Fallout with VP TaylorYallah’s defeat in the December 8 Senate election was largely attributed to his fallout with Liberia’s Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor. Howard-Taylor claimed Yallah failed to bring the dividends of democracy over the years for which he which he was elected. Many Muslims in the county bashed Yallah, who served as secretary to the committee that impeached Ja’neh, for his role played. At certain point of the campaign they made their decisions known to support Moye as a means of “repaying” Yallah. The plot against Yallah was well calculated as Tokpah Mulbah and George Mulbah were out to repay Yallah.

Kakata, Margibi County – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) last Thursday and Friday held a stakeholders’ engagement and technical training with stakeholders to provide insights to help policy makers understand targets and policies on how ‘highly potent’ short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) can be added in Liberia’s revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). As opposed to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, short-lived climate pollutants have relatively short lifetime in the atmosphere and a global warming influence on the climate. As such, reducing SLCPs can help in achieving climate objectives while contributing to improving the air quality. The training was attended by various stakeholders, including National Public Health Institute, Ministry of Finance & Development Planning, Ministry of Commerce & Industries and representatives from the private sector and various Universities across Liberia. The activity is being sponsored by the UNDP in partnership with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) under the UNDP Global Climate Promise initiative that supports countries in enhancing NDC ambitions.

The Country Director of Accountability Lab Liberia W. Lawrence Yealue II along with first winner Hellen Smith and second winner Andrew Horton of the Rap2Rep Musical CompetitionMonrovia – Accountability Lab Liberia has awarded Hellen Smith, an emerging gospel musical artist as the winner of this year’s Rap2Rep musical campaign, a special feature that places high emphasis on the Coronavirus awareness message. Rap2Rep is a musical campaign program organized by the Accountability Lab Liberia back in 2015. But this year campaign named and style Rep2Rep Coronavirus music campaign which is sponsored by the United States Embassy places high emphasis on the novel Coronavirus pandemic awareness message. “Accountability Lab is working with young people using their musical talents to preach consciousness and social change,” the Country Director of Accountability Lab Liberia said. According to Yealue, it was a fiery competition adding that it was the first time for the Accountability Lab to conduct the Rap2Rep competition online, amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

Dear President Weah:Treat the people as though it is their place in society to elect you and receive handouts in return. Don’t provide security protection for them, but tell them to buy their own CCTV cameras. Build few miles of public roads but invest millions in your private properties with public money. You should be thinking about how you can provide employment for thousands of youths that have become petty criminals. If you don’t correct your errors, the Liberian people will do in 2023 as they are doing in 2020.

MONROVIA – The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), in partnership with the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), is launching a four-year project: Communities for Fisheries. Under the umbrella of the EU-Liberia Agriculture Programme, the project seeks to empower communities to co-manage fisheries and reduce illegal fishing, building lasting sustainability and social equity into Liberia’s fishing sector. This will help to safeguard food security and coastal livelihoods across the country. However, fishing communities can act as custodians of the resources they rely on, safeguarding the sustainability of Liberia’s waters. EJF is delighted to be launching Communities for Fisheries, which is enabled by the generous funding support of the European Union.

Liberia: Three Bodies Retrieved from Collapsed Mine While 15 More Trapped Underground in Bong CountyBONG COUNTY – The bodies of three illegal gold miners were retrieved from a collapsed mineshaft on Saturday in David Dean Town in Kokoyah Statutory District, Bong County, while six others are feared dead following the mishap which occurred on the night of Friday, December 11, 2012, FrontPageAfrica has gathered. Rescue efforts were already underway at David Dean Town, where the incident happened. “We are yet to ascertain the number of people trapped inside,” said a police officer. A local Lands and Mines Inspector in Bong told FrontPageAfrica over 10 illegal miners were feared to have been buried alive at the David Dean Town Illicit mining center. Illegal mining of gold, which poses serious safety risks, is rampant in David Dean Town and results in the deaths of several people every year.

Universal Human Rights International (UHRI) and Immigration Attorneys from the Harvard University Legal Immigration Clinic are hosting an Immigration Event online (www.zoom.us. / meeting ID: 2430960871 ) for all beneficiaries of the Liberian Green Card Bill. It’s happening This Saturday, December 12, 2020 at 3:30PM Eastern Standard Time or 8:30PM GMT. Registration is free athttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/liberian-green-card-deadline-questions-answers-with-harvard-legal-tickets-132507458375You can also go to WWW.freeliberia.org or on Facebook and search for the Free Liberia Movement. Recording of event will be available on Free Liberia Movement website (www.freeliberia.org) .

Liberia: ‘Boye Charles’ Senator-elect in River Gee County; As Opposition Candidates Continue to Lead in Official Results Announced So FarMONROVIA – In River Gee County, Mr. Johnathan Sogbie, famously known as Boye Charles of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) has been announced winner of the River-Gee County Midterm Senatorial Elections. He defeated incumbent Senator Matthew Jay who ran as an independent candidate to become the next Senator of the County – that’s according to the National Election official results announced today. Koung is a member of the Prince Johnson’s MDR but he’s is believed to be the CDC candidate by consensus. In Montserrado County, incumbent Senator Mr. Abraham Darius Dillon leads the CDC Thomas Fallah 107,644 votes while Fallah follows with 63,995. The total votes count so far place Mr. Dillon in a comfortable lead with 60.9% against the ruling CDC candidate Fallah who has obtained 36.2%.

We have been inspired by the strong commitment to democracy expressed by Liberians in these elections. We again recall the commitments made by stakeholders in the Code of Conduct to ensure a peaceful and transparent electoral process. We call on all political parties, leaders, candidates and media actors to renounce the use of inciting language and premature declarations of victory. We also call on political leaders and candidates to pursue any disputes through peaceful means and dialogue in accordance with the law. International partners continue to follow closely the electoral process.

Serving as guest speaker, the Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Bannet Ndyanabangi pledged the UNFPA’s support to the institution and called on the graduates to go out and serve to save lives. In 2019, it was on the verge of closure because of lack of budgetary allotment when the UNFPA intervened and saved the school from closing. The health workforce including the nursing and midwifery arms tends to be concentrated in cities, leaving women in rural areas with limited access to skilled care. Speaking further, she however said, despite the immense contributions of UNFPA, the school continues to grapple with several challenges that if not addressed, could threatened its operation. On behalf of the Ministry of Health, the Assistant Minister for Curative Affairs, Dr. Gorbee G. Logan thanked UNFPA for its immense support to the school.

It is completely unacceptable for any candidate to remain quiet while their supporters disrupt the peace of the country. He maintained that while unofficial results show candidates leading in various counties, the most important outcome for this vote is peace. Vote counting is underway in the Special Senatorial election and Referendum after a day of peaceful voting Tuesday, December 8, 2020. 14 senators are facing re-elections in their respective counties because one Senator, Alphonso Gaye of Grand Gedeh County declined to contest. Liberia’s National Election Commission had said that ballots from Tuesday’s vote are being sorted and counted, with the first provisional results being announced beginning Thursday afternoon.

MONROVIA – Provisional Results of the December 8, 2020, Special Senatorial Elections announced by the National Elections Commission (NEC) on Thursday put four candidates of the opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) in an early lead. In Margibi County, Ivar K. Jones (CDC) is crawling behind former House Speaker James Emmanuel Nuquay with 1,099 votes constituting 38.0%. Nuquay (PUP) has a commanding lead of 1,504 votes constituting 52.0%. So far, he has an overwhelming lead of 60.8% constituting 44,692 while CDC’s Thomas Fallah is trailing with 26,697 votes constituting 37.3%. The Justice Minister is also calling on the leadership of all political parties, and independent candidates, to exercise patience as the National Elections Commission (NEC) begins the tallying of results of the polls.

Monrovia – The Norwegian Nobel Committee today, Friday, 10 December, presented the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Award to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) at a special ceremony in Oslo, Norway. WFP’s Executive Director, David Beasley, received the Award on behalf of the global WFP family during a virtual ceremony because of the Coronavirus pandemic. In October, the WFP was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger among the world’s poorest and most vulnerable populations. The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the United Nations World Food Program is in recognition of the important link between conflict and hunger and the critical role that food assistance plays in supporting the first step towards peace and stability. This is an award that WFP shares with many others.

FOYA DISTRICT, Lofa County – The ruins of a factory sit on a major route in a town called Menigesua, towards the Sierra Leone border. ULIMO captured Foya District, Lofa County, from the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) in 1993 and stayed here until 1995. ULIMO looted everything they could sell for cash across the border, including cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rice, handheld rice mills, furniture and zinc roofing sheets. Abu Johnson holds the remnant of a generator in the old powerhouse that provided electricity for Foya District. Kosiah’s ULIMO looted without restraint and killed without mercy any that betrayed or disobeyed them, survivors say.

FrontPageAfrica has not been able to verify the name of the victim, but however, gathered that he is a commercial motorcyclist. He was among scores of supporters who had gathered at the Liberty Party headquarters, based on the instruction from Senator Dillon, to celebrate preliminary results being announced by the National Elections Commission. He was hit by the speeding vehicle that did not stop, neither did the tail vehicle the end of the convoy. Eyewitnesses said there was presence of huge crowd along the Tubman Boulevard where the Liberty Party has its headquarters when the incident occurred. Following the incident that left him in a pool of blood, he was taken to the ELWA Hospital for treatment.