More Liberian Students Depart for Morocco, but Parents Could Pay for Stay
He, however, stressed that they told parents that until they (parents) are told to send money, they should not bother sending money. Last year, a video of the protest went viral on social media, showing scholarship students being flogged by Moroccan police as they protested for delayed three-quarter allowance they claimed the government owed them. He said the government recently awarded two medical students specialization studies after they returned home and requested to go back. “Their suffering is loading,” the student told this newspaper in a mobile phone chat from Rabat. We (old scholarship students) are already used to the hardship.”
Source:Front Page Africa
January 21, 2020 10:07 UTC
Charity Foundation Donates Assorted School Materials to Underprivileged Children in Bomi County
Suehn Mecca District, Bomi County – The International Children Alert-incorporated (ICA) has identified with dozens of children, mostly underprivileged kids in Suehn Mecca District, Bomi County. ICA distributed copy books, book bags and toys, among others to the children as part of its year end giveaway. Ms. Yarwhere said the mission of ICA is to help sustain the lives of Liberian and needy children in remote areas with education and safe drinking water. According to her, the organization, since its inception has made a significant impact on the lives of needy children. The program which was held under theme, “Put a smile on a child’s face” brought together to over 200 children in Suehn Mecca District, Bomi County.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 21, 2020 09:56 UTC
Liberia: EPA Conducts Training for NGOs, Civil Society Actors On REDD+ Safeguards Information System
The two-day REDD+ Safeguards Information System training, which was held in Ganta, Nimba County from 17-18 January 2020 was intended to enable participants assess the fullness and the user friendliness of the system. Mr. Goll encouraged members of the public to access information on REDD+ information on the platform at: https://liberia-redd-sis.info/. In a powerpoint presentation, Mr. Vah indicated that the user’s manual consists of three sections: Safeguards Information System Website, Safeguards Information System Database, and Important notes for System Administrators. Safeguards Information System Website section explains how to go the SIS website, navigate your way around the website, edit pages and backup the website. For his part, Sanford V. Daniels, a GIS officer at EPA reiterated that the Liberia REDD+ Safeguards Information System is a web-based portal for providing and disseminating information on how the seven (7) adopted UNFCCC Cancun safeguards for REDD+ are being addressed and respected in Liberia.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 21, 2020 09:56 UTC
Liberia: School for The Blind Finally Reopens After Months of Struggles
Some students of the Liberian School for the Blind post for a photo on a Monday morningVirginia – At long last, the Liberian School for the Blind has resumed classes for the current academic year. The school resumes after several months of delays in the disbursement of monies budgeted for the institution in the national budgets. The reopening of the school suffered several setbacks since the beginning of the current academic year in September 2019. “The Ministry of Education and the Liberian School for the Blind have been holding series of meetings and those meetings have yielded fruitful results. The Ministry of Education has made an initial financial intervention for the reopening of the School for the Blind.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 21, 2020 09:45 UTC
Liberia: Stakeholders Brainstorm on Identification of Technologies Barriers
MONROVIA – Stakeholders from the agriculture, coastal and energy sectors have assisted the Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) team with the identification of barriers, which would help to develop an enabling framework for the transfer, deployment and diffusion of prioritized technologies in Liberia. The process is a national driven and is implemented by a national TNA team. Mr. Kabah disclosed that there has been stakeholders’ engagement and indicated that the mapping of stakeholders took place during each stage of the TNA process. “The first engagement was during the inception workshop held on 23rd – 26th October 2018 at the EPA Conference Hall in Monrovia, Liberia,” he explained. He added that on 1st of April 2019, a national stakeholder’s TNA engagement workshop for the prioritization of technologies in Liberia was held at the Lutheran Church Compound on 13th Street in Sinkor, Monrovia.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 21, 2020 09:45 UTC
LCM takes TB/HIV dialogue to southeastern Liberia
MONROVIA – The Liberia Coordinating Mechanism (LCM) of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria have completed a two-day Country Dialogue for Region 5 counties to provide input to the development of a new joint national TB/HIV funding request for the country. River Gee, Maryland and Grand Kru which are in southeastern Liberia were grouped as region 5 counties to prioritize areas of intervention for the development of a joint TB/HIV funding request for submission to the Global Fund. Mrs. Paulina Doe Hilton explained to the participants the importance of the country dialogue and the Global Fund New Funding Model (NFM III). According to her, the dialogue provides the opportunity to discuss and address barriers to accessing health services. Mrs. Hilton disclosed during the dialogue that the Global Fund has allocated to Liberia US$ 37.8 million grant to help curb TB/HIV in the country for the period of three years in Liberia (from 2021-2023).
Source:Front Page Africa
January 21, 2020 09:33 UTC
Liberia: Vice President Says Despite Disrespect from President Weah’s Inner Circle, She Won’t Quit
Watch the full interview on Vice President speaking about her office and how it is being treated. So, there’s no going back.”‘Tough Times Don’t Last; Tough People Do’Despite the assurances, the Vice President said conditions have made it difficult. How can I be at this level and not be able to make the impact for which the President sought when he began looking for Vice President. And let’s work, we got work to do.”VP Howard-Taylor said that she has no negative feelings for the President. “So, if I were to really be truthful, you don’t know what in what’s in the hearts of people.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 21, 2020 02:48 UTC
Fisheries Sector Attracts US$40M to Boost Revenue
The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) and the World Bank are expected to sign a $3.7 million agreement today, January 21 to improve the fishery sector in the country. The deal will also see the construction of landing jetties in coastal counties. “Liberia loses huge revenue as all of our industrial tuna vessels (71) land at other fishing ports within the sub region, such as Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Sierra Leone. Secondly, our entire fish product for exports are also routed through these countries, which implies loss of direct exports fees,” Director Glassco said. The setting up of the Competent Laboratory would allow Liberia to gain accreditation from the European Union, the United States, Japan and other international markets for direct export of fish.
Source:Daily Observer
January 21, 2020 02:37 UTC
Case against Crane Dropped
However, in her ruling on Monday, Judge Sammy proved the government’s assertion wrong about the charges against Crane Currency, after which she said, because only the past and current CBL’s officials that were indicted and the writ of arrest was served on them and not on Crane Currency, as the government over the months had claimed. Meaning that Crane Currency has not been brought under the jurisdiction of her court as per her records, Judge Sammy ruled. Notwithstanding, her ruling said, “Being the Republic of Liberia that indicted Crane Currency and has filed a motion to nulle prose quoi (drop) the indictment against Crane Currency in accordance with the law.”Sammy’s ruling is in line with a request to drop the charges against Crane Currency filed before the court on January 10, 2020. Notwithstanding, Sammy said, since the government requested the court to drop charges against Crane Currency on ground that it does not intend to prosecute the company, the motion, she ruled, “is hereby granted with prejudice to the state, meaning, all charges levied against Crane Currency are hereby ordered dropped, and the indictment also ordered dismissed.”She warned that government is barred from bringing these charges against Crane Currency. This, among other claims by Crane Currency, the Ministry of Justice categorically refutes.
Source:Daily Observer
January 21, 2020 02:26 UTC
Liberia Immigration Service Dismisses, Suspends Employees for Divulging Sensitive Information on Costa on Social Media – FrontPageAfrica
At least three offices of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) were investigated in connection to the saga. Col. Budy said, despite allegedly being in possession of a forged travel document, Mr. Costa was allowed entry into Liberia on December 19 because he is a Liberian citizen. Col. Budy disclosed that the investigation into how Costa obtained the travel document is leading to the investigation of several persons who may have been connected to it. “He told the LIS investigation team that what Costa had said about him in his (Costa) statement was false. Our source said Tevez could walk out a free man soon as he is cooperating well with the LIS investigating team.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 21, 2020 02:26 UTC
McArthur Foundation Calls for Investment in Tourism, Culture
-Says Liberia stands to generate billions if more investment is doneA four-member delegation of the McArthur Foundation, based in the United States of America, has called for more investment in the tourism and culture sector of Liberia, indicating that Liberia would benefit and generate billions of U.S. dollars if more investment is done in the sector. “Now, we need to create more awareness about tourism because tourism is a huge market that can generate billions of dollars, like the Bahamas in the Caribbean and Jamaica. Most of their economy is based on tourism,” Mr. Patrick S. Woodtor, a member of the delegation from the McArthur Foundation said. According to him, Liberia is prime and set up to be the number one tourism market for African Americans, due to the history of Liberia and its association to America. Now, we need to create more awareness so that people know that tourism is a huge market that can generate billions of dollars,” Woodtor said.
Source:Daily Observer
January 21, 2020 02:25 UTC
Drawing Lessons From the Henry Costa Fiasco
There is perhaps no better example of such behavior than the recent fiasco and humiliation if this government stemming from its handling of the Henry Costa request for asylum in the neighboring Republic of Sierra Leone. From all indications, the fiasco appears analogous to a failure of intelligence aggravated by incoherent pronouncements by top government officials on the situation as it unfolded. In the first place, Henry Costa, according to various legal experts, had committed no criminal offense and those charges announced on national radio were at best laughable and bogus. This newspaper is aware of reports suggesting that the fiasco was a botched operation intended to seize Henry Costa and whisk him off to Liberia before word of his arrest could get out. He should remain unmindful of the damage caused to his image by the Henry Costa fiasco in which he has been negatively portrayed in the international media.
Source:Daily Observer
January 21, 2020 02:15 UTC
Liberia Law Society Cites Numerous Uninvestigated Human Rights Abuses
Says the integrity of the Government is in questionThe Liberia Law Society (LLS), an advocacy group mainly concerned with justice, has identified a number of human rights abuses and constitutional breaches it says the George Weah Administration has failed to address. Beginning with a more recent situation, the LLS condemned in stronger terms hot water Cannon and tear gas the Liberia National Police used on peaceful protesters on January 6 to disperse the crowd. In a statement issued recently in Monrovia, the LLC concurred with the Independent National Human Rights Commission on the request it made to the government to investigate the causes of the use of force against the peaceful protesters. It further stressed that all that constituted reasons for Liberia’s ugly have been practiced today; nepotism, corruption, divisive politics and state criminalization. The group claims that it will always advocate for human rights and justice, bringing the government’s attention to strengthening integrity institutions to curtail corruption and enhance, transparency, justice and accountability
Source:Daily Observer
January 21, 2020 02:15 UTC
Liberia: Court Issues Contempt Charge Against Police Inspector General
Monrovia – Criminal Court ‘C’ Judge Nancy F. Sammy has issued a contempt charge against police Inspector General Patrick Sudue. The contempt charge was drawn against Inspector Sudue for his alleged disrespect and refusal to honor the Supreme Court’s ruling passed over to the lower court for implementation. But according the Sheriffs’ returns, Inspector Sudue refused to accept the writ, got angry and started to insult them. Upon entering the office of the Director Sudue, we were received by his assistant,” stated the court returns, which was recorded by the ministerial officer. More to that, Director Sudue said he is a presidential appointee and was not coming with us to the court.
Source:Front Page Africa
January 21, 2020 02:15 UTC
Pre-Election Activity Storms Nimba
As Rep. Koung dedicates more projects in GantaWhat appears as pre-election rallies have in recent times been storming Nimba County, with the latest held over the weekend in separate locations where huge crowds were attracted. In Ganta, Nimba County, District #1 Representative, Jeremiah Koung on Saturday, January 18, 2020, dedicated several projects in fulfillment of promises made during the 2017 election. Projects dedicated include a market building in Small Ganta Community and the palaver hut in Wuo Town, about a 15-minute walk away from Ganta. In his message to the citizens at the dedicatory ceremonies in the Wuo Town Community, Representative Koung emphasized the need for unity in Nimba, stressing that if Nimba is united, there will come more development to the county. It is not clear what prompted the call, but in recent times, Representative Koung and some members of the Nimba Legislative Caucus have been at loggerheads.
Source:Daily Observer
January 21, 2020 02:15 UTC