Monrovia – Operating for over two decades by providing services as a Liberian firm – no matter the sector – comes with enormous challenges but with diligence and professionalism success is most likely.
That’s the story of a Liberian owned security firm – Executive Security Consultancy (EXSECON). The firm on Thursday, September 8 commemorated its 23rd anniversary of providing services to several clients in Liberia’s private security sector.
Established by three Liberians in September 1993, EXSECON has a humble beginning considering how it started and how it has grown from having only 35 employees to currently having over a thousand manpower assigned across the country providing security services for international clients like UNMIL, USAID and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) while other clients include GSM giant Cellcom, GN Bank, Liberian Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) and several diplomatic missions in the country amongst others.
“The clear picture is outside there in the society; they will judge,” an excited Daniel Wright told reporters on Thursday during a short program held in observance of the firm’s anniversary. “We have some lucrative contracts including international clients,” he added.
Captain Wright is one of the first 35 employees who were recruited back in 1993 to start operations, and he along with others were later assigned at Liberia’s biggest rubber plantation in Margibi County, Firestone, when the civil war had sparked lawlessness across the country.
Wright recalled the challenges they had in discharging their duties at the time but emphasized that EXSECON has always been dedicated to meticulously serving its clients – the core value of the firm.
“There have been perceptions that Liberian firms cannot provide consistent professional services but EXSECON has proof that Liberian firms can do better,” Wright said.
“At this point (of our existence) we have improved life by upgrading the salary and condition of our employees through EXSECON, lot of guards from here have built houses, have cars running, motorcycles and are able to feed their family,” explained Senior Executive Officer for Operations, Michael S. Samukai.
Samukai grew up watching the firm developed into one of Liberia’s best and says to see employees taking home better salary which is beyond Liberia’s minimum wage set by the newly approved decent work law makes him proud.
“We are still around to empower more Liberians and keep our country’s security in good shape…; EXSECON is all about providing jobs for the Liberian people,” he said.
The firm says it has over the years adopted a system which supports its employees to acquire higher education while taking on assignments. The firm also boasts of a youthful management team committed to contributing to the improvement of Liberia’s security sector.
The Senior Executive Officer for Operations says showing ‘compassion’ for employees has always influenced the success they’ve enjoyed for the over two decades of existence.
“Everybody is happy about working here because everybody knows everybody here,” he said, adding that recruitment is done on the basis of recommendations from employees who have exhibited profound commitment to service.
Looking back at EXESCON and the challenges it endured as a Liberian firm brought to being when the country was embroiled in a civil tension at the time when it had to take on its first task by securing the biggest rubber plantation in the country, showcases the track record of the firm.
Industrial experts say the company gained its prominence from the work it did at Firestone and has now excelled as one of Liberia’s biggest private security service providers in the country.
Forming EXESCON from a conversation while sitting on a couch in a living room 23 years ago, three Liberians with military background who lacked adequate material resources were determined and predicted that their concept and strategy of a Liberian oriented security firm could translate to a formidable institution still dedicated to providing security and at the same time empowering Liberians through job creation.
Samukai says the future is bright for EXESCON, considering the path they are treading. The firm executive says it will always honor and remembered all of its falling employees that worked assiduously over the years to ensure the institution become a success today.
It’s now 23 years and the firm on September 8, 2016 reconfirmed that it is still looking ahead at a brighter future when it will improve its capacity to employ more Liberians and at the same time served its many clients in the country.