, and in the jungles of Sierra Leone. They have stood up when it mattered; they have shed their blood when their country needed it most. They are the proud men and women of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. Let us all continue to stand for our country’s peace, unity, freedom, and justice because we have only this one Sierra Leone,” President Bio added.
In his welcome address, the Commandant of AFTC, Austin Kennie Fefegula explained that one officer cadet and one recruit with the relevant qualifications were selected to pursue courses in clinical medicine in China for six years. Furthermore, another officer cadet has been selected to pursue regular cadet course at the Nigeria Defence Academy in Nigeria for five years.
He said that the major rationale for this all female recruitment include, fulfilling the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendation of 30 percent female involve in every public sector and also for adhering to the United Nations Policy on Peace support operations, which emphasize 15 percent female participation as a pre-condition for the deployment of any peace keeping mission.
Published: 10/09/2019
Issue №7673
