MONROVIA – The Valedictorian of the first-ever LRA Customs Officers Class Mohammed M. Kiawhen is encouraging his fellow graduates to remain professional and committed to duty. Kiawhen was named dux of his class over the weekend during the graduation of thirty-three (33) LRA Customs officers from the Liberia National Police Academy and Training School. Speaking when he was certificated as Dux of his class, Mohammed M. Kiawhen who is also a Customs’ Supervisor at the LRA indicated that professionalism and commitment to service are vital in executing the assigned task as customs officers. To the Administration and Staff of the Liberia Revenue Authority, we could not achieve this success without your support. In November 2020, the Customs Department of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the Liberia National Police (LNP) signed a Memorandum of Understand (MoU) for the training of Customs Officers at the Liberia National Police Academy and Training School.

Ganta, Nimba County – Artisanal and small-scale miners participating in the second leg of the multi-stakeholders’ workshop on environment monitoring and human rights have called on the Government of Liberia and partners for more awareness on how to eradicate harmful mining activities in the country. Speaking to reporters, Sande Kiadii, an artisanal miner from Varney Peai mining site in Tappita stressed that there’s a need for more training workshops or tutorials so as to enable miners understand the issue of illegal mining or harmful mining activities. A Lot of people are dying on mining sites daily and not all of them are not being reported,” averred Kiadii. He stated that one of their major challenges at the moment is the lack of sophisticated tools to make mining easy. When asked about the issue of safeguarding the environment, Sandy agreed that protecting the environment is important and, in most cases,, miners tend to harm themselves first as a result of harmful mining practices.

J. Adams Manobah presenting copies of the LLA Act and the Land Rights Act to Nimba County Superintendent, Hon. Nelson KorquioGbarnga/Ganta – A nationwide awareness campaign on the dissemination of information on the Land Rights Act (LRA) and the Liberia Land Authority Act (LLAA) has begun across Liberia with a focus on communication, the laws, women’s rights and community engagements. The Women Land Rights awareness aspect of the awareness campaign focuses on women and youth land rights in the context of customary land, and the inheritance and equal rights of customary land, among others; while the component of community engagement deals with the principles, methods, levels of community engagement in local communities across Liberia. Chedeh Davis said the overall objective is to increase public awareness and understanding on the Land Rights Act and the Act (LLA Act) that established the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) in 2016. The awareness is the first since President George Mannah Weah signed and passed the Land Rights Act into law, giving customary communities ownership to their land.

Monrovia – Findings from Research conducted in Liberia by the London School of Economics and Political Science has revealed the need for strengthening Health Sciences Research in the country. According to a release issued, the London School of Economics and Political Science in collaboration with the National Public Health Institute of Liberia and other partners conducted the research to examine the achievements and challenges of improving health sciences research in Liberia. The exercise, the release further pointed out was part of a multi-country research project involving in-depth case studies of national health research systems. Research leadership, Research Institutions, the existence of ethical review structures among others are some of the strength the findings revealed, the release indicated. The findings also revealed coordination, health research policy implementation, research prioritization, knowledge translation and policy coherence as well as regulatory frameworks as some of the weaknesses also discovered during the research, the release averred.

“Nearly hundred houses were affected from the storm; though it is not much, but we want you to look at the good intentions of your children towards you. We will take the message back to your children who send this donation, that there is more work to be done. Therefore, they in the US put together to donate relief supplies to the Gayah Hill storm disaster victims, because it is their root and they are identifying with them in times of need. He expressed profound thanks and appreciation to the Liberian Government and Liberian National Red Cross for coming to the aid of the storm victims. And said such timely aid brought a big relief to the already suffering victims.

Right Journalist Lewis Konoe and Son Saryor with swollen stomach due to liver infectionMONROVIA – Liberian Journalist Lewis E.B Konoe is seeking urgent financial assistance locally and internationally to have his oldest son Saryor get urgent international medical attention. Saryor a Senior student at the University of Liberia is currently suffering from liver infection and needs urgent international medical care to save his life. The ELWA medical report also mentioned that he has Hepatitis B affecting the liver. JFK did a medical check twice and confirmed that he has Hepatitis B.Neo-Life medical report points out Hepatitis B and huge amount of grease (fats) around his liver and Forever Living Mentioned Fatty Liver also to mention Hepatitis B. There following a lab test it was discovered that he has Hepatitis B and was recommended to ELWA after previous rounds of Hepatitis B test one at JFK earlier in 2020 before his condition became worse to date.

The MRU comprises Liberia, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Sierra. His departure was amid speculations that Liberia and neighboring Ivory Coast have in recent time had sour relationship, especially bordering on security. He said, “There’s no strain between Liberia and Ivory Coast. And that was because they had some issues in Ivory Coast and he was needed there.”Minister Rennie, however, did not say what the emergency was. On the other hand, it deplored the violent terrorist attacks recorded in some Member States of the MRU region.

Senator Johnson is Nimba County Senior while Senator Sherman represents Grand Cape Mount County in the Liberian Senate. They were re-elected on May 18, 2021 when the Liberian Senate conducted its leadership elections. ALJA says it opposes the re-elections of the senators to positions of trust in the Liberian Senate, because of their shady public records. The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act targets perpetrators of corruption and serious human rights abuse. However, neither the Senator nor the leadership of the Liberian Senate heeded the Association’s advice.

Liberia: Joe Boakai Says He Either Head the CPP 2023 Ticket or Support the Candidate on ConditionMonrovia – Ex-Vice president Joseph N. Boakai has vowed to support whoever wins the Collaborating Political Parties’ presidential ticket if the party lives by the agreements as enshrined in its framework. However, appearing on T- Max Jlateh’s popular 50-50 radio program on SKY FM on Wednesday, the former VP said he will support whoever wins the ticket, but with a caveat. “If I don’t win the CPP primary, I will support whoever wins, only if all the processes in the framework document are followed. This is the way we believe in, then you belleh [dare] listen,” former VP Boakai said. According to the medical online journal- Medicinenet, a pacemaker surgery is generally a minor surgery that may take around 1-2 hours to complete.

Since the unfortunate incident, nearly US$40M has been budgeted by the past and current governments for the Executive Mansion renovation. Towards this end, we are providing the needed resources required to complete the Executive Mansion renovation works” President Weah vowed. The economyIn a bid to help improve Liberia’s economy, President Weah promised, in his inaugural address to guarantee the involvement of Liberian-owned businesses. In some instances, these foreign companies would sub-contract smaller portions of these lucrative contracts to Liberian-owned companies at their own will and pleasure. The arbitrary increase of tariff on the clearing of goods from the Freeport of Monrovia makes it more frustrating and difficult for local Liberian business owners.

Not once in the entire statement did Mr. Cummings cite any evidence of corruption other than raving about “rogues” or “stealing”. Where there have been probable cause to act against impropriety, the President has done so – including prosecuting his officials. That a leader of a political party will regurgitate word on the street just shows the level of despair. Regarding suggestions from some quarters about a War and Economic Crimes Court, the government’s position on the matter remains the same: It is a sovereign decision that the Liberian people should make. This has since been the position of the Liberian government expressed by President Weah to the United Nations and the Liberian Legislature.

Liberia: Bong Bids Farewell to Former Senator Richard K. Flomo, Sr; Describe Him as a Patriot Who Gave the Country the Very Best at All TimesGBARNGA – Dignitaries from all walks of life converged on Gbarnga Wednesday to pay their last respects to former Bong County senator Richard K. Flomo, Sr, who died April 3 at the age of 85. Rep. Hills said the former Bong County senator who was a retired lawyer proved his quality in politics, legal issues community service and philanthropy. In 1947, he enrolled in a local school situated in Beletanda, Nyallah Clan, Sanoyea District, Bong County. In 1978, he was appointed to the Ministry of Justice as County Attorney of Bong County. In 1984, the late Flomo, Sr, participated in the general and legislative elections and won a seat as junior senator for Bong County.

Monrovia – TipMe Liberia, an electronic payment service provider has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, with Winners Incorporated, a betting company believed to the largest operating in the country. Speaking at the signing event, the Sales Manager of TipMe, Reindorf Haligah said the deal with Winners INC will allow TipMe customers to cash-in and cash-out at all Winners INC locations across Montserrado County –that includes 30 storefronts, and 1000 umbrella location. According to the Sales Manager of TipMe, regional locations will be activated later this year. Also, TipMe customers can access a host of services through the platform including LEC, Airtime, and Libetelco bill payment services, the Sales Manager of TipMe added. We are delighted to join the hard-working team of TipMe Liberia to officially launch this outstanding partnership gear to promoting the global effort of digital financial inclusion,” Kallon said.

GANTA, Nimba County – The Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) of Liberia with support from the United Nations Development Program(UNDP) and Partners, holds the third and final regional validation workshop on Liberia’s Nationally Determined Contribution-NDC for stakeholders from five counties of Liberia. Those sectors under review for the revised NDC include Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs), Green Corridor, Energy, Waste, Health, Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Coastal zones and Transport/Infrastructure. At the close of the event, regional stakeholders welcomed the dialogue and engagement and unanimously endorsed the revised NDC, including the sectoral targets for mitigation and adaptation. Endorsing the draft revised NDC and representing all superintendents of the five counties, the superintendent of Grand Gedeh County, Kai Garlo Farley applauded all the partners for including their expertise and ideas in the validation process of the NDC revision. The NDC validation exercise has been marred by training of stakeholders to ensure that regional actors understand the NDC and have the capacity to implement climate actions in their respective activities.

Laura Golakeh is expected to receive a Master’s Degree in International Education Policy from Harvard University on May 27, 2021. Her passion for education goes back to 2012, when she founded a community organization promoting early literacy among privileged children. The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. As a fellow she spent six weeks in the United States, at the Arizona State University learning skills in Civic Leadership and interacting with top US Leaders including Amb. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Gender and Peacebuilding and is currently a student of Law at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law.