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Reps Ask FG to Rebuff Okonkwo's Replacement As Ecomil Commander

Vanguard (Lagos)
NEWS
September 19, 2003
Posted to the web September 19, 2003

By Emmanuel Aziken
Abuja
THE House of Representatives Committee on Army has urged Nigerian defence
authorities to stop the planned replacement of General Felix Okonkwo, the
Nigerian commander of the ECOWAS Military Force in Liberia (ECOMIL) with a
Kenyan General.Chairman of the House Committee on Army, Rep. Ado Dogo at a
press briefing in Abuja yesterday, also revealed the discomfort of Nigerian
troops in Liberia with the American imported meals they have been feeding on.
The troops, he said, want local foods such as garri, yam.Mr. Dogo who just
returned from an assessment visit of the Nigerian contingent in Liberia also
disclosed logistical constraints facing the troops, notably finance and
transport.
Observing that Nigeria's contribution of 1,580 officers and men to ECOMIL's
total strength of 3310 officers and men should give the country a commanding
role in the peace keeping operation, Mr. Dogo said:" Presently, General Okonkwo
is the ECOMIL Commander in Liberia. He is expected to surrender such leadership
to General Obande of Kenya when UN takes over the activities of ECOMIL in
October 2003."The delegation learnt that General Obande is not in anyway better
than General Okonkwo and moreover, Nigeria has the largest contingent in the
peace keeping operation, why cant the country lobby for the retention of
General Okonkwo as the Force Commander?"
Observing the discomfort of the Nigerian troops with American imported meals,
the Committee chairman said: "The food presently supplied to NIGCON comes from
the U.S. and most members of the contingent are usually not at home with it.
They instead prefer home food such as garri, yams, apu etc. "Rep Dogo also
disclosed other operational constraints facing the Nigerian delegation in
Liberia such as transport and poor finances, but assured that the country's
troops were giving a good impression of the country and its military even in
the face of the limitations.

   

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