Liberia Maritime Authority Provides Clarity on U.S. Economic Sanction Lists; Says The Sanctioned Companies were Delisted in 2013MONROVIA – The Liberia Maritime Authority (“LiMA”) clarifies a recent publication alleging that the United States has recently imposed sanctions on several Liberian-registered shipping companies. The vast majority of the entities referred to in the publication named were non-shipping corporations sanctioned back in 2013 and were immediately stricken from the Liberia Maritime and Corporate Registry (“the Registry”) in keeping with standard practice. The compliance program remains a reference point by the government of the United States and world security agencies across the globe. The Liberian Registry is therefore currently under absolutely no sanctions from the United States. The Liberian Registry is proud of the integrity and professionalism of its operations.

The family fear follows a live video broadcast on social media, where the anti-same-sex organization, “Citizens Movement Against Gay Practices” directly linked Mr. Alvin Gould to “forceful inducement’ of some youth, mainly young men, into gay practices. He believes as an advocate against gay practice in Liberia, such an alleged act must be resisted and that Mr. Gould must desist from allegedly attempting to induce young people with money. Konway said, in a time where advocacy for and against gay practices is still an issue of discussion, “no one should force young Liberians to get involved into gay practices,” by taking advantage of their ‘underprivileged’ conditions. He wants Liberians and other against the act to resist Mr. Gould, the man allegedly at the center of such discourse by paying no attention to his messages. “Our intelligence has hinted us that Mr. Gould is also in connection with other institutions worldwide, involved with the promotion of such act in Liberia,” he alleged.

Liberia: Rep. Clarence Gahr Dedicates and Turns over Two School Buildings to Ministry of Education in Margibi CountyGibi District, Margibi County – Margibi County District# 5 Representative Clarence G. Gahr has dedicated and turned over to the Ministry of Education (MoE) two primary schools in Gibi District and Borlola Township. This amount is the district’s share of the US$750,000 China Union Social Development Fund debts received from China Union by the Margibi County Authority. For his part, Margibi County Education Officer (CEO), Stephen Toe, speaking at the separate dedicatory ceremonies, noted that for a youthful Lawmaker to collaborate with the County Administration to construct modern primary schools in rural communities was unprecedented in the history of the 36-year-old county (Margibi). He, however, praised Rep. Gahr and the Margibi County Administration for ensuring that the County social development fund is fully utilized for the benefit of the citizens. “It is burden upon us [leaders] to ensure that we prepare the playing field for the next generation to be adequately prepared to take over this country”, Rep. Gahr stated.

MONROVIA – A former editor of the Daily Observer newspaper, Fatoumata Fofana, has published her first novel, entitled SADJIO. Published by New York-based Adelaide Books, this novel traces the life of a young girl growing up in a conservative family. Sadjio was born in a poverty-stricken family but she refused to let poverty define her path in life. She was denied access to education because of her gender but Sadjio did everything to fight gender disparity in education and got the education she desired. Get a copy of this novel and discover how or what she had to endure to overcome this adversity that nearly altered her life.

Several Shipping Companies Operating in Liberia Placed on U.S. BALLITO BAY SHIPPING INCORPORATED), 80 Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia; Identification Number IMO 5804961 [VENEZUELA-EO13850]. DOLPHIN TRADING COMPANY LIMITED, Bob Taylor Road, Paynesville, Monrovia, Liberia; Additional Sanctions Information – Subject to Secondary Sanctions. JENNIFER NAVIGATION LTD.), 80 Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia; Identification Number IMO 4098018 [VENEZUELA-EO13850]. LARGE RANGE LIMITED, 80 Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia; Identification Number IMO 6002286 [VENEZUELA-EO13850].

MONROVIA – Researchers at the University of Liberia, the University of Michigan and the University of Ghana, are working together to ensure that expectant mothers in Liberia have a safer childbirth experience through the connective power of WhatsApp. “Liberia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Dr. Lori will implement a WhatsApp platform for medical staff and community health workers in rural areas in Liberia to communicate with staff at larger hospitals to accelerate the referral and treatment of obstetric emergencies. “We are training community health workers also known as Community health Assistants, to better identify obstetric emergencies and refer them on using the WhatsApp platform. Some of these community health assistants are working in very hard to reach places, where people have to walk two hours to a nearest health care.

“I love my country of origin but America has given me so much peace, comfort and many opportunities. Here is not heaven but I am guaranteed more and better safety than when I am in Liberia,” Toure said. “We were all targeted as former armed men under the command of slain President Samuel K. Doe’s ruthless men. I can’t just figure the logic in that but this was one of the means through which people killed each other in Liberia,” Toure recounted. Recently, three prominent staff at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) died mysterious deaths.

Gborkon’s learning hut is the second one that opened in the Lower Montserrado County area in the last six months. Madam Beysolow Nyanti cut the ribbon to the Gborkon Community Learning hut during a ceremony attended by community leaders, youth, and residents. She thanked Imam Aljahi Jaliebah, the Deemed Elder in Gborkon Community, for providing the land to build the learning hut. The adolescent girls who attended the event said they were excited to have a place to call their own. Nine-year-old Fatumata Francis said she and her peers will take advantage of all the opportunities offered at the Learning Hut.

RIVERCESS COUNTY – Citizens of Central River Cess District have decried serious setback in the development agenda of the district and county since the “unceremonious” closure of major logger EJ and J Logging Company. However, the company “unceremonious” deserted the forest on grounds that some “illegal” pit sawyers were intruding into its concession area. Basically there are CFDCs in River Cess County with FMC-B being the biggest with total size of 57,262 hectares and 11 affected communities with headquarters is in Nezuin, Central River Cess District. They wanted to come to River Cess and they are looking for place and I engaged them since their intention is to train young people. The people put me in mess,” Madam Kranyahn, who is also the Treasurer of the Liberia Timber Association (LTA) added.

MONROVIA – The ruling Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) has taken the National Elections Commission (NEC) and Senator-elect of Bomi County, Edwin Snowe, to court over alleged wide spread electoral fraud and irregularities across over 30 polling places in the county. The ComplaintAmong its litany of complaint, the CDC alleged that several tally sheets bearing Grand Gedeh County instead of Bomi was discovered in the county. “How possible would senatorial candidates from Grand Gedeh County become part of senate record of the count for senatorial candidates for Bomi County which constitutes gross irregularities and fraud,” the CDC averred in the complaint. “Additionally, on the tally sheet of the same polling place 139 [ballot papers] were discovered in the ballot box instead of 409, difference of 270 ballot papers,” the complaint stated. The Supreme Court, in response to their petition, has cited all parties including the NEC, CDC, Tyler and Rep. Snowe to appear for a conference on Wednesday, December 30, 2020 before Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe.

Subsumed within the $900 billion spending bill passed by Congress on Dec. 21, 2020, was a provision extending the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness program, or LRIF, for one more year. The program, which was initially signed into law in December 2019, was set to expire on Dec. 20, 2020. The LRIF program was created through robust advocacy efforts by the African Career, Education & Resources, Inc. (ACER), Liberians, and other Black immigrant advocates and a bipartisan cohort of Democrats and Republicans in Congress over many years. “The extension of the LRIF deadline is another huge win for the Liberian community!” said Diana Konate, Policy Director at African Communities Together. ACER is excited to have the opportunity to help more of our hard-working immigrant community members stabilize their immigration status, which strengthens families, communities, and our state.

Kakata, Margibi County – The Ministry of Mines and Energy in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Monday organized a one-day stakeholders workshop with the aim of developing a user-friendly handbook for both artisanal and small scale miners. The artisanal mining sector (ASM) of Liberia has, however, attracted both local and foreign miners owing to the limited barriers to enter in the sector, including limited expertise, among others. “Development of the handbook and follow-up training and awareness will enhance participatory monitoring of the ASM sector. The overall objectives of this initiative are to support the development of a simple English (user-friendly) training handbook for artisanal miners and mining host communities to provide them with much needed skills and knowledge,” stated Min. Liberia’s new Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development sets a bold vision towards improving mining governance and enforcing regulations on artisanal and small-scale mining operations across the country.

Williams, Contributing WriterAt this present time, family, loved ones, friends, former co-workers, as well as scores of many others, are mourning the loss of Ms. Vickie Ward, who passed from labor to rest on December 16, 2020, in the US. It is, therefore, my very sad duty but an honor to pay this tribute to Vickie, a brilliant mind with a great passion for education, gone too soon. Ms. Ward and Ms. DeContee Clements were the principal staffers in the Ambassador’s office, two of the most competent and very beautiful young women I have been blessed to work with over the years. Although DeContee was much younger, she and Ms. Ward forged a very strong bond together. She was very passionate in supporting girls in science education.

MONROVIA – Finance and Development Planning Minister, Samuel Tweah, says politicizing of monetary issues in Liberia is leading to the “erosion of confidence in the banking system”. Tweah dodged taking the responsibility for the shortage of Liberian dollar banknotes, stating that the authority to print new banknotes rests with the Legislature and not the President. He said he looks forward to the Legislature, upon their return from their annual break in January, acting to end the politicization of monetary policy. This means, he expects the legislature to strip itself of the sole authority of granting the Central Bank of Liberia permission to print new banknotes before it is printed. The new Central Bank Act gives the CBL more independence and the autonomy to decide the country’s monetary policy.

The Central Bank of Liberia fails to supply money into the economy as one of its keys functions. It didn’t help but worsened Zimbabwe economy. If the Central Bank of Liberia and Ministry of Finance and Development Planning don’t act swiftly then Liberia is the next example. Even now, Zimbabwe economy is still suffering. Like Zimbabwe, Liberia is heavily dependent on exports of raw materials and largely import every basis commodity.