The report titled, “Against My Will: Defying the Practices that Harm Women and Girls and Undermine Equality”, is UNFPA’s flagship report, which focuses on issues of population and development. The focus of this year’s report is on the “Silent and endemic crisis of harmful practices” across the world. “In Liberia, girls and women are part of the Sande Society where FGM is practiced. The UNFPA report shows why harmful practices persist around the world and what can be done about them. Also speaking, Mr. Kingsley Amaning, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Liberia, said the World Population Day is significant because it highlights the problems of over population, raises awareness about the effects of population on the environment and development.

A century and two years ago on July 18, 1918, in a small South African town of Mvezo, the God of our Fathers sent a precious gift to the world. Instead, it was a culmination of decades of groanings, sufferings, dehumanization, including 27 consecutive years of incarceration on an isolated island. Certainly, he was not the first black South African to study law, but unlike others, he decided to put his knowledge and wisdom at the service of his people. Fiercely consumed by his ardent desire to serve his people, he joined the African National Congress (ANC) in the 1940s. Not only that Mandela was opposing white domination, but equally so, he rejected black domination.

Liberia: Appointment of Paulette Findley as Officer-in-Charge at CARI Would Undermines Your Dream, Mr. PresidentMr. President,Glad tidings of Liberia’s Independence President George M. Weah, Liberians home and the world over amidst these perilous yet hopeful times. Let these lines remind all in Public Service of our national and civil responsibilities owed Liberia – one we tend to ignore, forget too soon or later as leaders and Public Servants answerable to – The People. President Weah, the decision to appoint Mrs. Paulette E. Findley, Officer in Charge, Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) undermines your dream of combating food insecurity, poverty, discourages education, scares and drives away Global Partnerships of Acclaimed Research Bodies, Researchers, Scientists as well as obliterates our only apex Agricultural Research Institute – CARI. Moreover, this is an irreparable damage though not impossible to resolve but requires time and will to make the hardest yet difficult decision which is usually gold standard, Mr. President. Accept my assurances of the highest esteem.

MONROVIA – FrontPageAfrica has gathered that one of the confidants of Sinoe County Senator, J. Milton Teahjay identified as Hugh Bladee was reportedly employed by Cllr. However, our source within the Governance Commission further informed FPA that based on the influence of Sen. Teahjay, the commissioners were prevailed upon have Bladee taken for the job. Sen. Teahjay denied the allegation, stating, “To say Milton Teahjay showed his hands and someone gave him five dollars, that’s not true. The Senate Pro-Tempore informed FrontPageAfrica Sen. Teahjay’s removal from the Committee was part of a regular routine at the Senate. Rule 15 Section 2 of the Senate standing rule gives the Senate Pro-Tempore the power to appoint co-chairpersons and members of the leadership committees.

Sulunteh had sought to contest on the party’s ticket as candidate in Bong County after the party’s political leader, Alexander Cummings, endorsed his candidacy in December 2019 in Totota, lower Bong County. By then, the ANC had not entered into collaboration with Unity Party, All Liberian Party and Liberty Party under the umbrella Collaborating Political Parties (CPP). The allocation given to Unity Party to select a candidate in Bong County ruled Sulunteh out from contesting on the CPP ticket. Let me wish the ANC good luck in its quest for political leadership.”Sulunteh didn’t announce his next political party but maintained that he will contest as an Independent candidate. Cummings wished Sulunteh best of luck on his political journey and promised to maintain the friendship and camaraderie they both shared.

Despite the shocks created by COVID-19, Finance Minister Samuel Tweah predicted that this fiscal year’s budget will perform better than the last budget 2019/2020 owing to the measures put in place, and just as 2019/2020 budget year performed better than 2018/2019. Capitol Hill, Monrovia – At long last, President George Weah has submitted the Fiscal Year 2020/2021 national budget to the Legislature in the tone of US$535,452,000. By submitting the budget, which is US$9 million more than the previous budget (US$526 million), the President fulfilled his promised to the Legislature when he requested for additional time to submit the budget by July 15, 2020. He said despite the two recasts made last budget year, the budget ended with a surplus and the total suplus will be known by September this year. With several fiscal policies and reforms, he noted the budget will perform in the succeeding years to come.

Liberia: Three Accidents in Seven Days Leading to Nine Deaths on Monrovia-Ganta HighwayMonrovia-Ganta Highway – Seven days, three crashes, nine dead. Tuesday, July 14, 2020 was the deadliest, adding six lives to Monriva-Ganta highway’s road toll – now 27 for 2020 alone. According to Kanneh, figures collated on the highway show that most drivers don’t act in compliance with road signs. He said the most prevalent among the factors are negligence and disregard for road traffic regulations on the part of drivers involved in the accidents, particularly overtaking and overspending. “I can’t talk about road accidents and not talk about the danger confronting motorists,” he said.

Findley: “CARI has no asset that values my time to conspire to sell. Tokpah, in the audio, disagreed with Findley and recommended to Findley to give him US$200.00 instead of one generator. Celebrating Dr. Nyanquoi Jomah’s suspension from CARI, Findley, in the audio, said her stance on Jomah has instilled fear in some workers of the entity. Tokpah, in his response, said he warned Jomah to be mindful with Findley because of the connections she has with the executive. “I warned Jomah, I warned him, I warned him.

The residents’ disappointment comes in the wake of the Ministry of Public Works’ decision to pave the road leading to the fallen lawmaker home in the district. Residents see the rehabilitation of the road leading to the late Munah Pelham’s home as being insensitive to the plights of the district’s residents. Speaking to FrontPageAfrica, the residents blasted government for ignoring the rest of the main routes leading to Matadi and Fiama Communities. The roads are very bad.”Another resident of Fiama, Joseph Kamara, also frowned on the selective construction of the road leading to the fallen lawmaker’s home. “That is being very selfish – to recondition Munah’s house road and leaving all those potholes looking like wells on the main road undone,” Kamara said.

Each supertrawler may be capable of catching at least 2,000 tons of fish per year of key, bottom-dwelling species that are important to local fishermen. The country’s maximum sustainable catch of these key species ­– including by local fishermen – is only 7,136 tons a year, according to fisheries scientists. We slowly see more fish for local fishermen to catch and women to process. These supertrawlers would unfairly compete for the same fish as local fishermen and reverse all of that progress. In earlier decades, local fishermen could not earn a livelihood because of rampant overfishing, but in recent years things have improved.

FrontPage Africa/Gerald C. KoinyenehMONROVIA – The Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) has refused to reinstate and pay a senior staff of the agency several months of salary and benefits despite a court order for it to do so. A month or so later, CARI wrote the United Bank of Africa (UBA) a letter seen by FrontPage Africa, asking the bank not to pay Jomah until further notice. “Thanks to all well-meaning Liberians as well as international partners through their intervention…” Jomah wrote in a Facebook post. “My driver said ‘Oldma, people are saying since you removed Jomah from CARI, people really afraid of you. Bartholomew Colley wrote to Findley back in April after she did not turn out for a meeting on the matter a month earlier.

Monrovia – Students of G. W. Gibson High School located on the Capitol Bypass in Monrovia are calling on the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) to restore electricity to their school campus to enable them prepare for the upcoming regional exams. The G.W Gibson, which is supervised by the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS), is one of the largest public schools in Monrovia. The school’s student council president, Alfred T. Nimely, in an interview with journalists, said for the past three years the school has been without electricity. According to Nimely, although the school has science and computer laboratories, these facilities are not functional because of the lack of power. So, we have continued to prevent the students from doing that but now they are going out of patience,” Mr. Kangar said.

New York – The Republic of Liberia has been appointed by the United Nations as a member of the United Nations Advisory Committee for the United Nations Global Food Systems Summit 2021 as one of the two African Countries; along with the Kingdom of Morocco, to represent the Continent of Africa on the Advisory Committee. The appointment of Liberia along with Morocco on June 22, 2020, to represent Africa on the Advisory Committee of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Food Systems Summit 2021 followed the endorsement of the two Countries by the African Group of fifty-four (54) Permanent Representatives and Ambassadors to the United Nations in June 2020. Ambassador Kemayah then assured the Chair of the Advisory Committee, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohamed, of Liberia’s support for the United Nations Secretary-General and his Reform Agenda; and reaffirmed Liberia’s unwavering commitment and support to Madam Mohamed in the discharge of her duties and responsibilities as Chair of the United Nations Advisory Committee for the Global Food Systems Summit 2021, and for the attainment of the terms of reference of the Advisory Committee; and the goals and objectives of the Global Food Systems Summit 2021. The Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations stressed the need for more concrete actions to address food insecurity globally. In the same vein; we wish to reiterate our passionate call on you – Madam Chair and Members of this Advisory Committee; and the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General and the entire Secretariat of the Food Systems Summit 2021; for Africa to be given the opportunity to host the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Food Systems Summit 2021; this when done will go a long way in practically demonstrating that this Global Food Systems Summit 2021 is the Peoples’ Summit.”During the inaugural meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Food Systems Summit 2021, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-Generaland Chair of the Advisory Committee,Her Excellency Madam Amina J. Mohammed made a presentation on the Role and Approach of the Advisory Committee; while Dr. Agnes Kalibata, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Global Food Systems Summit 2021 presented on the overall vision, objectives, and expected outcomes of the Summit scheduled to be held in 2021.

This, he said, violates both the Constitution of Liberia and the electoral law of LiberiaMONROVIA – Renowned lawyer, Cllr. Arthur T. Johnson has asked the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of the chairperson and co-chairperson-designate of the National Election Commission (NEC) who were recently nominated to steer the affairs of the NEC for the next seven years. Johnson argues that the ongoing confirmation hearing is in sharp violation of the spirit and intent of the Elections Law of Liberia as well as the Constitution of Liberia, Articles 53, 54, and 89. Prior to her preferment, Mrs. Davidetta Browne Lansanah was nominated, confirmed, appointed and commissioned co-chairman of the Electoral Body. She was subsequently appointed Acting Chair of the Commission after the Liberian Leader withdrew the nomination of the then Chairman-designate, Nwabudiki.

Sen. Teahjay: You and myself we’ve been in that place all these years. Sen. Teahjay: That’s not true. Sen. Teahjay: Karmo you know you’re my man. Karmo: And that’s the name I heard, they say Nwabudike gave you ‘mah’Sen. Teahjay: That’s not true, that’s not true. The publication which the Sinoe County Senator claims is libelous clearly indicated that Sen. Teahjay denied ever receiving money from Cllr.