Liberia: Lutheran Church To Begin Traditional Worship Service Following Assessment of COVID-19 Situation
Worship services, prayer meetings, Bible studies, weddings, funerals, choir practices, and other meetings be limited to a maximum of 90 minutes at a time, it stated, while adding that “social distancing mandate be applied to all [church] gatherings”Monrovia – The Lutheran Church in Liberia says it will begin regular traditional worship service on June 7 at all its churches in the country. Bishop D. Jensen Seyenkulo, Presiding Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Liberia, said in a press statement issued on Thursday, June 4, that the decision was made after “weekly assessment of the situation with the pastors,” something he had earlier promised to do before resuming worship service. Bishop Jensen, according to the release, will continue holding meetings with pastors on a weekly basis to “assess the situation”. “We pray that our pastors and members will keep safe and help the rest of the nation remain safe. God bless you; God bless the Lutheran Church in Liberia and God bless our nation, Liberia,” the release quoted Bishop Jensen as saying.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 05, 2020 07:30 UTC
Expulsion, Suspension of Lawmakers Will Pose Threats To Liberia’s Democratic Process – Rev. Kortu K. Brown
Kortu K. Brown, has called on members of Legislature to desist from burning their energies on investigating a colleague for making alleged disparaging comments against Legislature. He continued: “It will not serve us well when we try to encourage attitude of intolerance in our governance process. “Who hasn’t cussed in this country (Liberia) before? The LCC’s President comments come in the wake of an ongoing investigation initiated by the leadership of the Liberian Senate against Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon. But Bishop Brown indicated that the current situation at the Liberian Senate is a complete deviation from the fight against the pandemic.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 05, 2020 07:30 UTC
Kimmie Weeks Urges Anti-Graft Institutions To Be Proactive Curbing Corruption
Weeks, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the General Auditing Commission (GAC) must erect the necessary checkpoints to help promote transparency and accountability during the pandemic. Monrovia – Acclaimed Liberian activist, Dr. Kimmie Weeks, has underscored the need for anti-graft institutions in Liberia to be more proactive and vigilant in dealing with allegations of waste and corruption during this Coronavirus outbreak in the country. Weeks made these comments in an exclusive interview with FrontPage Africa via telephone on Wednesday. We need to keep providing clarity for our people and promoting transparency,” Weeks said. Weeks added that regardless of political parties or class, Liberians should consciously hold together to move the country forward.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 05, 2020 07:18 UTC
Liberia: Fear Heightens Over Possible Spread of COVID-19 Amongst Drug Addicts
He said getting food, safe drinking water and medicine remains a challenge. Disadvantaged youths in Liberia are mostly seen in major streets in the country, with majority lacking safe dwelling, while few are managing to survive on handouts. Some disadvantaged youths who spoke with FrontPageAfrica threatened non-compliance with established health regulations for containment and prevention of the COVID-19. He says providing awareness on Covid-19, food and medication are pressing needs for many of them in the Redlight Market area. Samuel David, deputy information officer of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), said nothing has been done by the entity so far to provide COVID-19 preventive materials for the disadvantaged youths.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 05, 2020 07:18 UTC
Liberia Darling People Donates Food, Anti-COVID-19 Materials to Leadership, Residents of Grand Bassa County
Buchanan, Grand Bassa County – As Liberia Observes the state of emergency and a partial lockdown in the wake of COVID19, a non-governmental organization, the Liberia Darling People have reached out to the leadership and people of Grand Bassa County through the donation of food and non-food items. The Liberia Darling people is a newly established organization under the leadership and supervision of Henry O. Fahnbulleh Jr, a son of the soil who currently resides in Europe. He added that if politicians can forget about politics and show love for country, then Liberia will be a better and competing Country. Vondeh noted that the gesture was the first time that a group has identified with them, and called on the Government and humanitarian organizations to follow the Liberia Darling People’s footstep. “We say thank you for thinking about us because we did not write or ask for these materials.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 05, 2020 07:07 UTC
Liberia: Man in his 50s is Bong County’s First Death Linked to COVID-19
The death marks the first COVID-19 death in Bong County, where there has been no cases of the virus since its outbreak in the country four months ago. Gbarnga, Bong County – Bong County Health Team Thursday morning announced that a 52-year-old resident of Sugar Hill community in Gbarnga has died from complications connected to COVID-19. The death marks the first COVID-19 death in Bong County, where there has been no cases of the virus since its outbreak in the country four months ago. “Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the patient,” Dr. Yeiah said. The identified contacts, Dr. Yeiah said, had been told to stay at home, monitored by health officials.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 04, 2020 17:26 UTC
Spotlight Initiative supports media training on Gender Sensitive Reporting on COVID-19 and SGBV in Liberia
This training, which was held in Montserrado county, was the first in a series of trainings that will be held in Liberia. The Montserrado training included participants from print, electronic and online media from various media institutions in Liberia. Before the training, 75 percent of the media practitioners had limited knowledge about gender sensitive reporting on COVID-19 and SGBV. Simply having women in the newsroom is not enough because that does not guarantee being gender responsive or gender sensitive reporting,” she said. The gender sensitive training was organized and facilitated by the Female Journalists Association of Liberia with support from the European Union, United Nations and Government of Liberia Spotlight Initiative.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 04, 2020 16:41 UTC
Justice Wolokollie Denies Orange Liberia’s Quest for Prohibition on Surcharges
The promo which had run for over three years was also affecting government’s revenue generation in the sector. Industry experts say both GSM Companies operating in Liberia experienced an astronomical increase in revenue since the new LTA regulation came into effect. Despite the high rise in revenue, Orange GSM insists that it cannot honor the bill from the LTA for the payment of the surcharge. This, the government has seen as an unrealistic argument and an attempt from the GSM Companies to deny government its just revenue. Justice Wolokollie declined to entertain the matter because the matter is presently before the full bench and one justice cannot act, however, she admonished the parties to pursue the appeal.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 04, 2020 13:18 UTC
Liberia: MFDP Begins Publishing Fiscal Reports
These reports, dubbed Fiscal Data Transparency Measure, will reflect budget performances of individual entities which have up to now only been shared with the International Monetary Fund. Under the new measure, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning will post weekly fiscal reports to its website(www.mfdp.gov.lr). These reports, dubbed Fiscal Data Transparency Measure, will reflect budget performances of individual entities which have up to now only been shared with the International Monetary Fund. The government has said that the publication of the reports is in continuation of the Open Budget and Fiscal transparency initiative exercise. Meanwhile, Liberia has made enormous fiscal progress in implementing “prior actions” agreed with the IMF.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 04, 2020 12:45 UTC
Liberia: Agriculture Minister Has No Regrets About Changes; Stepping on Hornet’s Nests
MINISTER JEANNIE MILLY COOPER: “Coming from the private sector you make decisions like that all the time. I know because I’ve been buying agriculture equipment and I know how long it takes to get here.”Watch Full Interview with Agriculture Minister Jeannie Milly CooperDefending ‘Logical Decision’The minister said she has no regrets about the decision. That’s some of the benefits of getting somebody in the field who knows the agriculture sector here. Squarely that’s one of those honest nests on rationalizing on something that’s already been decided.”The minister acknowledged the ADB initially had concerns. The minister expressed regrets that the controversy has hindered her efforts to reform the agriculture sector.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 04, 2020 10:06 UTC
Liberia's Agriculture Minister: Transformation Is A Bumpy Road’
Our rubber sector is the largest private employer in the country; if we start to have layoffs in the rubber sector, farmers start to close their farms we would have yet another problem over and above the COVID-19. And an additional US$5.525 million that’s going to be split between the four components. I know because I’ve been buying agriculture equipment and I know how long it takes to get here. We have to bring our agriculture sector into the 21st century. They’re exporting the rubber component, like smoked sheets or technically specified rubber – that’s what they’re exporting.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 04, 2020 09:33 UTC
Liberia: ‘No Intent To Suspend Or Expel Dillon’ – Senate Leadership
Pro Temp Chie said public perceptions about him harboring a plan expel Senator Dillon from the very beginning of Montserrado Senator Induction are totally untrue. How can we assume at this time that someone want to suspend or expel our colleague even if these allegations are true?”Pro Temp Chie said public perceptions about him harboring a plan expel Senator Dillon from the very beginning of Montserrado Senator Induction are totally untrue. In his attempt to disclose the relationship between him and Senator Dillon, the Senate Pro Temp outlined some of the instances he had render personal assistance to the Montserrado Senator. I have no plan to expel Dillon this is a matter of precedence. Section D. of rule 23 further states that plenary shall debate the report and act upon the recommendation.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 04, 2020 09:11 UTC
Liberia: Family of Late Francis Mensah Craves Justice Minister Musa Dean to Ensure Accountability in Child’s Death
Little Mensah, three, died of severe burn from hot water allegedly poured on him by a female police officer enforcing government’s lockdown order. Monrovia – The family of the late Francis Mensah of West Point is demanding justice over his tragic and untimely death. Meanwhile, in a communication to Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean, the family through its lawyer, Finley Karngar said, since the death of little Mensah, the Liberia National Police (LNP) is yet to make available report of the investigation. Meanwhile, for the family and residents of West Point, little Mensah’s death is a reminiscence of the late Shaki Kamara’s incidence in August, 2014, at the height of another deadly disease outbreak, the Ebola epidemic. Mensah’s family, through their lawyer is calling on the Attorney General to intervene to ensure justice is served.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 04, 2020 08:48 UTC
Liberia: House of Reps. Amends Central Bank Act, Expands Legislative Oversight on Bank’s Activities
The CBL was established on October 18, 1999 by an Act of the Legislature and it became functional in 2000, replacing the National Bank of Liberia (NBL). Portion of the act was amended in 2014. Several changes made by the joint committee and approved by plenary includes the “Autonomy of the central Bank.”Under this portion, the House called for CBL to be accountable to the Legislature through its [Legislature] oversight function. It shall, however, be accountable to the Legislature through its oversight function.”Another area under the Act that was amended is the portion that gives the CBL the exclusive authority to issue Liberian dollars and bank notes. On the issuance of Liberian banknotes and coins, the House amended Act gives the CBL the sole authority to issue all Liberian Dollar banknotes and coins but subject to Article 34-d of the Constitution.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 04, 2020 08:45 UTC
Liberia: Independent Human Rights Commission Calls on Government to Accelerate Food Distribution Efforts
Independent Human Rights Commission Chairman, Atty. Bartholomew ColleyMonrovia – The Independent National Human Rights Commission (INHRC) has called on the Government to accelerate its efforts in distributing food to vulnerable communities to help alleviate multiple constraints confronting citizens during this lockdown period. But according to the Chairperson of the Independent Human Rights Commission, Atty. Bartholomew Colley, citizens are hungry and as such, government, through the committee, must speed up the distribution process. “We think that the food distribution is delayed and government should accelerate efforts to reach the targeted communities.
Source:Front Page Africa
June 04, 2020 08:37 UTC