Liberia National Commission on Arms (LiNCA)
Chairman Fromayan Joins ECOWAS Member States for NATCOMs 2025 Coordination Meeting in Accra, Ghana"
LiNCA Chairman James M. Fromayan, accompanied by Executive Director Moses K. Yebleh, is representing Liberia at the 2025 Annual Coordination Meeting of ECOWAS National Commissions (NATCOMs) in Accra, Ghana.
In line with the provisions of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, the three-day meeting which began on November 18, 2025, is a crucial part of the collective effort by the ECOWAS Commission to free the region from the threat posed by illicit arms and associated dangers.
The gathering of Chairmen of NATCOMs, national experts, and development partners, is aimed at deliberating on key thematic areas of arms control with the primary goal to review, validate, and standardize the region's approach to these security threats affecting the ECOWAS sub-region.
Touting the Commission's progress at the ECOWAS NATCOMs Annual Coordination Meeting, Chairman James Fromayan presented a comprehensive report on the commission's recent achievements and strategic priorities.
Chairman Fromayan said with support from the European Union through Expertise France, the Commission provided specialized training for state security institutions on the prevention on diversion of arms and ammunition. The Commission also significantly improved its physical security data center with the installation of a power backup system, with funding from the Arms Trade Treaty Voluntary Trust Fund the LiNCA Boss asserted.
Elaborating further on the national action plan, Chairman Fromayan said LINCA has secured technical and financial commitment from the United Nations Coordinating Action on Small Arms (UNSCAR) through the Small Arms Survey to develop Liberia's National Action Plan on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
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Regarding collection and Inspection, LiNCSA initiated the collection of seized, damaged, and obsolete arms and ammunition across several rural counties and conducted a necessary assessment and inspection of the Liberia National Police armory enhancing intelligence gathering and information sharing.
Chairman Fromayan highlighting efforts to strengthen the Commission's institutional framework, said a national Consultant has been hired to lead the development of the Commission's 2025-2029 new Strategic Plan that will be in alignment with the Government of Liberia’s national development agenda, the ARREST Agenda For Inclusive Development (AAID).
He said, the Commission successfully developed and validated its Service Delivery Charter, formalizing a performance contract signed with the Office of the President of Liberia. ?LiNCSA also hosted an eighteen-member delegation from the National Security Strategic Institute (NSSI) from Abuja, Nigeria and had a productive discussion.
A significant development noted by the Chairman regarding the civilian arms registration drive that is underway, was the issuance of an Executive Order by His Excellency, President Joseph N. Boakai Sr., in February of this year granting amnesty to all civilians in possession of firearms to register them without fear or prosecution.
With the help of the Hunters Union, there have been some positive results with a growing number of people participating in the civilian arms registration exercise currently ongoing with dedicated field team in Bong County, focusing on registering single-barrel guns in the hands of hunters using the arms marking machines given to the Commission by MAC.
In closing, Chairman Fromayan expressed a depth of gratitude to the Small Arms Unit of ECOWAS for organizing the meeting, noting its critical importance given the unabated small arms proliferation challenges faced in the sub-region. He also thanked host Ghana for its hospitality and paid tribute to the late Chairman of the Arms Commission of Sierra Leone.