By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
Liberia’s elite presidential security agency, the Executive Protection Service (EPS) is expected to downsize approximately 168 officers in a phased exercise that sources say will begin in November.
The first phase of the exercise will see about 60 officers leave the service this year, while the remaining personnel are expected to be separated from the agency next year, people familiar with the plan old Oracle News Daily.
According to sources, the planned reduction is being publicly linked to the retirement of personnel who have reached the mandatory retirement age. However, some insiders alleged that considerations beyond age and retirement eligibility may be influencing the process.
The EPS is responsible for the protection of the President, Vice President, First Family, Chief Justice, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker, and other senior government officials. The agency is regarded as one of Liberia’s most critical security institutions.
When contacted, EPS Director Sam Gaye confirmed that a retirement process is underway.
“CSA and NASSCORP have the information. The number is about 80 mandatory eligible employees over the age of 60,” he said.
However, sources within the security establishment claim that some officials in the current administration view certain officers as having close ties to previous governments, particularly the administrations of former presidents George Weah and Charles Taylor.
According to one source, several highly trained officers have been reassigned away from sensitive duties despite their specialized security backgrounds.
“Some of the best-trained agents, including officers who received security training in Nigeria, Israel and the United States, have been assigned to the old Executive Mansion and other largely inactive public facilities,” the source said.
“There is a perception among some senior officials that these officers are loyal to previous administrations and could leak information.”
Another source questioned whether all personnel reportedly earmarked for retirement have actually reached the statutory retirement age.
“I am not sure everyone targeted for retirement qualifies based on age,” the source said.
“Many officers believe the retirement exercise is being used to remove personnel whom senior officials no longer trust. Some officers have not been assigned active duties for a long time and remain at home while still receiving salaries.”
The development has sparked growing discussion within security circles, with observers closely monitoring the downsizing exercise and its potential impact on institutional experience and continuity within the country’s premier protective service.
While EPS leadership maintains that the process is based on mandatory retirement requirements, questions remain over whether political considerations are also playing a role in the agency’s restructuring.
