Monrovia – As a way to promote transparency and accountability in Government, the House of Representatives of the 55th Legislature on Thursday unanimously voted, to declare their assets and authorized its Chief Clerk to publish the assets declared by all members within a period of one month. By Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]Members of the House of Representatives are required to obtain the asset declaration document from the Chief Clerk’s Office to fill in and submit. A release issued by the Press Bureau of the House of Representatives says, plenary took the decision during its 3rd day sitting on Capitol Hill. The House’s decision also come as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) calls on all outgoing officials to declare their assets. This declaration, the LACC noted is part of the “Exit Declaration of Assets Notice which requires a comprehensive list encompassing properties, financial holdings, investments, and other relevant financial interests.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 19, 2024 15:12 UTC
President Joe Biden served as the 47th Vice President of America to former President Barack Obama, America’s first black President for two consecutive terms (2009-2017). America’s current President Joe R. Biden was born on November 20, 1942, and is 81 years old while Liberia’s President-elect Joe N. Boakai was born on November 30, 1944. Similarly, President Boakai will be the first Vice President to become elected President since President William V.S. President-elect Joe Boakai has four children (Tamba, Joseph, Randa and Charlotte) and similarly, America’s 46th President Joe Biden has four children (Hunter Biden, Naomi Christian Biden, Ashley Biden and Beau Biden). America’s 46th President, Joe Robinette Biden, Jr., was inaugurated on January 20, 2021 at age 78 and Joe Boakai will be inaugurated on January 22, 2024 at age 79.
Source:Daily Observer
January 19, 2024 14:15 UTC
Guest Editorial by Lekpele M. NyamalonPresident George Weah’s concession call to President-elect Joseph Boakai a few days shy of the official election announcement is worth celebrating. Here’s why:To fully appreciate President Weah's gesture, one must understand Liberia’s political history. This moment also recalls the struggles of those who fought for social justice, democracy, and political pluralism in the past. For the record, President Weah’s governance records were marred by controversies, with allegations from many critics of corruption, misrule, breakdown of state institutions, etc. By conceding defeat a day before the official announcement of election results in Liberia, President George Weah has entered the uncommon realm of politics in Africa’s democracy.
Source:Daily Observer
January 19, 2024 14:11 UTC
Speaker J. Fonati Koffa has appointed the Acting Chairman of the Unity Party (UP) Caucus, Rep. Richard N. Koon, as Chairman of the House of Representatives Inauguration Committee. The Ad-hoc Inauguration Committee comprises six members, and selecting Koon as head might have come as a surprise to some, given the fact that he had just challenged Koffa for the Speaker post. The members of the committee include Rep. Moima Briggs-Mensah, co-chairperson, Rep. Samuel Enders, Rep. Julie Wiah, Rep. Rugie Barry, and Rep. Emmanuel Dahn. The House's Ad-hoc Inauguration Committee is tasked to closely collaborate with the Joint Transitional Inaugural Team from the Executive Branch to ensure the seamless execution of a successful inauguration program on the grounds of the Capitol Building on Monday, January 22, 2024. The Administration Committee, co-chaired by Rep. P. Mike Jurry, also includes Rep. Priscilla Cooper, Rep. Bintu Massalley, Rep. Austin Blidi Taylor, and Rep. Eugene Kollie.
Source:Daily Observer
January 19, 2024 10:49 UTC
The mining industry association, representing a consortium of mining companies, mineral exploration license holders, and businesses directly linked to the sector, therefore, expresses confidence in Boakai's ability to guide "the nation towards a prosperous future." The Liberia Chamber of Mines is confident in your leadership and wishes you and your administration all the best in your term ahead." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Liberia Mining By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. About the Liberia Chamber of Mines:The Liberia Chamber of Mines is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and advancing the interests of the mining sector in Liberia. Comprising leading mining companies, the Chamber plays a vital role in advocating for policies that foster sustainable development and responsible mining practices in the country.
Source:Daily Observer
January 19, 2024 10:31 UTC
Traditionally, both the president and speaker usually come from the ruling political party or are political bedfellows. He orchestrated a seamless collaboration, leveraging his business acumen to win the support of both seasoned and newly elected lawmakers. According to Taa, his support for an Opposition House Speaker is not merely a political stance but a commitment to the principles of separation of power, checks and balances, and accountability. In a recent strategic maneuver with the potential to reshape the political landscape in Liberia, Representative Taa Wongbe played a pivotal role in securing House Speaker Fonati Koffa’s triumphant ascent to the position of Speaker of the 55th Legislature. Representative Taa Wongbe stands as a beacon of change, embodying the spirit of a new era in Liberian politics.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 18, 2024 19:41 UTC
Boakai like any politicians who have won elections depended on the support of his political institution the Unity Party and other allies. Like any President, he will need the support of people to work in his government to achieve his agenda. Boakai’s experience and dedication to public service over the years have earned him widespread respect among Liberians. Boakai chaired boards of more than 20 agricultural development projects in Liberia, the Agricultural Cooperative Development Bank, and support institutions. The president-elect also served as resident manager of the Liberia Produce Marketing Corporation and managing director of the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 18, 2024 17:59 UTC
Pakistan’s air force has launched retaliatory air strikes inside Iran allegedly targeting terror positions, an attack that killed at least seven people and further raised tensions between the neighbouring nations. Earlier, a senior intelligence source told AFP News Agency that Pakistan hit “seven locations” of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terror group. Pakistani fighters entered Iranian airspace and returned successfully after targeting the BLA hideouts, according to Reuters news agency, citing a Pakistani intelligence source. Pakistan’s strikes follow Iran’s attack on Pakistani soil that killed two children and wounded three others in the southwestern Baluchestan province on Tuesday. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry had denounced the “unprovoked and blatant breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty” before recalling its ambassador from Iran and blocking Tehran’s envoy — currently in Iran — from returning to the country.
Source:GNN Liberia
January 18, 2024 16:50 UTC
By Africanews and Eric Kawa |SIERRA LEONE – Sierra Leone’s former president Ernest Bai Koroma was granted permission by a high court in Freetown on Wednesday to travel abroad for medical reasons. Koroma was accused of treason and other offences over a failed coup in November which resulted in the deaths of some 20 people. The High Court ruling stipulates that Koroma cannot stay in Nigeria for longer than three months and must return to Sierra Leone for to appear before the court on March 6. Koroma was arrested at the beginning of January in connection with the failed coup. Read more of this storyVisited 17 times, 17 visit(s) today
Source:GNN Liberia
January 18, 2024 11:27 UTC
— As My Heart's Appeal Center dedicates first commercial hub for people with intellectual and developmental disabilitiesThe Minister of Youth and Sports, D. Zeogar Wilson, has urged the incoming government, through the 55th National Legislature, to prioritize Down’s Syndrome or people with intellectual disabilities in the national budget. The charity opened its doors to individuals with Down’s Syndrome and/or individuals with intellectual disabilities in 2011 when its executive director, Lovetie Major, came to Liberia in search of people with special needs. “My daughter had always wanted to go to school like normal children and MHA [has worked] to make that happen,” said Mary Gessior. He stated that it is disheartening to learn that there is no program at the Ministry of Education for children with disabilities. So we are appealing to the government and other people that have the hand to intervene so our children can learn.”
Source:Daily Observer
January 18, 2024 07:06 UTC
Three people were killed and 77 others were injured when explosives rocked more than 20 buildings in one of Nigeria’s largest cities, authorities said, as rescue workers dug through the rubble in search of people feared to be trapped. Residents in densely populated Ibadan city, in the south-western state of Oyo, heard a loud blast on Tuesday evening, causing panic as many fled their homes. By Wednesday morning, security forces had cordoned off the area while medical personnel and ambulances were on standby as rescue efforts intensified. Preliminary investigations showed the blast was caused by explosives stored for use in illegal mining operations, Oyo governor Seyi Makinde told reporters after visiting the site in the Bodija area of Ibadan. “We have already deployed first responders and all relevant agencies within Oyo state to carry out comprehensive search and rescue operations,” he said, describing the damage as “devastating”.
Source:GNN Liberia
January 17, 2024 16:47 UTC
Reuters |A suicide bomb blast in Somalia’s capital city Mogadishu killed three people and injured two others, Somali authorities said on Tuesday, with the militant group al Shabaab claiming responsibility for the attack. While being pursued by police, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the Al Hindi restaurant in Mogadishu’s Hamar Weyne district, police spokesman Sadik Ali said. The al Qaeda-affiliated al Shabaab group said in a statement that the blast had targeted local security officials. Al Shabaab frequently attacks military outposts and civilian and government targets as part of a campaign to topple Somalia’s government and establish its own rule based on its interpretation of Islamic Sharia law. Read more of this reportVisited 18 times, 18 visit(s) today
Source:GNN Liberia
January 17, 2024 11:18 UTC
Three armed drones were shot down in Iraq on Tuesday, near where U.S. and other international forces are stationed, officials said. Iraqi Kurdistan’s counter-terrorism service said its forces intercepted and shot down the drones over Erbil airport in northern Iraq at around 5:05 a.m. local time. Similar previous attacks have been claimed by a group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-aligned Iraqi militias. Tuesday’s attack came hours after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired missiles at what it claimed were Israel’s Mossad foreign intelligence “spy headquarters” near the U.S. Consulate in the northern Iraqi city. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in addition to the strike in Iraq, it had fired several ballistic missiles at “terrorist operations,” including Islamic State targets, in Syria and destroyed them.
Source:GNN Liberia
January 16, 2024 16:52 UTC
The vessel was sailing empty of cargo from Vietnam to Israel, one of the sources said, adding that there were no injuries. The strikes have raised fears of a regional escalation, as exchanges of fire continued over Israel’s border with Lebanon. Israel said one of its troops was “slightly injured” in an exchange of fire along the country’s border with Egypt late Monday, which Cairo attributed to drug smuggling. One person in Egypt was killed. Gaza’s press office said Tuesday morning that Israeli strikes had killed another 78 people overnight.
Source:GNN Liberia
January 16, 2024 16:52 UTC
Monrovia – The Unity Party (UP) has submitted a petition for a declaratory judgment to the Civil Law Court challenging the eligibility of the newly elected Speaker, Cllr. By Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]The petition, filed by the Unity Party through its National Chairman, Rev. According to the Unity Party, Cllr. Legal pundits believe the respondents in the petition filed by the Unity Party – the National Elections Commission and Cllr. In 2019, the Liberian Supreme Court ruled that the statutory provision for automatic loss of Liberian citizenship in case of acquisition of another citizenship was unconstitutional.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 16, 2024 13:35 UTC