Liberia: Ministry of Internal Affairs Secures Release of 11 Men Held in Traditional Leaders in Bong County after Going on a Preaching ExpeditionMonrovia – The Ministry of Internal Affairs says it has secured the release of 11 men who were held in the custody by traditional leaders in Gbartala, Bong County. The eleven men who had traveled from Monrovia to Gbartala on a preaching expedition are members of a religious group called Saint Assembly. Meanwhile, the traditional leaders denied ever taking the men into the Poro Bush, terming it as total falsehood. The traditional leaders said the men were only detained in a nearby town with the plan of turning them over to the local authority for violating the Culture. Meanwhile, the Ministry is warning local and traditional leaders against taking the law into their own hands, rather seek legal remedy to such situation.

MONROVIA – Grand Kru County Superintendent Doris N. Ylatun has thanked the County Legislative Caucus for donating US$45,000 as an initial contribution towards the ongoing construction ofBolloh Roads Project, in Dorboh Statutory District. Also, scores of citizens across the Bolloh communities have also lauded the efforts of the Legislative Caucus of Grand Kru County—adding that it is a dream come true. It may be recalled on Thursday, September 30, the Grand Kru Caucus in its continues effort to develop road networks in Grand Kru County to form vital links between communities, towns, cities and electoral districts, the Caucus has donated US$45,000. The US$45,000 contribution is for the ongoing Bolloh Roads Project, in Dorboh Statutory District. The Acting Grand Kru Legislative Caucus Chair said the US$45,000 has already been placed in an established Project Fund accountfor proper accounting and transparency.

Liberia: Watkins Initiative For Nations Set For First Graduation Of Adolescent Young Girls And Women In Various Life SkillsMontserrado County – The education advancement and development of Montserrado County Electoral District 10 continues to remain a major priority to the Watkins Initiative For Nations (WIN) and its Vision Bearer, Mr. Y. Solomon W. Watkins as all is now set for Sunday, October 10, 2021, for the first graduation of adolescent young girls and women. The women and girls recently acquired different kind of skills through an accelerated skills program organized by WIN. The graduation and certification program will be held at the Old Road Wesleyan Church in District 10, Montserrado County. For this WIN launched officially in July 2021 a mobile accelerated skills acquisition program as an empowerment intervention targeting over 5,000 residents of the District, predominately, adolescent young girls and women. Mr. Watkins, the vision bearer said the program is intended to practically and economically empower residents of District 10 and surrounding communities.

Monrovia – The Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) has begun the 2022 National Population and Housing Census training of trainers on the pre-test activities and E-recruitment process for interested applicants. Since the last population census in 2008, Liberia has never any census. The 2018 the National Population and Housing Census was delay to 2021 March but due to the reoccurrence of the COVID-19, the process was postponed to next year. Until now, the exact date for the conduct of the population census is yet unknown. Samuel Tweah, Minister of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning who launched the 2022 National Population and Housing Census training of trainers on the pre-test activities promised that the government will make sure that adequate funding is available to close the financial gap for a successful 2022 national census.

Monrovia – The Liberia National Wheel Chair Basketball Federation is calling on the Government of Liberia and humanitarian organizations to support the federation. Speaking to several members of the Sports Writers Association of Liberia recently in Paynesville, the Founder and President of the Liberia National WheelChair Basketball federation, Ambassador Lionel Johnson said they are in need of over one hundred wheelchairs and financial assistance. According to Ambassador Johnson, the Liberia WheelChair Basketball federation under 23 is massively preparing to participate in the upcoming December 2021 International WheelChair Basketball Championship in South Africa, and as such, they need adequate preparations for the tournament. “Transportation has been one of the toughest challenges we face on a daily basis as disable federation. Meanwhile, two athletes of the federation Tarpla Chea and Venesa Dennis are appealing to the government to see reason and support them.

MONROVIA – The United States Ambassador to Liberia has given a powerful endorsement to Hassan Bility, the justice activist accused in court proceedings this month of bribing witnesses. “We stand with Mr. Bility for the work he is doing and many other people are standing with him. He is supported by other governments and diplomats of other governments,” said Ambassador McCarthy in an interview. Mr. Bility has rejected the claims saying they are being orchestrated by those who have been charged as a result of his work or fear they will be charged. “I want to make it clear that violence against those who seek justice through the rule of law must never be tolerated in Liberia,” Ambassador McCarthy said in a statement.

Cape Verde came from a goal down to beat Liberia 2-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium on Thursday to get their first win in Group C in Africa’s World Cup Qualifiers. The result sent Liberia bottom of the group with three points from three games, while Cape Verde moved second with four points. Both Liberia and Cape Verde will now travel to Praia, Cape Verde for the second-leg slated for October 10. Elsewhere, in Lagos, Nigeria, Central African Republic recovered from their 1-0 defeat against Liberia to defeat group leaders Nigeria 1-0 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium. Despite the defeat, Nigeria remained top of the group with six points, while CAR moved to third place in the group.

US Ambassador Michael McCarthy has paid a one-day working visit to Hassan Bility, head of the Global Justice Research Project that seeks justice for war victims in Liberia. In his meeting with Bility and other members of the Global Justice Research Project (GJRP) staff on October 7, 2021, Ambassador McCarthy commended Bility for his many years of selfless service to the cause of justice for war crimes victims. Ambassador McCarthy remarked that the painstaking efforts of the GJRP to research war crimes has demonstrated that a group of committed Liberians can achieve justice for war crimes victims. “This is in keeping with the U.S. Government’s belief that war crimes accountability for Liberians must be led by Liberians,” he noted. The Ambassador also learned that the work of GJRP, while supported by Liberians who seek justice for war crimes victims, is not welcomed by those who have been brought to justice as the result of GJRP’s work.

...The Vice President party further accused the Party of President Weah of making a unilateral decision in determining the government's architecture of the CDC. The National Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused its governing partner, the Congress for Democratic Change, of unilaterally making decisions and policies that impact the ruling coalition's other members. The NPP of Vice President Jewel Howard -Taylor, Liberia People Democratic Party (LPDP), and President George Weah Congress for Democratic Change are the three constituting members of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change. Once Victory was achieved, the Congress for Democratic Change rendered the Governing Council functionally immaterial by its (Congress) action,” the NPP release said. The NPP considers it unfortunate that the Congress for Democratic Change selected to unilaterally decide the issue of the Coalition for Democratic and in the ensuing by-election," the NPP said.

Benoni W. Urey, filed a complaint with the leadership of the CPP that the FA was tampered with before submission to the NEC. The amended copy and the filed copy section 5.1. Additionally, Article 10 (Definitions) of the original framework document was removed; and A broad “not in good state of health “clause as a criterion for selection, as opposed to the detailed conditions that were in the original framework document. And section 11.4 of the Amended copy maintains the date of December 1, 2021 as deadline for consensus building. Article 7 (Duration) as reflected in the Amended copy and filed copies was never detailed in the original framework document.

“Of all the capitals I have seen in my previous posts in Africa, I have not seen one that is as dirty as yours,” he added. “A clean city is an asset; it create jobs and probably that is what Liberia needs most,” he said. But with more support from donor partners like the European Union they would continue to tackle the problem, he said. Few months ago, this outlet, www.gnnliberia.com featured on its platform the filthiness of Africa’s oldest city in spite its youngest City Mayor, who have been considered the bluff City Mayor in the CDC-led government. Some diaspora Liberians who cherished their Capital City in mobile phone chat with the www.gnnliberia.com say they are ashamed of this latest development from the EU Envoy that Monrovia, their capital city is the dirtiest city in Africa despite of donors’ support.

MONROVIA – Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee says he appreciates the Head of European Union Delegation to Liberia for recognizing the enormity of the challenge the City Government faces in handling solid waste in the City of Monrovia. “In waste management, an essential factor is the community leaders. I am not very familiar with this issue [waste management in Monrovia] because I have only been here for a year. Koijee stressed that there is no gainsaying that “solid Waste handling in our City remains a fundamental challenge fronting our vision for a clean, green and safe environment. We are committed to changing the narrative notwithstanding,” the Monrovia City Mayor emphasized.

Liberia: ‘Detainees are Five Times More at Risk of Contracting COVID-19’ — EU Head of Delegation Cautions Inmates to Get VaccinatedGbarnga, Bong County — The Head of Delegation of the European Union to Liberia, Ambassador Laurent Delahousse, says inmates are five times more at risk of contracting COVID-19 than ordinary people. Specifically regarding the Vaccination for inmates program, Mrs. Pajibo extended thanks to all partners for the success of the vaccination for vulnerable people such as inmates. He said the Platform remains open to other partners to join in improving the human rights of inmates in all prisons across Liberia. According to Mr. Devine the Platform believes that due to the psychological impact of being kept in prison, inmates should not be subjected to the normal rigor being experienced by others in taking the COVID-19 Vaccine. He also used the opportunity to call for support for the prisons, noting that the wellbeing of inmates is important to the public.

ZEANZUE, Bong County – The National Transit Authority (NTA) has confirmed the death of six people in an accident involving one of its buses on the Monrovia-Ganta highway on Tuesday. The NTA management said the accident occurred at about 12:00 noon around Zeanzue in Bong County on the ever-busy highway. “The accident involved a bus belonging to the entity with plate number 1538,” NTA management said in a press release. The NTA management further stated that the accident involved 68 persons, with six killed and more than nine persons got injured. The corpses of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of Phebe Hospital, while the survivors were receiving treatment at the same hospital, NTA management said.

Sayma Syrenius Cephus, the Solicitor-General of Liberia has written the Minister Justice Frank Musa Dean, disclosing death threat posed on his life including his family by some prominent individuals in the country. Cephus named former Associated Justice Kabineh Ja’neh, Bishop Kortu Brown of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), Mr. David Farhat, Cllr. Cephus said in a communication to the Justice Minister Dean of which a copy was send to the Minister of State Nathaniel McGill. Cephus communication to Minister Dean stated. He said, “Without any evidence, recent press statement delivered by the Chairman of the Independent Commission of Human Rights(INCHR), Cllr.