“The 10% (at least) equity participation for the Government of Liberia is explicitly written in the 2014 law. Will there be any disadvantage if we explicitly write in the law 5% equity for citizen’s funds it was written before the 2019 amendment?” the communication stated. The amendment to section 36 reads: “Five percent equity for businesses owned by persons of natural-born Liberian Citizenship”. Senator Sogbie worked with NOCAL and played a major role in the public consultation that gave birth to the 2016 Petroleum Law. CORLE, the group leading the campaign for the restoration of the Citizens 5% equity, has welcomed the action of the two Senators.

Monrovia – The World Health Organization (WHO)-Liberia Country Office has notified the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) of two confirmed cases of Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever in Gueckedou, the Republic of Guinea. This is the first time Marburg, a highly infectious disease that causes haemorrhagic fever, has been identified in the country, and in West Africa. Gueckedou, where Marburg has been confirmed, is also the same region where cases of the 2021 Ebola outbreak in Guinea as well as the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak were initially detected. The potential for the Marburg virus to spread far and wide means we need to interrupt its transmission. Some Key Facts of Marburg Haemorrhagic fever (MVD)

Mr. Gartor , a renowned Liberian musician reportedly died from high blood pressure on Saturday, August 7, 2021. Addressing a news conference in Monrovia on Tuesday, August 10, Ambassador Endee described the fallen Liberian musician as a great statesman who served his country in various capacities. She, however, expressed regret over the neglect and abandonment of Liberian artists by those who normally sing and dance to their songs when they are dead. TransparencyMeanwhile, Ambassador Endee has vowed to ensure transparency and accountability over funds that will be raised for the initiative. At the same time, the family of the fallen Liberian musician has commended Madam Endee for the launch of the initiative.

Speaking after receiving a warm welcome from the Grand Cape Mount County Authority, the Acting Public Works Minister said all is set to begin on the Robertsport Road within the next two months. The entire length of the road, the Acting Public Works Minister says, is 41.5 kilometers. “We have completed the process to get our contractor on the road and in the dry season, the work on the road will get started. “The President came to Grand Cape Mount and he made a commitment and you know the President is a ‘talk and do’. Grand Cape Mount County is noted for its tourist attraction as one of the best areas in the world to practice surfing.

Established by the former Director-General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Mosoka P. Fallah, RPI is working across Liberia to improve health outcomes for poor communities in Liberia. The RPI’s covid-19 community response mechanism was launched Monday, August 9, 2021, at the organization’s Maternal and Child in the Chicken Soup Factory Community in the Township of Gardinersville near Monrovia. Dr. Adams K. Lincoln, Program Manager of Healthcare Federation of Liberia (HFL), noted that the launch of the RPI-Liberia community response mechanism for covid-19 demonstrates the readiness and preparedness of the private health sector to support the national covid-19 response. “It is hoped that the launch of the RPI-Liberia community response mechanism for covid-19 would be an impetus for an organized approach to community empowerment and participation in the national response to covid-19,” he stated. He said as part of their duties, community health workers will distribute flyers, brochures and stickers in targeted communities.

MONROVIA – The chairman and political leader of the Liberty Party (LP) are in disagreement over the authenticity of the party’s amended constitution submitted to the National Elections Commission, hence, the political leader, Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, has withdrawn the constitution from the Elections Commission. According to the political leader, the amended constitution submitted by the party chairman, Mr. Musa H. Bility was neither reviewed nor approved by her. The communication continued: “All the above are in violation of established procedures, the Liberty Party By-laws & constitution, the rules of the NEC, amongst others. He further recalled that on day one of the Executive Council Sitting encompassed a side-by-side review of the existing LP Constitution against the proposed draft. He stated that all proposed amendments were recorded in the Executive Council Sitting Report which clearly showed all of the amendments approved and was published thereafter for comments.

MONROVIA – The commander of the pressure group Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL), Emmanuel Gonquoi, and three of his deputies, have spent their first night behind bars at the Monrovia Central Prison. Gonquoi and his accomplices were incarcerated after they failed to file their criminal appearance bond to secure their release. They were sent to prison on Monday, August 9, 2021, by Monrovia City Court Judge Jomah S. Jallah for the alleged commission of the crimes of Terroristic Threats, Simple Assault, Felonious Restraint and Disorderly Conducts. They were arrested and incarcerated on a writ of arrest issued out of the court (Monrovia City Court) for the alleged commission of multiple crimes. The arrest order grew out of a complaint filed to the Monrovia City Court against the defendants by the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is situated on Capitol Hill, Monrovia. Interestingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contributes and supports the National Budget through several revenue lines. They are Consular Fees (Fees for Issuance of single and multiple entry visas), Passport Fees, Laissez-Passer Fees, Articles of Incorporation, and Dissolutions. Prior to his ascendency as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kemayah served as Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN). He previously served as Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Monrovia – After days of protests by the Student Unification Party (SUP), a student-based political party at the state-owned University of Liberia, the President of the university, Rev. The University of Liberia was then in the process of commencing the 2nd Semester of the Academic Year 2020/2021. One week after the students’ protest, the UL Administration has released a statement to revert on their 100 percent e-Learning proposal. The university administration informed their students that classes will resume on Wednesday, August 25, 2021, and end on Saturday, November 27, 2021. According to the UL president, everyone must always wash their hands at the gates of the UL campuses and wear facemasks while on campus.

The training workshop was organized by the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) in collaboration with Liberia’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). The pre-assessment workshop is the first step into Liberia’s second round of mutual evaluation that culminates with onsite visitation in February 2022. “We will be publishing the national risk assessment on money laundering for the first time in Liberia. He said the evaluation is conducted in line with existing FATF Standards and Methodology and the GIABA Mutual Evaluation Process and Procedures (P&P). The mutual evaluation onsite visits are based on the calendar approved from time to time by the GIABA Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee.

BRAC International new Executive Director, Shameran AbedMONROVIA – The Board of Directors of BRAC International (BI), one of the leading development organisations in the world, has named Shameran Abed, a longtime executive with the organization, as new Executive Director effective from August 1, 2021. Shameran succeeds BI’s, Executive Director, Dr Muhammad Musa, who stepped down on July 31. “The Board of BRAC International is confident that Shameran is the right person to steer BI at this time, driving innovation and positive transformation while ensuring continuity. Shameran joined BRAC Bangladesh in 2009 and BRAC International in 2012, and has been instrumental in bringing BRAC’s flagship programmes of microfinance and ultra-poor graduation to global scale. Through its community-led development programmes such as agriculture and food security, health, education, empowerment and livelihood for adolescents, and ultra-poor graduation programmes, BRAC Liberia reached over 550,000 people living in poverty in 2020.

MONROVIA – One hundred and thirty-two officers of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) risk being retired without any immediate benefits and this comes at the behest of the Civil Servant Agency (CSA) which has requested the Immigration Service to retire these officers. As we speak, we have the CSA again that has written us to retire 132 of our officers without doing planning for replacement. “Honorable Senators, the retirement that was done last year, the handshake packages for those retirees didn’t take effect until June this year. We have been told if we don’t do this those officers will be removed from the payroll at the end of this month. We expected that the next retirement will be done next year because we have had two retirements in recent time.

Keamah, family members and loved ones of the victims have been kept in suspense since the tragedy. He said the victims’ families have reached a decision to collect the bodies of their relatives at the same time, but the current situation is preventing them from doing so. “The victims’ families are kept in suspense and according to the Maritime Commissioner, they are investigating. Call for justiceMr. Keamah pointed out that the victims’ families want justice to prevail in the matter. According to him, these authorities should also submit to investigation instead of serving as Chair and members respectively on the investigative team.

Monrovia – Welthungerhilfe (WHH) (former German Agro-Action), has donated assorted office equipment to the Liberia National WASH Commission in an effort to support the operation of the institution. As a newly established commission, charged with the mandate to lead and regulate the WASH Sector, the need for equipment to facilitate efficient service delivery remains a challenge. Receiving the donation on bahalf of the National WASH Commission of Liberia, the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Amb. He commended WHH for its continuous support to the Government of Liberia’s efforts in building a strong WASH sector through the WASH Commision. “For recognizing some of our needs as a commission, and wasting no time in responding in such a big way, we recognize WHH as a special and dependable partner of the WASH Commission” Mr. Whitfield added.

Cestos City, Rivercess County – The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has turned over Solar Panel System to the Rivercess County local authority for the smooth running of the Rivercess County Service Center valued at eighty-two thousand five United States Dollars. The system built in Germany was procured and installed by UNDP through a local vendor called EcoPower Liberia. On behalf of the local leadership, Rivercess County Inspector and Acting Superintendent Mr. Daniel Tokoe Doe described the project as huge and timely. According to Doe, it was like a dream to him that Rivercess County Service Center to be the first to receive such a magnanimous gesture and attributed it to God’s divine intervention. Since the opening of the River Cess County Service center on December 8, 2017, operations at the service center has not been as expected due to limited financial resources to fuel the generator to provide 24 hours electricity.