Liberia: Prosecution Witnesses in Massaquoi Appeal Hearings Give Contradictory Testimonies, But Blame Them on Forgetfulness
And with the appeal hearings in Liberia nearly their closing stages, the issue is once again coming up too often, with some prosecution witnesses not only contradicting themselves about key dates of Massaquoi’s alleged crimes, but also where they allegedly took place. During direct examination on Thursday, “Witness Y1,” another prosecution witness told the court he was captured by Massaquoi as a child soldier in Sierra Leone in 1999 and taken to Lofa County along with other RUF figures. “I said it was Massaquoi because he gave the order to Superman,” Witness Y1 said. He said: “It’s been long, I can’t remember everything.”“Witness X7,” another prosecution witness, corroborated the testimony of a prosecution who testified on Tuesday about an alleged act of sexual assault by Massaquoi against her friend. The coverage of the appeal of Massaquoi’s acquittal is a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project.
Source:Front Page Africa
March 17, 2023 19:19 UTC
Liberia: Senate Passes Pension Bill with Modification
MONROVIA –The Plenary of the Liberian Senate has passed into law a bill seeking to adopt an integrated pension and benefits scheme with three modifications for certain categories of officials of the Government of the Republic of Liberia. By: Henry Karmo [email protected]The bill seeks to repeal or amend certain portions of Title 19, Legislative Act, Title 12, Executive Law of Liberia, and Title 17, the Judiciary Law (1972), as amended in 2003. At the same time, all benefits for President, Vice President, Speaker, Chief Justice, President Pro-Tempore and Deputy Speaker will be a certain per cent as indicated of basic salary instead it being applied on sum total of salaries and benefits. The last modification indicates that if any of the officials retires and subsequently receives a “gainful employment” and then retires finally, his Pension would be the highest of the two instead of being asked to make a choice. The proposed instrument has been sent the House of Representatives for concurrence.
Source:Front Page Africa
March 17, 2023 06:50 UTC
Liberia: US Says Evidence Being Gathered for Possible Sanctions Against Corrupt Officials of Government, Private Citizens
Liberia: US Says Evidence Being Gathered for Possible Sanctions Against Corrupt Officials of Government, Private CitizensMONROVIA – Visiting U.S State Department’s Global Anti-Corruption Coordinator Richard Nephew said the U.S. is currently compiling evidence for possible imposition of sanctions against corrupt Liberian officials. Since then there have been mounting speculations that the U.S. is expected to unleash another batch of sanctions on perceived corrupt officials. But most importantly, it creates the opportunity for host nations harboring these corruption officials to prosecute them in line with their local laws. He called on the Government of Liberia to listen it its citizens and begin the prosecution of corrupt officials to end the culture of impunity. And some of these recommendations include staffing and empowering integrity institutions, prosecuting corrupt officials, working with the Legislature to act on audit reports and make voting records public.
Source:Front Page Africa
March 17, 2023 04:11 UTC
Libeia: Cllr Woods to be Inducted into Office as YMCA Board Chair on Friday
Libeia: Cllr Woods to be Inducted into Office as YMCA Board Chair on FridayMonrovia – Cllr. Samuel Kofi Woods, ll, would be sworn into office as the National Board Chairman of the YMCA Liberia on Friday, March 17 at 6:00 PM. Wood, ll, the newly elected Board Chair who won on the white ballot, will be inducted alongside Mrs Yornie Lardner Cooper, Treasurer and all Chairpersons of County YMCA boards across the country, and with several individuals. He committed following his victory to embark on a journey to assess existing branches and program branches to determine the state of the affair of each branch of the Liberia YMCA. Several others officials are expected to be in attendance including former board chairpersons of the Liberia YMCA.
Source:Front Page Africa
March 17, 2023 03:25 UTC
Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Liberia’s Presidential and General Elections
What if this “AI-based software” had algorithms that leverage “trained data” (candidates’ credentials) to predict the winner of an election? Now, let us look at political campaigns. In presidential and general elections, money and propaganda have been the most effective and ubiquitous tools used by candidates. In our presidential and general elections, AI can be utilized in several ways including voter registration, data analysis, and security. In political campaigns, AI tools can be used in many ways to give a candidate a competitive advantage over his/her competitor.
Source:Daily Observer
March 14, 2023 21:34 UTC
Liberia: Senate’s Neglect Legislative Information Services
— Receives a paltry US$30K out of US$300K budget from 2018-2022A highly comprehensive work plan submitted to members of the 54th Legislature by the Legislative Information Services (LIS) is revealing that the institution has been severely and embarrassingly underfunded since 2018 to 2022. The Legislative Information Service submission of its Work Plan 2023 is a professional tradition of the bicameral department to submit its work plan annually, based on the important fact that the joint service department has budgetary appropriation annually. “Our plan of action for the year provides clues as to how funds received are intended to be utilized. “This led to my office reporting the House of Representatives to their employers, the citizens, after every effort to seek redress failed including intervention from [then] Senate Pro Tempore Armah Jallah. It took the election of Nuquay and his interventions for the LIS to even receive the US$30,000 the department received just recently.
Source:Daily Observer
March 14, 2023 18:13 UTC
Liberia - MTN Group Reports Strong 2022 Earnings
It was supported by our expense efficiency programme which yielded R2.7 billion in savings, mostly in Nigeria and South Africa. The performance of MTN South Africa was solid, with growth in service revenue of 3.6% to almost R41 billion and an EBITDA margin of 39.2%. On MTN South Africa, Mupita said: "We are encouraged by the performance of the business and the focus on network resilience. Amid unprecedented loadshedding and the intensified need for back-up power in the second half of 2022, MTN South Africa invested significantly to secure network resilience." To build the largest and most valuable platforms, we expanded our fintech ecosystem and made progress in separating our fintech business from our GSM business, receiving offers for strategic minority investments into the MTN Group fintech structure.
Source:Daily Observer
March 14, 2023 12:58 UTC
Liberia: NEC Says Biometric Voter Registration Process on Course
The National Elections Commission has disclosed that phased one of biometric voter registration exercises would go on as planned. The electoral body's clarification comes after complaints about not receiving all of the funding required to conduct the voter registration process. This then raised concerns that the NEC would be forced to postpone the start of the voter registration as scheduled from March 20 to April 9. This silence has been so since the Commission announced its intention in 2022 to use biometric systems for the March 20 voter registration exercise. Lansanah noted that civic and voter Education (CVE) activities for the voter registration have been ongoing in the six phase one counties since its launch on February 24.
Source:Daily Observer
March 14, 2023 06:11 UTC
An Open Letter to Women of Liberia
We recognize that women in Liberia play vital roles in all sectors of society. Furthermore, I urge political parties to prioritize women's participation in their internal decision-making processes and encourage their membership to support women candidates in elections. I believe that increasing women representation in leadership is not just the responsibility of government, this is why early next month, FLY will announce a new initiative committed to promoting the platforms of women candidates during elections. This initiative aims to make women candidates more visible and popular with voters by highlighting their policy positions and promoting their campaigns. Additionally, we will work with political parties to promote women's participation in their internal decision-making processes and encourage them to support women candidates in elections.
Source:Daily Observer
March 13, 2023 14:01 UTC
Liberia: Budget for Clar Weah Is Undeserved and Misappropriated
By Benedict Nyankun WissehHow is it possible that the budget of Liberia’s first lady, Clar Weah, office exceeds the allotment in the budget for all the schools under supervision by the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS)? At present, Clar Weah occupies a position to which she was not elected. So, what explanation of reasons can be used to justify the appropriation of the $1.5m budget for Clar Weah? It is more than a year now since the $1.5m was transferred to Clar Weah’s office. The legislature, which sits Commany Wesseh and Milton Teahjay as senators, approved the budget for Clar Weah’s office.
Source:Daily Observer
March 13, 2023 12:52 UTC
Liberia: AFL Training Command Graduates and Commissions 33 Officers in Several Professional Disciplines
Monrovia – The Training Command of the Armed Forces of Liberia on Friday, February 24, 2023, graduated thirty-three officers as part of the ongoing recruitment drive by the Armed Forces of Liberia. Minister Blamo, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs representing President George Weah said the graduation and commission of officers of the Armed Forces of Liberia is an achievement for Liberia. Minister Blamo appreciates members of the AFL for their sacrifices and commitment to their country Liberia. He recorded that having been overwhelmed by the Corona Virus, the Armed Forces of Liberia thought it wise to revitalize the health system within the Armed Forces of Liberia. We want to appreciate our military, the government, and our development partners,” Deputy Minister Dickson said.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 27, 2023 02:07 UTC
Abu Kamara Starts New Season Win Goal
The in-from frontman picked up from where he left off last season as he masterminded his team Kuching City FC to victory n their opening game of the Malaysia Super Lig 2-1 away to Kelantan. The hosts Kelantan opened the scoring in the 52nd minute through Spanish right-back Miguel Angel Cifuentes who profited from a rebound from the opposing keeper as he slotted the ball in to make it 1-0. Five minutes later, a 1-2-1 variation saw Abu receiving a pass from a teammate and quickly playing the ball with a single touch to Burundian international teammate Mike Sidu Abdallah who coolly finished for the equalizer. With 18 minutes to go, Abu Kamara ran into the opponent’s box and then checked his run as he latched unto a teammate’s pass and finished with a tap in to help his side wrap maximum points on the opening day. Next up for Abu Razard and co who are second on the log, is a second round match with Selangor on Thursday March 2.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 27, 2023 01:54 UTC
Young Liberian, Benedict Tokpa Danuweli Making Strives To Equip Leaders – A Profile
EQUIP Leadership Liberia is a subsidiary of EQUIP Leadership, a non-for-profit organization founded by the world’s best leadership expert, Dr. John C. Maxwell in 1996. In April of Last year, EQUIP Leadership Liberia provided a two weeks’ leadership development session for over 150 pastors from 14 Counties in Liberia, on the Logos Hope Ship in Monrovia. But until you learn to lead yourself well, you cannot lead others effectively, to solve problems – and this is where we come in.” Benedict intimated about how EQUIP team works. In November 2022, EQUIP Leadership Liberia hosted the African Regional Conference for national leadership strengthening. For more information of EQUIP Leadership Liberia’s, engagements across Liberia, you can follow their work on Facebook: EQUIP.LIBERIA or email, eliberiaproject@gmail.com.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 26, 2023 10:30 UTC
PersonToPerson Africa Launched in Nigeria to Help Vulnerable Communities Get Access to Socio-economic Development
ABUJA, Nigeria – PERSON TO PERSON AFRICA a pro-community organization, was over the weekend launched in Abuja with the goal to sensitize and galvanize vulnerable communities across Africa to access socio-economic development. We look forward to making a positive and lasting impact in Nigeria and beyond.” she said. In his remarks, shadow U.S. Representative out of the District of Columbia, Dr. Oye Owolewa commended Person To Person Africa on the initiative to galvanize people to vote ahead of the Nigerian general elections . Adeyina lauded Person To Person Africa on its advocacy efforts and for their call for citizens to vote for credible candidates. Person To Person Africa aims to partner with relevant stakeholders to develop initiatives in education, health and governance issues to create an inclusive and sustainable future for everyone.
Source:Front Page Africa
February 26, 2023 07:21 UTC
Nigeria Election 2023: Votes are Counted But Final Results May Take Days
By Nduka Orjinmo, BBC News, AbujaVoting was marred by long delays as polling stations failed to open on time in some areas because of logistical problems and security incidents. Tens of thousands of polling stations are counting the results, which will be collated and sent to the electoral headquarters in the capital Abuja. But voting was postponed to Sunday at 141 polling stations in the oil-rich southern state of Bayelsa because of disruptions. Its candidate, Mr Tinubu, 70, is credited with building Nigeria's commercial hub Lagos, during his two terms as governor until 2007. A candidate needs to have the most votes and 25% of ballots cast in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states to be declared the winner.
Source:Daily Observer
February 25, 2023 20:58 UTC