MONROVIA — The governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Liberia have revealed plans to launch a joint commission aimed at fostering youth and sports development. The Commission if established will provide technical and infrastructural support in Technical Vocational Education Training program, sports development and youth empowerment. Also speaking, Saudi Arabia Deputy Minister for Sports, Abdulelah Saad Aldalak welcomed the establishment of the Joint Commission on Cooperation and Assistance between both countries. Deputy Minister Aldalak in a joyous mood said the Ministry will assign people to develop and draft policies that will give birth to the joint commission. He asserted that the Saudi Youth and Sports Ministry will work along with the Liberian Charge D’Affairs office to ensure that the document is developed to roll out the Joint Commission.

Ambassador Laurent Delahousse, and French Ambassador Michaël Roux toured the AML mine, rail and port operations and visited the Vocational Training Center (VTC) in Yekepa. The guests also held a meeting with AML’s senior management headed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Scott Lowe. Briefing the Ambassadors, CEO Lowe said it was a great honor to have them visit AML and reaffirmed the company’s strong commitment to Liberia. Lowe said: “ArcelorMittal Liberia has been in Liberia since 2006, and we are in this for the long haul. Ambassador McCarthy described the ArcelorMittal Liberia investment as a “hope for the future of Liberia” and encouraged the company and staff to continue the good work.

Minister Cooper made the statement at a program marking the selection of a local agriculture group, ‘Agro Tech’ to be sponsored under the ministry’s Triumph Garden Project. According to the Minister, the triumph garden project is an urban food and nutrition security initiative, which is intended to empower urban gardeners and Farmers to scale up their productions. Minister Cooper disclosed that the essence of the Triumph Garden Project is to enable gardeners to get involve into Agricultural activities while they stay home during the COVID_19 Pandemic. Also speaking, the Executive Director of Agro Tech Liberia, Jonathan Stewart thanked the Ministry of Agriculture for the preference. He used the occasion to inform the gathering that the Department of Agriculture at the University is ever ready to partner with various Agriculture institutions and the Ministry.

The United Nations Women Country Representative to Liberia, Marie Goreth Nizigama has pointed out that while women represent half of the Liberian population, they are still grossly underrepresented in politics and decision making positions. According to Ambassador Julie Endee, traditional women in the past have been marginalized in various communities across the country, adding that traditional women have been the last to speak. “Traditional women have been left behind in the past. They have been marginalized in various places, ranging from national leadership, traditional leadership and decision making and many others,” she said. She asserted that women access to justice is not complete when those women who report their cases do not get a logical conclusion.

The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission is a bi-partisan commission which was established with the unanimous consent of the United States House of Representatives in 2008. The Commission is charged with promoting, defending and advocating for international human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant human rights instruments. The Commission undertakes public education activities, provides expert human rights advice and encourages members of Congress to actively engage in human rights matters. Designed to be an agile “smart” sanctions tool, Global Magnitsky sanctions are often referred to as a means to hold perpetrators and corrupt persons accountable for their actions. The latest hearing conducted by the commission was intended to examine the implementation of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

The services were recently suspended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after it was realized that individuals were embezzling the funds generated by the ministry and diverting them to private use instead of government coffers. Under the new regulation the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will absolutely not receive any corporate document/payment/fee(s) for processing through any employee/staff/official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The regulation requires that absolutely no document(s) will be finalized without the revenue receipts for corporate fees and corporate jackets(s), respectively. No request and/or payment/fee(s) for an Apostille shall be received on behalf of an applicant through an employee/staff/official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Absolutely no employee/staff/official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is allowed to encourage/engage into receiving any request and/or payment/fee(s) for an Apostille from anyone/institution for processing; as doing so constitutes a major violation of the procedures for obtaining an apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; hence, subject to consequences for the applicant(s) and/or any such employee/staff/official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Col. Mulbah told Truth FM on Friday that the police received the order from the Minister of Justice at 4:00 am, Friday morning. “This is an institution we are running and we can in no way disrespect the Justice Minister but, again, the Justice Minister’s instruction to us cannot be in the media before reaching out to us. “Until the evidence, when produced, reviewed and a determination made by the Attorney General, the LNP is ordered to release Mr. Ali,” Minister told FrontPageAfrica moments ago. Mr. Ali is reportedly charged with terrorism, criminal attempt to commit murder, arson and terrorist threat. FrontPageAfrica followed up with the police hours after the Attorney General’s order on why Mr. Ali was still being held in detention.

Emotional ConfrontationMaking his argument during a heated debate before the vote to suspend Rep. Yekeh Kolubah was taken, Rep. Boley was constantly interrupted by Rep. Sebo with a war crimes court scare, saying “The War crimes Court is coming.”In response, Boley said “Mr. He needs to face the war crimes Court.” As tension grew, Rep. Acarous Moses Gray of Montserrado District #10 intervene and calmed his colleague down. Calls for War Crimes Court ReawakenMeanwhile, Rep. Seboe’s confrontation with the former warlord-cum-politician for allegedly murdering his relatives during Liberia’s brutal civil conflict has renewed calls for the establishment of a war crimes court in Liberia. I can only imagine how it feels working with an individual who killed your relatives during Liberia’s civil war. He has the power to call for the establishment of the war crimes court but following party mandate is their quest.

According to the CDC Chairman, his proposition if implemented would help create employment opportunities for partisans of the party. However, in a press release issued on March 29, 2021, ALJA termed Chairman Morlu’s statement as selfish and divisive. The Association says the statement has the propensity of polarizing Liberians and eroding the prevailing peace and stability in Liberia. ALJA asserts that Chairman Morlu’s attempt to deny nonpartisans of the CDC such right and privilege could set a dangerous precedent. Then Mr. Morlu reportedly said that opposition members should not be given positions in the CDC administration while qualified partisans of the party remain unemployed.

Monrovia – Eco Fuel FZE which accused SRIMEX Oil and Gas of hijacking its petroleum storage terminal at the Free Port of Monrovia has been ordered evicted from the premises by the Supreme Court. This was despite a court order declaring that the site is not to be operated, Eco Fuel alleged. Eco Fuel, in its response to the suit, acknowledges the NPA Lease between Srimex and NPA, but states that Srimex subsequently transferred the NPA Lease to Eco Fuel by way of an Assignment of Lease by Novation (Novation and Substitution Agreement) between Srimex and Eco Fuel, as well as the NPA and the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC). The NPA have filed an affidavit in response to the Srimex Suit, confirming the statement of Eco Fuel that Srimex assigned by novation all its rights and interest under the NPA lease to Eco Fuel. Copies of the Novation Agreement have been provided to the court and were put in records of the suit by both Eco Fuel and the NPA.

US Ambassador McCarthy Praises Inter-Con Security Guards for Protecting US Diplomats and Facilities in LiberiaAmbassador Michael A. McCarthy (in black suit) and the retirees pose for a photo shortly after the ceremonyMonrovia – United States Ambassador accredited near Monrovia, Michael A. McCarthy, has highlighted the sacrifices and pivotal roles guards of Inter-Con Security Systems continue to play towards the protection of the lives of U.S diplomats and facilities in Liberia. He added that in some cases, Inter-Con guards even assisted with the evacuation of Americans. According to Ambassador McCarthy, no other security force in the world is cognizant of the danger of protecting Americans and their properties than Inter-Con security guards in Liberia. Today we honored eight security guards and two support staffs; they have reached the retirement age of 60”. He recalled that ex-combatants misconstrued these Inter-Con guards, including two commanders, as national security officers and fired live bullets at them while on duty.

The Liberia Institute of Certified Public Accountants (LICPA) on Friday through its President Mr. Victor S.K.B Tanwone made the call at the program marking the 10th official inaugural program of officials elect of LICPA. According to Mr. Tanwone, as President of an Integrity Institution, he is adding his voice to the many voices in calling for the establishment of an economic and war crimes court. The LICPA President also intends to work with the commission on higher education for the purpose of integrating LICPA program into the national curriculum of universities in Liberia. Those inaugurated into office are Mr. Victor S.K.B Tanwone President, Mr. Papin Daniels Jr. Vice President, Samuel Mensah, Council member and Steven Dindo Seimavula immediate past President. LICPA was established in June 2011 as a successor of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Liberia to represent, promote, and regulate the accountancy profession in Liberia in the public interest.

Monrovia – A local civil society group under the banner Coalition for The Restoration of 5% Equity (CORLE) for Liberians has petitioned the Legislature (Both House of Representatives and Senate) calling for a repeal of the recent amendment to the 2014 petroleum law that is believed to be taking away what was constitutionally given to all Liberians. The group is accusing the current administration of President George Weah of changing the law to benefit close friends and officials of the regime. The group in their petition Referenced in particular, Section 36 which replaces the provisions of under the 2014 Petroleum Law and grants the 5% Equity in petroleum contracts which belongs to all Liberians and to a few Liberian businesses as the new amendment shows. “In view of the foregoing, we petition your Honourable Offices to repeal the said Amendment and restore to all Liberians, our 5% equity right as envisaged under the 2014 Law. In effect, we require you to reinstate ALL the provisions of the said section 36 (PART VIII) of the 2014 Petroleum Reform Law as approved on October 5, 2016, and printed into handbills on October 10, 2016.

The mosque, which has prayer rooms and hosts over 5,000 people, was funded by Muslims and Cummings, according to Amara Kamara, who was responsible for the construction of the mosque. Bolonguidu Town, Lofa County — Muslims in Lofa’s Bolonguidu Town, Quardu Gboni District on Friday, March 26 inaugurated a 5,000-capacity mosque, the first in the town since its establishment 20 years ago. ‘Cummings will go down in history’Kamara recalled how Cummings was instrumental in the construction of the mosque from the start to the end. Cummings, I want to use this program to publicly appreciate you for your role played in helping us construct this mosque. Cummings’ trip to Lofa on Thursday, March 25 began in Beyan Town, an area bordering Bong and Lofa Counties, where he interacted with residents of the town.

Democracy and dictatorship cannot co-exist under any form of government: you are either a dictator running a dictatorship or a democrat running a democracy. Because democracy is a democracy and a dictatorship is a dictatorship…no ifs, buts, and ors. If you want to be a dictator, just be a dictator and don’t pretend to be a democracy. That is why these fake democracies continue to fall all over the world because democracy and dictatorships are arch enemies. Darn good dictators last long although they fall in the end and the ones trying to mix them both are the first to tumble.