Liberia: Zoe Pennue Gets Green Light to Senate; To be Certificated on WednesdayMONROVIA – After a long legal battle between Mr. Thomas Yaya Nimely and Mr. Zoe Pennue, the National Elections Commission (NEC) says it will go ahead on Wednesday to certificate Senator-elect of Grand Gedeh County Zoe Emmanuel as winners of the December 8, 2020 election. Zoe Emmanuel Pennue led by Cllr. The Board of Commissioners said the ruling is consistent with law as provided for under default motion. The ruling of the Board follows the hearing of agreements from lawyers representing Mr. Simeon B. Taylor, including Cllrs. Alijah Swalibo Sesay, representing Senator Victor Watson.

Monrovia — It has been nearly five months since Dominic Renner and Winston Toe went missing on September 24, 2020, and October 4, 2020, respectively. Dominic Renner and Winston Toe, according to the charge sheet of the Liberia National Police, were captives of the disgraced former soldier at different intervals. The mystery into the whereabouts of Dominic Renner and Winston Toe is not fading away anytime soon. There’s no time limit on the investigation—the Police are investigating.”For Emmanuel Renner, father of Dominic Renner, and the family of Winston Toe, the reliance on the Police promise is the sinking sand of their grief. Editor’s Note: Next edition will piece the last moments of Dominic Renner and Winston Toe prior to their disappearance.

Mr. James Weah is a jovial old man who occasionally entertains neighbors and passers-by with Christian songs sung in his dialect—Kru—when he’s in ‘happy mood’. The first ID on top of the papers had the following heading: “Pensioners Association of Liberia”, and other information—Name: James Weah, ID No. “I used to get my pension money regularly from EcoBank, but since the Government started sending us to LBDI (Liberia Bank for Development and Industry), getting my pension money is hard, beginning from 2017. Several other retired Government’s employees have several disheartening experiences, some of which are similar to Mr. James Weah. Pensioner James Weah and his unlucky colleagues can’t see a sign of getting their retirement monetary benefits.

MONROVIA – The Mo Ibrahim Foundation welcomes the appointment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Against the backdrop of COVID-19, a tumultuous period for global trade and increasing nationalist tendencies, the WTO faces significant challenges. We hope that the WTO will temporarily waive the specific Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). This is the only way to ensure a global, coordinated effort to contain COVID-19. A close friend of our Foundation from its very beginning and member of the inaugural Prize Committee, the new Director-General of the WTO can rely on our full and committed support.

In an open letter to President Weah, the group’s spokesperson, Chris N. Saylee made a passionate appeal to President Weah, seeking his urgent intervention to bring relief to residents of that part of Nimba County. Tappita, Nimba County – Amid President George Manneh Weah’s much anticipated maiden tour of the counties, a group of diaspora citizens hailing from the Ziah region in Nimba County are calling on him to build the feeder road linking their community to Tappita City, a major commercial and learning center within the region. The Ziah region, comprising several towns and villages including Ziah #1, Ziah #2 and Kpeletuo, is one of the most populated areas (about 20,000) which falls within District #9, Nimba County and Tappita Statutory District. The road linking the area with Tappita has become inaccessible to vehicles due to its deplorable condition, leaving citizens stranded to take their crops to market. In an open letter to President Weah, the group’s spokesperson, Chris N. Saylee made a passionate appeal to President Weah, seeking his urgent intervention to bring relief to residents of that part of Nimba County.

The Supreme Court affirmed the verdict of the lower court convicting the Lofa county senator and two others to two years imprisonment or restitution of US$1.4 million. “We are equally very disappointed and frustrated in the ruling handed down against Samukai. Lofa citizens’ anger at Supreme CourtThe target of most of the citizens’ anger was Liberia’s Supreme Court, which the group accused of being out to disgrace Samukai. Samukai, the former minister of defense had hoped to have been exonerated by the High Court after his conviction by the lower court in 2020. But the Defendants took appeal at the Supreme Court and they (serving now as appellants), justified that they acted in line with the Constitution and relevant laws.

In a written communication and an open letter to the Supreme Court, Mr. Morais stated that he could no longer remain mute on the matter, irrespective of whatever repercussions his divulge may attract from the Supreme Court. “The Supreme Court can now censure me, because I will express my opinion as an astute politician, diplomat and law maker. He stated in the open letter: “The Supreme Court prides itself as a Constitutional Court; Law and Procedures. “The acceptance of that document by a Supreme Court that does not take evidence opened a Pandora Box. “On September 21, 2020 the Nomination Period for Candidates Closed without the Supreme Court Opinion on the Appeal of the CDC.

‘I Want to Die and Be Cremated in Liberia’ – Former Indian Honorary Consul-General to Liberia “Jetty”MONROVIA – Barely few days after being recalled from diplomatic service, the former Indian Honorary Consul General to Liberia, Mr. Upjit Singh Sachdeva, has vowed to continue to live and work in Liberia to help combat against hunger and improve the living conditions of Liberians through his multiple humanitarian initiatives. Mr. Sachdeva added that though prisoners are being reprimanded or contained, they should not be forgotten. “I was doing humanitarian works not because I was Honorary Consul General; it was my own personal gesture. Other plansBut despite the huge efforts being applied to help reduce the high rate of hunger in Liberia, Mr. Sachdeva has promised to venture into additional initiatives in Liberia. Though he did not state a specific plan, but there are reports that the former Indian Honorary Consul General is planning to construct or establish a rehabilitation center in Monrovia to help rehabilitate and cater to less fortunate Liberians and disadvantaged youths.

Monrovia – Liberia’s Premier anti-graft institution, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) continues to sink into a sea of one controversy after another since the appointment of its embattled outgoing Executive Chairperson, Cllr, Ndubuisi Nwabudike. But two of the commission’s top officials, Vice Chairperson, Cllr. Gbala also noted that the general staff have also assessed Fahnbulleh as being inefficient on the job. Gbala has been involved with series of financial improprieties that warrant his dismissal as per the LACC Act and its rules. The LACC is made of five commissioners, one of whom is the Executive Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission.

That 70 votes for candidate Jeremiah Kpan Koung from Martha Tubman Campus polling place, Sanniquellie, Electoral District #2, instead of his 37 votes obtained at that polling place. It also want a rerun in eight other precincts in Upper Nimba County in Electoral District #4, precinct 33010 at the Bihplay Public School of polling place 3; Electoral District #1, precinct 33080 at the Liberty Christian Institute of polling place 5; and Electoral District #1, precinct 33250 at Tonglawin Public School of polling place 4. Others are Electoral District #1, precinct 33069 in the Ganta Public School of polling place 5; and Electoral District #1, precinct 33077 in the Vision International School of polling place 5. Also, in Electoral District #1, precinct 33079 at the Gbartu Quarter Palavahut of polling place 6; Electoral District #1, precinct 33071 in the Small Ganta Palavahut of polling place 5; and Electoral District #1, precinct 33179 of the Wehplay Public School with polling place 4. The lawyers strongly want a re-run as well in Electoral District #2, polling places number 33052 in the Gbayee Public School, and Electoral District #2, polling place #33100 at Tiara Public School.

The Supreme Court can now censure me, because I will express my opinion as an astute politician, diplomat and law maker. The Supreme Court of LiberiaOn September 28, 2020The Supreme Court heard the case. These were my disbeliefs:The Supreme Court prides itself as a Constitutional Court; Law and Procedures. This action was deliberate and in concert with some members of the Supreme Court Bench. Interestingly, this decision was made by NEC while the Supreme Court had not ruled.

The Federal courthouse in Bellinzona, Switzerland where the war crimes trial of Alieu Kosiah is being held. “He (Kosiah) was giving the command and the command was executed,” the witness told the panel of three judges of the Swiss Federal Criminal Court prosecuting Kosiah. Kosiah is the first Liberian to be prosecuted for war crimes connected to the country’s 1989-2003 civil war, which killed an estimated 250,000 people and displaced one million. “He (Kosiah) even screamed at his soldiers to execute the order,” the witness told the panel. The witness is the first Liberian to testify in a war crimes trial connected with the country’s civil war.

Monrovia — Liberian music songstress, Faithvonic, will on today host a listening party for her EP at Hookah Lounge on UN Drive. The EP, which consists of six songs, is from her album ‘Rich With You’, according to Faithvonic in a live interview on HottFM 107.9. “Before the EP drops on the 23, I’m urging you to come to Hookah Lounge and listen to it,” she said. The leading single from the EP, Rich with You, which also doubles as the name of the album, is dedicated to her boyfriend of many years, she said. “The first 10 persons to purchase VIP ticket will get a ten percent discount.”The Liberian music diva says her album is the beginning of more to come in 2021.

MONROVIA — The Liberian Forest Sector Project (LFSP), with support from the Government of Norway through the World Bank has boosted the hopes of about 2,000 cocoa farmers in South Eastern Liberia especially Grand Gedeh and River Gee counties by procuring 150,000 f1 hybrid cocoa seeds/beans from the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana which arrived in the country Thursday, February 11, 2021. Mr. Alaric N. Meinwipia, Assistant Director of Crop Science, Department of Regional Research & Extension, MoA took delivery of the consignment on behalf of the ministry. He gratefully acknowledged the timely intervention of the Liberia Forest Sector Project (LFSP) through which the seeds were procured. He noted that the arrival of the cocoa seeds/beans will certainly raise the hopes of the farmers and elevate their enthusiasm once again. Promoting sustainable agriculture is one of the flagship interventions of the LFSP as a part of Liberia’s strategy for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+).

Before the national harmonization in July 2019, most government employee’s social security contribution was only calculated on their minimum Liberian Dollar Basic Salary, leaving out the larger amount of the general allowance. Mr. Wreh close by encouraging HRs and Comptrollers to see social security deduction as an investment for the future retirement and to enroll each of their employees with the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation to accurately monitor their employee’s social security status and benefits. He explained that a significant number of government employees are yet to register with the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation. Mr. Jah also explained and cautioned HRs and Comptrollers that government employee must be duly registered with NASSCORP to qualify for social security deductions benefits. ”By law, it is the responsibility of the employer to enroll their employees and ensure their social security deductions are collected and remitted to NASSCORP”.