Liberia: African Women Leaders Network Calls on All Women to Work In Transforming The Status of Women
Liberia: African Women Leaders Network Calls on All Women to Work In Transforming The Status of WomenMonrovia – As the special senatorial elections and referendum draw near, a member of the African Women Leaders Network chapter (ALWN) has called on all women in the country to work in transforming the status of women. “Women are frequently seen as underdogs and if you have underdogs, it means that you have [to be] top dogs. The Africa we want; the Liberia we want, we don’t want to continue to see women as underdogs,” stressed Dr. Evelyne Kandakai, former Liberia’s Minister of Education, who is a member of ALWN. The African Women Leaders Network was established by the African Union (AU), United Nations Women (UN Women) and some African countries to help give women more space in the society. “We need more momentum, more force in terms of women participation in leadership; not only in governance but in everything.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 22, 2020 07:17 UTC
Liberia: NPP Senator Dan Morais Wants National Elections Commission’s Interpretation of Ruling Party’s Coalition Agreement
MONROVIA – Maryland County Senator, Dan Morais, has petitioned the National Elections Commission (NEC) to interpret the agreement binding the three political parties under the Coalition for Democratic Change, especially as it relates to how candidates for elections are to be selected under the framework. The Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) comprise the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), National Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Liberia Democratic People Party (LPDP). “The Respondent Coalition also decided then that the National Patriotic Party should field a candidate for the Respondent Coalition for the Bong County senatorial seat vacated by the election of Sen. On that basis, the Congress for Democratic Change went through its internal processes and procedures for the second time and nominated Augustine Chea to be the Coalition’s candidate for that by-election. He disclosed that they have respectively been selected through primaries by their constituents to contest the senatorial election.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 22, 2020 07:07 UTC
Liberia: Former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai, A Survivor of COVID-19, Wants All Politicians to Turn Out for Testing
The people at the gate of the 14 Military Hospital were very professional. These people provided me all of the support and I am very thankful to all of the doctors, nurses, the hygienists, therapists, cleaners and technicians. “For the 12 days I was at the 14 Military Hospital, not a single person die. He urged politicians to refrain from politicizing the outbreak of Covid-19 in Liberia and support the efforts of health workers by voluntarily turning out to take their test. Mr. Samukai maintained that health workers at the facility are professional and caring, and as such, politicians should not panic over submitting themselves for testing.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 22, 2020 07:05 UTC
Liberia: Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor Raises Concern over Legislative Staff Salaries
MONROVIA – There seems to be a serious controversy over staffers’ pay at the Liberian legislature, specifically the Senate. In recent days, members of the legislative staff have been protesting against salary cuts. They accused the Senate of extorting money from them under the government’s salary harmonization scheme carried out by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. The Monday protest drew the attention of Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor who called on leaders of protesting staff for a meeting. There are no two different payrolls as far as I am concern, the payroll we are using is the payroll after harmonization.”
Source:Front Page Africa
July 22, 2020 06:45 UTC
President Weah Orders Army Back To Barracks, As State of Emergency Ends
MONROVIA – In the wake of the impending expiration of the current State of Emergency, President of the Republic of Liberia and Commander-In-Chief Dr. George M. Weah has ordered the men and women of the Armed Forces of Liberia to return to barracks effective 12 midnight today, July 21, 2020. The President has said that the legal basis for the continuous presence of the army in some parts of the country to assist with the fight against the Coronavirus elapsed with the end of the State of Emergency. He, however, pointed out that the army has special logistical and human resource capabilities that could be called upon when needed. Meanwhile, the Liberian leader has mandated Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah and other relevant authorities to scrupulously utilize the public health laws going forward as the guiding tool for curtailing the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The President has admonished the public not to construe the cessation of the state of emergency as a license to engage in behaviors that may lead to further spread of the virus, as delinquent acts can be punished under the public health laws.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 23:15 UTC
Liberian Association of Canada Gets over US$80k Covid-19 Emergency Fund
The Liberian Association of Canada will mobilize volunteers to reach out to 100 vulnerable families with language barriers either in English and/or in French in Montreal and surrounding areas to address isolation due to COVID-19 and support food security needsCANADA – The Liberian Association of Canada has been awarded emergency funding of $80,932.50 from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund led by Employment and Social Development Canada. The association will use this funding over the next four months to help address the impacts of COVID-19 felt by vulnerable Liberian families and individuals who are dealing with severe issues of food security and mental wellbeing. That is why our leadership team will continue to work diligently to ensure that our community is not left hopeless in the face of the impact of COVID – 19, said Leo Nupolu Johnson, president of the Liberian Association of Canada. “At the association, the community’s wellbeing is at the core of our mission, and this effort is designed to achieve just that.”The Emergency Community Support Fund is administered by the Canadian Red Cross Society (“CRCS”) on behalf of the Canadian Government. As part of the Canadian Government’s COVID – 19 emergency relief measures, the Fund is designed to support direct service delivery to those who are mostvulnerable to the health, social and economic impacts of COVID-19 in Canada.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 12:45 UTC
Liberia’s Vice President Advances Harsher Policy Prescription Against Sexual Abuse
“Severe punishment for heinous crimes should serve as a deterrent to perpetrators; as it shows society’s rejection and unacceptability of the criminal actions,” she stressed. This call is just and right, to end actions of rape against women and girls. She maintained that it is now hard time that the campaign against rape and other crimes against women and girls goes from mere words to strong and effective actions. She stressed that safety measures against the occurrence of the crime at the community level are also necessarily critical. “I called on everyone to name and shame those who are predators on our daughters and sisters.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 12:45 UTC
Alleged Trafficked Victims from Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal & Ivory Coast Stranded In Liberia
Monrovia – FrontPageAfrica has uncovered what appears to be a major human trafficking ring under the guise of an employment agency. FPA investigation discovered that the company, Qnet International, has been bringing children and other young adults to Liberia from neighboring countries – mainly Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Mali. FPA was unable to independently verify if the Qnet in Liberia is associated with Chinese company, QNet Ltd., which is based in Hong Kong. One of the alleged victims, Chegnor Lama Turay,16 – a Sierra Leonean – told FPA that he was brought to Liberia by Qnet International to seek travelling opportunity. The news of the alleged human trafficking comes less than a month after the United States State Department’s graded Liberia at a better position in its latest Human Trafficking Report.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 07:52 UTC
Liberia: Diesel Spillage at LPRC Contaminates Mesurado River, Sources of Household Water
The situation resulted into massive water pollution spanning from LPRC facility to Vamuco in Vai Town and beyond. ‘July 26’ OpportunityThe fuel spillage comes barely few days to Liberia’s next Independence Day celebration on July 26. He added that the Liberian Coast Guard, the Liberia National Fire Service and technocrats from the LPRC are assessing the incident. He clarified that the spillage was caused during the discharge of the diesel from a vessel to one of the storage tanks. He stated that the latest spill incident involving the LPRC is not unique to the entity, adding that, “it’s everywhere”.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 07:52 UTC
Liberia: Government Must Investigate and Prosecute Alleged Human Trafficking Involving Qnet International
But the government must do more by curbing ongoing human trafficking taking places right under our noses. We also know that it will also improve our chances of even doing better on the next US Human trafficking grade sheet. Combatting human trafficking will bring lots of monetary incentives, we are convinced. THEREFORE, WE ARE URGING major actors leading the fight against human trafficking to synchronize their various resources and investigate the alleged human trafficking incident involving Qnet. We are committed to getting to the root of this crime and we call on the Liberia National Police and the Liberia Immigration Service as well as the National Human Trafficking Taskforce at the Ministry of Labor to do their jobs.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 07:41 UTC
Liberia: CSO Survey Show 42% of Health Facilities are Without Personal Protective Equipment
IREDD initial findings on the pandemic response in the country includes: the extent of preparedness of the Montserrado County health facilities in the fight against COVID-19. Mr. Harold Aidoo, the Executive Director of IREDD, on Sunday told journalists that Montserrado County is a long way away from being fully prepared to fight COVID-19. “Three examples in the findings clearly show this point: 42% of health facilities sampled are without Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). This sample monitoring frame points out that the county is a long way away from being fully prepared to fight COVID-19. The plan calls for robust procurement and distribution of PPEs to health facilities across the country.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 07:39 UTC
Liberia: Dillon Sends Caveat against Election Rigging; Says ‘It Would be the Immediate End of Weah’s Administration’
He recalled that Montserrado County has a history of people who spent the most money during elections losing massively. The people can almost already know their choice and made their decision before the election,” he said. He insinuated that money, rice, motorbikes and other items being distributed by the ruling party is a redistribution of the country’s wealth stolen by the government. He noted that the entire government under the Executive is now in the field running campaign and violating the law. “The people who are supposed to enforce the law from the Executive are the ones violating the law,” he said.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 07:30 UTC
Liberia: Rep. Zoe Pennue Affirms Decision to Run for Senator, Rallies Grand Gedeans to Support Coalition of Democratic Change
By doing so, Rep. Pennue has joined a growing list of members of the House of Representatives who have expressed their intention to contest for senatorial post in the upcoming special senatorial election scheduled on December 8, 2020. Rep. Pennue was recently petitioned by residents including chiefs, elders and youth of Tchien Administrative District in Grand Gedeh County to contest the forthcoming elections. The residents also endorsed his decision to join the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). Since 2005, Representative Pennue has been elected three consecutive times as Representative of District #1, Grand Gedeh County. Let all of us go to the Coalition for Democratic Change and immediately after election, you will see some major changes.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 07:24 UTC
Liberia: Several Youth Resign from ANC Bong Chapter Following Departure of Former Vice Standard-Bearer Jeremiah Sulunteh
Liberia: Several Youth Resign from ANC Bong Chapter Following Departure of Former Vice Standard-Bearer Jeremiah SuluntehThose who resigned include: Ebenezer Gotolo, head of auxiliary, Bong chapter, Flomo Botokai, vice chair for administration, Bong chapter, Allen Paulono, spokesman for the party during the 2017 presidential elections, Ferguson Kollie, campaign mobilization chairman in Bong County during the 2017 presidential elections and John O. Flomo, former campaign chairman in BongGbarnga, Bong County – A flurry of resignations has emerged within the Alternative National Congress (ANC) Bong County chapter following the resignation of the party’s former vice standard bearer, Jeremiah Sulunteh. Sulunteh resigned last week after he accused the party of betrayal following the allocation of counties by the Collaborating Political Parties for the December 8 special Senatorial election. Mass DefectionAs many as seven officials of the party in the county Saturday resigned following a mass meeting in Gbarnga. Those who resigned include: Ebenezer Gotolo, head of auxiliary, Bong chapter, Flomo Botokai, vice chair for administration, Bong chapter, Allen Paulono, spokesman for the party during the 2017 presidential elections, Ferguson Kollie, campaign mobilization chairman in Bong County during the 2017 presidential elections and John O. Flomo, former campaign chairman in Bong. Sulunteh, following his resignation, didn’t announce his next political parties but maintained that he will contest as an Independent candidate.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 07:18 UTC
Former Representative Candidate Laraamand Nyonton Calls for National Boycott of Liberia’s 173rd Independence Owing to ‘Bad Governance’
Laraamand Nyonton condemned the government for ‘institutionalizing’ Corruption, adding “We cannot afford to celebrate 173 years of Independence in a nation where corruption has now been given an official bureaucratic status – the Bureau of Corruption. Liberia, Africa’s oldest democracy is poised to celebrate its 173rd Independence Day on July 26, 2020. “We call for a national boycott of Liberia’s 173 Independence celebrations. We call on all struggling Liberians – struggling students, struggling youth, struggling market women, struggling teachers and farmers, struggling civil servants, struggling health workers, struggling Liberian business owners – who are in fact in their majority, disproportionally to the number of well-off Liberians milking from our nation’s resources to boycott the 173rd Independence Celebrations,” Amb. He continues: “We cannot afford to celebrate 173 years of Independence in a nation where the President cares only about himself and not the people.
Source:Front Page Africa
July 21, 2020 07:18 UTC