According to him, the allegation against him led him to conduct an independent investigation into the release of the armed robber. He stated that his investigation uncovered that the alleged armed robber was released based on legal application by the late Atty. Moses W. Sondah to Criminal Court “D.” Accordingly, the records show that on 8 March, A.D. 2019, Atty. Moses W. Sondah (late) filed with Criminal Court “D” a “Motion for Admission to Bail” and it was on the basis of this motion that defendant Kesselle Mulbah was released. The official release which was sent to the Monrovia Central Prison for the release of Defendant Kesselle Mulbah is also attached hereto for your reference.

IN A CONVERSATION with Gulf New last November, Liberian President George Manneh Weah proclaimed that Liberia was opened for business. “Liberia is open for business and we are creating the right environment that makes it seamless for investors to get a head-start,” the President declared. “Obstacles to doing business in Liberia as evidenced by the 2020 World Bank Doing Business report are a dissuading factor for individuals and corporations deciding on countries in which to set up shop”, Madam Grunder said. FOLLOWING HER ELECTION in 2005, former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf declared the country opened for business and launched an international effort to lure investors to the post-war nation. LAST YEAR, Forbes magazine conducted a study of countries business climate and ranked Liberia as the first on the list of the top 10 worst destinations for doing business.

Liberia: House of Representatives Re-summons CBL over Increase of Mutilated Banknotes Despite Printing of L$4 Billion New BanknotesCapitol Hill, Monrovia – The House of Representatives has reconsidered its decision and summoned top management of the Central Bank of Liberia to appear before its full plenary to address the current flow of mutilated banknotes on the Liberian market despite infusing L$4 billion banknotes of newly printed banknotes. In its special sitting in December 2019, the Legislature, based on the request of President George M. Weah approved the printing of additional L$4 billion banknotes to ease the liquidity pressure on the government. During the bank’s latest appearance before the House, plenary voted in favor of a motion mandating its Committee on Banking and Currency to investigate the CBL and reports its findings to for subsequent actions. She said the money was printed to ease the liquidity problem and to also sterilize the mutilated banknotes commiserating with the L$4 billion new notes, but if the CBL printed without sterilizing, it would result to excess of L$2 billion over previous legal notes. “It is important to note that previous resolution that calls for printing of new family of bank notes places printing at L$30 billion, accounting for L$28 billion previously printed and two billion would be for allowance of long term growth,” she said.

We don’t have the luxury of Lab Materials like other countries,” Dr. Kpanyen said. AVR Machine is used to facilitate the management of chronic health conditions while the PCR Testing is used to amplify small segments of DNA. Dr. Kpanyen further explained that the PCR Testing which Liberia is carrying out, is more standard and there are no fees attached. Furthermore, Dr. Kpanyen explained that out of four GeneExpert Machine at the Laboratory, only one is functional. “I like to clarify that our lab turnaround time is 24-72 hours, which provides us the space to collect specimens and issuance of travel certificates within 72 hours,” Dr. Kpanyen averred.

Monrovia – A total of one hundred eighteen (118) constants will vie for 15 seats in the pending December 8, 2020 Senatorial Midterm elections on December 8, 2020. Prominent amongst the 18 women are Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), and political leader of the opposition Liberty Party (LP). Senator Karnga Lawrence will be joined by other Women on the CPP ticket on the ballot, according to the final listing of candidates released by the National Elections Commission Thursday. She too has contested elections in the past is now running on the ticket of the ruling CPP. In 2017, a survey showed that Women constitute half of the more than two million people who registered to vote, according to Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC).

Monrovia – Barely a week after they resigned and joined the governing Coalition for Democratic Change; former Youth Wing Leaders of the Council of Patriots, have now found what they termed as the CDC’s Council of Patriots. The COP Youth League Leaders who were suspended by COP National Leadership last week officially joined the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) at the Party Headquarters in Congo Town. COP has a good tide with the CPP but On August 31, 2020, the leaders of the COP Youth Wing withdraw their support from the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP). Two days after the COP Youth Wing withdrawal from the CPP, the head of the Council of Patriots Henry Costa distances the National Leadership from the action the Youth Wing took. While the investigation was ongoing, the COP suspended Youth Leaders trooped their way to the CDC Party headquarters in Congo Town and openly declared their membership for the ruling-CDC.

Monrovia – Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon and the National Elections Commission (NEC) have pledged to promote a peaceful electoral process leading to the December 8, 2020, Special senatorial elections. However, only Senator Dillon and the NEC, through its Director of Civic and Voter Education, Paul Wreh Wilson graced Day- One of the two-day event, and in separate remarks vowed to promote a peaceful democratic process. Senator Dillon’s PledgeIn his pledge, Senator Dillon called on all sides of the political divide to refrain from violence and once again retracted his incendiary comments made against President George Weah. The elections Commission Chairperson is concerned and we are disappointed on what is obtaining now in the country when it comes to electoral violence,” he said. Speaking on several issues confronting the NEC, he said stressed budget is impeding the commission to effectively conduct civic and voter education.

MONROVIA – Over the weekend, a new bookstore was launched by Monrovia READS, a reading literacy NGO. “The NOOK BOOK Store”, according to the founder Mr. D. Othniel Forte, “attempts to fill a major gap in the provision of Liberian literature. The NOOKBOOK store will serve primarily as a ‘literary space’. But equally as important is that creatives need a space to freely exercise their creativity.”“We will hold book launches and book chats, master classes, workshops, book clubs etc. As this partnership with Monrovia READS fulfils an important goal of our school- to develop the creativity and critical thinking skills of our learners.”

Monrovia – The Liberia Volleyball Federation has elected new leadership. The election, Wednesday which saw delegates from the Federation exercising their voting power was held at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville. Those elected were Gibson Otis Nyanneh as President, James K. Ndebe as Vice-president and Gilbert Kyne as Secretary-general while Abraham Hinneh and Oretha S. Carter was elected as Assistant Secretary-general and Treasurer respectively . Gibson Otis Nyanneh defeated Richard D. Kollie 12 votes to 10 while the rest won on whit ballots. A statement by the Chairman Liberia volleyball Election Commission, Ahmed Tukpah said a total of 39 ballots were printed but 23 people attended the election, noting that there was one invalid vote and 15 ballot papers left.

Monrovia – Liberia’s First Lady Clar Marie Weah has openly apologized to players of the female national team for her delay in fulfilling her promise to them. Safe travels and enjoy the tournament,” said Clar, who was flanked by President Weah, Liberia Football Association (LFA) executive committee member Quiwu Pepci Yeke, Sports Minister Zeogar Wilson and Information Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe. They also wondered why the First Lady was carrying out various COVID-19 donations without fulfilling her promise. In reaction to their assertions, the First Lady apologized to the team for the delay in fulfilling her promise and explained that it was unfortunate that she had to travel out of Liberia for six months. She explained: “It was brought to my attention by an article in FrontPageAfrica implicating me that I refuse to fulfill my promise to the women football team of Liberia.

Monrovia – The embattled leadership of the Liberia Basketball Association says players who would participate in the upcoming league would have to take the COVID-19 test before participating in the league. The Federation of International Basketball made the pronouncement Wednesday, September 23, 2020 following a meeting. Abraham Samukai who was elected at a controversial election in 2019 emphasized that the LBA has to follow all of the preventative measures given by the Health Ministry against the COVID-19 after the lifting of the ban on sporting activities in the country. He also disclosed that no spectator would be allowed until they get the go-ahead from the and Health and Youth and Sports Ministries. “Our team’s official’s responses to our discussion were very positive because they all agreed to keep on following all of the COVID 19 preventive measures for the common growth of the game and the athletes who have passion for it and other important matters were also discussed for the common growth of basketball,” he added.

But when politicians failed to live up to their promises, they risk the possibility of getting re-elected. Hence, my article seeks and endeavors to lift Weah broken promises made to Liberians. This was one of the promises made by the president during the official launch of his campaign in the 2017 elections. Ordinary Liberians are convinced that under Weah’s Liberia, they are living like second class citizens in their country. Under governance and transparency, President Weah promised and I quote verbatim, “As your President, I’ll fight corruption in the strongest way by cutting wasteful spending and creating a zero-tolerance policy.

THE EDITOR,The gross abuse or misuse of a nation’s passports is most times tied to terrorist financing and money laundering. Most times, terrorists look for a weak country like Liberia and many others situated in our position to settle. Disgustingly, Liberians home and abroad have become wondering whether in truth and indeed, Weah is a country giant or a country rogue. We are aware that privileged or diplomatic passports are done only through authorization from the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In this case, pundits believe that Weah and his then Minister, Gbehzohngar Milton Findley, sold the Liberian passports.

Even though rape is a non-bailable offence, several rape cases in Liberia continue to get bailed since the law was passed, for instance, the 42-year-old perpetrator in the 2018 case involving the raping of a nine months old child in Bahn, Nimba County, was let out on bail. They are the ones who have disappointed victims and their families the most by their repeated failure to enforce existing rape laws, and this failure is causing the number of rape cases to skyrocket. From January 2020 to now, Liberia has actually recorded more than a thousand cases of rape, this astronomical spike in the number of rape cases would definitely not be possible if those responsible for these heinous crimes were paying the high price outlined in the revised penal law of Liberia. The scourge of rape in Liberia can definitely be mitigated through a synchronized institutional framework. Towards this end, FOHRD calls on the Liberian Government to establish an Independent Anti-rape Commission, which will centrally focus on all issues concerning rape.

The dialogues were designed to discuss strategies to increase women’s political representation, which is low in all three branches of Government, and particularly low in Liberia’s Legislature. From 2005 to 2015, not a single political party met the 30% threshold, (“National Elections Commission. https://www.undp.org/content/dam/liberia/docs/FINAL_RESEARCH%20ON%20WOMEN%E2%80%99S%20PARTICIPATION%20AS%20CANDIDATES%20IN%20ELECTIONS.pdf”) and in 2017 only one party (Liberia Restoration Party) met the 30%. The largest, most visible parties/coalitions on the national stage did not come close – with Unity Party at 17%, CDC at 11.5%, and Liberty Party at 10% (“National Elections Commission”). There was also discussion around the transactional nature of voting in Liberia, linking women’s political empowerment to women’s economic empowerment given the high expense of running campaign in the country.