UL RESUMPTION FIASCO University Of Liberia Reopens But

Lecturers Abandon Classes

Education 12 TOP STORIES

ADVANCING THE LIBERIAN DREAM Interview With Michael

Interview

pg 8&9

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com
VOL 8 NO.518 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

Sio Wotorson, Chairman And Ceo Of The National Investment Commission

BUYING TUESDAY, JANUARY 14 , 2014 MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014 TUESDAY, JANUARY 21 , 2014 L$85.00/US$1 L$86.00/US$1 L$86.00/US$1

SELLING L$86.00/US$1 L$87.00 /US$1 L$87.00/US$1

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.

NO NEED TO PANIC
AS LIBERIAS ECONOMIC CRISIS DEEPENS, FINANCE MINISTER SAYS

PRICE L$40

Inflation is not out of Controlthe depreciation of the Liberian dollar to its counterpart is because the Central Bank has pumped in eight billion Liberian dollars into the countrys Economy. Legislative beat Pg.7

See PG 2

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VOL 8 NO.518

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014

Sports

PRICE L$40

PROBLEM?
See PG 11

FOOTBALLERS #1 OFF THE FIELD

Manchester City star Alex Nimely charged over 3-car drink-drive smash

UNPARALLELED RESEMBLANCE E. J. Roye Vs New CBL Building

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Spot News
T
Monroviahe new Central Bank of Liberia building rising through the skylines of Monrovia glows from Broad and other adjacent streets. A visitor who is visiting Liberia after many years away noticed a startling resemblance from the Gabriel Tucker Bridge. She suddenly exclaimed: What lovely structure sitting alongside the grand old True Wig Party building! The taxi driver who was taking the visitor around seemed untouched by the sudden exclamation by the stranger to Monrovia and replied: They really need to take that building from near that good, good building oldma, he told the lady. Why do you say that? She asked and he replied: Ma, the whole country is developing only this old building standing here with more Mortar. Ever since the war finish the government cant fix it. Unabashed by the drivers loss of respect for the building, the visitor said to him: That building holds a lot of our good architecture and history. The clash between the two personalities puts in a nutshell how Liberians feel about the True Wig Party building named after President E.J. Roye. With the CBL new home rising above and alongside it, it is now time to create a national debate about the relevance of the grand old structure.

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Wednesday, January 22 , 2014

olitical rivalry returns to the pools in river Gee County when the senatorial election kicks off later this year. New names continue to emerge in the pending senatorial election in nearly all the 15 counties in Liberia but the South eastern River Gee County is a more different as the key figures lining their political bid are old faces that have all met at the polls in the past. The current five individuals who are publicly known to be contesting the pending election are individuals who are politically familiar with each other as they have met at the ballot box on at least one or two occasions. After contesting more than once, Commany B. Wesseh, Jonathan B. Sogbie, Nathaniel J. Williams will be joined by debutant Daniel Johnson and familiar foe Nyepan Saytue at the polls when they woo voters into electing them to fill the void to be created by the expiration of the constitutional term of Senator Frederick D. Cherue. River Gee is located in the southern eastern region of Liberia. It is one of 15 counties that comprise the firstlevel of administrative division and has six districts. Fish Town serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring 5,113 square kilometres (1,974 sq mi). As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 66,789, making it the third least populous county in Liberia. Tenth largest in size, it is bordered by Sinoe County to the west, Grand Gedeh County to the north, and Grand Kru and Maryland counties to the south. The eastern part of River Gee borders the nation of Ivory Coast along the Cavalla River. Created in 2000, the current County Superintendent is Daniel Johnson. River Gee split from Grand Gedeh County in May 2000 after receiving approval from Liberia's House of

Representatives in May 1997 and Senate approval in March 2000. On the east of the county is the Cavalla River that forms Liberia's border with the Ivory Coast. Prior to the 2008 Census, River Gee had an estimated population of 74,800, including thousands of people who fled to Liberia following conflict in the Ivory Coast during 2002. About 92% of the county's inhabitants derive the majority of their income from agricultural production. Rice is the principal crop in River Gee, accounting for approximately 60% of the county's production according to UN estimates. Other important crops include cassava and bananas. As familiar foes face off again in one of the least populated and underdeveloped counties in Liberia, FrontPageAfrica now looks at the challenges the candidates are expected to face and what are their likely chances in the plebiscite. Incumbent Frederick Cherue Out? Cherue the incumbent won the 2005 senatorial election as the senator in the upper category as he won 7,490 out of total valid votes of 28,198 votes representing 26.9%. There are indications that Senator Cherue might not be contesting the pending election but when contacted, to confirm his political interest, Senator Cherue said Those suppose to know I am contesting will get to know. Commany Wesseh Third Time Around Challenges: Wesseh has been in government for years holding key positions including Liberia's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the European Union (EU) in 2009 and currently serving as Minister of State without portfolio. Wesseh had contested the senatorial election on two occasions in 2005 and 2009 by-election, losing out on both occasions. He has been a key member of the President led regime and has attracted scores of Government officials

on his campaign team including President Sirleaf who during the runoff election after the death of Senator Isaac Johnson campaigned for Wesseh in the county. Even Sirleafs presence on Wesseh campaign could not help him in the process as he was defeated by Nathaniel Williams. In 2009 River Gee County by-election Wesseh managed 1,528 votes out of total valid votes of 6,829 representing 23.7% coming second to Nathaniel J.

see page 3

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

RENEWED RIVALRY-FAMILIAR FOES FACEOFF IN RIVER GEE AGAIN

the senate sear. The delegates claimed that the River Gee County Superintendent is their only choice of candidate in the up-coming 2014 Senatorial race. The delegates explained that the selection of Superintendent Johnson to contest the 2014 Election is based primarily on his persistent leadership and practical efforts to support grass-roots economic empowerment that would enable their families overcome the long prevailing adverse condition of hunger and poverty. The group indicated at the time that over 80% of the population in River Gee County survive and support their families on subsistence farming and that the River Gee Superintendent has been engaged in active farming since he is also a farmer who enjoys cultivating Rice, Cocoa and Rubber. Johnson has high hope based on his closeness to the electorates where he can easily sue his position to begin early campaigning. Nathaniel Williams Challenges: Williams served as Senator of the county from 2009 until the 2011 election. His short spell at the Capitol from 2009 to 2011 was marred by controversies as he on many occasions went at loggerheads with some citizens of River gee County. Upon taking office, Williams made headways when he pledged portion of his income to the citizens of the county mainly teachers and others. But he later described some citizens hailing from the County as beggars when he said citizens residing in Monrovia hailing from the county were in the constant habit of begging him for handouts. This made Williams unpopular in some segments of the county and might have contributed greatly to his defeat in 2011. He is a tough talking individual and does not mince his words when making public comments and this could count against him at the polls. Chances: Williams had contested on three occasions winning once; in 2005. He contested in the 2005 senatorial election managing a disappointing 1,674 votes out of total valid votes of 28,198 winning just 6.0% of the votes. Again during a by-election in 2009 he contested the senatorial seat this time becoming victorious with 3,498 votes out of total valid votes of 6,832 representing 52.8% defeating his runoff rival Commany Wesseh. Williams contested the 2011 elections where he was defeated managing third spot behind eventual winner Matthew Jaye and Jonathan B. Sogbie. He managed 3,892 votes out of the total valid votes of 17,802 representing 21.9%. Williams will be confident that he can go back to the Capitol come the mid-term election based on the fact that he is known in the county. He was one of the runners for the creation of the county during the regime of former

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Williams of the Liberia Destiny party. Wesseh is seen in River Gee as an elite candidate who is not closer to the common people. According to many, Wesseh despite his long years of service in government holding high profile positions has done nothing significant in the county. He is believed to be a candidate who is seen in the county during electioneering period. Chances: Wesseh will rely on the financial potency of the ruling Unity Party during the senatorial election. Like previous election he contested, the Unity Party lent him huge support with the presence of president Sirleaf paying a huge part. This time around, a high profile and informed individual from River Gee listed Wesseh as a lead candidate in the pending election. He will be one of the candidates financially capable of running a big political campaign. Daniel Johnson From Montserrado to River Gee Challenges: Johnson once contested in Montserrado County during a senatorial by-election where he accumulated 1,244 votes out of total valid votes of 97,306 representing 0.7% Following his failed senatorial bid for Montserrado, Johnson has now turned his attention to his native River Gee. Johnson is the current Superintendent of the county and has been at some difference with some citizens of the county over alleged corruption. A pressure group from River Gee County, The Concerned Youth for Transparency and Accountability (CYTA), in 2011 called for Superintendent Daniel Johnson to give an account of over US 104,000.00 that he allegedly mismanaged According to the group, through its chairman Alfred Q. Choloply Superintendent Daniel Johnson took advantage of the proximity of the county from the nations capital where civil society and whistle blowers effectively monitor acts of impropriety aimed at bringing them to the publics attention by allegedly mismanaging funds from the County development fund. Also Johnson was suspended sometimes ago for one month by the Minister of Internal Affairs for violation of PPCC regulation. Chances: Johnson has been serving as Superintendent since 2010 and is the current superintendent of the county making him one of the three forerunners for to fill the senatorial void. In 2012 he was petitioned by citizens of the county to contest the senatorial elections. Accordingly some 1,428 delegates, at the end of a four-day Consultative Conference, in River Gee County petitioned Johnson for

President Charles Taylor. Jonathan Sogbie Still Hopeful Challenges: Sogbie, a former footballer like George Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change entered politics during a by-election in River Gee County in 2009 as an Independent Candidate. Sogbie managed a third position behind Nathaniel Williams and Commany Wesseh. He secured 1,348 votes out of total valid votes of 6,829 representing 20.9% of the total votes cast. In 2011, Sogbie again contested the senatorial election in the county this time performing remarkably well, managing second spot behind eventual winner Matthew Jaye. He secured 4,286 votes out of total valid votes of

17,802 representing 24.1 % of the votes. His opponent Jaye won 5,924 votes representing 33.3%. Like other candidates Sogbie will face a though competition from other candidates for the single slot. Chances: Judging from the performance of Sogbie in the by-election 2009 where he performed below par as compared to his splendid performance in 2011 where he managed second spot gives him confidence going into the political process. Although he currently works at the National oil Company of Liberia and money should not be much problem but he and other candidates will have to fight a tense race using money and whatever means available for the senate slot. Nyenpan A. Saytue, Sr. Second time around Challenges: Saytue Nyenpan contested the 2005elections on the ticket of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) winning 2,149 votes out of a total of 28,198 valid votes representing 7.7%. Since then Saytue has not tested the politics of River Gee County allowing the 2009 byelection and the 2011 senatorial elections to all pass by. Not much is known about Nyenpans activities outside the politics of River Gee County. Chances: The fact that Nyenpan once contested the senatorial seat for River Gee County makes him a known name in the politics of the county which could help him at the polls. Electorates will be familiar with the name and it could count in his favor.

FrontPage COMMENTARY EDITORIAL MEMO TO THE LEGISLATURE:

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Wednesday, January 22 , 2014

Commentary

UNIFY LIBERIA THROUGH FOOTBALL

County Meet has shown that post-war Liberia can reconcile its people by investing in the global game

SINCE THE Truth and Reconciliation Commission came up with its recommendations, declaring amnesty for children involved in armed conflict; institutional reform to promote good governance and human rights; a national mechanism for traditional dispute resolution; and reparations to communities and individuals who suffered in the war, Liberians and the international community are still lost for words over whether the TRC fulfilled its mandate and whether the government of the day has done enough to implemented the findings of the TRC. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN has been the committees recommendation that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf be barred from public office for 30 years once her presidential term runs out in 2011, because she failed to express remorse for her support for Charles Taylor now on trial for war crimes in the late 1980s. Sirleaf, like many politicians at the time, supported Taylor in opposition to former President Samuel Does regime, and has been open about this support in her memoirs. Taylor has been tried by the Special Court for Sierra Leone for 11 counts of war crimes that he allegedly masterminded Sierra Leones 11-year war. SOME INTERNATIONAL observers, including the United Nations have suggested that it is almost impossible to attain peace overnight in a nation which experienced strife and conflict for almost two decades. Durable peace and reconciliation cannot take place in weeks or months, perhaps not even in a few years, said Mr.Aeneas Chuma, the UN in Liberias Deputy Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral (Consolidation of Democratic Governance), Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, during the launch of the Liberia Peace and Reconciliation Initiative last year. FOR CHUMAH, reconciliation is a painstaking task and process that will probably take a generation to accomplish, if not more. Yet, durable peace, reconciliation and social cohesion are essential in order to prevent a return to conflict, which nobody wants; they are also essential in order for the nation to be able to arrest the major drivers of conflict and war over the years, such as social exclusion, resourcebased disputes, negative ethnicity, among others. WHILE MANY appear to have given up on the quest for peace, it seems everyone is overlooking the power of perhaps the most important unifying tool this administration continues to take for granted and one which could relieve Liberia from the headaches and challenges of unify its people. THIS BRINGS us to the euphoria of this years County Meet which has seen residents from the fifteen political sub-divisions display unity while competing for the top prize. THE COMPETITION HAS shown that the beautiful game has the formula the politicking has so far failed to explore. LIBERIA WAS powerhouse during the era of Samuel Doe, a descendant of the Krahn ethnic group who came to power on April 12, 1980 and, ended more than a decade of Americo-Liberian rule. DOE SAW AN OPENING and he exploited it. The beautiful game was an opportunity to unify a nation experience a deep divide: Gongau vs. Country. UNDER DOE, the like of George Weah, James Debbah, Joe Nagbe, Kelvin Sebwe and a host of other footballers made their mark on the world stage. Doe ensure that the best talents available spent some time in Brazil to hone their skills, he declared holidays after great victories and most importantly he pumped a lot of money to make football work its magic. TODAY, LIBERIANS are only getting a glimpse of occasional brilliance but still remain far from achieving its desired goal. The national team is once again absent from this years African Cup of Nations and a place in the World Cup remains as elusive as the reconciliation the country now craves. IT IS OUR HOPE THAT the Sirleaf administration will take a page from the book of Samuel Doe and do all it can to unify Liberia through the gifts of the unheralded beautiful game in this part of the world. IT IS NEVER TOO LATE to make a difference but we can begin from here and start the process of reconciliation by investing in sports, particularly football. It has done wonders around the globe and it can similarly do the same for Liberia.

REDISTRIBUTE POWER, NOT MONEY

Ibrahim Al-bakri Nyei, pericle925@yahoo.com, Contributing Writer
practices in the implementation of the extant County Development Fund speak to the fact that dishing out money to sub-national units of government without adequate and rationalized governance arrangements cannot yield the intended outcome of social development. Therefore, the solution to Liberias development challenges begins with empowering the people for local self-governance. This means redistributing power between the overly centralized government and local governments in counties, districts and cities. With the creation of local government structures and the empowerment of local people and their local authorities with political fiscal and administrative powers, one can imagine how local development programs will be accelerated since government will be closer to the people. The fact that the underdevelopment and poverty of most of Liberia became a reality to the Speaker only after a single trip highlights the need for government to be closer to the people before it can appreciate the concerns and needs of the people. Let me turn to other factors that bring development. Again, it is not money that brings development! It is the space and structure given to people in a given society that bring development. Speaking about space here, I mean the opportunity for the people to participate in political and economic decision-making processes through local representatives or directly. By structure, I mean rules and institutions created to foster the aspirations of the people in fair, equitable and transparent manners. One cannot understate the fact that the Liberian people have been deprived functional rules in the discourse of daily life activities. Theft of public resources, unethical and indiscipline attitudes in public places undermine the peoples aspirations for better lives. In short, there is a deficit of public integrity, not money, and because institutions are weak, the rules are not been enforced; therefore, money as abundant as it may be, has been stolen, abused or wasted with impunity. The proposed 73 million will as well be stolen, abused or wasted in the absence of functional rules and institutions at both national and local levels. Finally, I make a case here for the legislature to consider three things that are indispensable to the advancement of any society: disciplined and active people, enforceable rules, and functional institutions. Development is a function of the three, and money is only a facilitator. It is therefore imperative for members of the Legislature to consider a governance arrangement that empowers the people with power for local selfgovernance, and support law enforcement through the strengthening of national and local institutions. With strong national institutions and enforceable laws, a 1 dollar can make meaningful impacts than a 73 million in an environment with dysfunctional institutions and weak laws. In short, the Legislature must support local development by making laws that redistribute power through decentralization and not laws that only share money! Sharing money among 73 electoral districts will facilitate decentralization of corruption and waste of public resources to the advantage of election-freak politicians. In the Cause of Democracy and Social Justice the Pen Shall Never Run Dry

his piece is an initial contribution to the ongoing national discourse on the proposed 73 million dubbed as the Direct District Impact fund. According to the proposal now discussed in the Legislature, this amount will be set aside annually in the national budget for the 73 electoral districts. While the intention to have districts experience impacts of development is laudable, the mechanism of such transfer, the governance arrangement under which such development impact will be made possible, need to precede the disbursement of the fund. This is why progressive forces must critically assess this proposal and tease out workable policy options through debates before it is carried forward. In revealing the plan the Speaker of the House of representative is quoted by FrontPageAfrica as saying when one imagines that Gboe-pole Administrative District in lower Grand Gedeh County has never experienced a motor road, makes this proposal belated, but this is one of the ways or means we believe that the much needed development can reach and impact our people in rural Liberia. What the speaker and his colleagues need to know is that a place like the Gboe-pole Administrative District and many other places that symbolize chronic poverty and underdevelopment in Liberia are not so because of shortage of money. Liberia has never had a shortage of money or the resources needed to generate more money. What Liberia has lacked is progressive leadership. If one argues that we have had some form of leadership, then the current state of underdevelopment and deprivation in places like Gboe-pole and Bomi County, the home of Speaker Tyler and me, are consequences of tragic failure of said leadership. Speaker Tyler and colleagues must devise a strategy to serve the people good leadership from which his sample Gboe-pole and others will have sustainable development. The solution again is not money. Mwalimu Nyerere and others wrote in the Arusha Declaration of 1967 that it is not money that develops a nation, it is the people. People must be led, educated, healthy and mobilized for local self-governance through which all other forms of development can be possible. Learning from peoples power as the source of development as evidenced from history renders the money-bringsdevelopment theory faulty. The next fault with the proposal is that the proposed amount is to fund projects in electoral districts (1 million per district), not statutory and administrative districts. This clearly validates popular assumptions that lawmakers are finding ways of increasing electoral chances in the future, because by allotting money to electoral districts that have no leadership structures, but representatives, makes the said representative the public face of the so-called development impact. This obviously increases the electoral chances of the incumbent lawmaker. This, is in my view is an electoral strategy carved by the current incumbents, which progressive forces must mobilize against by advocating alternative options for local development in Liberia. The experiences with the problems of limited social impact, improper accounting and corrupt procurement

FrontPage

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB

Send your letters and comments to: editor@frontpageafricaonline.com

The Reader's Page

YOU WRITE; WE PUBLISH; THEY READ!
The editor,

Frontpage

Page 5

COMMENTS FROM FPA ONLINE

RISKY SUCCESSION PLAY: THINGS FALLING APART; PRESIDENT SIRLEAF MUST HOLD THE CENTER
PLEEBOCOLLINS25 (SIGNED IN USING YAHOO) This president came to power to enrich her friends and family who had no jobs and were just knocking around in other countries. She does not listen to theeh voice of the people, is arrogant and consistently rewards those who are bringing the country to its knees. She backed Bility (I have faith in him) Gayflor, Do-nothing ohting Etmonai Tarpeh, Mos Sawyer (who drafted the worst constitution in our history but calls himself a governancve expert) and all the other charlatans. Liberia could have risen from the ashes stronger and more transparent but this Harvard graduate loves the attention from the international community and cares less about Liberia. The minute a capable leader comes to power, you will see the difference. Competence over cronyism, intelligence over incompetents, and Liberia above all. ARCHIEBALD WOLLO ARGOSY UNIVERSITY I tell you the truth, I am inspired by the man who was born in a little village, in a cage 2000 years ago and had no access to advance medical treatment and his brothers and vilagers thought that he was a clown. The best leader the world had ever known and will know.I encourage you to read his leadership philosophy in the wonderful book called " The Holy Bible" and how anyone who encounters him never remain the same. He is changing lives and the societies. His name is Jesus the Christ. He is not a religious man as many know him to be. He is King. His message was the Kingdom of God, and not religious sermon. He has inspired me so much that I am becoming a better leader, a better friend, a better citizen and a better father.

BENJAMEN QUAYE UNIVERSITY OF LIBERIA Who cares if the UP falls apart? It is destined to do that anyways? No sane Liberian will elect those bunch of thieves to power unless the elections are stolen. And God bless Liberia if the elections are stolen. We need someone else who will cancel all the 58 concession agreements that were fraudulent and prosecute those that were involved - both the investors and their Liberian collaborators. The President, it seems, never learned the concept "Built to Last" at Harvard.

REPLACING CLETUS WOTORSON: THE SCRAMBLE FOR GRAND KRU COUNTY

Ambrose Taplah University of Liberia Staff Reporter, I have read your article and it appears that you have ignored the strengths of the candidates. By stressing the tribal connections of the candidates, I believe you are narrowing the pros and cons of the contest. Please make it more neutral and decrease the emphasis on tribes for every child from Grand Kru like any other county is the same. We saw the effects of division beginning with tribal alliances and the Liberian people do not want to "walk that walk" again. Citizens of Grand Kru County will support any candidate that will encourage development, listen to the people and be on the side of progress while respecting the elders, customary practices and enduring the peace. Montgomery Saah Strayer University Mr. Taplah, the reporter did not ignore the strengths of the candidates. The staff reporter is only reporting what is happening. The fact remains that Liberian politics rest on tribal, organizational and sectional lines. Liberians, having gone through a senseless and brutal civil war in which war lords like Prince Johnson killed many innocent people, one could not imagine he could win an election in Nimba, had it not been for his tribal affiliation.
The comments expressed here are those of our online readers and bloggers and do no represent the views of FrontPageAfrica

The Editor, I read Rep. Acarous Grays long and usual attack on my person on Facebook because I called him out on his bluff to stage a "BOYCOTT" of the President's Annual Message relative to the issue at the University of Liberia. I only laughed out loud. Now, let me call his "BOYCOTT" bluff out even more, although I expect his usual diatribes in response to these civil discussions. Under the Gyude Bryant administration.... sometime in 2004, the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) decided to purchase hundreds of very expensive CHEROKEE JEEPS for senior public officials, including 76 pieces for each Member of the National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA). This decision ran contrary to public outcry for more and better public buses to ease the transportation hardship on our people. In a bid to side with the public, then Rep. Rufus D. Neufville who was coincidentally your boss at the time (you were his Office Attendant) staged a "BOYCOTT" action. He insisted he wouldn't collect his CHEROKEE JEEP until some buses were purchased for the benefit of the public he served. True to his words, he rejected his CHEROKEE JEEP. This brought some embarrassment to his colleagues in the NTLA and the entire Government. It exposed the Government's insensitivity to the plight of his people. Rep. Neufvilles colleagues could not withstand the shame and embarrassment so they resorted to their usual intimidating and scare tactic. They demanded him to apologize or be "suspended" from the NTLA. Rufus stood his grounds. He was "suspended" from the NTLA for three consecutive months without pay, and his CHEROKEE JEEP remained parked on the grounds of the Capitol Building during the entire period of his "suspension". However, before the expiration of his suspension, the shame and embarrassment of his singular, but very courageous action compelled the NTGL to purchase about ten brand new buses from Africa Motors ease the transportation challenge of the public. For me, this is what we call an impactful and effective "BOYCOTT" action; not the bluff Rep. Gray is putting up for public traction. Gray should not be allowed to sit and wait until he gets to know that a matter such as the UL situation is nearing resolution before shamefully running to announce a "BOYCOTT" so as to give an impression that his BOYCOTT action resulted to, or brought about the solution that was already derived at. To me, that's being vain-glorious. Abraham Darius Dillon, abdillon68@gmail.com

DARIUS DILLON TAKES ON REP. ACAROUS GRAY.

UGLY & ANCIENT HABIT IN LIBERIA

Kindly afford me the opportunity to express my concerns on issue that baffles me every day when I see it or hear of it. It is the manner in which criminals or would be agents of crimes are been transported to the Monrovia central prison. Many at times from the temple of Justice through the UN Drive you see state security (Officers of the court) transporting criminals through the principle streets of Monrovia with hand cuff and they walk through the streets with other peaceful citizens around. These people are not transported by any modern or safe manner. They are not put in a state security vehicle (except that person is a high profile individual). I am not a security person, but my little knowledge tells me that there are too many dangers involve. it is possible that one of these criminals could decide to harm himself and another person while enroot to the prison? Why if associates of that criminal(s) decide to rescue their colleague on the way to the prison? Many at times you notice, only one sheriff escort a criminal with a hand cuff from Temple of Justice all the way to the Prison. When will we moved to a modern world? When will we start showing great concern for human life? How much will it cost to purchase vehicles to have it on the stand by to transport these hard core criminal and not walk thru the street and endanger people life. These are grave security measures that need to be attended to. This ugly and ancient habit need to be inhibits and embrace a beautiful and modern style of transporting criminals. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to raise my suspicions on this antagonistic situation we are face with. James Kollie jamkollie2002@yahoo.com

DITORIAL TEAM
Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666; 077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com; rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com Wade C. L. Williams, News Desk Chief, wade. williams@frontpageafricaonline.com; 0880664793 Francis F.B. Mulbah, Layout Editor; 0886639382 REPORTERS Sports Editor, Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@ frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528 Henry Karmo, henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline. com Al-varney Rogers al.rogers@frontpageafricaonline. com, 0886-304498 Sports Reporter, A. Macaulay Sombai,macaulay.sombai@ FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428 COUNTY NEWS TEAM Grand Bassa, Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, 0777432042 Bong County, Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@ frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-484666 Sinoe County, Leroy N.S Kanmoh, leroy.kanmoh@ frontpageafricaonline.com 0886257528 BUSINESS/ADVERTISING Kadi Coleman Porte, 0886-304-178/ 0777832753, advertise@ frontpageafricaonline.com

DISCLAIMER

Page 6 | Frontpage

President Sirleaf to Visit UL Monday

~ In Brief ~

MONROVIA, Jan 19 (LINA) - President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is expected to visit the University of Liberia (UL) Monday after its Board of Trustees discussed a partial report submitted by the Special Investigative Committee constituted, to probe the impasse at the state-run university. UL Vice President for University Relations, Dr. MomoluGetaweh, said with the approval of the Board of Trustees and in consultation with the Faculty Association and the UL Administration, classes will resume on all campuses of the university on Tuesday, January 21, 2014. A UL release said given the urgency of the impasse, the Special Investigative Committee has submitted a partial report to the Executive Committee of the UL Board of Trustees. According to the release, administrators, faculty and staff are asked to resume normal duties effective Monday, January 20, 2014. The UL Board of Trustees and administration appreciate the continuous patience and understanding of the faculty staff, students and the general public, especially the eagerness of the students to return to their classes, the release said. The UL has remained closed since November 2013, when the faculty association and the student union called for the resignation of the Vice President for Administration, Dr. Wede Brownell. LINA CB/TSS/PTK

SAD EPISODE AT HIGH COURT

Supreme Court Action Projects Continuation of Rodney Sieh Case, Press Union Says
Nelson Mandela and co guilty of treason and subversive activities did not stop the rest of humanity from disagreeing. In fact, until very recently, even the United States, still considered Mandela a terrorist, but the rest of the world had always resisted! This action has most importantly brought forth the issue of contempt, which remains undefined in our jurisdiction, despite the strives being made to reform the governance process. The Legislature should now act hastily and enact laws to define contempt of courts and the legislature, as has been required of our constitution since 1986. This will strengthen democracy in Liberia and bring hope that laws are about ensuring justice and empowerment, and not necessarily to punish people, the PUL statement noted. By providing an early resolution to the questions of contempt, the Legislature will be preventing future recurrences of the constitutional issue that is today poised to disrupt the effective functioning of the government. The PUL remains available to continue this conversation in ensuring that actions taken to support the functioning of the government do not have the unintended consequence of undermining the government.

Wednesday, January 22 , 2014

PAGE RONT

MEDIA ISSUES

Official Wants Govt Sustain SES Initiatives

By Calvin Brooks MONROVIA, (LINA) -The Coordinator of the Senior Executive Service (SES), Alfred Sayon, has called on government to make available an appropriate budgetary allotment to sustain the SES program. The SES is a program under which competent and experienced Liberians are recruited to strengthen the technical arms of government ministries and agencies. Sayon said sustainability of the SES is vital to the manpower and human resource development of public servants and to rebuild Liberia after 14 years of brain drain occasioned by the civil conflict. Speaking in an interview with the Liberia News Agency at the weekend, Coordinator Sayon said the program, which started in 2007 as a pilot project, is intended to respond to the need for civil service reform and capacity-building of civil servants in Liberia. He said the program recruited 100 talented and experienced Liberians from abroad and at home and deployed them at various government institutions as technocrats, but regretted that only 60 of them continue to work as a result of lack of funding. Coordinator Sayon noted that government provided US$1 million for the SES program in the 2013-2014 fiscal budget because most of the donors funding the program were no longer prepared to sponsor it, as it is a Liberian Government initiative. He said the SES program was initially supported by international partners, such as the UN Development Program (UNDP), World Bank, US Agency for International Development (USAID), the governments of Greece, Germany and Sweden, Humanity United and the UN Mission in Liberia. LINA CB/TSS/PTK

Monrovia -

he Press Union of Liberia is troubled by recent Supreme Court actions against Justice Minister Christiana Tah and Cllr Beyan Howard for their role in the compassionate release of journalist Rodney Sieh. The decision of the high Court has projected a continuation of that sad episode which kept the journalist behind bars and his paper, FrontPage Africa, shutdown for months, the Union sad in a statement issued

in Monrovia. PUL President Abdullai Kamara said taking such a decision, more than two months after Siehs landmark release, renews concerns about the future of democracy, especially the sustenance of a free press in Liberia. Punishing someone for merely seeking compassion for a journalist fighting corruption raises a new specter of fear that is poised to institute the dreaded effect of self censorship among journalists in Liberia, Kamara protests. The PUL has always viewed the punishment against Sieh as

a disincentive to the developing freedom and democracy environment in Liberia, and is further worried about the reflections that of punishing Cllr Howard for making a compassionate appeal. Kamara, this action simply limits opportunities for anyone to stand up for journalists or democracy in Liberia. The PUL believes that regardless of how distasteful anyones offense is, there should be no further offense for anyone expressing remorse for them. Because the High Court in South Africa found

Nimbaians In US Soliciting Computers For NCCC

By Gardea V. Woodson, LINA US Correspondent UPPER DARBY, U.S, Jan 19 (LINA) - An appeal has been made to Nimbaians, philanthropists and other Liberians in the United States to help with instructional materials, new or functional used-computers to furnish the Nimba County Community College (NCCC) library in Nimba County. Making the appeal on behalf of Friends of Nimba County Community College (Froniccco), the spokesman of the USbased group, Mr. Alexander Gandah, said he was informed by the colleges President, Dr. Yah Gono, that the library has been completed with high speed internet installed. The United States Aid for International Development installed the high speed internet to assist students and residents wishing to study there, Mr. Gandah quoted Dr. Gono as saying. Mr. Gandah told the Liberia News Agency Saturday in an interview that the college needs about 100 computers for about 600 students to improve their access to online resources that would enhance their learning abilities at the rural junior college. According to Mr. Gandah, the international-style library contains compartments for research, private meetings and five rest rooms, among others. Your help in this direction will make NCCC library the best in Liberia for now, Mr. Gandah stressed. He said any financial or material assistance to his organization through its Executive Director, GounquoiDomah, would be taxdeductible because it is registered as a charitable grouping under the laws of the United States. Meanwhile, Mr. Gandah has said that a consignment of quality college books collected by the organization has arrived in Liberia for use by the NCCC. The books were donated by the National American University and the Argosy University in Minnesota.

ENERGY F ENERGY KEY DRIVER OF LIBERIA DEVELOPMENT, SAYS EU COMMISH

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Monrovia he European Union Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs is attaching a high priority to energy as a key driver for development and has agreed with President Ellen JohnsonSirleaf that energy should be a priority sector for EU cooperation with Liberia.

The Republic of Liberia has been chosen as one of the first countries to receive support of the EU's Technical Assistance Facility (TAF), under the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative. At the end of a two-day working mission to Liberia, Mr Klaus Rudischhauser, Deputy Director General in the European Commission

Directorate for development and cooperation (EuropeAid) said: "The EU intervention in the energy sector of Liberia is intended to increase access to affordable and sustainable energy services in order to foster economic and social development in Liberia." "Energy is vital to sustainable economic growth and

development", emphasized Mr Rudischhauser. He added that: "The EU strongly believes that the availability of affordable supply of energy to households, institutions and enterprise increases productivity in the economy and the creation of new private enterprises and jobs; as well as improvement in education and better services." During his visit to Liberia, Mr Rudischhauser held discussions with the authorities of the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy, relevant donors and stakeholders in Liberia's energy sector. The European Union is one of the biggest donors for the Energy sector in Liberia with a present contribution of more than 65 million Euro (90 million USD) and is currently discussing with Liberian Authorities additional support to be allocated over the next seven years.

NO NEED TO PANIC
Finance Minister Tells Lawmakers, Promises Aggressive Domestic Resource Mobilization
and revenue performance at the Capitol Building. Minister Konneh informed the House of Representatives that the economy was not in trouble as has been speculated by pundits and that the Ministry of Finance is committed to a vigorous campaign to raise the much needed resources to finance the Governments development agenda, The Agenda for Transformation (AfT). Minister Konnehalso used the occasion to provide updates on the execution of the fiscal year 2013/2014 National budget. He acknowledged that the late passage of the national budget has had some implication for its implementation and on the macro-economy. Minister Konneh explained that though the draft national budget was submitted to the legislature on time, it was not until the last week of legislative session that the draft FY13/14 was passed and the signedbudget did not reach the President until midOctober 2013. On the overall performance of revenue collection, Minister Konneh said out of $296.5m estimated to have been collected as of January 18, 2014; the Ministry has collected US$278.8m to date. This leaves a shortfall of US$17.1m as at January 17, 2013. Minister Konneh assured the public that while there is no need to panic, the Ministry of Finance will do everything to ensure that resources, to the extent collectables are collected. According to him, the collection up to date was not a small undertaking, but that it was made possible by hard decisions and many sacrifices made by officials of the Ministry. On budget execution, Minister Konneh informed the Legislature that there is a risk or delay in revenue of about US$47m. He warned that further delays are expected due to the non-payment of the European Union budget support tranche of US$14m as one of the education sector triggers was not met. He said the budget is under pressure due to the revenue delays and the additional demands on the budget of over $18m. Minister Konneh further warned that cuts are expected in all sectors, mainly in the use of goods and services budget classification, with the exception of security, education and health. Meanwhile, the Finance Minister is urging that as his ministry strives to build a more robust economy, with inclusive growth that will build social cohesionand that stakeholder in the private sector and public sectors must be fully engaged in the process of economic development. That to me is the challenge we face and we must face it together, Minister Konneh declared. After being bombarded by lawmakers with questions on the state of the Liberian economy, Minister Konneh concluded by assuring lawmakers and the country that Liberias economic growth was sustained in 2013, led by iron ore exports, construction, and a strong performance in the service sector. He also said that this outlook, however, remains vulnerable to commodity price fluctuations, particularly for iron ore and rubber, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and donor assistance, including the partial withdrawal of the substantial United Nations Mission in Liberia force (UNMIL) that affects inward remittances. The drawdown of UNMIL now requires the government to divert expenditure to the security sector, and will reduce consumption of local services. Disputes regarding concession agreements, particularly in the forestry, palm oil, and oil sectors, also constitute substantial risks. Faster job creation will be necessary to ensure stability. Consumer price inflation was 8.5 percent in 2013 comparedto 6.9 percent in 2012, reflecting lower international food and fuel prices. In response, House Speaker Alex Tyler thanked Minister Konneh and his team for the briefing, and described the presentation as very brilliant.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

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LEGISLATIVE BEAT

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MONROVIAhe Ministry of Finance has announced that it will begin an aggressive domestic resource mobilization campaign to boost revenue collection across the country. The Ministry is also assuring the Liberian people that the

fundamentals of the Liberian economy remain stable and strong to support vigorous collection of revenue. The assurance was on Tuesday given by Finance Minister Amara Konneh when he appeared before the House of Representative at the public hearing on budget execution

AS MASSAQUOI MAKES STRANGE REVELATION

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo47@gmail.com

Seward M. Cooper Named New WHOS IMPEDING POLICE FUNCTIONS? Cllr. NOCAL Board Chairman ~Government News~ EXECUTIVE OR LEGISLATURE?

olice Director Chris Massaquoihas blamed the low performance of the Liberian National Police (LNP) to the reduction in the proposed police budget of 25 Million by the legislature. Massaquoi claimed that because of the low allotment made by Legislature to the police the force is unable

to get the needed logistic to effectively operate. He said some of the reason why the police is not actively operational in all parts of the country is that the force lack adequate access to vehicles, Mobile Phones and fuel for the running of the generators at various police deport and the payment of salary for officers of the LNP.

He called on the legislature to do more in its budgetary allocation to the force by making increment rather than deduction in its budget. Plenary of the House of Representatives under the gavel of Speaker Alex Tyler was quick to inform the police Director that a budget of less than US$ 14 million was allocated for them in

the draft budget presented to the legislature by the finance Ministry and not 25 million as claimed by director Massaquoi. Emmanuel Nuquay Representative Margibi County and chairman of the ways means and Finance Committee told the police boss that his insinuation was wrong about the legislature and stated that the legislature added over US$ 700,000 to the police budget presented to them by the executive. After presentation of proof to the police boos in the draft budget he apologized for his accusation and admitted that it was because he did not participate in the crafting of the final draft of the budget, submitted to the legislature by the executive. After few minutes of discussion between members of plenary and the Police boss a motion was raised by Representative Julius Berrien Montserrado County for the issue to be discussed behind closed doors because of its national security implications.

Monrovia resident Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has appointed the following officials to positions in government, pending confirmation hearings where applicable: National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) Cllr. Seward M. Cooper Chairman of the Board of Directors Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) Mr. Boima Kamara Deputy Governor National Bureau of Concessions (NBC) Ms. Ciata Bishop Director-General Liberia Refugee, Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) Mr. Kwame N. Ross Deputy Executive Director Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs Mrs. Loris Shannon Deputy Minister for Administration Ministry of Internal Affairs Local Appointments Mrs. Ade Jones Captan Commissioner, Congo Town Liberia Water & Sewer Corporation Mr. Yoquoi Vermon Lavala Member of the Board of Directors (replacing Mr. Chea Cheapoo)

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Wednesday, January 22 , 2014

Interview With Michael Sio Wotorson, Chairman And Ceo Of The National Investment Commission

ADVANCING THE LIBERIAN DREAM

from Liberians, so that everything that they are doing reflects local content. So that is what you are going to see us doing at the NIC. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: This whole Liberianization issue, people still complain that Liberians do not have a lot to gain from especially these huge investments that come here. They do not have the capital and even if they try to invest, they do not have access to loans and other incentives, what is the NIC doing specifically to open up the space so that Liberian businesses can be able to compete with their foreign counterparts? MICHAEL WOTORSON: Weve always had something at the NIC called Special Investment incentives, which is basically a plan that we use to encourage local business development. What it does is this- a company comes to the NIC and apply for investment incentives and if we grant them that certificate, it gives then certain privileges-privileges that allows them to import equipment without the usual duty fees, it gives them certain types of tax breaks and a range of things that are designed to make it easier for that business to turn in profit. Under my administration at the NIC we are actually taking a fresh look at the Special Investment incentives regime, and the specific change that we are making particularly as it relates to foreign businesses, we are requiring that they

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INTERVIEW

ichael Sio Wortorson is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Investment Commission. With almost five months on the job Mr. Wotorson says he has begun to swing into place his responsibility of guiding the overall management and the vision of the NIC consistent with the governments development goals. The former Executive Consultant/Technical Advisor for Opportunities Industrialization Centers International (OICI), in this first part of an exclusive interview with FrontPageAfrica says his passion is driving the Liberian dream of empowering locals to take charge of the investment climate in the country. He tells FrontPageAfrica that he wants to see a more robust and proactive NIC that aims at driving the sector to benefit Liberians while enforcing transparency and accountability. Weve seen several NIC bosses come and go since Richard Tolbert the man credited with luring over US$ 16 billion worth of investment to Liberia; blessings and curses all woven together, but can Wotorson take the country on the right path to safeguard future generations? FRONTPAGEAFRICA: What were you doing prior to your appointment? MICHAEL WOTORSON: Prior to taking over at the NIC, I lived in the United States where I was a policy advocate, I worked primarily on Capitol Hill, interacting with members of the US congress; helping to analyze legislation and to advocate for specific types of legislations, particularly in education and justice. In 2012 I moved to Liberia and I spent the year working for an organization here in Liberiaan international NGO, promoting access to finance for small farmers and small agriculture associations. So I spent a great amount of time upcountry and the important thing about that experience is the fact that agriculture in this country accounts for about 70% of our GDP. I spent a great deal of time trying to capacitate the agric sector from the standpoint of helping them to gain access to finance and access to credit-access to capital. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: What do you intend to do to bring life back to this agency? MICHAEL WOTORSON: The biggest thing that I plan to do with the NIC is to increase its focus strategically on effective outreach to the Liberian entrepreneurs. The NIC did a fair amount of work in terms of attracting nearly 20billion dollars foreign direct investment and we are certainly going to continue to attract foreign direct investment. But you are going to see the NIC asserting even greater effort at helping Liberian entrepreneurs-Liberian businesses to grow. There are some specific things that we are planning to do that will help Liberians. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: And what are these things? MICHAEL WOTORSON: For example, you may have heard about this concept that we refer to as local content; the basic idea behind local content is that when you have a foreign investor in the country, you require of that investor through some way that they include local content in what they are doing. And what that means is you require them to involve not only hiring Liberians but to purchase their goods and services

services like housing-is the NIC responsible for addressing these kinds of concern? MICHAEL WOTORSON: Somewhat. Our primary responsibility is, attracting the investment, negotiating the agreements and helping the investor both foreign and domestic, navigate their way through the rules and regulations-the laws and everything, so that they comply with our rules but ultimately also so they get set up. As it relates to the problems that you are talking about, you are absolutely right, there has been a number of problems-but I will be the first to tell you that one of the primary reasons for the problems that we have seen, has to do with the way weve entered into some of these agreements in the past and let me give you an example. If we decide we are going to give an agriculture-related concession out to a particular organization and we say we are going to give them a hundred thousand hectares of land, it becomes incredibly important for us to properly survey that land to make sure that the land is in fact not encumbered. It is incumbent upon us to make sure we properly conduct outreach to the people who live on that land so that they understand what the concession agreement is about and that they understand what they are going to gain as a result of that concession. That has not happened as much as it should and so in many cases when we get the concessions here, they begin to attempt to start work, they find out that in fact the land is encumbered and that there are people there. Thats where a lot of the problems come from. So it becomes our responsibility (the entire government) to work with the concession and the communities to make sure we address and put the land issues to rest and the NIC has to play a lead role in that. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: With the oil and gas reform process ongoing, what is the NICs role in fixing the oil law? MICHAEL WOTORSON: The NIC sits on the committee that reviews these draft laws/legislations and so the NIC provides its input, its substantive thoughtful advice on a lot of these issues but you also have to understand that both those who draft the petroleum laws and the people who sit in the ministry of finance-all of these people across government-we all sit on interrelated committees. Whether were talking about the petroleum laws, whether were talking about agriculture issues, were all collaboratively talking about these issues at the same time. In essence, the NIC has been and will continue to be at the table providing its input on a lot of these issues. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: Is there anything that the NIC can do to push Liberian interest in these agreements? Like you know we think this is what you should do for these concessions to benefit Liberians? MICHAEL WOTORSON: Absolutely! When we are negotiating agreements, it is my commitment that the NIC under my leadership to make sure that when we are negotiating agreements moving forward, we include even stronger legislations that make sure that these companies not only hire appreciable numbers of Liberians but place them in substantive positions and provide clear plans of how they are going to hit certain numerical targets. The idea will be, if we sign concession agreement A, we want to make sure that they agree that within two years, within one year for example,

measurably demonstrate not only how they are going to hire Liberians, we are going to be requiring them to show us numerical targets of how they are going to hire Liberians. But we are also requiring of them to demonstrate for us in a measurable way how they are going to interface with Liberian training institutions like the LOIC, BWI and others because we want them to hire graduates from those places. They have to show us a plan; but not just a plan, we want them to show us that theyve entered into some kind of agreement with these institutions; so they will have to bring us a copy of that agreement. All of those kinds of things including showing us proof in two years, 20% of their management staff will be Liberians. They have to bring all of that proof to us now before we look at their application to determine whether or not we give them the special investment incentives. I believe it is measures like these that will actively promote Liberianization. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: Weve seen troubles at some of these big concessions like the China Union and the Equatorial Oil Palm; most of the stories we hear are that Liberians do not have security on the job and they also are lacking in basic

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

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20% of their management staff will be Liberians. If they break those kinds of agreements, then we have grounds to go back in revoke such an agreement. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: What are you doing about some of the faulty concession agreements? There are situations where some Liberians bring in these companies into the country but do not follow the right procedures; is there something the NIC can do in some of these instances to stop things spot things like these?

ADVANCING THE LIBERIAN DREAM

Ultimately we want our country to have a reputation that we are investor friendly and in order to do that we have to constantly reexamine all of our rules and regulations and make sure that we are indeed doing things that protect and safeguard us as a country. But at the same time we also have to think about the degree to which our rules and regulations make it unnecessarily difficult for investors to get a foothold because remember, an investor may come to Liberia but he or she may also have had the option to go to Ghana, Nigeria or Sierra Leone. Ultimately as the NIC chairman, I want them here in Liberia; so it becomes my responsibility working with my colleagues across government to make sure we examine over and over again our rules, so that if there is something that we can modify, we do so. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: So will we see a more robust NIC? MICHAEL WOTORSON: I absolutely believe you will see a more robust NIC. You will see more of the inside of the NIC because I think thats critical to our democracy. We cant be making decisions and running processes and the public doesnt know what we are doing. That doesnt make sense at all. The public is our most important shareholder.
Chatting with members of a womens' agribusiness cooperative in rural Yarwarlee, Bong County in 2012.

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INTERVIEW

MICHAEL WOTORSON: Absolutely! We are-along with the Public Procurement Concession Commission (PPCC)- we are trying to make it abundantly clear that there are a set of rules and regulations around how we enter into some of these processes. While we certainly do not want to discourage any patriotic Liberian from going out there and finding a partner who happens to be a reputable multinational cooperation and bringing them to Liberia to potentially do some work- we dont want to discourage that but we are trying to make sure that people understand what the rules are. If there is interest in doing some sort of infrastructure project perhaps involving roads, we are trying to make sure that everyone understands that in that case, the concession entity or agency is first and foremost, the ministry of public works. The ministry of public works is the entity that will get the initial permission from the PPCC, to begin the process. But the NIC will sort of run the process. You may be familiar with the NICs inter ministerial concessions committee which is a committee that chair that comprises high level representation from the various ministries that will be involved in the concessions. We go through all those process but at the very beginning, the main concessioning agency will be that entity that is going to be primarily benefiting from this concession. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: Investors are often threatened by issues of corruption in the sector, especially with some influential persons demanding under the table cuts for these concessions, what are you doing as head of the NIC to address and weed these things out and also find faulty concessions that are only formed for some rip-off? MICHAEL WOTORSON: We are very concerned about this issue of flipping where a company comes in gets a concession and turn around and sell the rights to another company. I believe strongly that publicity is the best disinfectant to move people who have ulterior motives away from the process. So what you will see under my leadership at the NIC is much more public access to our processes, so that virtually nothing that we are doing is done behind the scenes or done in the darkness. I intend very shortly to conduct an open house in fact, where I will invite members of the Press and literally take them through the building and have them meet every office, every department at the NIC and give them a clear understanding of exactly how the processes are supposed to work and what each office does. More importantly, I intend to start making sure that we immediately start sharing publicly, what these MOUs and what these concession agreements look like. Honestly we have bear in mind some caution because sometimes particularly before you conclude the agreements, there may be proprietary information included in the agreements that the businesses may not want public. But inasmuch as it is information that is critical to the public, to the strength of our democracy- this NIC will make that information available to the public through the Press.

want to see achieved as head of the NIC? MICHAEL WOTORSON: Absolute focus on Liberian Entrepreneurs; not only helping them to develop, but using everything that we can use at the NIC to make Liberian entrepreneurs gain access to finance. That is going to be key. Related to that, under my administration we are going to dramatically increase the methods that we use to connect Liberian businesses with foreign companies that come to the country to do business. The idea for us is that we need to increasingly require these foreign companies to do business with Liberian companies. You are going to see under this NIC a renewed focus on agri-business; whether it is helping to promote the transportation aspect of agri-business, the storage aspect; all of those things that exist along the value chain in the agriculture sector. We are going to be working with the ministry of agriculture to really promote that sector, so in that sense you are going to see a much more robust set of activities from the NIC. We are also going to try and create a special impact investment fund for Liberian entrepreneurs. But a fund that is below market, by that I mean; if you were to set up a cooperation today and you walk into a bank seeking a loan to allow your company to expand- most banks here are probably going to tell you, you need about 140% collateral of the loan that you are asking for. But if you had that kind of money, you probably wouldnt need the loan. But what it does, is unfortunately, it effectively locks out a lot of our Liberian businesses. A lot of those struggling entrepreneurs, it locks them out of the process. What we want to do at the NIC is to create a special impact investment vehicle or special impact investment fund that will be capitalized in some small way by the government of Liberia, but significantly attracts foreign impact investment capital. The fund will exist as a below market fund meaning it will allow people to borrow money; who would otherwise not be able to borrow money from the banks because they dont meet those strict guidelines. Those are the kinds of things that a national investment commission can do and convince foreign venture capitalists and foreign impact investors to pull their monies in this vehicle to benefit Liberian entrepreneurs. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: How do you get the money back? MICHAEL WOTORSON: The same way the commercial banks get their monies back; payment on loans. The key difference is, with an impact investment fund the decisions that are made about who loans are given to, tend to be much more aggressive and less risk adverse than the commercial banks. So a special impact investment vehicle, say in agriculture, as I intend to do it in terms of the way I envision it at the NIC; you might see a situation where a group of women who has a small cooperative in Gbarnga for example called the Yaweles Women Social Club. That small cooperative might not be able to walk into a bank today and get a hundred and fifty thousand dollars loan from that bank to buy equipment and start milling rice and selling that rice on mass scale because hey might not have the collateral. The fund will allow that to do that; the fund would have more flexible repayment terms as opposed to, I give you a loan today and next month your first payment.

FRONTPAGEAFRICA: When does a company qualify for tax exemption? MICHAEL WOTORSON: The circumstances vary. Generally, a company is not going to qualify for tax exemptions just because there are certain rules and regulations that apply. And Ill give you an example; a company like BHP Billiton, has a certain kind of importing duty preference that the government has granted them, that allows them to bring in a certain amount of equipment that assist in their work and they dont pay import duty for that. However, in order for them to get that, the government also requires them to pay a flat fee; so those large companies actually pays to the government a flat fee of somewhere in the neighborhood of about US$400,000. So the government is still getting revenue, but it is a give and take kind of situation. We require you to pay that flat fee, but then over the course of the year as you are bringing in lots and lots of equipment, we will choose not to charge you import duty on every piece of equipment that you bring in. The other way has to do with the special investment incentives; even under that scenario it varies greatly whether a not a company is getting tax exemptions. For example, it would depend on where that company is located in Liberia. If a foreign direct investor comes and sets up a factory in Monrovia, and another company comes and sets up a factory in Zwedru, we would probably give greater tax relaxation to the company in Zwedru because that factory located in Zwedru that potentially intends or needs to hire lets say four or five thousand workers, that promotes development in a far away part of the country, it attracts people for employment away from Monrovia and provides employment opportunities for areas of our country that we need to see rapidly developed. FRONTPAGEAFRICA: What are the topmost things that you

FRONTPAGEAFRICA: People say Liberia has improved since 2006; weve had a lot o investment come to the country; how would you rate the countrys investment climate? MICHAEL WOTORSON: I was here in 2005; pretty much between 2005 to present, I have been coming to Liberia every year; so I can definitely gauge the improvements. I definitely see the changes. In terms of the investment climate, I certainly think we are getting better but I certainly feel we have a long way to go. There are processes and procedures perhaps well intentioned but they can be very complicated and sometimes that leads to confusion and misdirection for our investors.

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FINANCE MINISTRY CLEARS NBC EMPLOYEE OF $57K EMBEZZLEMENTNSA tightlipped on report

NBCs June salary payment which, one information says, was approved and the said amount credited to the NBCs GT Bank account by the Ministry of Finance. It is said that the money was allegedly misapplied by an authority of the NBC, an act which, according to information, prompted your Ministry to disburse the NBC June Salary sometime in August. Finance Response to $67K saga In response to the NSA inquiry, the Ministry of Finance in a letter dated January 9, 2014 signed by Augustus M. Zayzay, Jr. Acting Deputy Minister for Expenditure and Debt Management stated that the there were two voucher processed and a third one cancelled. As per the NSAs letter dated January 3, 2014, to the Minister of Finance, in which you instructed us to investigate and advise appropriately, we wish to provide you findings on the investigation: On July 20th, 2013, a voucher in the tune of US$67,900 (sixtyseven thousand Nine hundred United State dollars) intended for the National Bureau of Concession (NBCs) salary payment for June 2013 was received in the Accounting Services Unit (ASU) and processed on July 20, 2013. However, the US$ 67,900.00 for June 2013 salary payment voucher was not paid. The voucher with Check#76 was cancelled and reversed in the free balance system by a budget analyst Alvin G. Dahn (with reversal #246) on July 23, 2013 and approved by Acting Deputy Comptroller for Accounting Services Unit SekouSanoe, on the same date, as a result of Managements decision, count one of a communication from Lorpu P. Sworh, Acting Deputy Comptroller & Accountant-General to Hon. Augustus Zayzay, Assistant Minister/Expenditure & Debt Management which was forwarded to the NSA stated. Count two of the Ministry of Finance clarification stated that on August 19, 2013 the NBC submitted a voucher in the tune of US$67,900.81 for June 2013 salary payment which was processed with check #1394 in the tune of US$54,889.14 on August 21, 2013 and signed for by Wilmot Smith of the NBC on August 22, 2013. Also count three of the communication stated that on August 19, 2013, the NBC submitted a voucher in the tune of US$67,900 and the voucher was processed in the amount of US$55,318.85 bearing the check #1311 on August 20, 2013 issued and signed for by Mr. Wilmot Smith on the 23 of August 2013, according to the record of Direct Deposit Office within the Office of the Comptroller and Accountant General. The letter furthered According to Count One (1) in which the first voucher for the salary payment of June 2013 was processed on July 20, 2013 with check #76 but later cancelled and reversed in the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) on July 23, 2013, shows that June salary payment was never paid twice to NBC by the Ministry of Finance. Rather, the Ministry of Finance issued to NBC through its representative Wilmot Smith in count two (2) a check #1394 in the tune of USD $54,889.14 (Fifty four thousand-eight hundred nine dollar-fourteen cent) on August 22, 2013 for June salary payment. The clarification by the Ministry of Finance brings to end months of allegation that NBC employee Wilmot Smith signed for and embezzled funds intended for the payment of employees of the Bureau which prompted the suspension of Smith and subsequent investigation by the NSA. According to a FrontPageAfrica investigation the clarification by the Ministry of Finance prompted NSA officers to submit a final report to Director FombahSirleaf, clearing NBC employee Smith

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GOVERNMENT NEWS

Wednesday, January 22 , 2014

gency to aid ongoing investigation in the matter. Smith has been undergoing the state agency investigation for his alleged involvement in the misapplication of a voucher in the tune of US$67,900, an amount intended for salary for employees of the Bureau. In a communication dated January 3, 2014 addressed to Finance Minister Amara Konneh, Deputy Director for Special Service at the NSA, Nathaniel Sie Hodge requested the Minister to provide

clarifications on the amountUS$67,900 under probe. The National Security Agency presents compliments and wishes to have you informed of an ongoing investigation involving the National Bureau of Concession (NBC) which demands some clarifications from your ministry, the NSA letter stated. It furthered Our investigation is particularly interested in establishing the fact relating to a June 12, 2013 voucher in the tune of US$67,900 (sixty-seven thousand Nine hundred United States dollars) intended for the

of wrongdoing but the report is yet to be signed by Director Sirleaf before being released to the public. When contacted, Director Sirleaf phone rang endlessly as he also could not respond to a text message seeking information on the outcome of the NSA investigation involving the NBC employee in the wake of the clarification along with documentations provided by the Finance Ministry. Smith has been undergoing investigation for months and is now awaiting the outcome of the NSA investigation to return to work. Observers have described Smiths current situation as a witch-hunt since his immediate boss TarnueMarwolo passed out a while ago. According to many Smith is a victim of the aged old practice in Liberia where employees of entities become subject to witch-hunt when individuals they worked with are no longer heading a particular government agency. Employees of several government ministries and agencies have experienced mass dismissals as a consequence of change of the heads of such agencies. It is remains to be seen when the NSA will release its report regarding the investigation to give the accused the chance of redeeming his character in a gullible Liberian society.

EXPELLED FOR DISRESPECT:

LOFA ADVOCACY GROUP AXES MEMBER
Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo47@gmail.com
executive committee of our institution (PAMOPAD). In authority with our constitution article 4, section 3.2 a., which clearly state no executive members of (PAMOPAD), shall speak without the full acquiescence of two third (2/3) majority of our noble institution. In this light, we want to use this medium to inform all wellmeaning Liberians that Mr. Kanneh has been expelled from our movement for bringing it to public disrepute and the deformation of characters of our countys leaders whom we hold in high esteem. The group has meanwhile called on Mr. Kanneh to turn over all properties belonging to the organization or legal measures would be taken against him. The PAMOPAD statement concluded: We want to send this caveat to all conscious men and women of district #4 Lofa County that, we as members of this organization are not part and therefore distance ourselves from the unsubstantiated claims that are intended to defame and mischaracterized leaders of our county most especially honorable Mariamu B. Fofana of district #4 Lofa County.

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COUNTY NEWS

Voinjama City, Lofa County forefront advocacy group based in Voinjama City, Lofa County has expelled one of its executive members for what the group termed as the constant habit of Mr. Mohammed D.K Kanneh waging insult on our hard working and productive Honorable representative Mariamu B. Fofana of District #4, Lofa County and other

officials of the county. In a statement issued in Monrovia on Monday, January 20, 2014, under the signature of Mr. Morris K. Saryon, Deputy Executive Director and other members of the executive committee, the Patriotic Movement for Progress and Development in District #4 (PAMOPAD), revealed that Mr.Kannehs expulsion comes in the wake of his unswerving posture in

bringing the organization to public disrepute by extorting money from stakeholders of the county and making unauthorized statements on behalf of the group. Said PAMOPAD: Few days ago, the Executive Committee Members received a press release bearing the signature of a backward reactionary element Mohammed D.K. Kanneh who happens to be a member on the

F
Wednesday, January 22, 2014

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA LIBERIA ELECTRICITY CORPORATON

Invitation for Bid
IFB No.: LEC/NCB/OF/010/013/014

Frontpage

Page 11

1. The Liberia Electricity Corporation has received fund from Government of Liberia Budgetary Allocation and intends to apply Part of it to fund eligible payments under the contract for The Supply and Delivery of Assorted Vehicles to LECs Central Office as described below:

NATIONAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING

National Competitive Bidding

2. The Liberia Electricity Corporation now invites sealed bids from eligible and qualified bidders for The Supply and Delivery of Assorted Vehicles. 3. Bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding (NCB) procedures specified in the PPCA and approved by the PPCC, and is open to all bidders from Eligible Source Countries as defined in the Guidelines. 4. Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information from Liberia Electricity Corporation by contacting Paschalina Mashingaidze paschaline.mashingaidze@yahoo.ca and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below. 5. Qualification requirements include: i. Current Business Registration Certificate ii. Current Tax Clearance iii. Record of Past Performance in providing similar services along with references iv. Submission of an Audited Bank Account Statement within the last two years depending on the financial period of the entity. 6. A complete set of Tender documents in English may be purchased by interested Bidders on the submission of a wrITBen application to the address below and upon a payment of a nonrefundable fee US$200.00 for each set. The payment method will be Bankers Check in favor of LEC or paid in cash to the Chief Accountant Office, 1st Floor, LEC Central Office. 7. Tenders must be delivered to the address below at or before10:00AM Local time on February 18th 2014. Tenders shall be valid for a period of 90days after the deadline of Tender submission. All Tenders must be accompanied by a Bid Security of Ten Thousand United States Dollars (US$10,000.00). Bidders submitting bids for a single lot, the Bid Security amount shall be Three Thousand three hundred United States Dollars (US$3,300.00) per Lot.Late tenders will be rejected. Tenders will be opened in the presence of the Bidders representatives who choose to attend at the address below at10:00am on the 18th of February 2014. 7. The address as referred to above is: The Chief Executive Officer, Liberia Electricity Corporation P.O Box 10 165 Waterside 1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia Email: gsylvestre@mhi.ca and copied to paschaline.mashingaidze@ yahoo.ca This information will also be available on the LEC website as shown below: www.lecliberia.com

Page 12 | Frontpage

Totoya, Bong County group of rural women farmers under the banner Arise and Shine have launched an agriculture program in Totoya, Bong County. The group comprise of over one hundred individual rural women farmers engaged in growing several agriculture products including rice, corn, pepper, bitter-boy, cassava amongst others. Currently with support from several partners, including the USAID Food and Enterprise Development FED and Wienco Liberia Limited, the individual farmers were able to acquire training, and partner with these institutions to get their agriculture process booming and sold at an affordable cost. Something the women say is greatly benefiting them. With assistance from FED and Wienco Liberia Limited, today we are self-sufficient and encouraged to engage in agriculture, says Harriet Lawayhead of the Arise and Shine women agriculture group. Madam Laway says the organizations have over the years help to train rural farmers and are also engaged in purchasing their products, providing them with fertilizers and agriculture education on land cultivation, crops processing amongst others. Since 2010 she says the organization has been struggling to cultivate large farmland and to have the products sold on the market. She said most women in rural Liberia are engaged in farming are faced with constraint as they are to pay huge sums of money

AGRICULTURE F USAID-FED TO THE RESCUE: LIBERIAN WOMEN FARMERS GET TOOLS, FARMING AID
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Wednesday, January 22 , 2014
in these counties have access to agriculture implements such as cutlasses, hoes shoves and fertilizers, power-tailors amongst other farming implements, Mr.Benafel mentioned He said currently FED is working with four community colleges, including Booker Washington Institute in Kakata, Margibi County to provide vocational agriculture education to youths in the country. Mr. Benafel said FED is also supporting farmers in the areas of cassava, vegetable and livestock production in the four counties. He made a statement Saturday during harvest of several plots of rice by Arise and Shine lowland rice farm in Bong County he assured that his organization will continue supporting local farmers to engage in agricultural activities. FED is working with several local buyers in the counties, including the Commerce Ministry to have the farmers rice sold since they can find it very difficult to sale the rice Mr. Benafel asserted. He told members of Rise and Shine that there continues to unite can bring about great achievement in the initiative that they have engaged in and cautioned them to press forward. He said this year FED will trained 300 groups in rice

to their male counterparts to brush their land. She named the issue of equipment as a major hindrance to the planting of large farmlands. Most of the women used their bare hands to cultivate the soil and carry out agriculture activities, there is no machine here said Madam Laway. According to her the Arise and Shine women agriculture organization is yet to be assisted by government through the Ministry of Agriculture. This farm is right on the road, not a day agriculture ministry people will stop by to see what we are doing, she pointed out. She is engaged in lowland farming using her hand to cultivate and there is no powertiller. According to her there have been changes since she started working with FED and Wienco Liberia Limited they have provided business training and maintenance of product, water management

and weed. Farming as a business Madam Laway said 10.5 acres of land has been planted with rice and has spent over two thousand United States dollars to have the land cultivated and other processes conducted. I expect about 6-thousand USD in returned, this farming is a business and thats why I engaged myself in farming she said. She also disclosed that there is an increase in this years product as a result of support from organizations like the FED and Wienco Liberia Limited According to her Narracka 19 rice seed are sold to an organization and others farmers as a means of generating income. She has beenprocessing and multiplying agriculture products.

Madam Lawson said the rice process has helped her a lot and she now has a Agra business and has also supported other women's group including willing women agriculture group in Bong County. Support from USAID-FED However, the Agri-business specialist at USAID Food and Enterprise Development (FED) David Benafel has pledged the entity continue support to providing the needed assistance to Liberian farmers. Said Mr. Benafel: FED assistance to farmers in Liberia is aimed at standardizing farming activities. He disclosed that the FED will build ten rice processing plants and six ware houses for farmers in the four counties the entity is operating including Nimba, Grand Bassa, Bong and Lofa. As part of the entity support FED will ensure that farmers

production, 20 farmers in lowland rice in Lofa in Lofa, Bong, Nimba and Grand Bassa counties. According to Benafel, food security is a top priority in Liberia, and as such FED will also support all forms of agriculture be it cassava vegetable livestock, and more. Benafel said the organization will also provide power trailers to farmers, ten rice processing plants, storage, warehouses, marketing of country rice and local rice. Wienco Liberia Limited Support Rural Farmers At the official opening of the Arise and Shine agriculture project, Wienco Liberia Limited General Manager, Wout Van Koppen challenged the farmers to continue venturing in agriculture as a means of ensuring food security in Liberia. Koppen says the organization will keep encouraging farmers in the agriculture sector by educating them on farming, providing assistance in the best possible way to empower farmers. Currently Wienco Liberia Limited is providing loans, fertilizers to farmers and sponsoring them to establish a business center aimed at selling their products.

UL RESUMPTION FIASCO
"Today is a quite unfortunate day for me since I came this morning from all the way from the red light belt I have not gotten or seen an instructed to come and teach me." Albert F. Doe, student, University of Liberia

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NEWS EXTRA

UNIVERSITY OF LIBERIA REOPENS BUT LECTURERS ABANDON CLASSES

Stephen D. Kollie, stephenkollie13@gmail.com 0776329124

Monroviaitting quietly at the famous Firestone Quadrant (FQ) building on the main campus of the state owned University of Liberia, student Albert F. Doe of the Department of Public Administration feels very frustrated and neglected that he was unable to attend classes on the first day of school following pronouncement by University authorities that classes recommence after nearly three months of closure. He says with renewed academic vigor, after nearly three months away from school, he woke up as early at six AM from his Red-light residence in Paynesville, outside Monrovia hoping to resume class on Tuesday January 21, 2014, but all hopes were dashed as none of his instructors turned out in all of his classes. Said Doe in a frustrated mood to FrontPage Africa: Today is a quite unfortunate day for me since I came this morning from all the way from the red light belt I have not seen any instructor to come and teach me. The closure of this university has affected me very bad to the extent that by February this month we should have

ended this particular semester. Midterm was to be around December but up to present, we have not even taken a mid-term which is a serious setback for us. According to a press release issued on Monday, January 20, 2014, under the signature of Dr. S. MomoluGetaweh, Vice President for UL relations the administration of the state owned university announced that in light of a partial report submitted by the MediationInvestigation Committee on issues recently raised by the faculty and students, particularly about the Vice President For Academic affairs Dr. Wade Elliott-Brownell, the universitys board of trustees after viewing the report concluded that normal classes resume on Jan 21st while reaffirming the appointment of Dr. Water T. Wiles as acting VPAA leaving Dr. Brownell on leave of absence amongst other conclusions. The board of trustee went on to say that due to the interconnections of the issues raised by faculty and students, the board wants to receive the full Mediation-Investigation Committees report so as to consider all of the issues in the complaints.

Until that time, the Board of trustees of the University is appealing to members of the faculty and the student body to kindly return to classes and allow the mediation investigation Committee to conclude its work by January 31, 2014, the release noted. Although the University has called on its faculty staff and students to return to the class rooms, resistance on the side of the faculty appears to be looming as several students confirmed to FrontPage Africa Tuesday that none of their lecturers heeded to the Board of trustees call. In a release issued late Tuesday evening, the University of Liberia Faculty Association reinforced calls for the boycotting of classes while calling on its members to ignore calls by the administration for the resumption of classes on Tuesday. According to the release, ULFA called for calm among the faculty while it continues to engage relevant stakeholders. Musa M. Kamara, a member of the student Integration Movement (SIM) at the University of Liberia told FrontPage Africa that he was excited by his Universitys opening

yesterday but is very disappointed at the moment. Said Kamara: I was happy when I heard that UL was going to open today. But when I came I saw all of the classes just empty with all the students standing outside. I became so much frustrated to see that there was no instructor in class when the school has been pronounced opened. It means that the issue that is affecting us is getting more serious because all of those qualms that were put forth by the faculty and the students that Brownell should step down, no one care to intervene. The Capitol Building is busy with their seventy three million dollars while madam Sirleaf is supporting Brownell to stay. Kamara told FrontPage Africa that an end to the ULs episode would only require Dr. Brownell to step aside if peace must be restored on the UL campuses. Continued Kamara: The Capitol Building and the Board of trustees should see reason to intervene by asking Brownell to step aside for the sake of peace. We are affected by this schools closure every day because we are from war and trying to get our

degrees but to no avail. According to a member of the Faculty Association of the University who spoke on conditions of anonymity, until the mediation investigation committee summits a full scale report which will address their plight they remain disengaged with all instructional activities thus casting a dark cloud over the state owned Universitys operations. The Faculty member told FPA that the faculty has not been officially informed about the boards decision to resume classes today. If they sit and overlook our plight and feel that we will listen to them that is far from reality because we will not pay heed to anything of such. Brownell is not a God here and she must listen to us no matter what, an instructor told FPA Tuesday G. Newton Bruce of the College of Business is not surprise to be out of class Tuesdayas he says considering the form and manner issues have unfolded in the University in recent days the ULs controversy is complicated and must be resolved holistically to restore calm. Says Bruce: We want to see ourselves in school because time

is going against some of us. We want to utilize the few time that is left for us so that we can carry our degrees outside there. So we ask all partiesinvolved to handle this matter holistically so that we can return back to our classes. The nightmare for the UL prolong closure all began in October 2012 when angry students of the state owned University of Liberia staged a protest demanding the forceful resignation of Dr. Wade Elliot-Brownell, Vice President for Academic Affairs citing her lack of coordination and other administrative lapses amongst others. The students at the time complained of the administrations failure to postpone registration for students while abruptly posting schedules for the mid-term examinations. Following the students protest, police later intervenedby firing tear gasses. But few weeks later, the Faculty Association announced their disengagement of instructional activities until Dr. Brownell resigns among many other demands, after Dr. Brownell accordingly refused a suggestion from the faculty to postpone the mid-term exams.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

By Emmanuel Mondaye, Gbarpolu Correspondent

300 Gbarpolu Chiefs Take Anti-rape Stance

~ In Brief ~

BOPOLU, ver 300 paramount and clan chiefs in Gbarpolu County have resolved never again to compromise rape cases whenever they are reported to their offices. They made the statement on Saturday, January 18, at a one-day forum on rape held at the Bopolu Central High School. The forum was organized by the Liberia Media Democratic Initiative (LMDI) to highlight the roles and responsibilities of local government officials in handling rape cases. The chiefs admitted that in the past they made some mistakes in handling rape cases, most times compromising these cases to the disadvantage of victims. They said now that they know and understand what their limitations are, they will work to protect rape victims and expose individuals involved in this unlawful practice. The chiefs pointed out that they did not know that they have no power or authority to judge or investigate rape cases, and assured that they will henceforth report any parent or chief who attempts to compromise rape cases in their districts, towns and villages. They also promised to hold series of town hall meetings to adequately inform their people about the dangers and consequences of comprising rape cases. During the forum, the over 300 chiefs learnt about the various processes involved in handling rape, such as reporting these cases to the police and judicial officials. The chiefs also learned that they, the chiefs, who come in conflict with the rape law can be arrested, detained and prosecuted. In his closing remarks, LMDI Executive Director, John Kollie, expressed gratitude to the chiefs for their timely response in the wake of the short notice given them. He expressed the hope that the chiefs will serve as anti-rape ambassadors in their districts, towns and villages. LINA EDM/TSS/PTK

PEACE HUT DEDICATED I

n an effort to connect citizens through the Peace Hut initiative to foster genuine reconciliation, the Government of Liberia in partnership with the ECOWAS National Unit has dedicated two Peace Huts in Tewor and Gaworla Districts, Grand Cape Mount County. The Peace huts is a safe space where citizens come together to mediate and resolve community disputes. The Peace Hut also provides citizens the opportunity to gather and discuss matters that affect their day to day lives. The Peace Hut is also where the reconciliation and resolution of conflicts takes place, where they can openly and safely discuss issues of inequality and together take decisions on peace and security. As the Peace Huts are evolving as a place to resolve conflict, the methodology is based on the traditional Palava' hut system. Marking the dedication ceremony, hundreds of citizens gathered to express their gratitude to the government and the ECOWAS National Unit for the long anticipated project. The role and participation of community members in the peace hut for the maintenance

In Grand Cape Mount County-

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GOVERNMENT NEWS

Frontpage

Page 13

By Prince Nagbe

Health Ministry Shuts Down 'Illegal' Orphanages

MONROVIA,s part of measures to fight human trafficking in the country the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has clamped down on the proliferation of orphanages in the country. According to the five-year National Action Plan on the Fight against Human Trafficking, especially women and children from 2013 to 2018, the Health Ministry has closed a number of substandard and illegal orphanages operating in the country. The total number of orphanages recorded by the Ministry, which rose to 114 with about 42 in Montserrado County alone, has been drastically reduced to 82, the plan revealed. According to the Plan, the policy of the Government to shut down the affected orphanages ranged from the violation of the basic human rights of children in those orphanages to illegal recruitment and subsequent trafficking of these children. It said most of the disbanded orphanages did illegal recruitment of children, subjected affected children to domestic services that included farm and construction work, representing gross violation of the Ministry of Healths policy guidelines of child abuse, the report further disclosed. The US State Department 2012-2013 Global Assessment of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report confirmed that Liberia faces a challenge with human trafficking in various forms, such as sex trafficking of girls and women, forced labor of children in diamond and gold mines, street vending, orphanages, and homes as involuntary domestic servants. LINA PSN/TSS/PTK

of peace in their communities was appreciated as they now see themselves as crucial players in peacebuilding and conflict resolution. Mr. Patrick Sawyer, who proxied for Finance Minister Amara Konnehsaid the peace hut project will create a more peaceful and conducive environment that will bring the citizens of the region together to forge unity and prosperity among them. He emphasized that citizens should use the Peace Hutsto promote reconciliation, peace building and other potential problem that could serve as an

obstacle to the development within the districts. Government wants you to use the Peace Hut to settle your problems; use it to carry on a peace building measures, use it to have your community meetings and other activities that will bring success to the people in the district, Mr. Sawyer urged the communities in Cape County over the weekend. Also speaking was the acting Director of ECOWAS National Unit, Mrs. Luopu K. Cooper who disclosed that the Peace Hut project started in 2012, after the Vice President of

ECOWAS Commission Dr. Toga G. McIntosh visited and appraised the ECOWAS Peace and Development project under which two estates were constructed in two separate districts in Grand Cape Mount County. According to her, Minister Konneh who is in charge of ECOWAS affairs in Liberia approved $22,000USD for the project. She noted that Minister Konneh believes in peace and development that will positively impact the lives of the ordinary citizens across the country.

By Chris T. Nyenapee, Grand Gedeh County Correspondent

Grand Gedeh Trial Judges Call for Courthouse

ZWEDRU, he National Trial Judges Association (NTJA) Grand Gedeh County Chapter is calling for the construction of a building to house all courts in the county. Speaking in an interview with the Liberia News Agency in Zwedru recently, the Coordinator of the Association, George Quiah, stressed the need for a modern courthouse to ease the problem that judges and party litigants face due to inadequate space to host courts. He said presently the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court is relocated from its regular sitting area to a small room at the Zwedru City Hall, while three specialized courts -- the Debt, Tax and Traffic Courts -- are cramped in one room as renovation work on the administration building continues. Meanwhile, the NTJA Coordinator has called for the replacement of the six stipendiary and associate magistrates who were recently retired, noting that the delay in replacing the retirees has created a vacuum in the countys judiciary.

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Wednesday, January 22 , 2014

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WORLD NEWS
99 members signed a petition of protest earlier Tuesday. But Zeidan, an independent who has the backing of the liberal Alliance of National Forces, remained defiant, telling the private Al-Ahrar television channel he would not step down. Zeidan has said repeatedly that he will quit only when there is consensus on a successor to avoid a power vacuum in the midst of the mounting insecurity gripping large swathes of the country two and a half years after the overthrow of veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Earlier this month, the premier said he would soon announce a major cabinet reshuffle, something he promised to do repeatedly last summer without ever taking action. Zeidan has said his critics in the GNC are a "minority," but said he would "willingly" leave the post of premier if the assembly chose to replace him. The JCP said it was "withdrawing its ministers from Zeidan's government and holds those in the Congress who backed his government responsible." Zeidan was "incapable of taking the country where it needs to go," the party said. The party has five ministers in Libya's 32-member interim administration -- those for oil, electricity, housing, economy and sport. Earlier, 99 MPs, including those of the JCP, signed a petition of protest accusing Zeidan of a "crushing failure" in his efforts to assert central government control over former rebel militias that operate with virtual impunity across much of the country. The prime minister was himself abducted from a Tripoli hotel in October and held for several hours by former rebel militiamen. Since last summer, security guards at key oil export terminals in the east of the country -- many of them former rebel fighters -- have blockaded exports, delivering a devastating blow to hard currency receipts and government revenues. The protesters are demanding a restoration of the autonomy the eastern Cyrenaica region enjoyed in the first decade after independence in 1951. Similar protests among the ethnic Berber minority in the west and among the Toubou in the south have also hit oil and gas exports. On Saturday, the GNC declared a state of emergency in the south in response to deadly ethnic unrest. Al-Qaeda inspired groups have taken advantage of the lawlessness to establish a growing presence. In September 2012, jihadists attacked the US consulate in Libya's second city Benghazi, killing Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. Earlier this month, the US State Department put two Libyan groups, both operating under the name Ansar al-Sharia, on its terror blacklist for their alleged role in the attack.

Tripoli (AFP) -

LIBYA PM VOWS TO STAY ON AFTER ISLAMISTS QUIT CABINET

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ibyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan vowed Tuesday to stay at his post after Islamist ministers quit his government in protest at persistent lawlessness that saw him briefly abducted last year. Zeidan accused the Justice and Construction Party -- the political arm of the Libyan branch of the Muslim Brotherhood that has

been bloodily repressed in neighbouring Egypt since the ouster of elected president Mohamed Morsi -- of seeking to destabilise his government. The resignation of the five ministers came after three weeks of wrangling over an Islamist-inspired censure motion against the premier. The Islamists failed to secure the required 120 votes in the 194-member General National Congress to pass the motion. and

CRIME WATCH F FAKE POLICE OFFICER ARRESTED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ROB

Kennedy L. Yangian kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com
MONROVIA\ olice in Monrovia have arrested and are investigating suspect Titus Kollie for alleged attempted robbery and impersonating as officer of the Liberia National Police (LNP) . Police Crime Services Department (CSD) report claimed that suspect Kollie -25 was arrested on January 16, 2014 in Salala, Bong County by some civilians and police officers assigned in the area based on a complaint by a motorcyclist identified as Ojuku Zeango. Complaint Zeango a resident of Ganta, Nimba County told the police that on January 16, 2014 suspect Kollie dressed in a full police uniform chartered him from Ganta to Salala to pay him the sum of LD$2,000.00 Zeango claimed that upon their arrival in Salala the suspect refused to pay him the LD$2,000.00 instead attempted to take away his motor bike leading him to alarm and the civilians and police officers came to arrest his rescue. The suspect after arrest was forwarded to the Gbarnga Police Headquarters for further

investigation along with the complaint (Zeango) where he was later transferred to the LNP Headquarter in Monrovia, the report added. The Crime Services Department report also stated that during preliminary investigation the suspect allegedly admitted to the allegation levied against him and disclosed that the police uniform was allegedly given to him by a dismissed police officer of the Police Support Unit (PSU) he identified as Ayo. The report furthered that during investigation the suspect allegedly stated that Ayo and another fellow Kolor boy to be identified are members of a criminal gang specialized in stealing motor bikes especially AG-Yamaha motorbikes for sale in neighboring Guinea. Police spokesperson Sam Collins Monday denied claim by suspect Kollie that the uniform was given to him by a dismissed PSU officer only identified as Ayo. The statement by the suspect involving Ayo is not true because as we checked our database for the dismissed officer name there was no name there called Ayo said Collins. He disclosed that after the investigation of

suspect Kollie he will be duly charged and sent to court to face prosecution. The Police spokesperson told FrontPageAfrica Monday that the arrest of suspect Kollie indicates that criminals operating under the guise of being motorcyclists have left Monrovia and have now gone hiding in the rural areas to operate since the police instituted the restraint order on motorcyclists a fortnight ago and called on motorists traveling to rural parts of the country to be mindful of these criminals. As part of efforts to curb out people impersonating as police officer, Collins had sent out a warning to business houses involved in the sales of police

uniforms to screen thoroughly any police officer that may want to purchase uniform for personal use. According to Sam Collins the latest arrest of suspect Titus Kollie brings to four the current number of persons that have been arrested by the police for impersonating as a police officer. He stated that three persons were arrested for allegedly impersonating as police officers when the Police launched a recent raid in Monrovia and that some of those arrested were deactivated LNP officers who were sent to court for prosecution.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Sport

Frontpage

Page 15

Manchester City star Alex Nimely charged over 3-car drink-drive smash

FOOTBALLERS #1 OFF THE FIELD PROBLEM?

HEROS WELCOME:
COUNTY MEET VICTORS, BASSA, STORM BUCHANAN
Alpha DaffaeSenkpeni, Correspondent
Buchanan, Grand Bassa County housands of people from Buchanan and its environs on Monday, January 20 gathered in colorful style to welcome their football and basketball teams after the teams triumphed in the 20132014 National County Sports Meet. The enthusiasm amongst the people of Bassahas once again reemphasized why sports remain the premier phenomenal for uniting people. The stunt performers, dancers and spectators young and old- all cheered and chanted frantically as the very long convoy of players, county officials and well wishers paraded with the two trophies across the principal streets of Buchanan. The mass turnout was arguably the biggest in recent time. As the team bus drove from Owens Groove to The St. John River Bridge, hundreds of people gathered at every town along the way, shouting with extreme joy and satisfaction, some displayed fresh cassava roots signaling common identification of the diet amongst theBassa people. The excitement amongst the Bassolians Monday reminisce their victory over Nimba County in the 1989/1990 edition of the competition. This recent victory is seen as a conduit of unification amongst not just the people of Grand Bassa County but the leaderships the caucus and county administration. As the celebration went on only

Manchester City star allegedly ploughed a Range Rover into three parked cars, nearly mowing down terrified clubbers after getting behind the wheel drunk.

Revellers spilling out of a club in the early hours cowered in terror as the car containing Liberian-born Alex Nimely, 22, headed towards them driving the wrong way down a one-way street, it is claimed. Nimely, described by former England and City boss SvenGoran Eriksson as the "best young player" he had ever seen, has been charged with drink-driving and faces a ban. Witness Vincent Davis, 32, told the Daily Star Sunday night that he watched as the posh motor rammed his Mazda 3 sports car in Manchester. Millionaire footie ace Nimely had a pal with him in the Range Rover. Doorman Vincent said: "I went to pick up some wages at a club I work at. I was walking on the pavement and there were a load of clubbers coming out when I saw a car coming down the oneway street all over the place. "It headed towards the crowd but hit a row of parked cars, including mine. The driver was lucky the cars were there or people coming out of the club could have been hit. "He had smashed the front and rear bumper of my car and the front wing. I rushed over to speak to the driver as he got out of the car with another lad. You could tell by his eyes he was pissed. Both occupants of the car blamed each other." Police were called and arrested them at the scene. Vincent said: "The driver tried to tell the police he was not behind the wheel and that it was one of his pals." A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "Alex Nimely has been charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol." Nimely is due to appear before magistrates on Friday.

a few seem concerned about the underlining significance of winning the county meet which national intent is to enhance reconciliation amongst Liberians. Skipping all the impact of its relevance or whether the end will justify the means, people trek from all communities of Buchanan and beyond liningup on the sidewalks chanting

victory slogans as the newly crown winners waved with joy and exaltation. A jammed parking Doris Williams Stadium, which is undergoing construction became a venue of dancing and singing as the players and fans shared more memorable moments with singing, dancing and displaying the trophies. Bassa Sports Association

(BSA), Secretary General, Surprise Whea told reporters that the trophies will be officially dedicated to the people of Bassa on Saturday, January, 25. The BSA also confirmed that it will take the awards also to LAC and District Three so individuals in that part of Bassa can have the opportunity to see and feel a part of the