Zwedru, Grand Gedeh – In its quest to assist farmers with skills in Cocoa best management practice, Solidaridad has extended its Cocoa Value Chain Development Program (COVADEP) to farmers in Grand Gedeh and River Gee Counties. The overall goal of the program, Mr. Doe said, is to reduce poverty through increased resilience and competitiveness of the Liberia Cocoa sector and improve cocoa farmers’ livelihoods and food security. He thanked Solidaridad West Africa’s major partner- the European Union, the government and local authorities of the two counties for the support so far. With support from the EU, Solidaridad, since 2018 has been implementing the Liberia Cocoa Development Project in Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties. Ms. Louwagie said the launch of COVADEP marked the extension of the EU funded cocoa interventions to Grand Gedeh and River Gee Counties through Solidaridad Network West Africa following its selection after a competitive call for proposals.

Monrovia – Gregory Frank Artus, a bonafide actor, director, and producer in both the Nollywood and Ghallywood film genre is hoping to ignite interest in series television in his homeland Liberia, with the pilot series Back to My Roots. The goal, Artus says was to bring back the feel of Malawala Balawala and Three is a Crowd, two popular television series of the late 1980s which warmed the hearts of Liberians far and wide. So, they’ve hired Fast Studios to do this television series which is titled Back to My Roots, a television series that has twelve episodes and two seasons. After acting in minor roles in Liberia, Artus wrote, directed, and starred in the movie Juetey (Children’s Business). So, every sector will benefit from the film industry and that why Nollywood now generates US600,000 million dollars in revenues for government on a yearly basis.

Monrovia – Seeing an unfortunate rise in sicknesses, especially among the less fortunate in Liberia, Benita Urey saw the need to jumpstart the Healing Liberia Foundation, she says is committed to providing medical support and care for struggling Liberian youth up to the age of 25. At the end of the night, the foundation raised more than $US18,000 which according to Ms. Urey will be used to help numerous Liberians around the country. Ms. Urey averred that through outreach programs and social media, her foundation intends to help a minimum of four (4) patients each month. “The Healing Liberia Foundation is the first foundation of its kind in Liberia that will be run by young Liberians who are passionate about helping their peers. The Healing Liberia Foundation aims to be able to help young people, especiallly children get the healthcare they so desperately need.”Ms. Urey expressed regrets that many victims have been abandoned due to the lack of adequate help.

MONROVIA – The International Bank Liberia Limited (IBLL), formerly the Internal Trust Company (ITC) is recognized as the oldest commercial Bank in Liberia celebrating over 60 years of service to the Liberian people and going through some of the most difficult of times together with the Liberian people. During Some of Liberia difficult past, IB formerly ITC maintained uninterrupted services to Clients, except for momentary closures when the situation escalated. In the early 2017 the bank benefited from a US$20M facility on lending and also about to concludeUS$20M facility with longer tenor. Also making remarks at the dedication Program, Liberia’s Finance Minister Samuel Tweah said “Today, we have gathered here to witness a transition and a celebration of International Bank. Mr. Cashin told Vice President Howard-Taylor the bank appreciates trust and commitment to working with the team of smart and dedicated Liberians.

Gardnerville – A former Representative candidate of Montserrado County District 12 Prince D. Kreplah has embarked on a massive cleaning up exercise in the district to bring relief to residents of the district. The monthly clean-up campaign was launched in the district over the weekend by Kreplah and his supporters named and styled: “Friends of Kreplah (FOK)”, who are mostly disadvantage youths in the district. Speaking to reporters at the launch of the exercise, Mr. Kreplah said the monthly clean-up exercise is intended to make the district a safe and healthy environment void of pollution. This monthly clean-up exercise will promote public health, prevent sanitation and Hygiene related diseases in the district,” he said. Mr. Kreplah contested the district representative election in 2017 but lost the election.

Monrovia – Three Liberian trade unions at the National Port Authority (NPA) under the umbrella of Custom Brokers Association have embarked on a go-slow action, threatening to prevent containers from leaving the port until their demands are met. The unions, The National Custom Brokers Association of Liberia, The Port Truckers Union and the Duck Workers, had on many occasions called off previous strikes following negotiations by both the managements of NPA and APM Terminals, but, according James Hinneh, spokesperson of the unions, they would continue until President George Mannah Weah addressed their concerns. Their concerns are “the lack of quality service, the immediate reinstatement of 24 workers of Duck who were suspended by APM Terminals few months ago for advocating for their benefits and imposition of extra fees on customers when there’s a delay in loading goods at the port. Hinneh insists that the extra fees coupled with the delay in clearing goods at the port was responsible for the hike in the price of goods and services on the Liberian market. Hinneh claimed that the port operator doesn’t have equipment to work efficiently, but always put the public under false pretense – a situation he said is causing untold sufferings for Liberians.

Monrovia – Gaye Town Development Association Monrovia Branch has honored Grand Gedeh District #3 Representative Alex Chersia Grant for his role played in the developmental drive since he became representative of their district. Also, the president for the Grand Gedeh Women Association Madam Mai Saydee Gardea praised the Grand Gedeh District #3 Representative for his developmental works in the district. At the event, Representative Grant was gowned by the Gaye Town Development Association Monrovia Branch. “I am happy not just to be invited but to be honored by the people of Gaye Town,” Representative Grant said. “In 2017, going to the election, Gaye Town was the last place I campaigned, and I won.

According to Mr. Julius Kullie Kanubah, the threat is specifically related to the 30 March 2021 decision of the Ministry of Education of Liberia. The Ministry, in a policy statement, had issued “rules” to regulate, administer, and decide upon what it calls “all international scholarships” and the “standardize tests and final interviews” associated with international scholarships. Minster Sonii and his team must not turn themselves into militia Ministers, erecting and operating disciplinary check-points as they are now purposely transforming the Education Ministry into, Mr. Kanubah warns. If President Weah and his administration are attempting to remove structurally violent barriers to public University education in Liberia at undergraduate level, it is paradoxically dishonorable that the George Weah administration through the Education Ministry will knowingly erect what amounts to a violent structure (rule) targeting students seeking advanced education internationally after undergraduate studies, for example, from the Weah-administration public University tuition free education. – that Liberia is not serious to allow its citizens to freely benefit from advanced education abroad through competition with other international students across the world for scholarships.

Liberia Football Association through its secretary-general Isaac Montgomery on May, 2, 2021 received a communication from CAF deputy secretary-general Anthony Baffoe indicating that the SKD Sports Complex “doesn’t meet the set CAF stadium minimum requirements and consequently is not approved for the qualifying matches”. Mr. Baffoe’s communication also stated in case the LFA failure to provide the requested information, CAF will fix the venue in the opponent’s home stadium. According to Minister Wilson, the decision has been put on hold until May 6. Minister Wilson, however, admitted they were told by CAF to improve the facility. “CAF told us what they wanted us to do, but they didn’t come to assess the stadium before sanctioning the ban.

Monrovia – The Liberia kickball national league continued over the weekend with entertaining matches and upsets in the league. Blackton Town upset hosts God’s Anointed 5-4 home runs in match day seven of the Liberia kickball Federation National League on Saturday at the Duport Road Baptist Field. God’s Anointed led up to the last inning before Blackton Town stole the show with a late strike. Former Champions Amazon suffered a 2-0 home runs defeat to Success. God’s Power lost 6-0 home runs to Blue Eagles.

MONROVIA – The Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) has condemned in the strongest term what it calls “barbaric, brutal and gruesome physical assault’ on Officer Rebecca Nimely of the Liberia National Police in Maryland County. The alleged act according to AFELL was meted out by the Maryland County Police Commander, Jacob Comehn of the Liberia National Police. In a statement, AFELL says officer Rebecca Nimely is crying out for justice, saying since the act was carried out against her, little was done by disrobing officer Jacob Comehn of his duty. Meanwhile, AFELL calls on the head of the Liberia National Police Col. Patrick Sudue, whose key responsibility is protecting lives and proprieties to impress on the Division of Professional Standard for speedy investigation. AFELL was able to get in touch with the victim and is still in touch with the victim through the assistance of the Gender Ministry.”

MONROVIA – A group of Liberian citizens hailing from Nimba County are calling on the government of Liberia to conduct a thoroughly impartial investigation into recent peace-threatening events in Nimba County. The Ganta Support Group (GSG) says such investigation should establish the circumstances surrounding what it calls ‘illegal demolition of homes’ and burning of a warehouse in Ganta. The two incidents caused the city of Ganta to come to a standstill, causing public panic. The 2019 court order wasn’t served. If they weren’t served and they were attacked at 4am in the morning, then, there’s no court order.

The perpetrator, Jovanus Turay, 16, also a student of the school is currently being held in a safe home by the Liberia National Police while investigation into the shooting incident is still ongoing. The deceased, Precious Ireland, was pronounced dead on arrival at the SOS clinic. Jovanus was picked up from campus by the Anti-Robbery Unit of the Liberia National Police. Dr. Ireland said Liberia has witnessed too much bloodshed as a result of seeking revenge. “We don’t want anything, we don’t want blood for blood, we don’t want any revenge.

Liberian-born American, Kwity Paye became the first Rhode Islander in 82 years taken in the first round of the National Football League (NFL) Draft on Thursday night when he was selected at No. Paye, 22 was one of 32 new players welcomed by the National Football League into its ranks Thursday night when the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft took place in Cleveland. This means the young Liberian-American is expected to earn a huge contract valued at $13.66 million. At Michigan, the 6-foot-2-inch, 261-pound Paye twice earned all-Big Ten honors. In speaking with ABC moments after being selected, Paye – standing with arm around his mother, Agnes – said he wanted to give a “huge thank you for all the sacrifices she’s made for me for all those years.”

“Unfortunately, the US embassy in Monrovia is not scheduling Diversity Visa 2021 interviews and disappointingly they have not said when they will begin. They have not even provided any information on their website yet for Diversity Visa 2021 winners from Liberia even though the time is running out. “They have not even provided any information on their website yet for Diversity Visa 2021 winners from Liberia even though the time is running out. We further acknowledge that certain programs, including the diversity visa program, operate on a fiscal year basis as required by law. The Department values the diversity visa program and is making every effort to process as many diversity visa cases as possible, consistent with other priorities, despite the severe operational constraints and backlog resulting from the COVID pandemic.