The Liberia courtroom in March credit: Hanna NordenswanMONROVIA — The trial of Gibril Massaquoi, the former Revolutionary United Front commander accused of murder, aggravated rape and aggravated war crimes during the 1999-2003 civil war in Liberia, returns to Monrovia this week. In March 2020, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested him in a Tampere parking lot after investigating his suspected links to war crimes in Liberia. Massaquoi and members of his family were living in Finland under a special agreement with the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone to which Massaquoi had testified against fellow combatants. The trial began in Finland in February but moved to Liberia and then Sierra Leone for three months to hear from witnesses and visit the scenes of the alleged crimes in Waterside, Monrovia and Lofa County. Finnish prosecutors had believed that his suspected crimes ended by March 2003 when Massaquoi, who had agreed to testify against his former brothers-in-arms, moved to the Sierra Leone Special Court Shelter in Freetown.

MONROVIA – Over forty-two thousand 12th graders across Liberia are today, September 10, 2021, writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE). The examination which runs for about two weeks is an evaluation administered annually in the West African Sub-region. The First Lady also cautions the 2021 WASSCE candidates to refrain from any form of examination fraud. Meanwhile, First Lady Clar extends deepest condolences to the families of staffers of the West African Examinations Council, WAEC- Liberia who lost their lives in the Niko Ivanka shipwreck. The WAEC – Liberia staffers among others were headed to Maryland County, Southeastern Liberia with consignments of exam materials to administer the exams in that part of the country when the vessel, Niko Ivanka, sank at sea.

His sudden surrender has not only triggered a skeptic scene but it has also rattled a new generation of emerging scholars in Liberia. Vallai M. Dorley alias Chairman Mao was indeed a gentle soul and a gallant soldier. The Trade Economist and Public Policy Specialist has left behind a hole of woes. Your favorite quotation, “One day, one day” has now been recoined or rephrased into “Last day, last day”. But one day, one day, your unenlightened foes shall succumb too, for death is an inescapable misfortune of mankind.

There’s been a lot of talk about Block Voting (BV) in the last few days. BV, within the context of our discussion, is essentially a mechanism to strengthen the positioning of a particular political party or candidate, whether fairly or unfairly. The results in this process are usually much more proportional to the actual value that the candidate represents to the voting pool. In order to see any logic in this idea, one has to ask themselves several questions, among which are: (1) “Why?”, (2) What is the real fear that is driving this need to shift from democratic voting to mandated voting? Do not allow anybody to muddy the waters on this issue and tell you that this is about support for a political party or candidate – it simply is not.

MONROVIA – The political leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), a constituent member of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Mr. Alexander Cummings, has turned down an invitation from the Unity Party (UP) to attend the program marking the endorsement and presentation of VP Joseph N. Boakai as the Unity Party’s Aspirant for the Standard Bearer of the Collaborating Political Party (CPP). “I am constrained to decline your invitation at this time due to a number of concerns with the process which led to the program. “To the Alternative National Congress (ANC), the Core Values and Guiding Principles of the CPP are not without legal force and moral effect. In addition, they define the deeper values of our commitments to each other, and our pledge to the Liberian people for a better Liberia. There has been simmering internal wrangling withing CPP of late leading to the Collaboration’s much anticipated convention later this year.

The expansion project – which encompasses processing, rail and port facilities – will be one of the largest mining projects in West Africa. Economic benefitsAs the largest foreign investor in Liberia, ArcelorMittal Liberia has invested over $1.7 billion in the country over the past 15 years. As part of the expansion, ArcelorMittal Liberia has also launched a training and development program for high potential Liberian employees who will gain on-the-job experience and knowledge in ArcelorMittal Mining operations globally. In 2020, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $53.3 billion and crude steel production of 71.5 million metric tonnes, while iron ore production reached 58.0 million metric tonnes. This is what we believe it takes to be the steel company of the future.

... Protest against repeated violations of framework agreementThe political leader of the Alternative National Congress Alexander Cummings walked out of a leadership meeting with his colleagues from the Collaborating Political Parties. The release added despite Cummings best efforts to halt and reverse the repeated violations of the Framework Agreement by Political Leaders of the Collaboration of Political Parties (CPP), his colleagues call for a meeting without an agenda forcing him to be forced to walk out of the meeting of Political Leaders. The internal efforts of the Political Leader of the ANC to get his colleagues to self-correct and reverse course is unsuccessful. According to ANC, this is simply intended to clearly state that neither the ANC nor its Political Leader, or any organ to which it is a member in the CPP. The ANC release was signed by its National Secretary-General Aloysius Toe.

As at June 30, 2021, the Group’s Total Assets crossed the $19.5 billion mark as it soared to $20.2 billion up from $18.7 billion at the end of the 2020 financial year. The Group’s Shareholders’ Funds remained robust at $1.83bn up from $1.76bn in December 2020, reflecting its strong capacity for internal capital generation. In line with the bank’s culture of paying both interim and final cash dividend, the Board of Directors of UBA Plc has declared an interim dividend of 20kobo per share for every ordinary share of 50kobo each, held by its shareholders. “Our H12021 performance reflects our progressive efforts in building on the strong momentum that we started the year with. Capital position remained strong, with the capital adequacy and liquidity ratios of 24.9% (22.4% in 2020H1) and 58.3% (58.2% in 2020H1) respectively.

MONROVIA – The Liberia National Police (LNP) has arrested a 26-year-old India national identified as Amandani Karan for allegedly being involved in power theft. According to the complaint, Patrick S. Nyumah, an employee of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), the power theft team and the LNP were on its normal routine to curtail the act of power theft in Du-Port Road, when they discovered the act. He said, based on the discovery, the Manager of Naresh Brothers, defendant Karan, was arrested and taken the LNP Central Headquarters in Monrovia. “As soon ad the police officers arrived, they were told that the business centre was connected illegally to LEC power grid and is involved in the act of power theft,” defendant Karan noted. Police, however ,said during its preliminary investigation conducted it was established that the crime (power theft) was perpetrated by Naresh Brother through it General Manager(defendant).

Dr. Cassell is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/President of the Dr. Cassell’s Foundation and the Kwenyah Security Firm in Liberia. “I want you people to understand that Dr. Cassell and the PLP is no stranger to Margibi County. To prove to you all that Dr. Cassell is ‘talk and do eagle’, I am going to do few things for you today”. But Dr. Cassell guaranteed the construction of the hand pumps following a passionate plea from the leadership of the community during the program. Responding to the gesture, Madam Barnes commended Dr. Cassell for the gesture.

MONROVIA – Liberia’s premier democracy advancement institution, Naymote Partners for Democratic Development releases it seventh citizens’ perception report on the quality of governance in Liberia. In the 2019 survey report, 57% of respondents said they were very satisfied and satisfied with the way democracy was working in the country. This is a remarkable increase from 2019 when 78% of respondents described the AFL as most trusted. However, trust in the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has declined: 78% of respondents don’t trust the LDEA in 2021, as compared to 57% of respondents in 2019. This is an exercise conducted to assess citizens’ perception on the quality of governance in Liberia.

The relevant authorities of the Liberian government and ArcelorMittal will sign the latest amendment to the MDA in Monrovia on Friday, September 10, 2021. The statement added that ArcelorMittal’s expansion project will triple iron ore production in Liberia with a corresponding increase in Government revenue and job creation. “This US$800 million Phase Two project will result in direct spending into the Liberian economy of approximately $200 million per year. With the change of Government in Guinea, discussions on exporting Guinean ore through Liberia may take on new momentum. In 2005, Arcelormittal signed an MDA with the Liberian government during the administration of ex-President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

Monrovia – Three officers of the Armed Forces of Liberia and one civilian are currently undergoing investigation by the Liberia National Police in collaboration with Military Police, in connection to alleged armed robbery. The three AFL officers who are at the center stage of the joint investigation at the Liberia National Police Headquarters in Monrovia were reportedly picked up on Wednesday, September 8, by police at the Duport Road Market, following their alleged involvement with armed robbery activities in the Old Road area. He said, following their arrest, they were initially taken to the Zone-5 Depot in Paynesville for preliminary investigation and then transferred to the Liberia National Police Headquarters for investigation. However, he said there are witnesses from the community helping police with the investigation to establish whether those arrested are linked to the allegation of carrying out armed robbery. Carter said the AFL and LNP are not taking the allegation lightly, because it borders on the image of the country’s security sector.

Monrovia – The West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) – Liberia team, headed by Mannis Howard Barclay has vehemently condemned the military takeover in neighboring Guinea and called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to put more pressure on the coup leaders to return the country to democratic rule. “WACSOF – Liberia is calling on the Military, headed by Col. Mamady Doumbouya and his men to return the country to civil and democratic leadership,” the group urged. About WACSOFThe West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF), created by the support of ECOWAS in 2003, is the umbrella network of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from the 15 member states of ECOWAS. WACSOF is a Civil Society membership organization, which is a partner and advisor toECOWAS and many institutions. WACSOF envisions a well-organized and vibrant civil society in West Africa, which contributes to the attainment of a stable and prosperous West African region characterized by democracy; human rights; good governance; the rule of law; constitutionalism; economic prosperity; and social justice”.

New York – The Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Ms. Henrietta Fore, has hailed Liberia as a model for negotiating the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines through the COVID-19 Global Access (COVAX) facility. To date, we’ve received nearly five hundred thousand doses of COVID-19 vaccines. We are grateful to the Government of the United States, France, the European Union, and other donors to the COVAX facility. The Second Regular Session of the UNICEF Executive Board commenced on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, and will conclude on Friday, September 10, 2021. Liberia is one of thirty-six (36) members of the UNICEF Executive Board.