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INTERVIEW EDITORIAL
VOL 8 NO.644
FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014
CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA
MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES
LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR
These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of
the foreign exchange market in Monrovia and its environs. The
rates are collected from the Forex Bureaux and the commercials
banks. The rates are not set by the Central Bank of Liberia.
Source:
Research, Policy and Planning Department,
Central Bank Liberia,
Monrovia, Liberia
THURSDAY, JULY17, 2014 L$92.00/US$1 L$93.00/US$1
BUYING SELLING
L$85.00/US$1 L$86.00/US$1
L$83.00/US$1 L$82.00/US$1
WEDNESDAY, JULY23, 2014
THURSDAY, JULY24, 2014
EBOLA pg.6
THE VISA CANCELLATION SAGA
NOT
UNDER
PRESSURE

LAGOS HEALTH MINISTRY TESTS
LIBERIAN FOR EBOLA VIRUS
The patient was admitted and detained on suspicion of possible EBV (Ebola) infection,
while blood sample collection and testing was initiated, - Yewande Adeshina, Special
Adviser on Public Health to the Lagos state government
WHAT IS AMERICA
SAYING WITHOUT
SAYING?
Liberia Deserves a Better
Explanation Than This, Uncle Sam!

MOF CONSULTANT
QUARANTINED
Page 2 |
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014
Monrovia
T
he United States Embassy in Monrovia says
it is aware of reports that several Liberian
government offcials had their U.S. visas
cancelled recently but says under U.S. law, it
cannot comment on individual visa cases.
That said, the partnership between the United States and
Liberia remains strong. We have worked together through
many diffcult times. We are committed to supporting
Liberia and her people as they seek to foster democracy and
economic growth and to rebuild the country, the embassy
said in a statement Thursday.
A FrontPageAfrica revelation this week reported that
three offcials including Associate Supreme Court Justice
Kabineh Janeh, Youth and Sports Minister Eugene Nagbe,
and Senator Geraldine Doe-Sheriff were denied entry either
en route or upon entry in the U.S. after they were granted
visas by the embassy in Monrovia in diplomatic passports.
The trio had some affliation with different rebel groups
during Liberias civil war, which lasted from 1989 to 2003.
Brown Denies Visa Revoke
Information Minister Lewis Brown confrmed that three
senior Liberian government offcials one from each
branches of the government visas have being revoked by the
United States government. The minister said the government
of Liberia like any other responsible government around the
world will write the U.S. government inquiring why those
senior offcials visas were revoked.
Said Brown: We are hearing all sorts of speculations some
claiming that my visa has being revoked. These are all
speculations that are totally untrue.
Responding to questions that the US has requested
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to present the blue print of
all those accused of war and economic crimes, the minister
described the comment as totally False, noting that the U.S.
government respects Liberia as a sovereign state.
Sources told FrontPageAfrica this week that Janeh was
told his visa was canceled upon arrival in France en route
to the United States. Nagbe learned of his visa revocation
after arriving in the United States, while Doe-Sheriff was
stopped in Accra, Ghana.
Information Minister Lewis Brown described the
incidents as serious in an interview with the Voice of
America Wednesday and acknowledged that the Liberian
government had made inquiries to the U.S. So far, we
have made the proper representation through the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs to the American Embassy accredited near
our capital seeking information on the revocation of visas
of at least three individuals who are serving at very high
levels in the government. We are still waiting for feedback
from the embassy, Brown was quoted as saying.
The VOA quoted Brown as saying that the government
remains hopeful the visa issue is simply the result of a
misunderstanding. We know that at least three senior
offcials visas were revoked. It is within the purview of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make such representation and
to get the information. Until we do, wed like to think there
may have been some misunderstanding, a processing issue
perhaps, he said.
But despite Browns hopeful tone, diplomatic observers
say, the issue could be deeper, coming on the heels of the
arrest and detention in May this year of Jucontee Thomas
Woewiyu, Charles Taylors former defense minister, leading
many to conclude that the Obama administration may be
ready to go after Liberians accused of war crimes.
Woewiyu was arrested last May in Newark, New Jersey and
charged with lying on his application for U.S. citizenship
by not disclosing his alleged affliation with a violent
political group in Liberia, according to U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In 2012, the US government deported George Boley, former
leader of the Liberia Peace Council, and was found to have
recruited and used child soldiers in military operations
undertaken by the Peace Council during the countrys civil
war.
ICE said Boleys deportation was the frst removal order it
had obtained under the Child Soldiers Accountability Act
of 2008.
In 2009, a court in Miami convicted the son of former
President Taylor on six counts of committing acts of
torture and conspiracy to commit torture. Chuckie Taylor
was the commander of the notorious Anti-Terrorism Unit
that suppressed opposition to his fathers regime and was
sentenced him to 97 years.
Brown told the VOA that he was unaware whether the visa
revocations were part of an overall US commitment to root
out alleged human rights violators who may be trying to
seek refuge in the United States. Weve heard about all
these speculations; we do not rush to any conclusion. And
so, what we want to do is to, as weve done, do a formal
request for information about what may, or may not, have
occurred. I think people are running to conclusions and
may fnd it totally unnecessary in the end, Brown said.
The U.S. embassys response comes on the eve of President
Sirleafs travel to Washington for next months US-Africa
summit.
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014 Page 3
v
AFRICA: U.S.-AFRICA
SUMMIT MUST LISTEN TO
VOICES OF THE PEOPLE
FrontPage
Commentary
COMMENTARY
I
n a guest column for AllAfrica, E. Gyimah Boadi of Ghana's
Center for Democratic Development says the vast majority
of Africans who prefer democracy over authoritarian
regimes deserve to be heard at the forthcoming U.S.-Africa
Summit convened by President Barack Obama.
The child kidnappings by Boko Haram have done a great deal
for Africa's critics and its strongmen. Legitimate concerns about
security in some areas - Nigeria's northern villages, South Sudan
and the Central African Republic - can lead to the assertion that
Africa is not ready for democracy.
The notion that strong authoritarian governments create the best
protection against perceived African instability, both political
and economic, will likely be expressed once again at the United
States-Africa Summit, to be convened on August 5 and 6.
But that is not what African people say. Majorities endorse
freedom, not authoritarian governments - and those majorities
deserve to be heard as their leaders and the President Obama
shape America's evolving African engagement.
Seven out of ten Africans prefer democracy to other political
regimes, and the proportion of deeply committed democrats
- those who also reject authoritarian alternatives - has risen
steadily over the past decade, according to Afrobarometer, a
network of researchers who have surveyed African opinion since
1999.
Of course, the state of democracy shows great variety across
Africa. Fewer than half of all adults profess to prefer democracy
in Madagascar (38 percent) and Swaziland (46 percent), where
open elections have been repeatedly disputed, postponed, or
never held at all. By contrast, almost everyone expresses support
for democracy in Senegal (88 percent) and Zambia (90 percent),
where recent elections have led to peaceful turnovers of national
leaders.
In countries like Ghana, Senegal, Zambia and Mauritius, citizens'
endorsements of democracy as the best kind of government
are matched by high levels of satisfaction with their own
governments' performances. These consolidated democracies
deserve high levels of American aid, trade and investment.
The United States should also encourage such countries to
continue improving the accountability of leaders to their people,
in order to sustain people's beliefs that they can infuence their
own development by voting in fair elections and campaigning
for the services and rights they need.
Several other countries, including Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria,
Zimbabwe, Uganda, Togo, and Cameroon show severe
"democratic defcits". People in these countries share democratic
aspirations with their more liberal neighbors, but their judgment
of the state of governance is far lower: they demand more
democracy than they are getting.
This makes it likely that ruling elites in these countries will
continue to face popular pressures for improved democratic
governance. Failure to meet these popular demands can produce
social discontent that more radical forces can exploit, as we have
seen most recently in Mali and Nigeria.
The implications for Western policies towards Africa are clear.
Helping to strengthen democratic institutions is consistent
with popular aspirations, and d emocracy is an essential part of
African aspirations and the continent's future development.
Capitulating to the continent's dictators and strongmen -
whether justifed as a needed concession to security, or a
pragmatic emphasis on "development frst" - may create the
deep dissatisfaction with governments experienced in Mali and
in North African countries such as Egypt and Tunisia during the
Arab Spring.
The accountability of leaders in such countries would be
further undermined if strategic U.S. interventions are too
narrowly focused on short-term geo-political and economic
considerations, and ultimately supportive of autocratic regimes.
Such moves would be contrary to the popular desire for
democratic governance.
The forthcoming summit offers a unique opportunity for
dialogue, engagement, and consensus on Africa's development
and relations with the U.S. While economic and strategic issues
are certainly important, this is not a moment when democratic
change should be relegated to a lesser status. The opinions
of average Africans sharply emphasize the importance of
governments accountable to the people on the continent.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently said: "This is a
moment of great opportunity for Africans. It is also a moment of
decision." Let U.S. policy support governments and aid spending
that increase citizens' participation in the most important
decisions of their future.
E. Gyimah-Boadi is the executive director of Center for
Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), in Accra, Ghana, and
of Afrobarometer, a survey project tracking public opinion on
democratic and economic reforms in 34 African countries. He
is also a professor in the Department of Political Science at
the University of Ghana, Legon. He received his PhD from the
University of California, Davis.
v
EDITORIAL
THE UNITED STATES embassy in Monrovia
spoke for the frst time since a FrontPageAfrica
revelation that two senior Liberian government
offcials, Associate Justice Kabineh Janeh and
Youth & Sports Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe had
their visas cancelled either en route or upon arrival
in the United States of America.
IN A STATEMENT Thursday, the embassy noted:
We are aware of reports that several Liberian
government offcials had their U.S. visas cancelled
recently. Under U.S. law, we cannot comment on
individual visa cases. That said, the partnership
between the United States and Liberia remains
strong. We have worked together through many
diffcult times. We are committed to supporting
Liberia and her people as they seek to foster
democracy and economic growth and to rebuild the
country.
THE REACTION COMES in the wake of
widespread pandemonium within the Ellen Johnson-
Sirleaf led government as many offcials, fearing
that similar fate await them, are taking precautions
and have second guesses about making the trek to
America.
INFORMATION MINISTER Lewis Brown told
the Voice of America this week that the Sirleaf
administration has made proper representation
to the US embassy seeking clarifcation on why
the visas of three senior government offcials were
revoked after they had left Liberia.
THAT BOTH JANEH and Nagbe had some
affliation with different rebel groups during
Liberias civil war, which lasted from 1989 to 2003,
points to varying degrees of speculations, rumors
and innuendos that Liberias adopted stepfather
may be up to something. However, the conspicuous
silence and now vague response that the U.S. is
aware but cannot comment on the matter but
cannot comment on individual visa cases adds even
more uncertainty to the issue in play.
LIBERIANS TRULY are eager to see those who
played major roles in the civil war brought to book
for whatever roles they may have played in the war
that led to the deaths of thousands, and exodus of
thousands more into exile.
NOT SO LONG AGO, another prominent fgure
from the civil war, Mr. Jucontee Thomas Woewiyu,
who served at one point as Charles Taylors former
defense minister, was picked up upon entry into
the U.S. His arrest, follows the indictment and
sentencing to ffty years of Taylor, and similarly
grave sentencing of Taylors son, Chuckie for
crimes related to the civil war.
WHAT IS AMERICA
SAYING WITHOUT
SAYING?
THE VISA CANCELLATION SAGA
FROM ALL INDICATIONS, it appears that the Obama
administration is determined and for obviously good
reasons to go after Liberians accused of war crimes.
THIS IS WHY it is important that the U.S. at least
for now become more open with its revelations about
why these offcials were denied entry into America,
after agreeing to give them visas to leave the shores
of Liberia.
THESE ARE NOT ordinary Liberians. A prominent
member of the high court and a close confdante and
minister in a government headed by the frst woman
to lead an African nation, from all intentions, is no
small matter.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, these developments follow
the recent shutdowns of Liberian embassy accounts
in the U.S. and the departure of Delta, a major U.S.
carrier.
AS PRESIDENT Sirleaf prepares to travel to
Washington for next months US-Africa summit,
we hope that the Americans will make their position
much clearer and more vocal on the issues conficting
a lot of Liberians, the implementation of the Truth and
Reconciliation Commissions fndings, corruption
and the lack of political will to continue Liberias
transition from war to peace.
ON THE SURFACE, the response from the U.S.
to the visa cancellation of top government offcials
appears to be sending a message that Washington is
fed up with the Sirleaf administrations snail trek in
dealing with the core issues burning Liberians and
interrupting progress. What we and no Liberian want,
are complicated messages which many are struggling
to decipher as Liberias most important international
partner states its dissatisfaction without saying much
to a nation for now, lingering in a recurring state of
uncertainty.
Liberia Deserves a Better
Explanation Than This,
Uncle Sam!
Page 4 |
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014
WEAH WILL WIN, NO
MATTER WHAT
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DITORIAL TEAM
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB
The Reader's Page
SYLVESTER MOSES TOP COMMENTER
Unmistakably, the message to the nation from the US and UN
is the same: clean your mess or we will clean it up for you. In
other words, implement the easily acceptable recommendations of
the TRC, continue constructive governance, reconcile, and seek
sustainable peace together. And why this should be a problem beats
the imagination of reasonable Liberians.
As we write there is a huge mess in Iraq because Al Malaki, the
twice - democratically elected prime minister, has been bullish
in allowing genuine participatory democracy. By intensifying the
isolation of the Sunnis - Saddam Husseins group - he has engulfed
the country in another bloody ethnic strife. And confict looms over
Liberia should we not reconcile now.
For example, instead of writing about the need for unity and
reconciliation, Mr. Worweiyu was playing the divisive card to curry
favor. Our perchance for postponing, procrastinating, and putting
off actions which outcomes are positive to our common good is
mind - boggling. Were all in this together, lets be proactive to
make Liberia safe for our children, grandchildren and posterity.
HARRIBOY JOHNSON TOP COMMENTER BOOKER
WASHINGTON INSTITUTE
Thanks to the United States Government for the step taken to bring
justices to victims of the civil war in Liberia. While the effort
is commendable, we urge the U.S. government to also go after
individuals and institutions that sponsored war in Liberia. 0.5 cent
spent or given to a rebel leader to kill people is equal to war crime.
Such giver must give account in court.
R_FILIPS (SIGNED IN USING AOL)
If these actions on the part of the US are translated into setting up
a war crime court and prosecuting those who rained havoc and in
the same vain seized state power, I would say bravo to the people
of Liberia and a big thank you to Uncle Sam.
AARON NYAHN UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
GRADUATE SCHOOL (MBA)
The step taken by the US to bring to justice the perpetrators of
crimes against humanity in Liberia is a step in the right direction.
We can not have the cycle of violence and the looting of public
coffers go with impunity. This will set the stage for those who wish
to hold political offces in the future that the government is not
meant to enrich them at the detriment of the people. It will be a
signal to all would be politicians that there is a big eye watching
them and they need to perform according international standards.
Although long overdue, it is better late then never. Bravo US!
Those who argue that this might not heal the wounds of Liberia
need to sit back and ask themselves: should 250,000-300,000
of our people be killed and no one be held accountable? If this
happens, it will be a recipe for some greedy persons to wake up
again and plunge the country into another round of mess. It will
deter future wars and economic crimes. If this had happened
earlier, the situation the nation is now in under the administration
of Ellen Sirleaf would have been different.
The United States must help Africa end impunity without fear or
favor. Names like Robert Mugabe, Ellen Sireaf, Paul Biya and
their kinds should not be spare if justice must be served. In Liberia,
if Ellen Sirleaf, George Boley, A. Kromah, Prince Johnson and
their followers are not held accountable for the death of 250,000-
300,000 of our people, the souls of the dead will not rest in peace
and justice will not be served. We hope to hear soon big names that
unleashed havoc and mayhem on the nation and its people.
Again, thanks America for the baby steps taken and we hope the
giant ones will follow soon. One of the responsibilities of a great
nation is to bring justice and fair play to all peoples without fear
or favor.
JAY WION TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT NPRC
MY TURN: Regime change hangs over Liberia. A PEACEFUL
PEOPLE'S PROTEST revolution is about to take roots in Liberia.
Liberians are emboldened by calls from US President Barack
Obama, the United Nations Secretary General and the European
Union.
I have always called for regime change in my writings, not based
on violence, but sustained mass peaceful protests that will force the
collapse of this corrupt regime of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. And the
Liberian people are now ready to confront this corrupt government.
And yes, there will be a Liberia War Crimes Tribunal sooner that
will try suspected war criminals and the trials will be held, not in
Liberia, but in another country under the supervision of the UN.
The Editor,
T
he political process in mama Liberia is becoming
very interesting ,with the son of the most abhorrent
Liberian president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in the
Montserrado County senatorial race. I bet my life
Ambassador George M. Weah , will massively defeat Robert
A. Sirleaf in the upcoming senatorial election. This is a test
of time for the poor electorates of Montserrado county. This
is also a test of time for the National Election Commission of
Liberia. The test of lasting peace and permanency in Mama
Liberia.
Today I read in one of Liberias most credible news outlets ,the
front-page Africa newspaper that the favorite son of Liberia
most corrupt president , Robert A. Sirleaf is contemplating
on entering the Montserrado county competition. This was
characterize by a petitioning ceremony in the Doe community
in Montserrado ,county yesterday. Robert A. Sirleaf promised
the petitioners he was going to pray and make a decision later.
I have to think, I will be very honest with you all, I do not
know the characterization in this folder; I will look into all
your eyes, I want to see your hope, I want to see your dreams,
I want to see your aspirations. I want to thank you all for
giving me this folder. I hold this folder to my heart and I will
take it to God tonight and I will wake up tomorrow morning
and I will ask God if whats in this folder represents the
dreams of the people of Montserrado County and then God
will send me a message that in this folder, if I would make a
decision, I would do so. Robert A. Sirleaf
No level of spiritual intervention can help Robert Sirleaf. I
read in the paper Robert Sirleaf talking about invoking the
direction of God before making his decision to enter the race.
No level of religiousness with help Robert Sirleaf win
Montserrado County senatorial election, when the facts
signposts, Robert A. Sirleaf is a key decision maker in his
mother government and the citizens of Montserrado county
continue to experience very deplorable conditions. Some of
the folks in Montserrado county even called Robert A. Sirleaf
the prime minister of Liberia.
No level of faithfulness will help Robert A. Sirleaf win
Montserrado County senatorial election; When it is very
clear Robert A. Sirleaf as a major decision maker in his
mother government continue to make decision that is not in
the interest of the citizens of Montserrado county, causing
the following problems in Liberia and Montserrado county:
Poor health care delivery system, massive corruption in
governmental circle, high unemployment of the youth,
an increase in the death of the citizens from EBOLA,
misplacement of individuals in national government, and lack
of political will to prosecute corrupt government offcials.
Liberians will not allow an oligarchy form of government
in Liberia. An oligarchy form of government, is a form of
government which consists of rule by an elite group who
rule in their own interests, especially the accumulation of
wealth and privilege. Only certain members of society have
a valid voice in the government. This can refect (but is not
limited to) economic interests, a particular religious tradition
(theocracy), or family rule (monarchy).
Liberians will not allow a monarchy form of government in
Liberia. A monarchy form of government is a government
consisting of a king or queen, who sometimes has absolute
power. Power is passed along through the family
I bet my life; Ambassador George M. Weah will massively
defeat Robert A. Sirleaf in the Montserrado County senatorial
election. These are the reasons to intellectually back my
theory. His mother Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the most detested
Liberian president. because of her dubious transactions in the
past, and on the current political playing feld. Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf made lot of political promises to her political friends
in both the 2005 and 2011 elections and did not fulflled those
promises . This is a payback time for her political friends.
Those people she hurt on the political playing feld will waste
all of their anger on her cherish son.
I bet my life, Ambassador George M. Weah will colossally
defeat Robert A. Sirleaf in the Montserrado County senatorial
election ,because the numbers from both the 2005 and 2011
senate elections clearly explain his chances. In 2005 offcial
result from the National Election Commission web site, the
Congress of Democratic Change won in Montserrado county
with 33.874 (35.5%) of total votes cast. In 2011 the Congress
for Democratic Change again won Montserrado county with
233.038 (52.7) votes cast.
Lasting peace and perpetuity in Mama Liberia is in the hands
of the chairman of the National Election Commission of
Liberia Cllr. Jerome G Korkoya ( JD) chairman.
Many people from many quarters in Liberia are rising concern
about the credibility of the election in Montserrado county
after learning the president preferred son Robert A. Sirleaf
was petitioned in Montserrado county. Some are saying
with the high level of corruption the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
government is involve with, and with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
wanting to protect her beloved son after she leaves power,
she will do everything possible to manipulate the National
election commission chairman to announce the result in
favor of her son . I trust the credibility of the chairman of the
National Election commission of Liberia. I hope and pray his
decision as chairman of the National Election commission of
Liberia will be to report a transparent election result.
Finally this is a test of time for the electorates in Montserrado
county. I hope and pray their decisions to vote a senator in
offce for nine years will not just be for temporary gain and
short term benefts. Rather their decisions to vote a senator
in offce should be for the common good of all citizens of
Montserrado county.
Dashward A. Wumah,
politicaldash@yahoo.com
WAR CRIMES COURT LOOMS?
TOP OFFICIALS VISA REJECTED
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014 Page 5
Stephen D. Kollie, stephenkollie13@gmail.com 0776329124
F
RONT
PAGE
EBOLA Monrovia
A
consultant at the
Ministry of Finance
has become the frst
suspected case of
Ebola reported in the Nigerian
state of Lagos since the outbreak
surfaced in Liberia this year.
The Liberian was a member of
a Liberian delegation attending
a conference in Lagos when
he reportedly began exhibiting
symptoms of the deadly virus.
The man suspected of the deadly
virus reportedly came in contact
with the disease when caring for
his sister who died as a result of
the deadly virus at the St. Joseph
Catholic Hospital in Monrovia
about three weeks ago. He is said
to have also gone after his dead
sisters husband who is said to
have run away after the womans
death.
The suspected Ebola patient
upon entering Nigeria was
said to be suffering malaria
and started throwing up and he
started vomiting. Family and
friends who have spoken with
the offcial say he sounds well.
Liberian diplomatic sources in
Lagos told FrontPageAfrica
Thursday night that the Nigerian
test was not conclusive.
Accordingly Nigerian authorities
have taken specimen of the
suspected Ebola patient to the
WHO regional offce in Dakar
but the results are yet to be
released.
The Liberian mission in Lagos
is said to be unhappy that
authorities announced the
suspected case before the results
were determined.
Without waiting for the result,
the result was leaked. ECOWAS
is prepared to evacuate him on a
medical plane but waiting for the
result. By 12 Friday, the results
will be out, a Liberian diplomat
in Lagos told FrontPageAfrica.
FrontPageAfrica has learned
that the Liberian Mission in
Lagos is contemplating fling
a complaint with the Nigerian
Health Ministry.
Nigerian government health
offcials, in a briefng noted that
the 40-year-old Liberian is in a
private hospital in the Obalende
area of the State.
The Lagos State Ministry of
Health, on Thursday, said it
is testing the Liberian, and
confrmed he is in his 40s, for the
deadly Ebola virus.
The special adviser on public
health to the Lagos state
government, Yewande Adeshina,
told a news conference the
man had arrived in Lagos from
Liberia on Sunday.
The patient was admitted and
detained on suspicion of possible
EBV (Ebola) infection, while
LAGOS HEALTH MINISTRY TESTS LIBERIAN FOR EBOLA VIRUS
The patient was admitted and detained on suspicion of possible EBV (Ebola) infection, while blood sample collection and
testing was initiated, - Yewande Adeshina, Special Adviser on Public Health to the Lagos state government

MOF CONSULTANT QUARANTINED
blood sample collection and
testing was initiated, she said in
her statement.
Samples had been sent to a World
Health Organisation (WHO)
laboratory in Dakar, she said,
adding, results are pending.
The offcials also noted that the
hospital housing the Liberian has
been cordoned off and the victim
isolated.
This would be the frst recorded
case of one of the worlds
deadliest diseases in Nigeria,
Africas biggest economy and
most populous nation, with 170
million people and some of
Africas least adequate health
infrastructure.
Lead Doctor in Sierra Leone
Infected
It would be recalled that the
virus recently infected Sheik
Umar Khan, a Sierra Leonean
doctor leading the fght to curb
the dreaded disease.
Sierra Leones health minister
confrmed that the doctor in
charge of battling the current
Ebola outbreak has become ill
with the deadly disease.
Health and Sanitation Minister
Miatta Kargbo issued a statement
Tuesday saying that Dr. Sheik
Humarr Khan has a confrmed
case of Ebola.
The minister described the
stricken doctor as a national hero
for the sacrifces he has made
during the current outbreak of
the hemorrhagic fever.
The minister said the doctor is
now on his way to a Doctors
Without Borders treatment
center in Sierra Leones eastern
Kailahun District.
More than 500 people have died
in the current Ebola outbreak in
three West African countries:
Sierra Leone, Guinea and
Liberia.
Doctors Without Borders said
earlier this month that it feared
the number of patients now being
treated in Sierra Leone could be
just the tip of the iceberg.
The 39-year-old Sheik Umar
Khan, is a virologist credited
with treating more than 100
Ebola victims. He has been
transferred to a treatment ward
run by medical charity Medecins
Sans Frontieres.
Nigeria takes precautions
Lagos State government had
earlier in July laid out some
precautionary measures to stop
the outbreak of the disease that
has ravaged neighboring West
African countries, in the state.
The State Commissioner for
Health, Dr. Jide Idris, had in
a statement said the measures
became necessary with a view
to preventing the outbreak of the
disease in the State.
He listed measures that will
help in stopping the outbreak to
include; washing of hands often
with soap and water, avoiding
close contact with people who
are sick and ensuring that
objects used by the sick are
decontaminated and properly
disposed.
He advised health workers
to be at alert and ensure they
always wear personal protective
equipment as well as observe
universal basic precautions
when attending to suspected
or confrmed cases, and report
same to their Local Government
Area or Ministry of Health
immediately.
Meanwhile the Federal
Government and the Nigeria
Centre for Disease Control
(NCDC) had commenced the
training of health workers to
prevent the deadly Ebola virus
from spreading into the country.
Beyond MOH Control
On Thursday, Liberias Minister
of Health and Social Welfare Dr.
Walter T. Gwenigale revealed
that the fght against the deadly
virus that has claimed the lives
of people in the county and its
neighbors, Sierra Leone and
Guinea cannot not be combated
by the sole efforts of the
Health Ministry but through a
full collaborative effort by all
Liberians.
This disease is now beyond the
ability of the Ministry of Heath
alone to care for because it is
spreading so fast all of us have
to be involved. I dont know how
to do it but the communities,
the County superintendents, the
paramount chiefs, town chiefs,
the clan chief, all of us have to
be involved, he said Thursday
at the Ministry of Information
regular press briefng.
According to Dr. Gwenigale,
the persistent denial, resistance
and fear of the virus by many
Liberians is contributing to
the rapid spread of the disease
among the countrys population.
Addressing the press briefng on
Thursday, Minister Gwenigale
noted that the resistance from
community members to allow
Ebola dead to be buried in their
communities and a refusal from
community members to allow
the spraying of affected areas are
two major problems impeding
the work of the Ebola response
team.
Said Dr. Gwenigale: There are
still people in our communities
who are still saying this disease
does not exist and that we did
this just to get money. The
other reason that the disease is
spreading is resistance to carry
out the things we have told them
not to do. The other reason that
the disease is still spreading is
fear of being isolated. Some
people are saying that when they
come at the hospital, we will
infect them so they are afraid to
come at the Hospital. Another
reason is hiding the people with
the disease. The most diffcult
one right now is the internal
migration of people.
Dr. Gwenigale went on to say that
the Ministry has tried its utmost
best to prove the existence of the
virus in the country as evident
by the regular updates and the
confrmation from the World
Heath Organization (WHO) and
the death of heath workers in the
country.
Continued Gwenigale: When
newspapers continue to give
information that is not good and
when our own leaders do not
believe us and people believe
them it gives us problem. My
plea is to everyone especially our
leaders to please get the Liberian
people to believe us. We cannot
do these things to undermine
the efforts that we are trying to
make to control this disease in
our country.
The Health Minister said the
effort by the Ebola response
team is meant to save lives and
not to kill people as is been
falsely misinterpreted in some
quarters.
Said Dr. Gwenigale: Now, the
health workers are dying how
they can inject people when
they themselves are dying. I
have lost more than 12 health
workers including a doctor.
This disease is now beyond the
ability of the Ministry of Heath
alone to cater to because it is
spreading so fast, all of us have
to be involved. I dont know how
to do it but the communities,
the County superintendents, the
paramount chiefs, town chiefs,
the clan chief, all of us have to be
involved. I think all of has to say
what can we do as individuals
what can we do so this disease
can stop spreading.
Health workers at the frontline
fghting the disease have fallen
prey with over a dozen dead
and others still being catered
to in isolation units. Lofa,
Montserrado, Margibi and Bomi
are the counties in which cases
of the deadly virus have been
reported. The Ebola virus has
killed 632 people across Guinea,
Liberia and Sierra Leone since
an outbreak began in February.
The virus has killed 632 people
across Guinea, Liberia and
Sierra Leone since an outbreak
began in February, straining a
string of weak health systems
despite international help.
SWITZERLAND COMMITS A FURTHER CHF 500,000
TO FIGHT EBOLA EPIDEMIC IN WEST AFRICA
Bern, 23.07.2014 -
T
he SDC is allocating
CHF 500,000 to
support Mdecins
Sans Frontires-
Switzerland (MSF-Suisse) in
its work to combat the Ebola
virus in Guinea, Liberia and
Sierra Leone. This further
contribution to MSF-Suisse
is in addition to the annual
amount the SDC gives to it
and also to the World Health
Organisation (WHO), which is
coordinating the international
response to the Ebola epidemic
in West Africa.
In view of the spread of the
Ebola epidemic across West
Africa, the Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation
(SDC) has decided to allocate
CHF 500,000 to supporting
the work of MSF-Suisse. The
contribution is in response
to an appeal launched by the
NGO. It will enable MSF-
Suisse to strengthen the
measures it is employing to
stem the spread of the virus
and to treat those infected in
Guinea, Liberia and Sierra
Leone, the three countries
affected by the epidemic.
The SDC facilitated the work
of MSF-Suisse in Liberia
when the frst cases of
infection appeared in March,
providing accommodation in
its humanitarian programme
offce in Monrovia for several
members of the NGO. The
contribution of CHF 500,000
is in addition to the CHF 6
million donated by the SDC to
MSF-Suisse in 2014 to support
its programmes around the
world.
At the international level, the
WHO is coordinating efforts
to fght and prevent the spread
of the Ebola epidemic. The
WHO convened an emergency
ministerial-level meeting in
Accra at the beginning of July,
with a view to stopping the
spread of the virus as quickly
as possible. The ministers
present agreed that the current
situation posed a serious
threat for all the countries of
the region and beyond, and
the principle of coordinated
action by all parties involved
was adopted. Switzerland's
total contribution to the
WHO in 2014 amounted
to approximately CHF 12
million.
Detected in West Africa four
months ago, this epidemic
has surpassed all other cases
of Ebola virus propagation
recorded on the continent, in
terms of numbers infected,
deaths and geographic
spread. To date over 1000
cases including more than
600 deaths were recorded in
Guinea, Liberia and Sierra
Leone. This is the frst time
the virus has spread across
an entire region, reaching
the major urban centres of
Conakry and Monrovia, the
respective capitals of Guinea
and Liberia.
The SDC is continuing to
monitor closely the situation
on the ground via its network
of partners and from its
programme offce in Liberia.
Within Liberia, especially in
Lofa County, which is the main
centre of the epidemic, the
SDC has undertaken several
concrete measures to support
the authorities and local
partners, including emergency
situation training for medical
staff, distribution of protective
material for health-care staff
and support in disseminating
preventive measures via
printed brochures and local
radio.
Page 6 |
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014
F
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BANKING/FINANCE
F
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PAGE
BUSINESS
ECOBANK SEES NO LIBERIA DOLLAR
RESPITE AS UN TROOPS EXIT
L
iberias dollar,
Africas second-worst
performing currency,
will weaken a further
7.5 percent by year-end as the
withdrawal of United Nations
troops and sliding exports cut
infows, according to Ecobank
Transnational Plc.
The Liberian dollar fell 13.5
percent this year to trade at 92.50
per U.S. dollar through yesterday
in the capital, Monrovia. Thats
the biggest drop among 24
African currencies tracked by
Bloomberg after Ghanas cedi
this year. The dollar may weaken
to 100 by year-end, Ecobank, the
continents most geographically
diverse lender, said.
UN missions in Liberia are
scaling down their operations
and relocating to areas where
there are conficts because peace
and stability in Liberia is gaining
ground, Nepce Nepe-Umehai,
country treasurer of Ecobank
Liberia, said by phone from
Monrovia on July 18. Thats
affecting infows because the
missions are getting less and less
support from abroad.
While companies including
ArcelorMittal SA (MT) and
OAO Severstal have started
operations since the civil war
ended in 2003, the International
Monetary Fund is predicting a
drop in mining output this year.
The UNs plans to more than
halve the number of personnel in
the West African rubber and iron-
ore producer is increasing the
pressure on currency, with fewer
salaries adding to projections
that the defcit on the current
account is set to widen the most
in six years.
Dollar Support
The UN Security Council is
cutting personnel by 4,200 to
3,750 between August 2012 and
July 2015, the mission said on
its website. When it started in
September 2003, 15,000 military
personnel were deployed. Some
non-governmental organizations
are also cutting back, the IMF
said in a report published on its
website July 11.
Exports of iron ore fell 17
percent in May to 523,650 metric
tons from the previous month
and rubber shipments dropped
49 percent to 2,158 metric tons,
the Central Bank of Liberia said
inMay
. Calls made to numbers listed
on the regulators website didnt
connect yesterday. The countrys
currency traded unchanged at
92.50 per U.S. dollar yesterday
in Monrovia.
The drop in exports is reducing
the central banks ability to
support the Liberian dollar at
foreign-currency auctions as it
seeks to bolster reserves. The
shortfall on current account, the
broadest measure of trade in
goods and services, with the gap
set to reach 47 percent in fscal
2014 from 35 percent in 2013,
the IMF said.
Slower Output
Remittances to workers in the
nation of 4.3 million people fell
57 percent to $119 million in the
frst quarter from a year earlier,
the central bank said in a bulletin
on its website.
While the IMF projects the
economy will grow faster than
the sub-Saharan African average
for a ninth straight year, the rate
estimated for fscal 2014 of 5.9
percent is slower than output of
8.7 percent the prior period.
Infation will slow to 7 percent
in 2014 from an average of 8.5
percent last year, President Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf said June 16.
Price gains decelerated to 9.6
percent in May from 9.8 percent
a month earlier, according to
the bank. Infation may have
accelerated to at least 11 percent
in June, Nepe-Umehai said of the
data that is yet to be released.
Companies and organizations
that used to bring in funds
are no longer bringing in the
volumes they used to, Nepe-
Umehai said. People who earn
the currency now have to spend
more to keep the same standard
of living.

BHP BILLITON, ARCELORMITTAL APPLY TO EXPORT
IRON ORE FROM MINE IN GUINEA THROUGH LIBERIA
B
HP Billiton has
made a joint
application with
ArcelorMittal to
export iron ore from a project
in Guinea through neighboring
Liberia, according to people
familiar with the plan.
BHP Billiton and ArcelorMittal
had asked the two west African
governments to approve the
plan for ore mined at the Nimba
project, said the people, who
asked not to be identifed as
the information is not public.
The largest mining company
wanted to arrange for ore to be
transported using a railway line
and port controlled by top steel
maker ArcelorMittal, three of
the people said.
The joint application was part of
negotiations for ArcelorMittal
to buy BHP Billitons stake in
Nimba, two of the people said.
In 2010 the frms tried
to combine their iron ore
projects that straddle the
Liberia-Guinea border before
abandoning discussions seven
months later. The Wall Street
Journal reported in May that
ArcelorMittal was close to
buying the Nimba mine from
BHP Billiton.
Companies seeking to develop
iron ore mines in west Africa
are confronted by a lack
of transport links to ship
the material to customers.
Rio Tinto signed a $20
billion (R213bn) investment
agreement with the Guinean
government last month that
includes the construction of a
650km railway. Sable Mining,
a London-traded producer, is
also seeking to move ore on
ArcelorMittals rail link.
Spokesmen for BHP Billiton,
ArcelorMittal and the Liberian
government declined to
comment. A spokesman for
the Guinean government
and Mines Minister Kerfalla
Yansane did not return calls.
Liberia and Guinea did not
feature in BHP Billitons iron
ore expansion plans, chief
executive Andrew Mackenzie
told shareholders in October
last year.
Melbourne-based BHP
Billiton owns 41 percent of the
Nimba mine in Guinea. Other
shareholders include Newmont
Mining and Areva.
ArcelorMittal, which is
expanding its Liberian iron
ore mine in the Nimba area to
produce as much as 20 million
tons a year, is obliged to let
other companies use any spare
capacity on its railway.
Sable, which is developing
a deposit at Nimba on the
Guinean side of the border, was
granted permission to export
through Liberia in October last
year. Bloomberg
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014 Page 7

F
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PAGE
EDUCATION
REED'S PUSHCART WARRIORS
FUND A SCHOOL IN LIBERIA
T
hanks to the past two
Reed Intermediate
School sixth grade
classes, a school
in Paynesville, a suburb of
Monrovia, in Liberia, has a new
well, and a new school building
is being constructed.
This past February, Newtown
Middle School seventh grade
studentslearned how they helped
fund a well for a Liberian school
through participating in a yearly
event at Reed Intermediate
School as sixth grade students
the previous school year.
At the Board of Educations
Tuesday, July 15, meeting, the
school board learned how Reed
sixth graders, participating in the
same event this past school year,
helped to build a new school
building.
Before Newtowns ffth grade
was moved to Reed Intermediate
School, reading The Pushcart
Wars by Jean Merrill was part
of the curriculum at Sandy
Hook School. The book tells the
fctional story of a clash between
pushcart vendors in New York
City and the increasing truck
traffc that competed for space.
In 2007, Valerie Pagano-
Hepburn introduced it to her
sixth grade students at Reed, and
the students worked to create
their own pushcarts flled with
selected foods and other items.
After completing their pushcarts,
the students sold the items while
competing, like in the book. That
year the profts were donated to
charities selected by the students.
Since then Pushcart Day has
grown.
Prior to Pushcart Day at Reed
near the end of the 2012-
13 school year, Ms Pagano-
Hepburn said the students had to
create their pushcart, determine
what goods to sell, make the
goods, and price the goods. That
Pushcart Day raised roughly
$2,800 in three hours, nearly
all quarters and nickels, as
Ms Pagano-Hepburn said at the
time. She also said it was the frst
year with such a large proft.
The students were left wondering
what to do with the money that
was raised.
A letter to the editor in The
Newtown Bee in May 2013
from a student at Kamiak High
School in Mukilteo, Wash.,
offered inspiration. The letter
explained Kamiak High School
has a tradition of funding the
construction of wells in Liberia,
West Africa, through the Well
Done Organization.
The letter went on to say that
after learning about the events of
12/14 at Sandy Hook Elementary
School, the Kamiak High School
leadership class decided to fund
a well in Liberia in honor of the
lives lost that day. The school
raised $2,500 to make that
happen.
That letter caught the eye of
Reed ffth grade teacher Karen
King, who presented this years
Pushcart Day news to the
school board last week with Ms
Pagano-Hepburn. Ms King said
she brought the idea of funding
a well forward after reading
the letter. Reed sixth grade
teachers Ms Pagano-Hepburn,
Lil Martenson, Patrice DiVanno,
and Georgia Smith all had
students participate in the 2013
Pushcart Day event.
Ms Pagano-Hepburn said when
the students heard the idea of
building a well, the place went
crazy 900 kids come through
our two clusters for three hours,
so they all bought the well. They
all are involved in it. Its just
such a beautiful experience for
them, a total thing.
That summer, Ms King traveled
to Liberia for other projects she
is involved in. While there, as
she had promised her students,
she visited the site where
Kamiak High Schools well was
built.
I left, actually, right from the
last day of school last year I
went right to the airport and I
headed to Liberia, Ms King
said, and one of the frst things
I did was contact the ambassador
to Liberia.
US Ambassador Deborah Malac
and Ms King visited the well
sponsored by Kamiak.
My other chore while I was
there, among many other things,
was to fnd a place where our
well could be, said Ms King.
Where the Reed well could
be. So about three days after
I happened to be with another
organization traveling around
visiting different projects.
She ended up at New Life
Christian Academy, where help
was needed both with the latrine
and with the schools well.
The building, said Ms King
showing a photograph of the
school to the school board,
was not secure. Three hundred
children attend the school under
the guidance of seven volunteer
teachers, according to Ms King.
Ive been to a lot of poor
schools, Ms King said. I was
very touched by the earnestness
of the people in the community.
They had built these walls with
their own hands out of mud
and sticks and straw. And they
wanted a little bit of a helping
hand. When I was there that day
they did not know that I could
help them, but I decided that was
the obvious place for us to dig
our well It was called New
Life: it seemed perfect.
The new well was built and
completed by December 10,
2013.
A sign, designed and created by
local artists near the academy,
near the well reads, This well is
dedicated to the memory of the
26 Sandy Hook School angels,
given by Reed Intermediate
School, Newtown, CT, USA,
2012-2013. Kindness matters
and love wins.
We provided life-giving water
to children who are every bit as
precious as our own here, Ms
King said.
Chapter Two
Chapter Two, as Ms King
introduced it to the school board,
began when the 2014 Pushcart
Warriors became inspired by
what the previous years sixth
graders had accomplished.
Ms Pagano-Hepburn said the
2014 Pushcart Warriors were
determined to also help the
school, after seeing photos and
learning about the well.
The students made lists,
brainstorming ways to help New
Life Christian Academy.
That was when Ms King shared
more news with the sixth grade
students. A contact at Scholastic
Publishing had heard about
Reeds efforts and offered to
donate 600 to 1,000 nonfction
books for New Life Christian
Academy. Ms King also said
HEARTT, an NGO, offered to
ship the books.
Richard Rogers of Scholastic
Publishing said, We all simply
saw a great opportunity to
bring the global literacy call of
Read Every Day. Lead a Better
Life and combine that with an
amazing person like Karen King.
We know with her endless talents
and dedication, she could put our
donation to the very best use.
Ms Pagano-Hepburn explained
that after Ms King shared her
news, the students raised the idea
of building a place to house the
books.
That was on a Friday, and
after quickly researching the
possibility, it was learned that
building a library or school
would be too expensive. But by
that Sunday, Ms King had more
news.
We had heard that it would be
$25,000 to build them a brand-
new school, with six classrooms,
cinderblock walls, a tin roof,
and a cement foor. Of course
that was just way too much,
Ms King said. But over the
weekend I had an idea and I
reached out to a donor who has
done a lot for the Liberian Eye
Clinic. He had expressed an
interest for doing something
positive for Newtown. He was
always interested in Liberia; I
thought it was just the perfect
opportunity.
He agreed to challenge our
students to raise a record $3,000,
and if they did, he would partner
with them and contribute the
remaining $22,000, so that our
children could know that they
were responsible for building a
new school, said Ms King.
The frst donation for the 2014
Pushcart Wars, according to
Ms Pagano-Hepburn, came
from US Ambassador Deborah
Malac, then the students pushed
on. Some brought piggy banks,
donating nearly $70, Ms Pagano-
Hepburn said, remembering she
knew the amount raised by the
2014 Pushcart Wars would be
big.
The warriors ended up raising
$5,564.
A New School For The New
School Year
According to Ms King, New Life
Christian Academys new school
is being built by the Well Done
Organization this summer, and
is expected to be completed for
school to begin in September.
This story, Ms King refected
after the school boards meeting,
spans two years worth of
Pushcart Warriors and Reed
students and staff. This has been
an incredible experience for me,
to be a witness to this swell of
good will and life-changing
generosity. I feel extremely
blessed to have a front row seat
to witness all the kindness in the
world.
The West Coast couple who
donated the remainder of the
money to fund the new school
were also sent a letter of thanks
from the Reed students and staff.
Words cant describe how
thankful we are for your
generosity, the letter read.
What you are doing for those
kids in Liberia and us is truly
amazing. This task would not be
able to be accomplished without
you. When our teacher explained
to us what you were doing for
us and hundreds of others, she
almost broke down crying. Ms
King said that you wouldnt even
say your name to her because you
didnt want credit. We thought
this was truly brave.
The letter fnished by saying,
You are truly a role model to all
of us. We will never forget you
and what you did to support us.
Even though we have never met
you in person, you have surely
charmed us, our actions and our
thoughts.
The anonymous donors had a
reply saying, through Ms King,
We did it because we believe in
education, so how could we not
help the Liberian students save
their books, and how could we
not help your students learn how
much of a difference they can
make, and how important that is?
We loved seeing the pictures of
Pushcart Day, and how excited
the students were and how much
they raised.
With the school being built now,
Ms King told the school board
more photos of the fnished
product should be available by
September.
School board Vice Chair Laura
Roche thanked the teachers for
the presentation and for inspiring
their students with the love and
work you do every day Well
done.
More information about
Well Done Organization is
available at its website, www.
welldoneliberia.org. Well Dones
Founder Daryl Finley has also
posted a video, New Life
Christian Academy Paynesville
Page 8 |
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014
F
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PAGE
INTERVIEW
A
li Syla is in a tight spot. Even if he refuses to admit.
Running on the ticket of the ruling Unity Party, Syla fnds
himself in a crowded race to become the next Senator
for Montserrado County, a feld that includes the like
of football legend George Manneh Weah, Dr. Chris Neyor, former
Chief Executive of the National Oil Company of Liberia(NOCAL),
Ben Sanvee of the opposition Liberty Party, the incumbent Joyce
Musu Freeman and Robert Sirleaf, son of the president.
The race considered to be one of the critical races is important for
Syla who fnds himself in the rather complicated position which
could see the president supporting her son over the partys choice.
In this exclusive interview, Syla sets the record straight on a lot of
issues including his chances, the uncertainty over who President
Sirleaf would endorse and why he feels he has the experience to
become the next senator of Montserrado County.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: WHO IS ALI SYLA?
ALI SYLA: Well, Ali Syla is a Liberian. Very young Liberian, who
went school here, attended the Assembly of God Mission School and
various other schools around Monrovia. Born and raised in the Rock
Town Community in Central Monrovia. Come from a very humble
beginning and obviously after graduating from high school, I got
the opportunity to go to the United States. I got my Bachelor degree
from Spring Field College and worked for few years and went back
to School and got my Masters from St. Joseph University. We have
been doing a lot of things about Liberia including advocacy. I am an
activist, as well as an advocate and I am a community leader.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE SENATOR
OF MONTSERRADO COUNTY?
ALI SYLA: Well, there are many factors. You know looking at the
enormous challenges and the competing priorities of our country
it requires somebody with the requisite competency to be able to
develop legislations that can beneft the masses of our people. I think
the thing that motivates me the most, when you look at the different
challenges in our country and looking at different legislations that do
not have any trigger down effect on the Liberian population, those are
the things that inspire me. Also my role in terms of advocacy and also
understanding what legislations should look like and what legislation
should beneft the people. So, I think those are the major things
that inspired me over the years of our civil war. I have been in the
vanguard of protest to bring external forces to our country in terms of
peace. From the United States, coming back to Liberia been involved
in youth advocacy talking about youth employment, challenging the
government about youth unemployment, capacity of young people
as well. So all of those things, a combination of many things that
inspired me to say I want to contest for the senate.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: THERE IS THIS ISSUE ABOUT
PRIVILEGED BACKGROUND THAT MOST OF THE
CANDIDATES, IF NOT ALL IN MOST INSTANCES ARE NOT
FROM THAT POOR BACKGROUND BUT ARE LOOKING TO
CONVINCE VOTERS THAT THEY CARE AND IDENTIFY WITH
THEM. WHAT IS IT WITH ALI SYLA?
ALI SYLA: You know to be frank with you, if you look at our
history; you know there are people who believe in human services.
I am a victim of the Liberian civil war. My father got killed and that
was the transformation of my life, understanding the intricacies of
the civil war and what that brought to my family. The issue of the
trauma associated with that. There are many people who went through
that as a result of the civil war, about 300,000 suffered from the civil
war. I walked from here to Sierra Leone, so I think for me, that is
what differentiates me from the other folks, living it, breathing it,
understanding the plight of the people. I think those are the things
that inspire me. Coming back from the United States, getting involved
and working with the Liberian community; transitioning them into
resettlement packages from the State Department. Coming back
to Liberia, building a library for the young people and buttressing
government efforts in terms of education, so all of those things are
things that inspired me. I think one of the major things those of us
who want to get involved in public power of trust need to understand
is the plight of our people, living it, breathing it, understanding it,
theorizing it as well and at the end of the day, it is important for you
to reach out and be the change that you want to see. So all of these are
things that inspire me in terms of what I stand for.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: MONTSERRADO IN THE PAST TWO
ELECTIONS HAS PROVEN TO BE PLACE A WHERE THE CDC
IS POPULAR, ESPECIALLY ITS POLITICAL LEADER, GEORGE
WEAH GOING INTO A RACE WITH WEAH WHAT MAKES
YOU CONFIDENT THAT YOU CAN BEAT WEAH?
ALI SYLA: I like to the scientifc, because if you look at the variables
of 2005 and translate that into 2011, I just like to be scientifc in terms
of numbers. When you look at the numbers you see about 90,000
votes difference between the CDC and Unity Party in 2005. When
you look at the numbers in 2011 you see less than 6,000 votes. UP
had 201,710 votes, CDC had 207,345 votes the difference is less than
6,000 votes. So, for me the level of work I have done over the years
really can cover that. Our own involvement in terms of interactions
with the youth and student community, the demographic we can fll in
so I think it is good we test the democracy and it is good. Competition
is very good and, I think this election is a clear cut manifestation as
to where we will take Liberia to. Young people coming and getting
involved and the paradigm exchanging a bid, so I think it is going to
be a challenge for the CDC in this election
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: SINCE YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE
MARGIN BETWEEN THE CDC AND UNITY PARTY THAT
BRINGS ME TO THIS QUESTION. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF
THE ROBERT SIRLEAF CANDIDACY? DO YOU THINK THE
RULING PARTY WILL SUPPORT YOU OVER THE SON OF THE
PRESIDENT?
ALI SYLA: Well, the frst thing is I am from the party and we are
looking at the fundamental ideology. We are fundamental ideologies
of our party including the standard bearer. So realistically, she is from
the institution and I believe she is an institutional person. So it is
required upon her, it is obligated upon her to support the candidate of
the ruling party and I want to believe in my mind that she will commit
herself to that.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: SO DO YOU THINK IF PRESIDENT
SIRLEAF WAS THE ONE TO GIVE THAT ONE VOTE THAT
WILL DECIDE WHO IS THE SENATOR OF MONTSERRADO
COUNTY, DO YOU THINK SHE WILL VOTE ALI SYLA OVER
ROBERT SIRLEAF?
ALI SYLA: I think, there is delimit here and it is that she is not
registered in Montserrado County she is not going to vote here.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: HER ONE VOTE IS NOT THE ISSUE
HERE, HER SUPPORT. WHO SHES GOING TO SUPPORT
IS GOING TO HAVE AN EDGE. DO YOU THINK SHE WILL
SINCERELY SUPPORT YOU OVER HER SON? AT THE
NOT UNDER PRESSURE
PETITIONING CEREMONY OF MR. SIRLEAF, WE SAW UP
STALWARTS WHO ARE CLOSE TO PRESIDENT SIRLEAF AT
THE PROGRAM.
ALI SYLA: Does it mean that when people go to political rally, they
are going to support the person? I think for me most of these things
are hypothetical and I wouldnt want to get into the hypothetical
questions but when people believe in institutions and they beneft
from those institutions, than you must be able to commit yourself
to the institution as well. So for me it is important for us to really
be institutional sensitive in the New Liberia. The reconstruction of
Liberia should not be tailored around individuals. I think that will
break the social fabric towards our democracy. So, I think those of
our partisans who were there, maybe they were doing it based on their
closeness to Mr. Sirleaf and I respect their decisions but withstanding,
I think they will be reminded that they are from a political party and
they need to give the party their support.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: IS IT TRUE THAT YOU ARE UNDER
PRESSURE TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE?
ALI SYLA: No, I am not under pressure at all; I mean you see me
here today, I am not under pressure.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: HAVE THERE BEEN ANY ADVANCES
FROM MR. ROBERT SIRLEAF TO APPEAL TO YOU OR TALK
TO YOU TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE TO SUPPORT HIS
CAMPAIGN?
ALI SYLA: -Well, the frst thing is, I won my party primary, so I
have exclusive confdence in my political party, the Unity Party.
So, I am the party candidate, as I speak to you. I have processed my
papers at the National Elections Commission and I am waiting for the
provisional listing from NEC which I think will come out on July 27.
For me, I am a candidate; I am aspiring until we get the provisional
listing from NEC than I become a candidate. I am in the process and
I look forward to that.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
MR. ROBERT SIRLEAF? HAVE YOU BEEN COMMUNICATING?
DO YOU HAVE ANY CLOSENESS? IN TERMS OF POLITICS OR
WHATEVER?
ALI SYLA: In terms of politics, we do not have any political
relationship but you know he is a son of the frst partisan, which
of course we must respect. We must respect the family of the frst
partisan. I think that is the only relationship I have with Mr. Sirleaf.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: HAVE YOU AT POINT IN TIME
COMMUNICATED WITH HIM DISCUSSING THE PENDING
SENATORIAL ELECTION?
ALI SYLA: There was none, none at all.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: THIS ISSUE OF CITIZENSHIP IS
HAUNTING MR. SIRLEAF AND MR. WEAH. RECENTLY FOR
MR. SIRLEAF THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION FROM THE
BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION WHERE HE APPLIED TO RENEW
HIS LIBERIAN CITIZENSHIP AND SOME BIN EMPLOYEES
ARE SUSPENDED FOR LEAKING OUT THE INFORMATION.
GOING INTO THE ELECTION, ARE YOU GOING TO
PROTEST THEIR PARTICIPATION BASED ON THE ISSUE OF
CITIZENSHIP?
ALI SYLA: Well, you know our constitution is very clear, you
must be a Liberian and I think for us as Liberians, every election
brings more consciousness. I think this election will bring more
consciousness that will take us to 2017 and beyond and I think these
are the kind of discussions that can take us to public policy in terms
of legislation. For me, I think the Liberian people should take this
debate and the interest groups, the political interest groups that think
in terms of our constitutional provision that we need to protect certain
provisions of our constitution should take this debate. They should
not leave it with the people who are contenders, it should be the
Liberian people debate and these are debates that the people must
decide on. You know, I always tell people that these elections must be
about the issues, must be about national discussion in terms of what
is unfolding in Liberia.
It is important for the Liberian people to sustain this debate and if
it is necessary, they can take it to the next level but for me it is for
the Liberian people to take this debate. We should not leave it with
the contenders alone, the journalists, the media should get involved
because they are the watchdogs of our society, the civil society
organizations should get involved, the religious groupings. These are
the grievances that can take people to certain level of agitation so
I think all these structures, existing structures around , the media,
the religious groupings, the youth and student groupings as well,
the constitutional grouping should take this debate as well, not the
contenders alone, than it will not be fair.
We should not be educating our people; the psycho education should
u
see page 9
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014 Page 9
come from our people so that our people can make a choice when
they are voting.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: There is this history that Liberian people
are very passive when it comes to taking the lead in advocacy. What
if civil society and other organizations do not take up the issue,
knowing that you are a contender and want to beat your opponents,
having a point against them, will you take the bold step to fle a formal
complaint to NEC or go through the legal process to disqualify the
guys?
ALI SYLA: The frst thing is we have organizations. I will want to
leave this with civil society organizations. These organizations are
there to look at the ills in our society; the constitutional provisions
that are there that have been violated. Civil society is there to
reawaken those violations, the media is there to serve as the watchdog
to highlight all of these necessary things and I think the media is
being fair enough to reawaken some of these debates. I think for
the contenders the issues are too bulky, the competing priorities are
too bulky, unemployment is so high, sanitation is a problem, energy,
education sector so it will not be unfair to the contenders to put more
focus on the citizenship debate and leaving the stuff that can capacitate
the Liberian people in terms of legislations. So the debate, I continue
to say we have competing priorities and I think the contenders should
focus on these competing priorities and highlight them so that the
Liberian people can make a decision, a resounding decision of the
F
RONT
PAGE
INTERVIEW
competing priorities and somebody who can provide those requisite
services in terms of those legislations and put somebody who is well
prepared to ably represent them.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: IN POLITICS THERE ARE LOTS
OF CLOSED-DOOR DISCUSSIONS, NEGOTIATIONS AND
WHATEVER. SO IF MADAM SIRLEAF CALLS YOU TODAY
AND SAY ALI, I WANT YOU TO BACK OFF FOR MY SON.
WILL YOU DO THAT?
ALI SYLA: Well, I believe in institution. I come from the Unity
Party I am very convicted of my ascendancy to win the caucus and
I am very proud of that. There are people who are looking up to
me; there are very young people who look up to me. I come from
a community that is very excited about our ascendency to win the
caucus. You know credibility matters, we are an emerging leader
coming out of Liberia so we need to be cognizant of our role so not
somebody that I respect, and admire to say that you should pull out of
the race, why? We won the primary fairly and square and so we are
calling on everybody to support us and we are of the conviction that
this process, we will win it.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: SO IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SIT WITH EVERY VOTER IN MONTSERRADO COUNTY,
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THEM TO CONVINCE
THEM TO VOTE FOR YOU?
ALI SYLA: It is different, when you meet different group of people.
When you meet the young people, they need jobs, better health care
delivery system, economic revitalization policy, better education
facilities as well as educational instruments. When you meet the older
people they need good welfare, medical benefts as well. If you meet
our mothers who are in the rural areas, rural Montserrado, they need
farming assistance. So the issues and interests are a little different
based on the demography.
So if I sit with every individual, the message is different, remember
we have been going and talking to young people for this process
for over two years now and we know most of these processes they
are not in Utopia. They are right around and on our fnger tips, it
is better for us to shine our eyes on these issues to highlight them
and the competing priorities and how we can buttress these issues
with the National government budget. How much money we can get
from the national budget to allocate to these policies because there
are no policies without budget. There is no policy without programs
and activities, how do we popularize these programs and activities
through the national budget. I think the issues are different; it is case
by case, sex by sex, gender by gender.
We have the issue of gender equity in our country so how do we
address that issue, so if I meet young women, of course we are giving
them opportunity to go to school but there are more young women
dropping out of school. What are we doing to sustain those young
women to stay in school? What kind of system we can develop in
terms of affrmative action for these young women. So, we have lots
of issues, so this is why I am saying we need people who are prepared
who have the requisite training and education to be able to represent
the people of Montserrado County.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: YOU JUST ALLUDED TO THE
PLETHORA OF PROBLEMS FACING MONTSERRADO
COUNTY, DO YOU THINK YOUR PARTY, THE UP HAS SET
THAT BASIS FOR PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY TO SAY YES, WE
NEED TO VOTE FOR A UP CANDIDATE?
ALI SYLA: You know we have a record of advocacy. I think what
distinguishes me from other partisans even though I love all of my
partisans is that I come from a history of advocacy. You know quite
recently, there some government policies that we have criticized and
given policy recommendations. We also took the National Elections
Commission to the Supreme Court about pretrial detainees not being
registered.
We also criticized the legislators about the level playing feld and
some of these bad policies that they are developing. We have made
policy recommendations, legislative policy recommendations. We
helped to cave the African Youth Charter bill that was passed in the
Lower House as well as the Senate concurred, the President signed
that bill into law. We popularized that particular law, we helped caved
the National Youth bill, so we have history. We do have history of
fghting for our people in terms of bettering their conditions. So, for
me as an individual coming from the Unity Party, the institution that
I love dearly, I think my distinction is my role that I have played over
the years, something that is embedded into my DNA.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT
YOU WISH TO COMMENT ON WHICH WE DID NOT TOUCH?
ALI SYLA: I think what FrontPageAfrica is doing is very good to be
able to highlight the different candidates and what they bring to the
table. I think the media needs to open a debate, when you go to other
countries, to have a greater country, the legislature must have people
who are prepared who have more training and education because that
is the frst branch of government and that is where all the legislations
that can beneft the country in terms of economic policy, economic
revitalization, in terms of urban and infrastructural development, in
terms of peace and security, in terms of rule of law and governance all
come from the legislature.
So what media needs to do is to call for massive debate about the
different issues and challenging times and how we can fnd solutions
to these competing priorities. This election is a pivotal election for our
national reconstruction policy that we all are yarning for.
FORTUNATE CANDIDATE
Monrovia-
T
he Montserrado
County senatorial
election will prove a
defning moment for
Liberian President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf when her beloved son
whom she mentioned in her
book this Child will be Great
as her lovely child line up as a
senatorial candidate against Ali
Syla of her ruling Unity Party,
but for Syla he is a fortunate
candidate to win the caucus from
a party to contest against the son
of the President.
The ruling party has twice led
Sirleaf to victory in 2005 and
2011 with massive support
across Liberia and with the
president life in politics nearing
an end due to her inability to
contest a third term of offce as
a consequence of constitutional
requirements, the aging leader
will have a diffcult choice to
make between her lovely son
and the party that has done so
much for her political success.
When news of the candidacy of
Robert Sirleaf surfaced frst with
indications he was contemplating
contest for the senate from
Gbarpolu County, it was not
much of worry for the Liberian
leader but then came arguments
of the residency clause which
provides for candidates to reside
in the locality for specifed
period of time.
As the news intensifed over
Roberts senatorial bid for
Montserrado County it was
widely believed that he would
have joined the ruling party
having his mother as its political
PRESIDENT SIRLEAFS CRITICAL DECISION POINT
leader but that changed when the
Unity Party elected Ali Syla at
its caucus to contest on the party
ticket for Montserrado.
Robert is a powerful fgure in
his mother government as it
was widely believed that he
plays a key role in all political
appointments in government and
other major decisions taken by
his mother.
Stalwarts of the UP according
to inside sources normally use
Robert as means of getting his
mother make major decisions
such as appointments to top
government jobs amongst others
and these partisans keep a close
tie with the son of the president.
During the petitioning
ceremony of Mr. Sirleaf, several
government offcials including
Madam Mary Broh who is also
a confdante to President Sirleaf
were all in attendance.
Now that Robert is a candidate
for the senate in Montserrado
and if cleared by the National
Elections Commission will
contest against Syla of the ruling
party headed by his mother, there
has been lingering questions as
to whether the President will
support her dear son over the
party that has made immense
contributions to her or support
the party candidate against her
son.
Syla, the UP candidate has told
FrontPageAfrica that he is not
bothered by the fact that the
son of the President will be
contesting against him and could
woo some of the ruling party
votes because of his infuence in
the hierarchy of the UP and the
government as a whole.
President Sirleaf obligated to UP
Syla in an exclusive interview
with FPA said President Sirleaf
is obligated to the Unity Party
and as such he is confdent that
the Liberian leader will support
his candidacy.
Well, the frst thing is I am from
the party and we are looking at
the fundamental ideology. We
are fundamental ideologies of
our party including the standard
bearer. So realistically, she is
from the institution and I believe
she is an institutional person.
So it is required upon her, it is
obligated upon her to support the
candidate of the ruling party and
I want to believe in my mind that
she will commit herself to that,
said Syla.
Syla indicated that partisans
of the UP who attended the
petitioning ceremony of Robert
Sirleaf could have done so
because of their closeness to
him but that does not necessarily
mean they would support him.
I think those of our partisans
who were there, maybe they were
doing it based on their closeness
to Mr. Sirleaf and I respect their
decisions but withstanding, I
think they will be reminded that
they are from a political party
and they need to give the party
their support, confdent Syla
told FPA.
Cant relinquish ambition
On whether he could back off the
race if approached by President
Sirleaf in order to protect her
son, Syla said he does not
believe President Sirleaf will do
so because she is an institutional
builder, insisting that there no
way he can relinquish his quest to
become senator of Montserrado.
You know credibility matters,
we are an emerging leader
coming out of Liberia so we
need to be cognizant of our role
so not somebody that I respect,
and admire to say that you
should pull out of the race, why?
We won the primary fairly and
square and so we are calling on
everybody to support us and we
are of the conviction that this
process, we will win it, he said.
Syla says he is not under pressure
from any sources to relinquish
his quest for the senatorial seat.
I am not under pressure at all;
I mean you see me here today, I
am not under pressure.
SYLA CONFIDENT THAT SIRLEAF WILL SUPPORT HIM OVER HER SON ROBERT
Page 10 |
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014

NATIONAL OIL COMPANY OF LIBERIA (NOCAL)

JULY 26 GREETING
On the occasion of our country's 167thIndependence Day Anniversary,
the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL)
extend compliments and best wishes to Her Excellency, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia,
Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, the Honorable Members of the 53rd National Legislature, the Chief Justice and
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia, the Cabinet, the Doyen and Members of the Diplomatic Corps, the SRSG
and the United Nations Mission in Liberia(UNMIL),our partners, especially IOCs, and the good people of Liberia.

Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014 Page 11

WISHING ALL A VERY HAPPY JULY 26!
SSF ENTREPRENEUR, INC
West Africa Construction Inc.
CHICO INDEPENDENCE GREETINGS!
An Independence Celebration is a Special Event of Any Nation and its People, retrospection of Where Theyve come from,
Where Theyre and Where They do envisage to be in Years and Centuries to come
It is in this Wise, The Management & Staff of CHIC (China Henan International Cooperative Group of Company) wish to extend their
Heartfelt Congratulatory Message to Her Excellency Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, Ambassador Joseph N.
Boakai, Vice President, The Speaker and Members of the National Legislatures, The Chief Justice and Members of the Judiciary and
The Great and Caring People of Liberia.
It is CHICOs Wish that This 167th National Independence Event slated on July 26, 2014 shall be a
Happy, Prosperous and Ebola Free Celebration.
Technical Services, Consultancy, Rehabilitation & Road Building
On the occasion of our country's 167thIndependence Day Anniversary,
the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of SSF ENTREPRENEUR, INC.(West Africa Consultants Inc.)
extend compliments and best wishes to Her Excellency, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia,
Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, the Honorable Members of the 53rd National Legislature,
the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia, the Cabinet, the Doyen and
Members of the Diplomatic Corps, the SRSG and the United Nations Mission in Liberia(UNMIL),
our partners, especially IOCs, and the good people of Liberia.
WISHING ALL A VERY HAPPY JULY 26!

Page 12 |
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014
F
RONT
PAGE
MONROVIA
BEAMING SMILE
Monrovia-
E
arly this week angry
contractors involved
in cleaning of beaches
and waterways under
the program initiated by the
Liberia Maritime Authority
barricaded the Ministry of
Finance demanding payments
of over six months arrears
threatening to continue their
protest action and disrupt the
July 26 independence celebration
when they are not paid.
The contractors held placards
with wordings We want our
money, we want our money, and
one of the Supervisors threatened
that the group will disrupt the
independence celebration.
If we cannot get paid, we will
be on it until 26, because if we
do not get paid, there will be no
26 celebration, said Edwin G.B.
Gbejay, a supervisor at Maritime.
From anger to smile
But on Thursday, the contractors
turned from anger to smile
when the Liberian government
commenced the payment of six
months arrears, January to June.
The J. V. Massaquoi School in the
West Point Community was the
scene of smile as the contractors
began receiving three months out
of the six months payments, with
further three months payments to
be made next week.
Veronica M. Wright, Project
Manager at the LMA told
FrontPageAfrica that 1,928
contractors are to be paid over
Maritime Begins over 600K Payments to Contractors

US$600,000 for the period of
six months and they are working
with a trust company to pay the
arrears to the LMA contractors.
She disclosed that the full
amount has been disbursed by
the Ministry of Finance and the
LMA will make the payments to
four communities including West
Point, ELWA, Mamba Point and
New Kru Town all communities
located along the Atlantic Ocean.
We will not be able to make
the full six months today and
tomorrow so we have told them
the payments will continue after
the independence celebration
the LMA Project Manager said.
She also attributed the delay
in payment to the transfer of
the project from the Liberia
Maritime Authority to the
Ministry of Finance and that of
Youth and Sports.
Madam Wright said the process
is on course and urged the
benefciaries to obey the payment
procedure process by assembling
at designated payment centers
with a valid identifcation card.
The protest, she noted will
not lead to an end in the beach
cleaning exercise.
We have to continue the
program, because if we stop, the
beaches and waterways will get
dirty again
Thank God, happy contractor
Christian Williams, one of the
contractors told FPA she was
happy to receive her pay.
I tell God thanks, at least our
work was not in vain , people
used to make fun out of us but
thank to God that at least I want
government to help us with tools
and things because usually we
dont have tools. I fnd pleasure
in doing what I do, cleaning
beaches mainly in new West
Point, thanks to government for
listening to us and our 26th will
be alright, said Christian.
Chris Weah, another contractor
also said he is a happy man
to have some money for the
independence celebration.
Weah said I received 180 USD
for three months, I am a happy
man, we are the beach cleaner
and it is though. You fnd young
man like me, I am playing with
another people I have not seen
them. I dont know them playing
with the feces. You know that
cause sickness to me, but there
is nothing to do we just have to
do it to keep our self-going. I
have two children and they are
all in school, so I need to support
them.
An elderly woman, Elizabeth
Dixon was also full of praise for
LMA and the government.
She expressed Im more than
happy receiving my pay today,
this money here get plenty things
to do, it will send my children
to school, pay my rent, buy my
food, I am in church, I have to
pay my tithe, and get plenty
things to do with this money.
I have seven children, twelve
grand children to help, so I am
happy and tell God thank you for
the people to come today and pay
us, old lady like me I am in the
rain and under the sun whole day
working on that beach in West
Point.
LIKE LIBERIA, BEGGING,
A WAY OF LIFE IN MALI
Monrovia-
A
s a set of twin boys
not more than fve,
passed between
moving vehicles,
begging for alms, on a public
street known as Place Cann,
in central Bamako, Mali, their
young mother sat by the side of
the road also begging pedestrians
who passed by.
Even though people begging for
money on the streets occur in
most places in Africa, but many
disadvantaged people such as
the blind, cripple, elderly and
sometimes parents and guardians
use children to accompany them
beg in the streets. But it is not in
the case of these little boys and
their mother; they are begging
because of what is said to be a
cultural belief that determines a
set of twins future in Mali.
According to our culture in
Mali, if a set of twin do not beg,
they would not turn out to be
successful in Life, says twin
mother Fatoumatta Kieta.
Fatoumatta who only speaks
in her native tongue Bambala,
similar to the Mandingo dialect,
said through an interpreter, that
many of them who are begging
are not very poor that they cannot
afford, but they are begging
because they want their children
to be successful in the future.
Almost on every street in Central
Bamako, twins and mothers are
always begging that anyone
passing by would think they
are begging because they do
not have enough, without the
slightest idea of why they are
involved in the act.
While this may be a cultural
belief in Mali, it seems to be
a norm in many West African
Countries. However, with
many international protocols
being put in place, such as the
Convention on the rights of a
Child (CRC); that advocates
for children across the globe,
governments are taking note that;
Childrens rights are human
rights. And special protection
and care should be afforded to
minors, including their right to
association with both parents,
human identity as well as the
basic needs for food, universal
state-paid education, health care
and criminal laws appropriate
for the age and development of
the child, equal protection of the
child's civil rights, and freedom
from discrimination.
Judging by scenes on the streets
of Liberia and Mali, neither
country is abiding by these
universal laws on the right of
a child, because many of these
kids are not in school during
school hours but are rather on
the streets begging. Whereas
the CRC law states that a child
should have a right to education
and health as well.
But in Liberia, Child Beggars
are rather seen on street corners
escorting the blind, cripple,
elderly and sometimes parents to
beg for money as a way of life
and not taking into consideration
the violation of the CRC law.
On many occasions, these
children escorting the beggars
are often exposed to accidents
of reckless and drunk driving,
rape and all sort of violence.
And the CRC says; Children
have the right to protection from
abuse, neglect, exploitation and
discrimination. This includes the
right to safe places for children
to play and many more, should
be given a child.
Recently, a little boy
accompanying a blind man to
beg was hit by a driver who was
over taking another vehicle on
Broad Street in Monrovia, but
it was later discovered that this
little boy had been hired by this
blind man, who pays him at the
end of the day, depending on the
money collected.
According to the blind man, the
boy was his neighbors son who
had agreed for the boy to carry
him out every day to beg for
money.
The CRC law further stated:
structures such as government
policy have been held by some
commentators to mask the
ways adults abuse and exploit
children, resulting in child
poverty, lack of educational
opportunities, and child labor.
On this view, children are to be
regarded as a minority group
towards whom society needs to
reconsider the way it behaves.
As Ramadan is ongoing, these
Malian twin who may turn out to
be beggars, sit by the road every
day, come rain or shine, breaks
their fast with prayer on the street
by 7:00 Clock p.m. when the rest
of the Muslims are breaking their
fast with prayers.
And until the both governments
of Liberia and Mali can put into
place some actions to stop the
children from being exploited;
the both nations may be flled
thousands of beggars in years
to come. While the CRC laws
on the violation of children, will
only be on the books and not
implemented.
Mae Azango/azama20062007@yahoo.com


Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014 Page 13
REGULATOR STILL IN LACC DRAGNET
Commission on Higher Education Director General long Corruption tale
Jacinta Fay & Silas Kpanan'Ayoung Siakor
F
RONT
PAGE
LAND ISSUES
LIBERIA - COMMUNITIES JOIN TO
FIGHT THE PALM OIL LAND GRAB
L
iberia's Jogbahn Clan
is at the forefront of
efforts to resist the grab
of Indigenous Peoples'
land and forests for palm oil
plantations. But according to
the country's President, they are
only 'harrassing and extorting'
international investors.
"They refuse to talk to us about
our land business. Because we
are standing here, are we not
people? We are somebody."
So spoke Elder Chio Johnson
defantly looking through the tall
iron gates of Equatorial Palm Oil
(EPO) / Kuala Lumpur Kepong
Berhad (KLK's) offce in Grand
Bassa County, Liberia.
His Jogbahn Clan had come
to deliver a petition signed in
solidarity by over 90,000 people
to tell the UK and Malaysian
palm oil companies that they
must stop grabbing the Clan's
land. However the companies
refused to speak with the
community.
EPO also thwarted efforts to
present the petition in London,
when they refused a meeting.
Attempts to doorstop their
London premises proved futile -
the offce appears to exist only in
the form of a brass plate.
A source of inspiration
Even though the companies
refused to speak with the
communities the story of their
struggle is now known all over
the world with signatories for the
petition coming from across the
globe.
Their story has also been a source
of inspiration for communities
all over Liberia who like the
Clan are facing dispossession
from their land by agribusiness
corporations that will replace
their sustainable communities
with monocultural plantations
to produce certifed 'sustainable'
palm oil for the global market.
The fght many communities are
facing in protecting their land is
a fght for their very survival.
Last month Liberian
communities affected by all
four major palm oil companies;
Equatorial Palm Oil / Kuala
Lumpur Kepong Berhad, Golden
Veroleum Liberia (Golden Agri-
Resources), SIFCA / Maryland
Oil Palm Plantation (Wilmar /
Olam) and Sime Darby came
together for the frst time to
discuss agriculture concessions
as a national issue.
Different companies, one shared
experience
These companies are European
(UK), Asian (Malaysian,
Indonesian and Singaporean)
and African (Cte d'Ivoire)
with considerable European
fnancing. The focus was on
creating a space for these diverse
communities to share their
experiences.
The same narrative of
exploitation is playing out all
over the country; the companies'
names were interchangeable.
Bringing the communities
together in this way laid the
foundations for connecting their
separate struggles.
Chio Johnson offered advice to
the other communities, urging
them to stay united in the face
of the companies' divide and
rule tactics. "Land is life, it is too
valuable to lose", he warned.
Solomon Gbargee, a youth
representative gave a stirring
speech recounting the Clan's
struggle so far and urged all the
communities to stand together in
their resistance of the companies:
"If we lose our land how will we
live? We are in Africa, we live by
our crops. Palm plantations can't
help us!"
A solidarity network is formed
Communities impacted by
Wilmar's operations described
resisting land clearances and
the destruction of their property.
When they objected to paltry
compensation for destroyed
crops they were told by their
politicians: "If you want to get
nothing, take to the streets"-
where communities who
continue to protest face assault
and arrest.
Deyeatee Kardor, Jogbahn Clan's
chairlady called on women to
lead the struggle. "Because I
stood up to the company people
accused me of being a man but
I carry the spirit of a thousand
women", she proclaimed.
"For those of us under struggle
with a palm company we must
remain strong. My land is my
land, your land is your land, your
forest and bushes are your bank.
Don't get tired. We cannot agree
to leave our land."
Communities shared advice and
support and these exchanges
led to the development of a
community solidarity network
to provide a platform to work
together.
Now communities are 'harrassing
and extorting investors'
In her ninth Address to the
Nation in January 2014 the
President of Liberia, Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf, characterised
community resistance to large
scale concessions on their land
as"harassment and extortion of
investors".
"Agriculture remains the key
sector of the economy for local
employment creation, poverty
reduction, food security and
income generation, as over
60 percent of the population
depends on this sector for
livelihood.
"Food security is listed as a
national priority, but we must
admit that there has been under-
investment by both the public
and private sectors. Only massive
investment can fx this under-
performing sector so that it can
play the vital role of delivering
inclusive economic growth,
environmental sustainability and
long-term poverty reduction.
"Our scarce budget resources
cannot do this, given the many
other priorities, so we will need
to attract investment from the
private sector. At the same time,
the private sector will not respond
if there is continued harassment,
extortion and unreasonable
community demands."
Her statement somehow failed
to recognise that investors
are primarily interested in the
production of export cash crops
- which does nothing to increase
food security in Liberia. Indeed
it achieves the very reverse,
as land used for local food
production is comandeered to
produce commodities for global
markets.
The result of community
resistance, she later claimed, is
to undermine Liberia's economic
growth and harm "the renewed
confdence that Liberia is still a
good destination for investment".
Earlier this year she voiced
support for the Jogbahn Clan's
struggle against EPO - as
reported by The Ecologist. But
her promises have come to
nothing.
Voices of dissent stifed - but not
yet silenced
The prevailing narrative of

Liberia for so long was that of
a country ravaged by a long
and bloody confict. The current
narrative is one of 'Liberia
Rising' - a country that has dusted
off the ashes of the war and plans
to be a middle income country
by 2030 through a development
path focused on Foreign Direct
Investment.
Within this narrative the voices
of communities affected by palm
oil have been silenced.
But even if the Liberian
government refuses to
acknowledge agricultural
concessions as a fraught national
issue it is being viewed as such
internationally.
The Roundtable on Sustainable
Palm Oil, the industry body for
the palm oil sector, undertook
a mission visit to Liberia. This
was the frst of its kind to address
the high volume of complaints
lodged by communities in
Liberia against Golden Veroleum
Liberia and Equatorial Palm Oil.
However the vast number of
complaints lodged to the RSPO
by Liberian communities without
satisfactory resolution shows
the inherent weaknesses of
such industry created voluntary
mechanisms.
The 'breadbasket' narrative -
'production must increase!'
The voices of affected
communities are also absent
from the current prevailing
'breadbasket' narrative which
argues that feeding the world
requires investment in large
scale agriculture to make Africa's
'unproductive' land productive.
A widely reported study, 'Food
appropriation through large scale
land acquisitions', shows how
300-550 million people could be
fed if land "marginally utilized
because of lack of modern
technology" was subjected
to high-tech commercial
agriculture, compared to
the"190-370 million people
[that] could be supported by this
land without closing of the yield
gap."
But it also draws attention to
the fact that the increases in
food production would not bring
benefts to the countries, or
communities, whose land was
used in this way:
"These numbers raise some
concern because the food
produced in the acquired
land is typically exported to
other regions, while the target
countries exhibit high levels of
malnourishment. Conversely, if
used for domestic consumption,
the crops harvested in the
acquired land could ensure food
security to the local populations
...
"These investments in
agriculture often occur without
the 'informed consent' of current
land users, with no consideration
of the societal and environmental
impacts of the conversion from
subsistence farming to large
scale commercial agriculture,
and without ensuring that the
profts are shared with the local
communities (ILC International
Land Coalition 2011). For these
reasons the process is often
referred to as 'land grabbing'."
So the study does address the fact
that the crops set to be produced
on this grabbed land are not
to grow food for subsistence
and local markets but for cash
crops for export - to support the
Global North's unsustainable
overconsumption of biofuels,
animal feed and processed
goods, not to feed the hungry
and malnourished people of the
Global South.
Yet its fails to consider another
dimension of 'effciency' - it's not
just about production per hectare,
but also about production per
unit of input resources - such
as energy, water, pesticide,
herbicide ...
Land as a human right
And its conclusion is
astonishingly - indeed
disgracefully - weak: "While
there are some pros in the increase
in agricultural production that
could result from large scale
investments, some measures
should be in place to ensure that
the benefts are shared with the
local populations."
This is an entirely inadequate
refection of the reality that
hunger in the world today is a
political and economic artefact -
and not the result of a shortage of
food production.
Nor does it represent the truth
that land is much more than an
'economic factor of production'
- but is the root of the culture,
livelihood and spirituality
of those millions of people
worldwide that depend on their
land to survive.
Nor does it acknowledge that
the right of Indigenous Peoples
to remain on their historic land
is a fundamental human right,
essential to their survival and
dignity. This right is strongly
maintained in Convention 169
of the International Labour
Organization on Indigenous and
Tribal Peoples, which states
(Article 7):
"The peoples concerned shall
have the right to decide their
own priorities for the process
of development as it affects
their lives, beliefs, institutions
and spiritual well-being and the
lands they occupy or otherwise
use, and to exercise control,
to the extent possible, over
their own economic, social
and cultural development. In
addition, they shall participate in
the formulation, implementation
and evaluation of plans and
programmes for national and
regional development which
may affect them directly."
So any land-grab of indigenous
territory, such as that of the
Jogbahn Clan, is in fact a
severe breach of internatinal
humanitarian law. How on Earth
could this essential fact escape
the notice of the distinguished
academic authors?
Only small scale, sustainable
agriculture can feed the world
The former UN Special
Rapporteur to the Right to Food,
Olivier De Schutter argued in
The Ecologist that shifting to
largescale, highly mechanized
forms of agriculture will not
solve hunger but make it worse.
Poverty and hunger will
be addressed by ensuring
communities have access to land
and resources and are supported
in small scale agriculture.
Smallholder agro-ecological
farming and small-scale food
production can ensure the
sustainable use of resources
and sustainable livelihoods. It
can also out-perform industrial
commodity production.
70% of the world is fed by
smallholder farmers like
the Jogbahn Clan. The Clan
countered the unproductive
land argument better than any
academic paper could when
they presented all the crops they
produced on their land to the
visiting RSPO delegation. "This
is why we will not give up our
land", said Chio.
Though the Jogbahn Clan
continues to face the threat of the
imminent clearing of their land,
they will keep resisting.
And given the rousing calls of
"Community Action" made by
the communities when they came
together to form the solidarity
network they will not be alone
but alongside other communities
in Liberia and in solidarity with
communities resisting land grabs
worldwide.

__________________________

Jacinta Fay is a community
worker and campaigner
for the Community Rights
and Corporate Governance
Programme of the Sustainable
Development Institute/Friends
of the Earth Liberia which
supports communities protect
their land and resources and
challenges corporate and
government actions which
threaten community rights. She
is also Landgrab Campaigner for
Friends of the Earth International
which works to challenge
landgrabbing, defend community
territories and protect land
rights. She also campaigns on
trade justice, reproductive rights
and social justice.
Silas Kpanan'Ayoung Siakor is
a campaigner on Community
Rights and the founder of the
Sustainable Development
Institute/Friends of the Earth,
Liberia a national civil society
organisation promoting the
sustainable and just use of
Liberia's natural resources.
Silas has received the Goldman
Environmental Prize in 2006,
the Award for Extraordinary
Achievement in Environmental
and Human Rights Activism
from The Alexander Soros
Foundation in 2012 and TIME
Magazine chose him as one
of the 2008 Heroes of the
Environment.
Page 14 |
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014
Bong Residents Deny Presence of deadly outbreak
Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com
Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo47@gmail.com
Gbarnga, Bong County
T
he fght to bring
Liberias Ebola
outbreak under
control has stretched
medical teams to the limit, while
mistrust in some communities
has impaired prevention work
and raised questions about the
delivery of health warnings.
The outbreak, which was frst
declared in early this year
in Liberia, should have been
winding down now, with cases
reducing as controls take effect,
said Dr. Jefferson Sibley, Medical
Director of Phebe Hospital.
Sibley explained that outbreaks
normally run their course and
eventually die down because they
are contained within a limited
geographic area.
That looked to be the case in
April with optimistic signs that
the outbreak had already peaked,
or was even over. But those hopes
have since faded, with new cases
being identifed in Margibi and
Bong counties. At least six people
have died of the disease so far in
the two counties, according to the
health offcials in Bong County.
Ebola still a stranger
In Lofa, the worst-hit among the
15 counties in Liberia, traditional
burial rituals, according to health
sources, are still being observed
despite the health hazards and
many people are said to be
reluctant to be traced for medical
surveillance (as a precaution for
having come into contact with
those infected).
Still, there are those who believe
that the disease is due to Satans
wrath or sorcery. Others think it
is because of an evil spell cast by
a witch, according to Dr. Sibley.
According to the Phebe head
doctor, people familiar with
malaria or diarrheal disease
understand the benefts of
standard medical treatment at a
local health center, but their faith
in medical methods does not
require abandoning a traditional
health belief model. He further
told a local radio station in
Gbarnga: I am pretty sure that
people can hold both the belief
that some illnesses especially
unfamiliar ones are linked
to sorcery, while others are
amenable to medical therapy.
He suggests people seeing
Ebola for the frst time may
accept medical and scientifc
explanations for its origins and
impact, but will still be convinced
that sorcery is at play. He stresses
that all health education messages
must be presented in a culturally
sensitive way; if doctors and
nurses discount local traditions
and beliefs, they risk losing the
trust and acceptance of those they
are trying to help.
Changing the messenger?
Dr. Sibley acknowledged that
foreign experts may not be the
best people to relay key messages,
noting that strange white people
coming from far away are not
always the people that are most
trusted by rural populations in
this area.
Local communities may harbor
a general distrust of foreigners,
deriving from long histories of
colonial exploitation, notes Dr.
Sibley. People often believe
that whites bring Ebola to do
experiments, to kill Africans, he
said.
But local medical personnel in
Bong County say they too have
problems convincing patients
and those looking after them how
they should act and what they
should avoid doing.
For example, despite warnings
by health workers and local
authorities not to touch the body
or bodily fuids of anyone, alive or
dead, who is suspected of having
Ebola, doctors at Phebe hospital
say many families continue to
care for their loved ones without
proper protection.
Dr. Sampson Arzuakoi, Head of
the Bong County Health Team,
told Radio Gbarnga, a local
radio station in Gbarnga: Health
workers in the county have
experienced many diffculties
on the ground because of
hostility from citizens. The
belief among some communities
that Ebola does not exist also
complicates the task, as does the
refusal of people who have been
in contact with a sick person to
declare themselves.
Arzuakoi points to the obvious
dangers of ostracism and isolation
faced by those suspected of
having the virus. You cannot
travel; others may stigmatize you
so that you cannot collect water
or go to the market; people may
stay away from your area.
The outbreak that returned
These problems have come
sharply into focus in Bong, where
new cases of Ebola have been
reported at the Phebe hospital.
A new case of Ebola was
confrmed by doctors at the
hospital on Monday, July 31 at
Suakoko district. The Suakoko
cases came to light in the town
itself, a heavily congested part of
the district. Arzuakoi termed the
fresh outbreak a crisis. Our
major concern now is how to curb
the Ebola attack in the county,
he emphasized, noting that high
population density in areas
like Gbarnga posed particular
problems.
He said the new cases were
probably caused by an infected
woman who travelled from
Margibi and into Gbarnga earlier
this month. While this has once
again sparked some concerns
about further cross-border spread,
the Ministry of Health maintains
that no travel or trade restrictions
should be put in place on any of
the affected countries.
Health workers fears in Bong
The death of three nurses at
the Phebe hospital, who had
reportedly been treating Ebola
patients has raised strong
concerns among health workers

EBOLA MYTH
F
RONT
PAGE
EBOLA

Despite preventive measures implored by hospital offcials at
the C.B. Dunbar hospital in Gbarnga and the deaths of three
nurses at Phebe hospital, the myths surrounding Ebola still
linger among locals in Gbarnga.
in the county, many of whom say
they are now afraid to report for
work.
What scares me is that the
disease has no cure, said Aaron
Manner, a nurse in Gbarnga.
More patients are coming into
the hospital and we dont know
who is who. I am really, really
scared. I am even deciding to
quit my job for a while until the
situation is put under control.
The Ministry of Health says
that in light of the new cases in
the county, it has reactivated its
national task force and recruited
more volunteers to help with
surveillance and sensitization
campaigns.
Medical teams overstretched
Dr. Arzuakoi said there was a
pressing need for more outbreak
control units to deal with the
spread, particularly given
peoples reluctance to travel
long distances for treatment. But
an expansion of control units
requires fnancial and human
resources now stretched thin
as the outbreak carries on well
beyond its anticipated duration.
Many of the doctors and nurses
sent to the feld can only stay for
up to a month at a time, before
being rotated out.
This is exhausting work, Dr.
Arzuakoi points out. These
people work very long hours.
Its extremely stressful, lots
of patients dont survive. The
protective gear we wear is very
hot. You cannot keep people in
the feld under those conditions
for extended periods and expect
them still to be healthy and
working safely, he said.
Continuing, he added: We would
have more people working on
health communication, social
mobilization, infection control
measures and contact tracing, but
we dont, so more local resources
would be very useful.
F
RONT
PAGE
LEGISLATIVE BEAT
NOCAL HOLDS SECRET SESSION WITH LEGISLATURE
Monrovia-
D
ays after
protesters stormed
the Capitol
Building against
alleged plans by government to
sell new oil blocks in Liberia,
offcials of the National Oil
Company (NOCAL), Thursday
held closed door meeting with
lawmakers of the Lower House
(House of Representatives)
to accordingly discuss issues
surrounding the country oil
sector.
The over three hours meeting
according to an inside source
was to discuss issues relating
to the relinquishing of two of
the four oil blocks operated by
Anadarko and how to begin
negotiation on the oil block.
But speaker Alex Tyler in a
brief interview with reporters
claimed not to have knowledge
about such information.
Anadarko Petroleum
Corporation is an independent
exploration and the Company
operated four blocks in
offshore Liberia.
Speaker Tyler said, the meeting
with NOCAL was to discuss a
work plan, which he said he
could not say in detail what is
in the work plan but promised
to do so as soon as possible.
Tyler said: NOCAL presented
a work plan and we are
studying it. I normally dont
discuss things that I have
not thoroughly understood a
presentation was made by the
executive now I must read the
documents to make sense from
it.
The House speaker promised
that decisions by the legislature
to reform the country oil sector
will go as planned and if there
is any new development from
the countrys oil sector, that
development will be disclosed
to the public at the appropriate
time.
There has been speculations
about plans by the government
of Liberia through the
National Legislature to sell
new oil blocks, despite calls
by Liberians asking that all
other untouched oil blocks be
reserved for future generations.
On Tuesday a group of
Liberians under the banner
concerned Liberians gathered
at the capitol building (offcial
seat of the Legislature) to
protest against news of a
possible selling of new oil
blocks with accusation that the
lawmakers received huge sums
of money to seal the deal.
Tuesday protest prompted a
quick response from the Pro-
Tempore of the Liberian senate
who accused businessman
Benoni Urey of sponsoring
the protesting group to cause
instability.
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014 Page 15
WHO-Liberia, (Late) Dr. Sam Mutooro Muhumuza, Health Workers Affected by
the Ebola Virus Disease, Among Those Honored and Decorated
MONROVIA-
T
he Liberian
Government has
conferred honors
on 18 distinguished
individuals, one of them
posthumously, the World
Health Organization-Liberia
and all the Health Workers
affected by the Ebola virus
ravaging the country, thus kick-
starting the somber offcial
celebrations of Liberias 167th
Independence Anniversary,
though with a divergence.
According to an Executive
Mansion release, the
Investiture Ceremony took
place at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs C. Cecil Dennis
Auditorium in the presence
of high-ranking government
offcials, diplomats, well-
wishers and family members
of the honorees.
In brief remarks, President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who
is also Grand Master of the
Orders of Distinction, paid
homage to all of them who had
served their country diligently
and selfessly.
The Liberian leader paid
specifc homage and honor
to the late Dr. Sam Mutooro
Muhumuza, a Ugandan
national, and all the health
workers around the country
who have made the ultimate
sacrifce in saving lives. To
their families, loved ones,
associates, we extend our
heartfelt sympathy, she said,
adding that Government will
shortly reach out to the families
of the departed health workers
to bring them comfort in their
times of trials and tribulations.
President Sirleaf expressed
appreciation to all the health
workers doctors, nurses,
para-medics who continue
to be of service to the Liberian
people in the midst of danger to
themselves. We like to say to
them how much we appreciate
what they do to contribute to
helping the country arrest the
deadly Ebola disease.
The Liberian leader, again,
appealed to all Liberians,
especially those in the
communities to know that the
Ebola epidemic is real. No
one is trying to put up an act
or to fool them or think that
someone has motives other
than to protect them and to
help them to save their lives,
she stressed, urging them to
heed the warning and advice of
health workers.
Earlier, the Citation by the
President on behalf of the
Health Workers affected by
Ebola virus disease read by the
Chief of Protocol, Republic
of Liberia, Ambassador Rufus
Neufville stated: Our Nation
seizes this occasion to pay a
richly deserved tribute of love
and affection and respect to
the memories of its devoted
health practitioners who lost
their lives in order to save
other LiberiansCertainly, by
their sense of unquestionable
display of loyalty and devotion
to duty, the Health Workers
have built temples of honor
F
RONT
PAGE
GOVERNMENT NEWS
LIBERIA HONORS UGANDAN DOCTOR AT
167TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY
INVESTITURE CEREMONY
and of virtue, of industry and
of unselfshness, qualities
which will have impact on the
health services and the life of
this Nation forever.
To the late Dr. Sam Mutooru
Muhumuza, another victim
of the Ebola virus, the
Citation by the President
read: The fnest moment
of the professional life of the
deceased would be recorded
when he undertook the
assignment to Liberia, as a
manifestation for the promotion
of international cooperation, to
provide humanitarian service
to the people of Liberia.
It is in recognition of his
collaborative and selfess
service to the Liberian people
that the Government deeply
shares a sense of sorrow with
the Government and people
of Uganda and his family to
whom he Liberian Nation is
morally indebted. He would
be remembered as a true
international servant who
exhibited competence and
intelligence at the highest
echelon of his profession and
distinction.
For the World Health
Organization Liberia, the
Citation by the President
considered the enormous
contributions to the cause of
humanity, especially the people
of Liberia in line with its global
mission and the mandate of its
Liberia Country offce which
is to promote the attainment
of the highest sustainable
level of health by all people
living in Liberia through close
engagement and collaboration
with the government and other
partners.
Responding later on behalf
of the honorees, the former
Liberian Ambassador
to the United Kingdom,
Wesley Momo Johnson,
expressed grateful thanks and
appreciation to the Government
for recognizing them in terms
of the contributions they
have made to Liberia. It is
impossible to fnd words that
can suffciently express our
appreciation to you, Madam
President. We are humbled
and exalted by this national
recognition, the former Vice
President of the National
Transitional Government of
Liberia said, adding that they
accept the award with a deep
sense of humility. He cautioned
the present generation not to
repeat the mistakes of the past
that eventually brought the
chaos and destruction upon the
country.
Also making remarks,
another honoree, Madam
Catherine E. Johnson,
Educator, Philanthropist and
Entrepreneur, said they were
proud to be honored by the
Grand Master of the Orders
of Distinction. We are proud
because it shows that our
services to our people and
country have been appreciated
and well commended, the
nonagenarian said, adding that
the honor bestowed on them
exemplifed their commitment
and dedication to duty during
their service to the Nation and
people.
The granddaughter of Liberias
11th President, Hilary Richard
Wright Johnson urged young
Liberians to love their
country; do away with deceit,
backbiting, and undermining,
noting that as Liberians there is
a need to put the country frst.
Those honored included two
Nonagenarians Madam
Catherine E. Johnson and
Madam Joanna Eva Coleman
George both of who were
admitted into the Star of Africa,
with the Grade of Grand
Band; and Madam Theresa
Leigh Sherman, distinguished
Educator and Administrator,
admitted into the Star of Africa,
with the Grade of Grand Band.
Two other Nonagenarians
Distinguished Sanitary
Engineer, Mr. William T.
Bruce, Sr. and Priest and
Educator, Very Rev. Emmanuel
Wea Johnson were admitted
into the Humane Order of
African Redemption with
the Grade of Knight Great
Band, respectively; Diplomat
and Politician, Ambassador
Wesley Momo Johnson was
also admitted into the Humane
Order of African Redemption
with the Grade of Knight Great
Band.
Administrator, Deputy
Commissioner for Maritime
Affairs, Executive Vice
President of Liberia Corporate
Registry (LISCR), Mr. William
Wu (British), Director-General
of the Liberia Institute of
Statistics, Dr. T. Edward
Liberty, and Prominent
Businessman/Entrepreneur,
Mr. Samuel Mitchell, were
admitted into the Humane
Order of African Redemption
with the Grade of Knight Grand
Commander, respectively.
Former Aide-de-Camp to the
President, Margibi County,
Brigadier General Richard
K. Wright, Executive Horn
Blower, Mr. Gabriel N. Wilson,
and Advocate/Administrator,
Founder of the Albino Society
of Liberia, Madam Patricia N.
C. Logan, were all admitted
into the Human Order of
African Redemption with the
Grades of Knight Commander,
Knight Offcial and Dame
Offcial, respectively.
President of the Liberia
Marketing Association, Madma
Lusu Klobo Sloan, Principal/
Blind Teacher School of the
Blind, Mr. Jackson M. Suah;
Educator and Administrator,
Mr. Aaron Loila; and Educator
and Administrator, Rev.
Samuel Kpadia, were all
admitted into the Star of Africa
with the Grade of Commander,
respectively.
The World Health
Organization-Liberia was
admitted into the Humane
Order of African Redemption
with the Grade of Knight
Grand Commander.
The late Ugandan Medical
Doctor assigned at the
Redemption Hospital, Dr. Sam
Mutooro Muhumuza, was
posthumously admitted into
the Humane Order of African
Redemption with the Grade
of Knight Grand Commander.
On hand to accept his award
with the Chief Medical Offcer
of the Republic of Liberia and
Deputy Minister of Health, Dr.
Bernice Dahn.
All the Health Workers
affected by the Ebola Virus,
were posthumously admitted
into the Star of Africa with the
Grade of Offcers, respectively.
The Investiture Ceremonies
will continue at the Centennial
Memorial Pavilion, during the
offcial celebration of Liberias
Independence Anniversary on
Saturday, July 26. Educator,
Administrator, Psychologist
and President of the William
V.S. Tubman University, Dr.
Elizabeth Davis Russell, whos
also the Independence Day
Orator, will be admitted into
the Star of Africa with the
Grade of Grand Band.
Educator, Lawyer,
Administrator, Eminent
Statesman and former Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court of
Liberia, His Honor Cllr. Johnnie
N. Lewis will also be admitted
into the Most Venerable Order
of the Pioneers with the Grade
of Knight Grand Commander
during the program.
Page 16 |
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014
DESPERATION GROWS AS POVERTY STRICKEN LIBERIANS
ACCUSE GOVT OF NEPOTISM, OUTRIGHT CORRUPTION
Monrovia -
A
s a Friday morning
sun gradually beams
its rays into the
streets of Monrovia,
hundreds of itinerant vendors
began to show up in preparation
to ply their daily trade.
While some chose to be mobile
salesmen, hundreds of others
would usually ply their trade on
makeshift canopies, or simply
sit along the dirty pavement of
central Monrovia, as they scream
out their sales pitches to the few
potential shoppers that would
often pass by.
These vendors are part of a
larger tranche of Liberians
that are reeling under extreme
poverty, as they witness their
countrys continuous free fall
into economic turmoil.
The struggling vendors are
mostly made up of impoverished
young women, and young men
who are victims of Liberias
soaring unemployment, and
continued economic woes.
As the morning progressed, the
streets began to swell with more
and more arriving vendors until
the 10am sunshine made them
look like a wavy collection of
colored bubbling water in the
distance.
Among them, in the hot bustling
streets of Monrovia, Michael
Tiani, a father of fve, skillfully
wheeled his oil painted barrow,
flled with sealed-off plastic bags
of water.
Desperately trying to seek out
a living, he jostled for traffc
among the other noisy vendors
that graces the commercial
district of Liberias capital city.
After repeatedly shouting
water, water for more than
three blocks, he abruptly
brought his wheelbarrow to a
halt, and paused miserably on
the pavement to ponder his next
move.
As channels of perspiration
rolled down his darkened face,
he wipes it away with the back
of his left hand, sighs heavily,
and showed a graphic look
of frustration, which eerily
complimented the already
existent signs of hopelessness
that was lingering in his eyes.
With his hands akimbo, he began
to murmur at the fact that after
more than two hours in the
bristling sun, he was not able to
sell nothing more than a single
packet of water, that had raked in
a mere 25 cents.
As his frustrated murmuring
grew, two other roadside vendors
instinctively blended in with
him, and gradually began to
pour a seemingly unifed range
of criticisms against the Sirleafs
administration that is governing
Liberia.
With real jobs currently
almost non-existent in the
country, compounded by the
Governments failure to actually
create a qualifed workforce,
roadside vending seems to be
the only career feld for these
struggling Liberians.
But while vending may be the
order of the day, a reality check
has revealed that Monrovia is
practically overrun by more
sellers than buyers, since most of
the citizenry has effectively lost
any real spending power.
Ravaged by more than a
combined decade of two civil
wars, many Liberians had
initially casted their hope in the
United Party Government that is
led by President Ellen Johnson-
Sirleaf, after the unceremonial
departure of former President
Charles Taylor.
But after almost close to a decade
in power, her government was
obviously unable to stop Liberia
from becoming the second
poorest country in the world,
according to most publications.
Others have however since
labeled Liberia as the fourth
poorest, and even the poorest
country in the world, in other
instances.
This has since led most Liberians
and sections of the international
community to believe that the
current Government has allowed
itself to become overwhelmed by
rampant corruption, nepotism,
under hand dealings, and
fnancial plundering.
In their view, Liberians are now
economically worst off when
compared to the tenure of Taylor
or his predecessors.
While Pres. Ellen Johnson-
Sirleaf was able to successfully
maintain a well polished image
on the international scene;
taking a walk in the streets of
Monrovia, and listening to the
views of the average Liberian,
seems to tell an entirely different
story, while providing an image
that is somewhat contrary to the
way she is seen abroad.
Accused of corruptly offering up
ministerial and other key state
positions to dozens of her family
members, undignifed cronies
and a well guarded cabal, locals
are amused that President Sirleaf
was able to mismanage the
impoverished West African State
almost without any challenge
from the political opposition.
To make matters worse, it is
widely rumoured in Liberia that
key members of the opposition
are probably silent because
their hands were most likely
greased with money from the
government.
But while their silence seems
obvious, and the signs of poverty
is almost clearly visible to the
naked eyes, some opposition
supporters and members of
the government are strongly
disputing the existence of
corruption in Liberia at the scale
that is being described by most
locals.
However, the vendors on the
streets of Monrovia told this
publication that like Michael and
his struggles with his oil painted
wheelbarrow, their experiences
are genuinely much the same.
As such, they are sticking to
their stories, and are desperately
hoping for a democratic change
of better leadership, when they
go to the polls in 2017.
Dennis Adonis is a Contributing
Writer on Information
Technology at The Epoch
Times, Yahoo.com, Huffngton
Post, and CNN. He is the Author
of 19 books covering technology
topics, children educational
topics, academic literature,
poetry, political fction, non
fction, and romance.

DUAL CITIZENSHIP HANGS OVER GEORGE
M. WEAH AND ROBERT SIRLEAF..
F
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PAGE
POLITICS
T
he Executive Director
for the Patriotic Alliance
of Liberia (PAL), Mr.
Korva M. Jorgbor
conducted a research and observed
that during the 2005 general and
presidential election, the issue of
dual citizenship row hangs over
the former standard bearer of the
Congress for Democratic Change
(CDC), George MannehWeah
who is now a senatorial aspirant
for Montserrado County. The
issue of the dual citizenship was
compromised by Cllr. Frances
Johnson-Morris, the former
Chairperson of the National
Election Commission (NEC).
Today, the dual citizenship has
resurface over senatorial aspirant
forMontserrado County Mr.
George M. Weah and that of
the son of the President of the
Republic of Liberia, Mr. Robert
A. Sirleaf who also a Senatorial
aspirant forMontserrado County.
This time around, the issue of
dual citizenship should not be
compromise by the National
Election Commission (NEC).
In 2005, political analysts argued
that being in possession of US
permanent residency status does
not automatically disqualify
anyone from seeking the
presidency in Liberia. But the law
or constitution of Liberia does not
allow dual citizenship.
According to Mr. Jorgbor, the
Patriotic Alliance of Liberia
(PAL) analyzed the activities of
Mr. George M. Weah since his
involvement in national politics.
The Executive Director saidMr.
Weah frst involvement in national
politics was in 2005 where he
contested for the nation highest
seat which is the presidency.
In 2011, GrorgrWeah reduced
himself as a running mate or Vice
Presidential Candidate to Cllr.
Winston Tubman on the ticket
of the Congress for Democratic
Change (CDC).
Today, George Weahis a
senatorial aspirantcontestingfor
the senatorial set in Montserrado
County against Mr. Robert A.
Sirleaf who isthe son of the
President, Senator Joyce Musu
Freeman and other powerful sons
and daughters of Montserrado
County. Our questions are: if
George Weah loses the senatorial
seat for Montserrado County in
2014, what will be the faith of Mr.
Weah? Will not Mr. Weah contest
for the Representative Position in
Grand Gedeah norMontserrado
Counties comes 2017?Will
George Weah still contest for the
presidency comes 2017? Then,
what will be the judgment of
the partisans of the Congress for
Democratic Change (CDC)? The
reason PAL asked all of these
questions is because Mr. Weah
is noted for taking steps behind
when it comes to electoral process
or processes.
Mr. Jorgbor said after observing
the debility of Mr. Weahpolitical
activities from 2005 to present;
PAL believesthat George Weah
is not qualifed to serve either
of the positions: President,
Vice President, Senator,
Representative, Superintendent,
Commissioner, City Mayor and
Paramount Chief. Rather Mr.
George Weah is qualifed to serve
as Clan Chief, reason being that
he will be graded by the elders of
that clan.
According to the FrontPage
Robert A. Sirleaf said my father
was born and raised in Liberia
and died as a Liberian citizen,
my mother was born and raised in
Liberia and is a Liberian citizen.
I was born and raised in Liberia
and I am a Liberian citizen by
birth, by birthright, all the rights;
voting registration card, passport,
traveled on such a passport.
PAL differs with Robert Sirleaf;
our investigation reveals that
President Sirleafhas been in
possession of U.S permanent
residency or green card before
2005 presidential and general
election. This indicate that
President Sirleaf have a dual
citizenship which is against
the constitution of Liberia. Mr.
Sirleafsaid he was born and
raised in Liberia which we cannot
argue. Our argument is, if Mr.
Sirleaf has two passports in his
possession as citizens of the both
countries (Liberia and America),
this indicate that he has dual
citizenship and it is against the
constitution of Liberia.
The issue of dual citizenship was
compromised bythe National
Election Commission (NEC)
former Chairperson Cllr. Frances
Johnson-Morris in 2015, wish
PAL believe that it was a complete
violation of the Liberian law.
Patriotic Alliance of Liberia (PAL)
is calling on the government of
Liberia to investigate the dual
citizenship issue that is hanging
over Mr. Robert A.Sirleaf and
Mr. George M. Weah. We are also
calling on the National Election
Commission (NEC) not to
compromise the issue of the Dual
Citizenship because it is against
the laws of Liberia.
PAL is calls on Liberiansnot to
vote on the bases of favoritism
and party affliation but rather
vote rightly in order to transform
mama Liberia.
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014 Page 17

DEPUTY POLICE BOSS ORDERS JOURNALISTs
OUT OF LNP HEADQUARTER
F
RONT
PAGE
NEWS EXTRA
Concessions Working Group
International Alert Building
Fish Market, Tubman Boulevard
Monrovia, Liberia
Email: info@trustafrica.org
Telephone: +231 886 528619/ +231 886 534825
PRESS RELEASE
The Concessions Working Group, a coalition of
international and local organizations working on
natural resources governance issues in Liberia, takes
urgent note of the recent protest and violence in Nimba
County which targeted the Arcelor-Mittal concession
area.
While we are alarmed at the violence, looting and loss
of valuable property, we also urge the Government
of Liberia to take an equivalent appreciation of the
underlining causal factors that spurred this protest
which can potentially initiate other protests across
Liberia.
We also advise the Government of Liberia to ensure
a speedy trial and due process to those persons
charged in connection with the Nimba Protest void of
recriminations or guilt by association.
At this point, it is very important to underscore that
the utilization of County Social Development Funds
is governed by law and as such its application is
predetermined and should not be expensed without
due course to its primary intention-the benefts of local
community dwellers.
We like to remind all concerned that the natural resources
and concessions sector is very delicate especially
since it relates to the livelihood and property rights of
poor affected communities. The violence in Nimba is
symptomatic of brewing grievances from Cape Mount to
Cape Palmas. We are increasingly noting communities
discontent across several counties and it is critical
that the Government of Liberia devises a suitable
platform of dialogue that involves local communities,
concessionaires, civil society and national government
in order to de-escalate tensions, redress communities
concerns and avoid the repetition of violence.
In the coming weeks, the Concessions Working
Group will undertake a fact-fnding mission to Nimba
County to assess frsthand the local situation and will
subsequently release a comprehensive position paper
on violent protest that occurred in Nimba.
J
ournalists who were from various media institutions that were invited to attend a press conference
at the Headquarters of the Liberia National Police resolved to boycott the conference when one of
their members was ordered out of the LNP headquarter Thursday.
The New Democrat Newspaper Reporter Boima J.V. Boima was ordered out of the press conference
following an exchange with Deputy Police boss Abraham Kromah who claimed that Boima was in the
habit of going over radio to say all sorts of rubbish about him.
I am very surprise to see you at this police station, I dont expect to see you in here because of your
constant habit of going over air and saying all sorts of nonsense about me, if I have my own way you will
not cover this press conference said Kromah.
In response to the Deputy Police boss remark Boima who is also Secretary of the Reporters Association of
Liberia (RAL) replied and said that he was doing his job.
I have no regret for what I said on air, I was doing my job.
Few minutes after the bitter exchanges between the Deputy Police boss Kromah and Boima an order was
issued by the Deputy Director Kromah through the Director of Press of the LNP Sam Collins to ask Boima
out of the press conference which he did.
In a bid to have the order enforced the incident sparked the intervention of the President of the Reporters
Association of Liberia Keith Morris also reporter of the Daily Observer Newspaper.
According to Keith the action taken by the Deputy Director Kromah to personally order a journalist out
of a public function because of some difference was very wrong.
I believe if the Deputy Director did not want Boima to cover this press conference all he should have
done is to contact his offce for redress and not personally asked him out said Keith Morris.
Keith furthered that asking Boima out of the press conference automatically means asking the entire
journalists out of the press conference and called on journalists attending the press conference to boycott
the process because of the action meted against Journalist Boima J.V. Boima which the Journalists did.
Out side of the Police Headquarters, Keith in a brief press conference stated the action taken against
Journalist Boima by the Deputy Police boss is a complete disrespect to the entire media landscape in the
country.
He stated that the association will be fling in formal complaint to the hierarchy of the LNP though the
LNP is noted for not investigating properly issues that have to do with police inhumane action against
Journalists and citing the fogging of Journalist Papee Kollie of the Women Democratic Radio by police
offcers where police investigation adjudged Papee of wrong doing.
The whole issue of police offcers going after Journalists is based on the media continuous role in
exposing unbecoming behaviors of police offcers said Keith.
The fallout between Journalist Boima and that of Deputy Police boss Kromah had come about after
Journalist Boima had taken the airwave to condemn the arrest of the publisher of the Nation Times
Newspaper Octavian Williams on order of Deputy Police Director Kromah early this month.
Journalist Williams was arrested by the police jailed for four days and charged with simple assault and
traffc violation for riding a vehicle with foreign license plate when several other vehicles plied the streets
of Monrovia unnoticed by the police with foreign plates.
Journalist Williams had since pay the fne of US$75 into government coffer while awaits prosecution for
the simple assault case levied by the Liberia National Police.
POLICE FALLOUT
Kennedy L. Yangian kennedylyangian @frontpageafrica.com
077296781

Page 18 |
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014
IN BRIEF
SUDAN 'APOSTASY'
WOMAN MERIAM YAHIA
IBRAHIM MEETS POPE
MH17 CRASH: MORE
BODIES TRANSFERRED
TO NETHERLANDS
GAZA UN SCHOOL SHELTER
HIT, 'KILLING 15'

A
Sudanese woman
who fed to Italy
after being spared
a death sentence for
renouncing Islam has met the
Pope.
Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag
few to Rome with her family
after more than a month in the
US embassy in Khartoum.
There was global
condemnation when she was
sentenced to hang for apostasy
by a Sudanese court.
Mrs Ibrahim's father is Muslim
so according to Sudan's
version of Islamic law she
is also Muslim and cannot
convert.
She was raised by her Christian
mother and says she has never
been Muslim.
Welcoming her at the airport,
Italy's Prime Minister Matteo
Renzi said: "Today is a day of
celebration."
A
t least 15 people were
killed and more than
200 injured when a
UN-run school used as
a shelter in Gaza came under fre,
Gazan health offcials say.
Palestinian families were in the
school in Beit Hanoun, feeing
Israel's offensive against Hamas
militants.
In the past 16 days of fghting,
more than 750 Palestinians and 33
Israelis have been killed, offcials
say.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal told
the BBC he wants a ceasefre and
end to Israel's blockade as soon as
possible.
T
wo transport planes
carrying bodies and
remains of those killed
on board Malaysia
Airlines fight MH17 have landed
in the Netherlands.
The planes transported 51 bags
containing bodies or body parts
from Ukraine on Thursday,
offcials say.
The Netherlands received 40
bodies on Wednesday, and has
now begun the long process of
identifying remains.
Pro-Russian rebels have been
widely accused of shooting down
the plane, killing all 298 people on
board.
The post-crash operation has
become a multinational effort: the
Dutch are leading the investigation;
UK experts are examining data
from the two fight recorders; and
Australia has offered police help to
secure the crash site.

(CNN) --
A
doctor who has
played a key role in
fghting the Ebola
outbreak in Sierra
Leone is infected with the
disease, according to that
country's Ministry of Health.
Dr. Sheik Humarr Khan is being
treated by the French aid group
Medicins Sans Frontieres --
also known as Doctors Without
Borders -- in Kailahun, Sierra
Leone, Tim Shenk, an agency
spokesman, told CNN.
Until falling ill, Khan had been
overseeing Ebola treatment
and isolation units at Kenema
Government Hospital, about
185 miles east of the capital
Freetown.
Citing patient confdentiality,
Shenk declined to provide
additional details about Khan's
condition.
The Ministry of Health took to
Facebook to deny reports the
doctor had died.
The ministry "wishes the general
public and all partners working
in the healthcare sector to know
that Dr. (Shiek) Umar Khan
is still alive and responding
to treatment contrary to social
media report of his demise,"
according to a Facebook post.
Sanjay Gupta: 'It only took
moments'
Sierra Leone has had 427
confrmed cases of Ebola and
144 deaths, according to fgures
released Wednesday by the
health ministry.
That puts it, along with Guinea,
at the center of an outbreak of
the virus that has steadily spread
through western Africa since it
began earlier this year. More than
1,000 people have contracted
Ebola in Sierra Leone, Guinea
and Liberia, according to the
CHIEF EBOLA DOCTOR
OVERSEEING CASES IN SIERRA
LEONE CONTRACTS THE VIRUS

F
RONT
PAGE
WORLD NEWS
ALGERIA AIRLINER FEARED CRASHED
ON FLIGHT FROM BURKINA FASO
T
he BBC's Alex Duval-
Smith in Mali says
there was "very bad
weather" in the area, as
well as "armed groups"
A passenger plane carrying 116
people is feared to have crashed
on a fight from Burkina Faso to
the Algerian capital Algiers.
Contact with the Air Algerie
fight was lost over the Sahara as
it crossed Mali in bad weather,
offcials said.
French Foreign Minister Laurent
Fabius said the plane, which
has 51 French citizens aboard,
"probably crashed".
French media reported that
soldiers had found wreckage in
Tilemsi, central Mali, but this
was not confrmed.
Reuters quoted Mali's President
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita as
saying that wreckage had been
found much further east, between
Aguelhoc and Kidal.
Contact with Flight AH 5017,
chartered from Spanish airline
Swiftair, was lost about 50
minutes after take-off from
Ouagadougou, Air Algerie said.
The pilot had contacted Niger's
control tower in Niamey to
change course because of a
sandstorm, offcials say.
BBC West Africa correspondent
Thomas Fessy says the route is
well used by French travellers.
Air Algerie spokesperson
Houari Zuhair confrms "contact
was lost"
Speaking in Paris, Mr Fabius
said: "Despite intensive search
efforts no trace of the aircraft
has yet been found. The plane
probably crashed."
He said two French Mirage
fghter planes were scouring the
area.
French President Francois
Hollande cancelled a planned
visit overseas and said every
effort was being made to fnd the
plane.


World Health Organization.
Ebola typically kills 90% of
those infected, but the death rate
in this outbreak has dropped
to roughly 60% thanks to early
treatment.
What is Ebola, and why does it
kill?
Offcials believe that the Ebola
outbreak has taken such a
strong hold in West Africa due
to the proximity of the jungle --
where the virus originated -- to
Conakry, which has a population
of 2 million. Since symptoms
don't immediately appear, the
virus can easily spread as people
travel around the region. Once
the virus takes hold, many
die in an average of 10 days
as the blood fails to clot and
hemorrhaging occurs.
The disease isn't contagious until
symptoms appear. Symptoms
include fever, headache and
fatigue. At that point, the Ebola
virus is spread via bodily fuids.
Get the fast facts on Ebola
Health workers are at especially
high risk, since they are in close
contact with infected people and
their bodily fuids. Adding to the
danger, in the initial stages of
infection doctors may mistake
an Ebola infection for another,
milder illness.
Aside from his work on Ebola,
Khan also serves as the lead
physician of the hospital's Lassa
Fever Program, another fearsome
tropical disease. The hospital's
offcial biography page states
Khan took on that job when his
predecessor died of Lassa Fever.
"The search will take as long as
needed," he told reporters.
Earlier, an Algerian offcial
told Reuters that the plane had
crashed, but gave no further
details.
France's civil aviation body said
crisis centres had been set up at
airports in Paris and Marseille.
Burkina Faso authorities said
the passenger list comprised
27 people from Burkina Faso,
51 French, eight Lebanese,
six Algerians, two from
Luxembourg, fve Canadians,
four Germans, one Cameroonian,
one Belgian, one Egyptian,
one Ukrainian, one Swiss, one
Nigerian and one Malian.
The six crew members are
Spanish, according to the
Spanish pilots' union.
A crisis centre has been set up
in Charles de Gaulle airport near
Paris
The passenger plane had taken
off from Ouagadougou airport in
Burkina Faso
UN troops in Mali say they
understand the plane came down
between Gao and Tessalit, the
BBC's Alex Duval Smith in the
Malian capital Bamako reports.
She says the search area is vast,
with few roads, and there is
rebel activity. Added to that,
sandstorms make visibility in the
Sahara poor for at least a day, she
adds.
"In keeping with procedures,
Air Algerie has launched its
emergency plan," Air Algerie
offcials, quoted by APS news
agency (in French), said.
The BBC's Alex Duval Smith
reports on the sandstorms which
have been affecting the area
where the plane disappeared
Algerian Prime Minister
Abdelmalek Sellal reportedly
told Algerian radio: "The plane
disappeared at Gao (in Mali),
500km (300 miles) from the
Algerian border."
Burkina Faso Transport Minister
Jean Bertin Ouedraogo said the
plane sent its last message at
around 01:30 GMT, asking air
traffc controllers in Niger to
change its route because of bad
weather.

In a statement (in Spanish),
Swiftair said that the aircraft
was a McDonnell Douglas MD-
83 and that they were unable to
establish contact with it.
An Algerian offcial had
previously told Reuters that the
plane was an Airbus A320.
An unnamed Air Algerie
company source, speaking to
AFP news agency, said: "The
plane was not far from the
Algerian frontier when the crew
was asked to make a detour
because of poor visibility and to
prevent the risk of collision with
another aircraft on the Algiers-
Bamako route."
"Contact was lost after the
change of course."
Flight AH 5017 fies the
Ouagadougou-Algiers route four
times a week, AFP reported.
Frontpage
Friday, July 25, 2014 Page 19
Sports
SPORTS
TIME WAS RIGHT TO
SELL SUAREZ, ADMITS
LIVERPOOL OWNER
JOHN W HENRY
BARCA CHANCE HAS COME A
LITTLE LATE - MATHIEU
SWANSEA CITY OUTCAST POZUELO
MAKES VALLECANO SWITCH


T
he Anfeld chief says
this summer was the
right moment for
both player and club
"to make a break" but insists
Brendan Rodgers' attack will
remain "explosive" without the
striker
Liverpool owner John W
Henry believes this summer
was the right time to sell Luis
Suarez to Barcelona.
The 27-year-old, whose 31
goals helped Liverpool fnish
second in the Premier League
last season, joined the Spanish
club in a 88 million deal
earlier this month.
Suarez is currently serving a
four-month ban for biting Italy
defender Giorgio Chiellini
during Uruguay's World Cup
fxture on June 19.
But despite Suarez's departure,
Henry believes that Liverpool's
attack will remain "explosive"
next term.
T
he defender was unveiled
at Camp Nou on
Thursday and revealed
that Luis Enrique has had
the move in mind for several weeks
Jeremy Mathieu revealed that he
feels his move to Barcelona is
a "reward" for his whole career,
although that it has come a few
years later than he might have
wished.
The 30-year-old has signed a four-
year deal with the option of an
additional season, with Valencia
reluctantly agreeing to sell one of
their prized assets for 20 million.
"Joining Barca is a reward for my
whole career," he told the media
at his unveiling. "I worked very
hard to get here. The chance comes
maybe a bit late, but I'll enjoy it.
T
he 22-year-old arrived
at the Liberty Stadium
from Real Betis last
summer but struggled
for consistency at the Liberty
Stadium, scoring two goals in 36
appearances
Alejandro Pozuelo has departed
Swansea City after just one season,
leaving the club to join Spanish
side Rayo Vallecano.
The Premier League team
confrmed on Thursday that the
22-year-old attacking midfelder
has returned to his homeland,
moving to Rayo for an undisclosed
fee.
Pozuelo joined Swansea from Real
Betis on a three-year contract in
July last year, but struggled for
consistency in his only season at
the Liberty Stadium, scoring two
goals in 36 appearances.
BALE: I WANT TO IMPROVE EVERYTHING NEXT SEASON
A. Macaulay Sombai, Sombai121@gmail.com 0777217428
MAKING DIFFERENCE
Inspiring Basketball Talent Dreaming Big

O
ne of the youngest
and experienced
basketball players
in the Liberian
National League has told
FrontPageAfrica that his main
focus in the game now is to
help make the difference for
his side.
Leerod O. Merchant who is a
small forward player presently
plays for Liberia Basketball
Association (LBA) second
division side Uhuru Prince
and said he believes as a small
forward player he will help
make the difference for which
ever team he is to play for in
the coming 2014/2015 LBA
league season.
A small forward player is a
player who usually penetrates
his opponents defense and
makes basket.
Merchant emphasized that in
order to accomplish his aim
he needs to increase his speed
on the ball which he said can
be done through intensive
training.
The player acknowledged that
he has for the past fve to six
years played in the LBA league
and he thinks it is now time for
him to take a new direction in
order to be counted among the
best players in the country and
on the continent of Africa.
When I say new direction
I mean to increase my ball
possession and my agility on
the ball because as a player
you need to have these two
qualities in order to be able to
help score the needed points
for your side.
He said intensive training is the
hallmark for every athlete who
wishes to be counted among
the best in every competition
so he has already increased his
training.
In order to make my dream
come to reality, I have begun
a serious intensive training and
I am going to continue such
training until the resumption
of the next LBA league season
so that I will be able to really
make the difference for my
team against our opponents.
The player confrmed that
he is to play for Invincible
Eleven (IE) Majestic Sports
Association basketball squad
during the next LBA league
season.
He added that offcials of IE
have been in serious talk with
him and if that deal comes to
reality it will be his frst time
playing for a senior basketball
team in his career.
I know very well as an athlete
to play in the frst division stage
of every sporting competition
you need to be physically
strong in order to be successful
in your career and I know that
stage of the LBA league is the
most competitive stage so, I
am indeed preparing for the
challenges to come.
The small forward scored 13
points for his side during the
just ended 2014 season and
he contributed immensely to
Uhuru squad that reached the
semifnal of the league.
Merchant 19, started his
basketball career at the age of
11 in 2006 at the Young Men
Christian Association (YMCA)
Headquarters basketball
court on Crown Hill, Broad
Street where he intensifed
his training until he was able
to justify his inclusion on the
senior high quad of his former
school Sinkor AGM where
he served as captain until he
graduated and won the Inter
School Sports Association
(ISSA) Most Valuable Player
award during the 2011/2012
school year.
As a determined player,
Merchant joined LBA third
division side Cardinals in
2011 where he played for two
seasons before he signed for
his current team Uhuru Prince.
He is presently part of the
African Methodist Episcopal
AME University basketball
squad.
Merchant paid tribute to
his parents through whom
instrumentality he said he has
reached thus far in the game
and pray that he will improve
than ever before.
T
he Real Madrid
star says he wants
a greater goal and
assist tally next term
after admitting to fnding his
initial time in Spain "diffcult"
Real Madrid forward Gareth
Bale says he wants to
improve every aspect of his
performances in his second
season in Spain.
Bale struggled initially for
form and ftness after missing
much of pre-season following
his world record 100 million
move from Tottenham last
summer, though he went
on to develop a devastating
understanding with fellow
attackers Cristiano Ronaldo
and Karim Benzema.
Yet despite scoring in both
the fnals of the Copa del Rey
and Champions League, the
25-year-old thinks there is a lot
more he can give on the pitch.
"I want to improve every
season: give more assists, score
more goals, I want to improve
everything," said Bale at a
press conference in California.
"It was disappointing not being
in the World Cup, but I had a
seven-week break and I could
do a full pre-season.
"My adaptation last year was
hard because I had no pre-
season. This season I feel I
am training well. We hope the
preparation will help us all to
achieve the goals this season.
"When you frst arrive it is
diffcult. But many of the
players speak English and this
has been very helpful to me. It
was all a huge change. It took a
little time, but over time I have
found it very comfortable."
Bale also dismissed suggestions
that the players are under more
pressure after their cup double
last season.
"It's an exciting time when you
are the best team in Europe,"
said the Wales star.
"I do not know if there will
be more pressure this season,
but every member of this team
wants to win everything. We
are more hungry than ever.
We also want to retain our
Champions League title.
"The fact is that we have a
great spirit in the team, we help
outside and inside the club. It is
diffcult to repeat the challenge
of winning the Champions
League, but we hope to repeat
it."
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PRICE L$40 VOL 8 NO.644 FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014