Madam Abigail Nufeatalai (in the middle) and others at the ceremonyMonrovia – One of Liberia’s leading GSM Companies, Lone Star Cell MTN, has officially launched the 2020 MTN Liberia Music Awards (MLMA) with a vow to continuously support the works and efforts of local Liberian musicians. She disclosed that the initiative was intended to provide Liberian musicians with a secure source of income. “But we wanted to do more, so in 2018, we partnered with the Liberia Music Awards Foundation to bring the Liberia Music Awards (which was previously held overseas) to Liberia”. She added that the company’s partnership with the Liberia Music Awards Foundation is a long-term one which is focused on supporting artists’ development and growth as well as the advancement of the Liberian music industry. “That is why we are extremely proud and excited to declare the 2020 MTN Liberia Music Awards officially launched.

Dr. Paul Sky Berry interacting with the children during distribution of the toys, shoes and other itemsMonrovia – Dr. Paul Sky Berry’s Faith Foundation, a charitable, Liberian-based organization, has donated over US$6K worth of toys, footwear and other materials, including food and non-food items, to children. More than 1000 kids had come from all parts of Monrovia to be touched by the kindness of Dr. Berry. He also thanked his wife, Mrs. Aminata Berry, for helping him, too, to get all the containers shipped to Liberia. So, on Saturday, we are going to be having a big leadership dinner and our target is 500 persons. He arrived recently back into the country and was given a rousing welcome by his many friends and admirers.

Fatoumata Njei, Contributing WriterNew York – Over the weekend the New York State Senate and the African Immigrant Commission (AIC) of New York and Connecticut honoured infectious disease scientist, Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, and several healthcare workers in recognition of their outstanding services during the COVID-19 pandemic. New York was hard hit during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and became the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States. Other healthcare workers honoured were Dr. Alseny Balde and Dr. Nana Keita from Guinea, and Dr. Issa Turay from Sierra Leone. On behalf of the honourees, Dr. Nyan thanked the State of New York for the recognition and honour and the African Immigrant Commission for highlighting the contributions of African Immigrants to healthcare in the United States and the world. The Nyan-Test can detect about 3-7 infectious and simultaneously identify them in less than an hour.

MONROVIA – The Liberia Media Center (LMC) with support from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the Multi-Stakeholders Forest Governance Project (MFGAP) has concluded a one-day editors’ forum to build a leading network of editors from the print and electronic news organizations throughout Liberia. The editors’ forum, which was held last Friday, September 18, 2020, was held at the Corina Hotel in Monrovia and was attended by several editors from both the print and electronic media. Sagie F. Kamara, Sr.; and the Forestry Development Agency (FDA) Managing Director C. Mike Doyen, said the forest sector of Liberia needs attention in the reportage of the media. He implores journalists to take advantage of the Freedom of Information Act to enhance their reportage of forest governance and other development stories. “We have taken significant steps towards forest governance and have made enormous progress in the sector, but there are still challenges,” Mr. Doyen concluded.

Mr. Soudré Dieudonné, 43, was installed in office on Monday, with Acting Foreign Minister Henry Fahnbulleh present. Monrovia – Liberia unveiled a new Honorary Consul in Burkina Faso Monday, in the wake of major controversy surrounding the alleged selling of diplomatic passports and consulship to foreign nationals. Mr. Soudré Dieudonné’s unveiling comes in the wake of yet another scandal involving honorary consulship in Liberia and the case of Mr. Akintunde Ojo who it has been discovered, has been acting as Honorary Consulate General to Mexico for Liberia. Dieudonné’s unveiling comes in the wake of yet another scandal involving honorary consulship in Liberia and the case of Mr. Akintunde Ojo who it has been discovered, has been acting as Honorary Consulate General to Mexico for Liberia. Late Monday, the Consulate’s website in Mexico was taken down, barely 48 hours after eyebrows were raised on how Mr. Ojo, obtained his Liberian diplomatic passport and got his assignment as Liberia’s Honorary Consul General to Mexico.

The website was the only source of information on Mr. Akintunde Ojo who is alleged to have bribed his way through the Liberian government to obtain a Liberian Diplomatic Passport and an assignment to Mexico as Honorary Consul GeneralMONROVIA – The Liberian Consulate in Mexico has taken down its website barely 48 hours after eyebrows were raised on how Mr. Akintunde Ojo, a Nigerian alleged to be a drug dealer obtained his Liberian diplomatic passport and got his assignment as Liberia’s Honorary Consul General to Mexico. Mr. Ojo’s only internet presence was the Liberian Consulate in Mexico’s website https://www.lbrmex-hcg.com/FrontPageAfrica has not been able to independently verify Mr. Ojo’s involvement with drugs and could not obtain any information on the internet that links him to any involvement in drug or crime. Henry Costa during his live session on Facebook over the weekend that Mr. Ojo, having been denied a diplomatic passport during the regime of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2014 return to Liberia and defied the system under the current regime, attained a diplomatic passport and was posted to Mexico as Liberia’s Honorary Consulate General. Liberia’s Minister of Information, Lenn Eugene Nagbe, told FrontPageAfrica on Sunday that the Liberian government acted prudently and legally in the appointment of Mr. Akintunde Ojo as the country’s Honorary Consulate General to Mexico. Mr. Nagbe’s further told FrontPageAfrica said with the internationally accepted practice, the host governments transmit an exequatur through a diplomatic note to the Government of Liberia to allow an Honorary Counsel to serve in said country.

MONROVIA – Dr. Charles Gbollie has welcomed President George Weah’s call for highly educated Liberians, especially doctors to contribute more meaningfully to Liberia’s rebuilding process. President Weah, making remarks Saturday, September 26, 2020 at programs marking the observance of World Tourism Day on the historic Providence Island, cautioned doctors to write books to educate Liberian children and tell the Liberian story. The young Liberian educational psychologist notes that the availability of more culturally relevant books by Liberian authors would stimulate the culture of reading, thus fostering quality education in the country. The young Liberian educator and author, however, called on the Liberian leader to ensure an enabling environment is created by his Government to utilize Liberia’s best brains to solve the country’s multiple challenges. Dr. Gbollie believes that no country can prosper beyond the use of its best minds void of political and other differences.

Monrovia – Finance and Economic Planning Minister Samuel Tweah will be among leading African and United States policy and business leaders showcasing this year’s African Leadership Magazine’s 5th US – Africa Investment Forum & Policy Dialogue 2020. In addition to Minister Tweah, the ceremony will feature Swaziland’s Prime Minister (Eswatini) HE Rt. The forum shall also highlight the 2020 edition of the African Business Leadership Awards presentation ceremonies – a prestigious recognition ceremony to reward exceptional corporate practices and outstanding achievers in Africa’s business landscape and its private sector, across various categories. The African Business Leadership Awards is a prestigious recognition event to reward exceptional corporate practices and outstanding achievers in Africa’s business landscape and its private sector. You have been scheduled to be formally honored with the African Inspirational Leadership Award in Public Service, during the awards presentation ceremony and give an acceptance speech during the event.

Arguing his case before the Supreme Court at the time, Cllr. Brumskine who was backed by second place Unity Party headed by Joseph Boakai (vice president at the time) also complained of multiple registrations and flaws in the voter roll. The Supreme Court acknowledged the flaws in the voter roll in its opinion in that case, but stated that the evidence was not sufficient to warrant the cancellation of the election results. Cleaning the Voters Roll will clothe the process with credibility, accountability and fairness and is in furtherance of Chapter 1, Article 1 of the 1986 Constitution,” the CPP stated in their petition. As it is, only the Supreme Court can calm this stormy situation,” they stated in the petition.

NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Liberia Climate Change expert disclosed that under the leadership of President George M. Weah, Liberia ratified the Paris Agreement. In 2015, Liberia submitted her contribution with the intention of stepping up an ambition to address the issue of climate change. He noted that in the revise plan, Liberia is considering key important sectors including Short Lived Climate Pollutants, Green Corridor and Natural Capitol Accounting. He recognized the support being provided to the NDC revision process by UNDP-Liberia, the European Union (EU) Long Term Technical Agreement and the NDC Partnership through CI.

MONROVIA – Mr. Dee Maxwell Kemayah, Liberia’s Foreign Minister-designate, faced the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee for the second time last Friday for confirmation in the wake of allegation of sexual harassment against him by an employee of Liberia’s Mission to the United Nations. During his second appearance before the Senate Committee, Mr. Kemayah termed the allegation of sexual harassment against him as a “takedown campaign” that was planned against him even before his nomination as Minister of Foreign Affairs designate. This is a smear campaign before even my nomination when it was speculated that I would be preferred for the position of foreign minister. Kemayah first faced the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday, Senator Dan Morais, (Maryland County-IND) chairman of Committee called off confirmation proceeding for until the allegation of sexual harassment against him is looked into. The report of Ambassador Kemayah’s involvement in sexual harassment comes at the time when President Weah has declared rape as a national emergency and launched a roadmap to address the issue of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Capitol Hill, Monrovia – The National Elections Commission (NEC) has requested US$390,214.32 to conduct the By-elections in Montserrado County District #9 and Sinoe County District #2. In a communication to the House of Representatives through Speaker Bhofal Chambers, the NEC Chairperson, Davidetta Browne Lansanah said the budget for Montserrado County District #9 is US$223,423.97, while Sinoe County District #2 is US$166,790.35. The by- elections came as the result of the deaths of Representatives Nagbe Sloh (District #2, Sinoe County) and Rep. Munah Pelham Youngblood (District #9, Montserrado County) In June and July respectively. Article 37 mandates NEC to conduct by-elections to fill vacant seats no later than 90 days of the date of notification. “Given that the conduct of the two Representative By-elections during the Special Senatorial Elections and Referendum, the cost is significantly reduced since the by-elections will benefit much from what will be deployed into the field for the conduct of the Special Senatorial elections and Referendum” she wrote in the communication.

Most of these deaths (78.2 percent) were drug overdoses with known drug classification. A further investigation revealed that for unclassified drug overdoses, 71.8 percent involved opioids, translating to 99,160 additional opioid-related deaths. There were over 70,000 drug overdose deaths in 2017, according to an estimate from the CDC. Another study on opioid overdoses found that the number of drug overdose deaths decreased by 4 percent from 2017 to 2018. In 2018, more than 67,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States.

THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL to date is the case of Mr. Kesseley Mulbah – aka Kezo, a notorious armed robber who was mysteriously released from the Monrovia Central Prison, last May. INITIAL REPORTS suggested that the notorious armed robber was released through the mastermind of Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee. THE MAYOR’S REQUEST to the Chief Justice stems from various allegations made against him in the media that he influenced the notorious armed robber’s release from prison. MAYOR KOIJEE STATES that the allegation against him led him to conduct an independent investigation into the release of the armed robber. THE CONTROVERSIAL and questionable release of Mulbah is the latest in a long line of judicial lapses putting a stain on Liberia’s international image.

Monrovia – The government has launched the installation of solar panel street lights within communities in Montserrado County that lacks access to public electricity. He said government is the source of funding this project and an initial of US$500,000.00 for its implementation. In similar development, government is expected to begin the “Sidewalk Enhancement Project” soon. According to the Deputy Presidential Press Secretary, the Sidewalk Enhancement Project will be implemented by the Engineer Battalion of the Armed Forces of Liberia along with engineers from the Ministry of Public Works. Mr. Toby said the pavement is a means of creating relief for vehicles and motorcycles that ply that route daily.