Landmark Contribution from Liberian Alumni
On 8 February, the World Maritime University Alumni Association of Liberia (WMUAAL) presented a donation to the WMU Endowment Fund. Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU, expressed her deep appreciation to WMUAAL, noting that this is a landmark gift as the first contribution from a WMU Alumni Association to the University’s Endowment Fund. She noted that WMU graduates are working in diverse areas in Liberian society and that their contribution to Liberia’s post-war development is highly commendable. We see education and capacity development at the World Maritime University in Sweden as a key part of this. To date, there are a total of 51 WMU alumni from Liberia.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 15:00 UTC
Liberia: Lofa County Senator-elect, Brownie Samukai, Others, Found Guilty by Supreme Court; Ordered to Pay US$1.1M; Given Six Months to Pay Half the Amount or Go to Jail
Liberia: Lofa County Senator-elect, Brownie Samukai, Others, Found Guilty by Supreme Court; Ordered to Pay US$1.1M; Given Six Months to Pay Half the Amount or Go to JailTemple of Justice, Monrovia – The Supreme Court of Liberia has upheld the lower court’s ruling against Senator-elect J. Brownie Samukai and two other co-appellants and sentenced them to two years in prison each for misapplication of US$1.1 million intended for the Armed Forces of Liberia. Mr. Samukai, the former Minister of Defense had hoped to have been exonerated by the High Court following his conviction by the lower court in 2020. But the Defendants took appeal at the Supreme Court and they (serving now as appellants), justified that they acted in line with the Constitution and relevant laws. And many of Samukai’s supporters have still not fathomed how come his pending appeal case outside the political arena suddenly surfaced on the Supreme Court’s priority docket. They term the judgement against him as a witch hunt by the Weah- government through the Supreme Court.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 06:11 UTC
Has The Liberian 1970s Revolution come full circle?
If asked “how’s the Revolution?” many would answer: “it failed.” That’s because there seems to have been many false starts. There were many moments when leaders claimed to be leading a revolution just to fall well short and chased away. Abdoulaye Dukule, [email protected], Contributing WriterPeople believe the revolution has failed because they tend to focus on events, rather than processes. However, the political revolution is meaningless if it does not have solid economic foundations. During its political revolution, Liberia fails to pay attention to the economy.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 06:00 UTC
Liberia: Jallah Town Residents Stage Violent Protest Demanding Electricity; Say It’s More Useful to Them than ‘Presidential Street Lights’
“Since the upgrading process of the LEC, Jallah Town community has been out of current. According to him, most of the residents within the slum Jallah Town Community heavily depend on the sale of local cooling commodities to take care of them and their respective family members. He added that the lack of street lights in Jallah Town makes the community vulnerable, especially during the night hours. For his part, a youth leader of the Jallah Town Community, Blama Sarnor claimed that criminal activities have intensified in the community over the years as a result of the lack of public electricity. He termed as false and misleading accusations that community dwellers of Jallah Town are most often engaged into power theft.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 05:54 UTC
Liberia: House Probes How MNG Gold Obtained License for Underground Mining
MONROVIA – The House of Representatives Committee on Concession and Natural Resources says it has investigated and established that the Ministry of Mines has given authorization to MNG Gold to carryout underground mining in its place of operations. The initial term of the underground mining authorization falls within the timeframe of the current Class ‘A’ mining license. “It was established that the Ministry of Mines gave them the authorization to do underground mining. “If it is established that the awarding of the permit has a fault, whatever was not done illegally was not done at all.”On July 20, 2020, the Ministry of Mines granted to MNG Gold authorization to carryout underground mining for gold. In 2015, a Class ‘A’ mining License to MNG which was in compliance with, the terms and conditions of the class a mining License.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 05:36 UTC
Rep. Samuel Korgar Frowns on Foreigners Engaging in Retail Businesses
MONROVIA – Representative Samuel Korgar (PUP-Dist#5 Nimba County) has alarmed over what he calls unfair business practices by foreign businesses, specifically Chinese businesses against struggling Liberian businesses. Rep. Korgar who chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce and Industry in an interview at his Capitol Building offices said that the “Chinese are killing Liberian businesses”. He is also calling on Liberian businesses to provide the needed information to help the committee properly function to bring relief to struggling Liberian businesses. A law to strengthened 26 businesses was proposed in 2018 dubbed, the Liberian “Business and Economic Empowerment Act of 2018” introduced by Deputy House Speaker Cllr. It is styled “Liberian Business and Economic Empowerment Act of 2018” and was submitted and sponsored by Grand Kru County District # 2 Representative Cllr.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 05:36 UTC
Liberia: Harsh Condition Forces Physically Challenged Out Of College, Turns to Shoe Repairing
Laffa lamented, “It is difficult for us to attend the [community] college due to the distance, damaged bridge and the college loop structures are not disabled-friendly.”“I graduated from the Liberia Christian High School two years ago. I managed to make my way to the community college but I couldn’t continue due to the challenges,” Laffa added. “The college campus is very far from Buchanan; other students use the bus but we as disabled students do not have access to the bus due to our wheels,” he explained. Due to the existing challenges, Laffa stressed he dropped out of school and has now become mending old shoes as a means of survival. “I have turned to be a shoe repairer because I need to survive.”Like many public buildings in Liberia, Grand Bassa Community College (GBCC) does not have a ramp, which makes the facility accessible to wheelchair users.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 05:26 UTC
Liberia: Pres. Weah to Hold Quarterly Meeting with Health Stakeholders
He lauded the Ministry of Health and partners for aggressively working to turn public health threats, especially the current COVID-19 outbreak at an acceptable level. “This Polio Emergency Operation Center is essential to better coordinate and conduct analysis, which is key to my government’s agenda. Liberia has the capacity to mitigate public health threats and I call on all health workers, partners to ensure our children are immunized,” the President said. For her part, the Director-General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Ms. Jane MaCauley, said the public health emergency center, which was established during the Ebola epidemic, has helped in management of various public health emergencies including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “Today we are happy that another emergency operational center is welcoming and will go a long way in mitigating public health threats.”“Mr.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 05:26 UTC
Liberia: Three Former ‘Zogos’ Complete Rehabilitation; Become Productive Citizens
Monrovia – Three young men who had undergone rehabilitation have gotten a new lease of life after they graduated from the New Life Recovery Center, a faith-based rehabilitation center in Sundaygar Town, Margibi County. Jefferson Knight, director of the center, said he was inspired to open a rehabilitation center in Liberia in 2008 after his two brothers had died from drugs addiction. The center, Knight said, has been catering to the rehabilitation of male and female drug addicts from across the country and from abroad. In his testimony, Sonpon said Knight was influential in releasing him from jail and later took him to the rehabilitation center. And one lucky day, I got billed out by Knight who took to the rehabilitation center where I remained and got cleaned of drugs,” he said.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 05:15 UTC
Liberia: Defense Questions Timing of Alleged Events in Monrovia in Massaquoi Trial
One of the charges by Finnish State Prosecutor Tom Laitinen centers on murders that Massaquoi allegedly committed and oversaw in the Waterside market area in Monrovia, Liberia. The probable timing of the alleged events is between January and December, 2002, according to Laitinen. Massaquoi’s defense challenged these accounts on Monday, saying that the timing does not align with news of events as they reportedly happened during the civil war. Completing the presentation of nearly 80 different written pieces of evidence on Monday, Massaquoi’s defense team argues that their evidence shows Massaquoi was not in Liberia during the time that the alleged crimes took place. The court will hear from Massaquoi himself later this week, after which the court will move to Liberia and Sierra Leone to hear witnesses there.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 05:03 UTC
New US Ambassador Michael McCarthy Handovers 430 Current Textbooks to Nursing and Midwifery Institutions in Liberia
New US Ambassador Michael McCarthy Handovers 430 Current Textbooks to Nursing and Midwifery Institutions in LiberiaMonrovia – Ambassador Michael McCarthy, the new United States Ambassador accredited to Monrovia has stressed that the United States government is willing to support the health sector of Liberia. He, at the same time, handed over 430 textbooks to the nursing and midwifery institutions in the country. The US Ambassador to Liberia made the remark over the weekend at the head office on the Liberian Board for Nursing and Midwifery on Carey Street. Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia Ambassador McCarthy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With these 430 textbooks, your country now stands to gain from training nurses and midwives because of this modest investment,” Ambassador McCarthy said.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 05:03 UTC
Liberia: Govt, Development Partners Rollup Sleeves to Issue Flag Certificates to Timbers Selling
We are here to plan for the future implementation of this agreement and all that remains to be done. Mr. Fischer said the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) facilitates dialogue and exchange of information between the parties including the government of Liberia and EU. Proposes and -or takes measures to improve performance of the agreement and meets twice a year and publishes Aide-Memoires,” Mr. Fischer asserted. Kaspers said the agreement is cardinal because it will help Liberia to issue flag licenses. “If Liberia is issuing licenses, it will open up European Markets to Liberia.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 04:59 UTC
Liberia: LMHPRA Warns Public against Buying Drugs from People Selling in Buckets
MONROVIA – The open sale of drugs both traditional and pharmaceutical by unregistered outlets is a major concern in Liberia. Meanwhile, the sale of traditional medicine, which often comes in the form of unprocessed roots, leaves and other products, is completely unregulated.is a crime to sell medicines in the street without a license. Liberia Medicine Health Regulatory Authority, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Health is mandated to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines and health products used in Liberia but unapproved drugs are still widely available. Repeat offenders are arrested but no prosecution yet for those caught including selling drugs without a license, selling prescription-only drugs to people without prescriptions and selling unapproved drugs. Right now, LMHRA solely rely on the custom officers to curb the import of counterfeit or fake drugs, he says.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 04:59 UTC
Liberia: Bong Businessman Ansu Sesay Allegedly Squanders over US$11k Meant for Clinic Construction
Despite providing a land space and brushing the site for the clinic, there is no sign the clinic will be construction soon. Sesay: Funds for clinic insufficientSesay, manager of the Sesay Brothers Construction firm, received the money on March 21 2019 from the government’s Legislative Earmarked Project. “Yes, I received US$ 10, 000 but the money can’t construct a clinic but the money is too small to construct a clinic. But Superintendent Esther Walker of Bong county said the county doesn’t have money to augment for any clinic construction. As I speak to you Bong county hasn’t received its Social Development Funds from government” she said.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 09, 2021 04:57 UTC
Liberia: Supreme Court Upholds Lower Court Verdict on Brownie Samukai
MONROVIA – The Supreme Court of Liberia has affirmed the verdict of the lower court convicting Lofa County Senator-elect, Brownie Samukai, and others to two years imprisonment or the restitution of US$1.4 million. Mr. Samukai, Liberia’s longest serving Defense Minister along with Joseph F. Johnson, former Deputy Minister for Administration and J. Nyumah Dorkor, former Comptroller were all found guilty in March 2020 but took an appeal to the Supreme Court. Misuse of private funds has another legal remedy, as compared to misuse of public funds for which Samukai and co-defendants are charged. It means the prosecution made a legal blunder charging someone for something but argued on another legal ground. This is an element of doubt to the detriment of the prosecution, but to the benefit of the defendants.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 08, 2021 16:41 UTC