Liberia: James ‘Jes’ Sirleaf, Son of Former President, Ellen John Sirleaf is DeadMONROVIA – One of the sons of the former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, James Sirleaf, was this morning found dead at his residence in Congo Town, outside Monrovia. A family source told FPA Wednesday that he had been ailing over the past few days. Although no foul play is suspected, this brings to three the number of deaths involving sons of former Presidents. Mr. Sirleaf had over two decades experience in Banking and Finance inclusive of assignments with Citibank/Citigroup Profit Center Management, Branch Operations and Credit. He held an MBA from the University of Liverpool, PG in E Business from the University of Westminster England, and a degree in Business Administration.

Liberia: APM Terminals Rolls Out COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign to protect stakeholders of the Freeport of Monrovia and Nearby CommunitiesMonrovia – APM Terminal (APMT) has rolled out a COVID-19 vaccination program aimed at vaccinating all stakeholders of the Freeport of Monrovia, in line with the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign. He commended the Ministry of Health and National Port Authority (NPA) for the support given the port community to keep thriving, despite threats and disruptions posed by the pandemic. Dr. Wapoe recounted that APM Terminas has demonstrated remarkable corporate leadership in the fight against Covid-19 and that the latest vaccination is further testimony to that. Some members of the port community who have already taken the jab have been encouraging their colleagues and the Liberia community to get vaccinated by posting about their vaccinated status on social media. “We are glad that APMT considers our health and safety a priority and has included us in this vaccination exercise.

ZORZOR DISTRICT, Lofa County – Traditional Zoes in Lofa County who had protested against the delay by the Supreme Court of Liberia to decide the fate of the Lofa County senatorial seat are splitting with the umbrella organization, Traditional Leaders of Lofa County. “We will resist any attempt by some of our colleagues who will stage a protest against the Supreme Court on the 31,” he said. “Traditional leaders of the county should stop being manipulated by politicians. McGill: Traditional protest ‘shameful’Meanwhile, the Minister of State for President Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, has criticized the Poro Society for protesting against the Supreme Court. Deputy Police Inspector General Melvin Sackor told MICAT press briefing the action of traditional leaders in the county undermine Liberia’s peace and stability.

With Christmas Day around the corner, the annual debate has resurfaced about why it is celebrated with a national holiday and not any other religion. However, that is not why Liberia, and the US passed a law declaring Christmas Day a national holiday, but not Diwali, Yom Kippur, or Eid al-Fitr. Christmas is not a ‘religious’ holiday, unlike Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim festivals. Christmas is a religious, secular, cultural, and commercial phenomenon with its reindeer, Christmas trees, elves, and Sani Clauses. The former is a secular festival, while the latter is Christianity’s most important religious holiday.

Monrovia – DoxxBet Liberia, one of Liberia’s sports betting companies yesterday donated 500 mobile phones to the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) to enhance works at the two government agencies. On Wednesday, DoxxBet delivered 150 pieces of Mobiola X5000 phones to the LNP in an effort to help the force in its combat against crimes in Monrovia and other parts of the country. Zwannah Sarnor, the sales manager at DoxxBet Liberia said it was his company’s own way of identifying with the LNP in the festive season at hand as the force combat crimes. After the donation of the 150 pieces of the phones to LNP in the morning of yesterday, DoxxBet also reached out to the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) in the later after period and donated 350 pieces of the same model of phones. Zwannah Sarnor told the MCC authorities that the phones should be given to cleaners of streets and others who are daily involved in casual labor.

Recently, Sierra Leone and Guinea signed the Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with CI-Energies on November 30, 2021 and December 01, 2021 respectively. The signing of these agreements will empower TRANSCO CLSG to transmit the electricity from Cote d’Ivoire to the other countries. Sierra Leone and Guinea recently dispatched high-powered delegations to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire that met with H.E Alassane Ouattara, President of Cote d’Ivoire. It is the expectation of Management of TRANSCO CLSG that LEC of Liberia would also sign the PPA with CI-Energies and TSA with TRANSCO CLSG before the end of December 2021. LEC’s negotiations with CI Energies and TRANSCO CLSG are far advanced.

Liberia: Stakeholders in Agriculture Call for Audit of Institutions in The SectorMonrovia – Several farmers are calling for an audit of institutions and organizations managing the agriculture sector in Liberia. “We the farmers don’t trust especially government institutions either spearheading or implementing various agriculture programs. They said experience has shown that whenever donor fund is available, “overnight” farmers or farming institutions emerge but cease to exist after the support dries up. (MSMEs) in the agriculture sector. Ms. Baffour noted that access to finance by farmers would unlock the potentials that exist in the agriculture sector.

MONROVIA — Delegates at the Liberty Party Special National Convention have endorsed the candidacy of Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, standard bearer of the opposition Alternative National Congress, to lead the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) ahead of the 2023 presidential elections. “The Liberty Party will ensure that Cummings is elected as standard bearer of the CPP because he has proven to be a man who believes in resurrecting Liberians,” he said. Party executives from both the ANC and Liberty Party graced the program, endorsing the decision reached Saturday. ” I’m happy for your peaceful national convention and I am happy for the manner and form the Liberty Party has pledged its support to Mr. Cummings. He pledged Cummings’ commitment to the confidence reposed in him by the Liberty Party, saying: “Cummings is a man of his words, a very trusted personality who will never disappoint the Liberty Party.”

Monrovia – FrontPageAfrica has reliably learnt in the past 24 hours that the Government of Liberia and ArcelorMittal (AML) have reached a deadlock in a marathon negotiation to ratify the 3rd Amendment that is currently at the national legislature. FPA has gathered that the deadlock concerns request from the Government of Liberia that AML brings additional US 25$million to address long term unresolved housing challenges in project affected counties of Nimba, Grand Bassa and Bong. It can be recalled at a Senate Hearing on the 3rd Amendment that several senators called for more resources from AML and for AML to do more in the project affected counties. On Thursday evening, AML officials requested more time to discuss with senior management of the company on a way forward. In the amendment, the Committee called on the government to take ownership of the Railroad, Buchanan Iron Ore Port and related Infrastructure.

Monrovia – The Chairman of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce of Liberia, Labour Minister, Cllr. Gibson was speaking on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at ceremony marking the official dedication of a newly established Unit on Human Trafficking at the headquarters of the Liberia National Police (LNP) in Monrovia. They are also working with Lawyers of the Taskforce to ensure that when cases go to court, there are evidence of proof to show convictions,” Min. He added that the GOL is putting a lot of money to ensure that the fight against human trafficking is successful. He assured Liberians and foreign partners of the LNP’s readiness in the fight against human trafficking Liberia.

MONROVIA – A 26-year-old Liberian woman has been sent to jail for allegedly selling her five months old baby. Police investigation established that the five-month-old baby, Safeyatu Bah, was sold to an unknown lady for US$60. She said because she had been suffering to take care of the child and meeting up with her needs, she consented. According to her, she had had three abortions and couldn’t do any further though the child’s father had allegedly pressurized her to abort the pregnancy. Castro and Jerome have both been charged with human trafficking and criminal facilitation.

The Chairperson of the National Elections Commission has been hooked for corruption, conflict of interest, and money-laundering by the Liberia Anti- Corruption Commission. The historic finding of the LACC investigation comes after NEC Executive Director Anthony Sengbe told the public that his boss did not influence the bidding process. But NEC claimed that only "Tuma Enterprises was the most responsive in the bidding process," hence their final selection and approval by a panel of procurement officials. If the NEC had purchased the equipment, it would have saved a whopping US$153,320, while owning the equipment out rightly, instead of leasing it. However, the LACC has cleared Bishop John Allan Klayee of the Jubilee Church and George Yuoh of corruption allegations of payroll paddling and financial impropriety at the Liberia Airport Authority.

KOKOYA, Bong County – Serious controversies have sparked over the disbursement of a $450,000.00 United States Dollars linking some current top and former officials of Bong County. The amount was meant for Saywhen Town, a community situated in the operational area of Turkish Mining Company MNG Gold in Bong County. In less than twenty four hours that year, 30 people were hospitalized after the exposure to the chemical spill from the company’s reservoir. Rep. Hills Representative and former Senator Yallah are said to have been the strong advocates in ensuring that the residents get the agreed amount. FrontPageAfrica Tcontacted Kokoyah Statutory Superintendent Conteh Yallah who claimed of being left out in the process both by Yallah and Moye.

The bills in question are the revenue sharing law and the investment incentive agreements between the government of Liberia and Jeety Rubber LLC, as well as the Mano Manufacturing Company. The three (3) bills were submitted by President George Weah and all three got their first reading respectively on December 14. Additionally, President Weah disclosed that the proposed processing plant will also produce condoms, hand gloves, rain boots, and rubber bands, among others. The President added that the establishment of the plant for natural rubber processing and production will be the first major rubber processing plant in Liberia and will be located primarily in electoral District 5, Margibi County. When ratified, President Weah said the agreement will last for a period of 15 years.

MONROVIA – A Local Women Civil society group, “Women’s NGO Secretariat of Liberia” (WONGOSOL) established as an organ for coordinating the activities of women organizations in Liberia in1998, is leading a campaign for a law to be enacted to mandated for women to occupy at least 30% of all national elected offices and leadership positions in political parties. “The only and biggest leadership positions given to women in all the Political parties is head of women wing of that party this I believed is not fair and must stop,” Madam Salue said. According to her, women are equally then even some of their men counterpart noting that there is a need that law be enacted to compel political parties for women to occupy at least 30% of all national elected offices and leadership positions in political parties. WONGOSOL is a network of 104 organizations committed to ending violence against women and achieving gender equality in Liberia. Madam Salue disclosed that currently WONGOSOL is a manifestation of their campaign for to occupy at least 30% of all national elected offices and leadership positions in political parties they have begun holding a four-day women political and leadership project aim at improving women’s Representation at the Liberian legislature.