Earlier on Saturday, lawmakers entreated Mattarella, 80, who had said he didn’t want a second mandate, to change his mind and agree to reelection by lawmakers in Parliament and regional delegates. That move followed days of fruitless efforts by political leaders to reach a consensus on another candidate. Mattarella won in the eighth round of voting when he clinched the minimum of 505 votes needed from the eligible 1,009 Grand Electors. Applause broke out in Parliament, prompting the Chamber of Deputies president to interrupt his reading aloud of the ballots. He even rented an apartment in Rome to prepare for his move from the presidential palace atop Quirinal Hill.

Human Rights are not second to development; their promotion cannot wait for the improvement of people’s lives. Democracy and Human Rights work. We consider it our joint duty as citizens of free societies to speak up – together – when the democracy, Human Rights and fundamental freedoms we enjoy are at risk elsewhere. Human Rights are universal, they apply the same everywhere, from the local village to the global community. I am honoured to extend a warm welcome to the new President of the Liberian National Bar Association Cllr.

The former Minister of Defense had faced hurdle in taking his seat as Lofa County’s senator after the Supreme Court of Liberiahalted his certification by the National Election Commission (NEC). Passewe asked the court to halt the certification of Samukai because he has been convicted by the Supreme Court for the crime of money laundering. Samukai received the most votes in the December 8, 2020 Senatorial election. Of the 11 candidates who vied for the Lofa County senatorial seat, Samukai received 20, 431 votes, followed by Independent candidate Cllr. Joseph Jallah with 13,968 votes.Samukai has experienced mixed rulings with the Supreme Court since he won the senatorial seat in Lofa.

However, a FrontPageAfrica reporter in Bong County Tuesday confirmed that there are no market structures being built in Salala and Gbarnga, and there are 10 out of 100 housing units being constructed in Salala. Sam Kerkulah, 39, said: “It was so disappointing for the president to state that there is an ongoing of two market structures in Bong County when there is nothing. The CDC won Bong County in 2017 achieving 70 percent of votes, so a lot needs to be done by the government for the people of Bong County,” he said. “If there is no market structures yet in Bong County as announced by the president it doesn’t mean that no market won’t be constructed here in Bong County. The president has constructed very markets across the country and I am confident that similar thing will be done in Bong County,” he said.

MONROVIA – Senators including Abraham Darius Dillon, Varney Sherman, Steve Zargo and many others were Monday absent from President George Weah’s 5th Annual Message to the Legislature. For Senator Varney Sherman of Grand Cape Mount County, he said could not attend because of illness which resulted from a tour he recently made in Grand Cape Mount County. He said, his decision was agreed by members of the Lofa legislative caucus as protest to the situation involving Brownie Samukai. “The Lofa County Legislative Caucus made her decision on this considering the visit of the Caucus along with the former VP JNB during the festive season. However, Representative Clarence Massaquoi who is also a member of the Lofa County Legislative Caucus was present at the event.

This is the largest national budget in the history of Liberia, and with the support of the National Legislature we hope to make it the most transformative. Domestic revenue is projected at $640.5 million US dollars, or 81.5 percent, while external resources are projected at $145 million US dollars, or 18.5 percent,” President Weah said. President Weah was proud to announce the 2022 National Budget which was passed by the House at US$785.6 million as the largest Budget in Liberia’s history. In 2022, according to President Weah, his government would rigorously support the domestic resources mobilization strategy of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA). Debt StockPresident Weah told members of the Legislature, other government officials and members of the diplomatic corps present that his administration has made significant process in restructuring the country’s domestic debt.

Monrovia – The National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL) has called on the Government of Liberia to stop brutalizing peaceful people and stop quelling peaceful assemblies with violence. As police fired tear gas, protesters lost several valuables, including mobile phones while escaping the scene. It continued: “But sadly, in most cases, it is the state that provokes pandemonium and then in the end, brutalize our people. This must stop and the administration of the Liberia National Police needs to understand that they are not operating in vacuum or somewhere in the jungle where might is right. It further called on the Police to desist from applying brutality whenever it is called to handle peaceful protests and demonstrations.

“The State of the Global Education Crisis: A Path to Recovery” makes clear what must be done. “To tackle the learning crisis, countries must first address the learning data crisis” it says. Our data-driven approach provides teachers, schools leaders and staff with tools to learn and develop their skills. The World Bank estimates the learning losses caused by the covid pandemic to be the greatest crisis in global education for a century. There is increasing recognition that to clawback those losses, and ensure that children are truly learning, change in education systems is essential.

Disadvantaged and vulnerable youths are commonly known as “zogos” in Liberia. These vulnerable and disadvantaged youths jammed packed ghettoes during the day taking in dangerous illegal drugs or gambling. Under the project, scores of disadvantaged youths or “zogos” went through psycho-social counseling and acquired skills training in mechanics, carpentry, pastry, catering, among others. These disadvantaged youths are a big threat to Liberia because they were not taken to rehabilitation centers to be worked on or detoxified. Weak police forceFollowing the D. Twe field crusade stampede, the Liberia National Police (LNP) headed by Patrick Sudue, has vowed to go after these disadvantaged youths.

MONROVIA – Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has blasted the government for lawlessness in Liberia, frowning on the manner and form in which the government has failed to protect its citizens. On Saturday, January 22, 2022, Judge Gbeisay, famously known as a “No Nonsense Judge”, in the judiciary spoke at the sixth graduation ceremony of the DRIMS school system in Paynesville, Joe Bar community where he served as a keynote speaker. This is how the failure to implement law is under developing Liberia today.”He said, because of the failure of our laws, our economy is in the hand of the Lebanese, Indians and fulanese, etc., all of whom are not citizens of Liberia. He cited another instance about the government failure to give judges fair salary as compare to Ministers working in government. Court officers are under attack daily, he alarmedMeanwhile, Judge Gbeisay encouraged the students of the DRIMS School to remain consistent and committed in implementing their goals.

Gbarpolu —The Binda Foundation has provided hundreds of school supplies valued at over LD$350,000 or US$2,500 to hundreds of students and schools in Garpolu county. Binda Foundation is a non-profit organization based in the United States committed to improving the lives and conditions of citizens in Liberia. “Hundreds of parents have complained that the economic conditions in the country cannot permit them to afford school supplies for their children,” Vongbor said. Friday’s donation saw both the Gbarma elementary school and the Beotoe public School elementary school benefiting. Born and raised in Liberia with parents originating from Gbarma District, he’s also the grand child of the late Chief Ziamah Samgbeh, a historic paramount Chief of Gbarpolu.

MONROVIA — The Center for Science Education Inc, a local non-profit Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) education organization over the weekend in partnership with Helping Hands Network concluded a week-long training workshop for Physics teachers in optics and photonics experiments. The training workshop was held in Kakata Margibi County and brought together fifteen teachers from public high schools across County. In his final statement, he appealed to Center for Science Education and 2HN to in the near future increase the length of days for such a workshop. Center for Science Education has been involved in strengthening teacher’s capacity in the sciences and has successfully set-up science laboratory at the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU), Soltiamon High School, Monrovia Colleague & Industrial Training School, Reunion Christian Academy (RECA) etc. The Organization also runs a Mobile Science Laboratory that visit schools enable students conduct practical experiments as required in the WASSEC curriculum.

Janjay Baikpeh has expressed satisfaction over the renovation and upgrades taking place at the ArcelorMittal Liberia hospital in Buchanan. ArcelorMittal Liberia has embarked on a major renovation of its two Hospitals to increase the capacity and improve the quality of services it provides. Superintendent Baikpeh commended ArcelorMittal Liberia for the ongoing efforts and encouraged the management to continue doing more to impact the lives of Liberians, especially those residing in the operational areas of the company. Baikpeh for the visit to the hospital, and assured that with the ongoing improvements, there would be an increased capacity for additional services. ArcelorMittal is embarking on an expansion project, which is a critical link to the long-term economic relations and interest of the Government and people of Liberia and ArcelorMittal.

VP Taylor, Others Ordered to Appear Before Moral and Ethics Committee Of The Supreme CourtMONROVIA – About 27 Attorneys-At-Law including Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor have been ordered to appear before Moral and Ethics Committee for questioning beginning this Thursday at the Temple of Justice. The Moral and Ethics Committee is one of two committees set up by the Supreme Court of Liberia to administer its legal exam for 109-Attorneys-At-Law. Though, VP Taylor was amongst nine Attorneys-At-Law that were granted dispensation for admission to Supreme Court bar, as Counselor-At-Law, but the Moral and Ethics Committee is demanding her appearance along with twenty-six other candidates. Over 100 AttorneysAt-Laws begun writing the Supreme Cpurt Bar Legal Exam this week at the Temple of Justice. The candidates are seeking for admission to the Supreme Court Bar, after meeting the Court’s five years legal requirement consistent with Chapter 17, Section 17.6 of the Judiciary Law of Liberia.

Liberia: 30 Feared Dead after Armed Robbery, Stampede at Crusade in New Kru TownMONROVIA – At least 30 persons are believed to be dead in New Kru Town during a stampede that occurred during a crusade at the D. Tweh Field. The crusade was organized by the More Grace International Ministries headed by Abraham Kromah. The stampede reportedly occurred when some criminals and hooligans in the area attacked the worshipers at the jam-packed crusade with machetes and other deadly weapons, resulting into tension and a big rush to escape. Those who died include 17 women, 11 children and three men. More details to follow soon