Liberia: Former Liberty Party Lawmaker Calls for Reconciliation in the party; Says LP is Not Property of the Bassa PeopleMONROVIA – A National Executive Committee (NEC) member of the opposition Liberty Party (LP), Mr. Jeh Byron Brown, has dispelled insinuations that the LP is a political institution which belongs to the “Bassa People” and an intestate estate to the Brumskine’s family. As evidenced by this, no other political party has won the LP for the presidential elections in Grand Bassa since 2005. “The Constitution of the Republic of Liberia clearly states the establishment of a political party should come from five counties. However, there is no doubt that Grand Bassa County gave birth to the LP”. She described Mr. Brown, Mr. Jacob Smith, Ms. Mariah Fyneah, Mr. Nathaniel Toe as the “backbone” of her late father.

Sources at the NEC said she did not show up for work the whole of Thursday. The NEC Chairperson came under a barrage of public scrutiny and investigation by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) after investigative media reports disclosed that she had rented 22 pieces of facial recognition thermometers for US$182,000. Upon investigation, the LACC in its report, recommended the dismissal of madam Lansanah as head of the electoral body. The LACC also recommended the head of the procurement department of the NEC. Meanwhile, Madam Lansanah has denied any form of admission of guilt of financial impropriety to the LACC.

The Ministry of Health (MOH), through its Montserrado County office, recently provided COVID-19 vaccination to workers of APM Terminals, a corporate entity located in the Freeport of Monrovia. According to health authorities, more than 2,000 employees of the entity and its partner workers, as well as some residents of the Port, received the Astrazeneca or Johnson & Johnson jabs of the COVID 19 vaccines. APMT-Liberia has been a worthy partner on this cause and this vaccination drive is further testimony to that.” Dr. Sackie Wapoe said. Dr. Wapoe is the County Health Officer of Montserrado and a lead campaigner for COVID-19 vaccination. She admonished port workers and users to fully embrace the program and take the jabs for their own safety.

Suakoko, Bong County – As part of efforts to providing safe drinking for Liberians, Club Kwatekeh of Kentucky in the United States of America, has dedicated a hand pump to residents of the Suakoko Leprosy Rehabilitation Center in Bong County. Speaking during the dedicatory ceremony, the Senior Advisor to the President of the organization, Stanley Cooper, said the hand pump was constructed following a request from residents of the area. For her financial support towards the project, Club Kwatekeh of Kentucky, USA named the Hand Pump in Memory of Mrs. Donella Sue Wilkes of the United States of America. Speaking in a jubilant mood, residents of Suakoko Rehab Center thanked Club Kwatekeh for being farsighted in addressing the water situation at the center. They explained that the pump dedicated would lessen the burden on the lone hand hump that does not serve them adequately.

By Lauries PageThe Sabegna School of Travel and Tourism has graduated 416 students in various disciplines. The graduates, who enrolled at Sabegna in 2020, have completed the necessary requirements as enshrined in the school curriculum. Sabegna offers a Standard National Diploma (SND) and Higher National Diploma (HND). Also, most of those working within the various airline offices and travel agencies are graduates of the Sabegna. The program was well attended by officials of the Government of Liberia, invitees, Sabegna school authorities, graduates among others.

Kokoyah District, Bong County – MNG Gold, the Turkish Mining Company in Kokoyah District, Bong County has concluded a one-day stakeholders meeting with residents of affected communities in Tokpa-Blee Administrative District. The meeting, according to the company’s community liaison officer, Keith Gboe, was aimed at acquainting citizens on the status of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility. Gboe said the meeting was also intended to provide clarity on issues pertaining to the company’s Kokoyah Concession Operations and the Memorandum of Understanding. Gbanken also said the company has also rehabilitated the10 kilometer road from Dean Town to Borbor Fire Town in electoral district two. The motorcycles were given to local chiefs in Kokoyah Statutory District, while and the solar panels were distributed in the three administrative districts.

Responding to a Daily Observer inquiry, the EJS Center disclosed that it “has not received any money from the Government of Liberia. “On the budget allocation issue, the EJS Center was not informed and only learned of this from the report in Frontpage Africa,” the EJS Center maintains. Did President Weah live up to his commitment after all, unbeknownst to the EJS Center? If the Gender Minister does not know who added the EJS Center as subsidy beneficiaries to her ministry’s budget account, then who does? Now that the EJS Center is aware of its US$1 million subsidy allotment in the 2022 national budget, the question remains whether or not the Center will accept the money.

Protest by LOFA County regarding Cape Mount County, featuring three first division players instead of two in the December 18 match between the two counties, has been dismissed by the Protest Committee of the National County Sports Meet. The committee, after conducting hearing into the protest, established that the protest letter from Lofa was not submitted within the stipulated time frame as enshrined in the rules and regulations governing the 2021/2022 national county sports meet. The committee also established that the Protester (Lofa) could not prove that the captain of Grand Cape Mount or an official of the county’s team signed on to the protest as required by the rules and regulations governing the National County Sports Meet. Regarding Bong’s protest, the committee established Fransico Pajibo was an unused substitute in the Mano River Union tournament and didn’t feature for the senior national team as claimed by Bong. Gbarpolu lost their protest against Bomi for using Murphy Miller, after the committee established that player Miller registered and played for Sandi FC in the 2019/20 LFA second division league that was nullified.

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.