Monrovia – The Liberia National Police has bestowed its highest honor on Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, gowning him as Honorary Chief of Police in recognition of his contribution in helping to make work of the police force recognized at the United Nations when he served as Ambassador at Liberia’s Permanent Mission in New York.
Min. Kemayah was also pinned with a golden insignia with the inscription “Chief of Police” by Inspector General of Police Patrick Sudue along with the National Security Advisor to the President, Jefferson Karmon and other members of the joint security.
The ceremony was held last Wednesday at a dinner hosted by the Inspector General for four officers of the Liberia National Police who are to depart the country for a United Nations assignment in South Sudan.
According to Col. Sudue, the Liberia National Police recognition and preferment to serve the United Nations Mission in Sudan was made possible through Min. Kemayah’s role and negotiations while he served as Liberia’s Ambassador at the Permanent Mission.
The four LNP officers commissioned and being deployed to serve in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan include the team leader, Chief Superintendent Togba J. Massaquoi, Chief Superintendent Anthony Blaye, Superintendent Rachel Briggs Harris and Sargeant Abdullai Dukuly, Jr.
They are expected to depart the country on January 14, 2021.
“Sir, we will like to bless God for you and your family. Please extend to your wife that the Liberia National Police appreciates her. It’s because of her you are here. Thank you, thanks to your family, thanks for all that you have done for LNP. We’ll always remember you,” Col. Sudue said during the gowning ceremony.
Col. Sudue recalled that in his quest to have Liberian police officers served in UN peacekeeping missions, he was invited to New York in December 2018 by then Liberia’s Ambassador to the United Nations, now Foreign Minister Kemayah.
In that meeting, Col. Sudue recalled that Minister Kemayah afforded him the opportunity to meet the officer in charge of United Nations Police (UNPOL), where modalities on Liberian police on UN peacekeeping missions were highlighted. He said a commitment was made to include LNP officers on a UN peacekeeping mission.
Col. Sudue told the departing LNP officers to exhibit high quality discipline, diligent and dutiful on the mission as they are bearing the Flag of the Republic of Liberia.
Responding after he was gowned, Foreign Minister H.E. Dee – Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., said he was surprised by how the police had honored him, saying he never expected it.
“I’m surprised! I never expected this. I was working at [my] office and the Inspector General kept calling me, I answered him twice about coming to this program. All I know from the letter he wrote is that I am coming for a dinner, farewell dinner in honor of our officers leaving for this historic mission,” Minister Kemayah said.
The Foreign Minister thanked the Police Inspector General, his team of leaders and the entire LNP for the honor. Minister Kemayah dedicated the honor to H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, adding that it is within the wisdom of the president he was able to go to the UN as Liberia’s Ambassador.
According to Minister Kemayah, through the instrumentality, mandate, guidance and directives of President Weah, Liberia was elected as a member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council for a three – year tenure starting January 1, 2021, the first time in 30 years.