TOP

STORIES

Law & Order

pg 12

POLICE NEEDS
RADICAL
CHANGES

MAMIE-WAHTA
CHILD OR MEDICAL
DEFICIENCY?
MONROVIA

pg 6

Woman Gives Birth

To Strange Human

POLITICS

pg 7

ELEMENT
OF THREAT
Nimba Lawmaker says CDC
optimism of 2017 victory a
recipe for Chaos

FrontPage

Former 102 Wants New

York Styled Force

www.frontpageafricaonline.com

VOL 9 NO.156

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2015

PRICE L$40

DEFENSE MINISTER IS

THE LAST MAN

STANDING
The Resignation of Foreign Minister Augustine Ngafuan Leaves Defense Minister
Brownie Samukai Only Remaining Cabinet Minister of the Sirleaf-Era

POLITICS- pg. 5

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES

LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

BUYING

SELLING

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

L$87.00/US$1

L$88.00/US$1

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2015

L$88.00/US$1

L$89.00/US$1

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

L$88.00/US$1

L$89.00/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.
Source: Research, Policy and Planning Department, Central Bank Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia

Page 2 | Frontpage

FROM PAGE 1

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Rodney D. Sieh, Rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com; Mae Azango, mae.azango@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monrovia
he Ministry of Gender Children and Social
Protection says it is closely following up on
alleged abuse against a woman by Rep. Tokpah
Mulbah(CDC, District 1, Bong County), a once
influential member of the lower house of the Liberian
legislature.
Simeon Kwein, Assistant Director at the Gender Based
Violence Division of the Ministry responding to a
FrontPageAfrica inquiry about accusations against Rep.
Mulbah who is facing accusations of battery, assault, theft
and damage of property against a woman who is a mother
of one of his 13 children said the Ministry is closely
following up on the issue.
The Gender Ministry is following up on the case, but we
are allowing the police to do their investigation, said
Kwein.
Assistant Director, Kwein disclosed that the Ministry is in
constant contact with the victim.
Mulbah, a former member of ECOWAS parliament and a
former member of the CDC was elected as Deputy Speaker
in 2010 but suffered a humiliation after he was briefly
placed under house arrest for allegedly having ordered
an assault on a policeman who was trying to impound his
vehicle. He was charged with attempted murder and run
with the law but Mulbah was acquitted of all charges by
a unanimous jury verdict. In 2010 he narrowly escaped
arrest and subsequent detention. Rumors circulated
that the lawmaker took the jury pool to an undisclosed
location behind the sport stadium where he paid a hefty
fee for them to look the other way.
The lawmaker who was previously charged with
attempted murder and run with the law was questioned
by the police two weeks after ASSAULTING a woman who
was staying as his guest in his Congo Town house and
who he keeps presenting to his colleagues as his wife.
The mother of one of his 13 children staying in his Congo

Town house as his quest.

Violence against women has hit new heights in recent
years despite Liberia signing a 2013 pledge to end
violence against women and girls.
In most homes around the country, many women are
beaten by their husbands. But poor handling of the court
system have led to a lot of husbands walking free despite
glaring cases of violence against their wives and spouses.
More recently, Deputy Director for Operations of the
Executive Protection Service Darlington George, was
dismissed from his post after attacking a woman
identified as Esther Glain, 33. He is expected to be charged
on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015.
President Sirleafs office in announcing his dismissal said
the administration will not condone such acts of sheer
indiscipline and total lack of morals on the part of any
member of State security institutions.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO)
married women in Liberia have reported experiencing
domestic violence. Up to 77 percent of Liberian women
say they have been the victim of sexual violence.
Human rights groups say it is likely these numbers are
even higher, as many of the cases go unreported.
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africas first female head
of state, took a step forward in addressing the issue when
she signed a U.N. pledge to end violence against women
and girls in 2013 becoming only the 19th head of state to
do so.
In the pledge, the Liberian government promised to adopt
and implement stronger domestic violence legislation,
allocate funds for a National Action Plan on Sexual and
Gender-based Violence, and increase efforts to improve
womens access to justice in cases of gender-based
violence.
In addition to bodily harm and trauma, the financial
damages caused by the representative by liberally
destroying laptop, smart phone, taking credit cards, cash

and passport exceed several thousand USDs. According to

Rep. Mulbahs family members and people close to him
over the years the woman has played an instrumental role
in financing Mulbahs including the election campaign
that got the car mechanic elected in the House of
Representatives. This time around he was harassing me
to pay 11,000 for roofing his new house in Juarzon.
I did not want my only child to feel like a fatherless child.
So I tolerated his trips to us. He used to visit us perhaps
once or twice a year, when he needed money. Although I
was a single working mother I even used to send the child
support ordered by the Liberian court to his Liberian wife
via Western Union. Up to today, my now grown up child
does not have a bad impression of him, you know what
kind of sacrifices Ive been through. The woman says she
raised the child without any help from the lawmaker.
The woman says she reported the assault and Mulbahs
threats to her life to the police but for two weeks no action
was taken, police did not go to look for the evidence or
the cash in his house, did not interview eye witnesses.
Instead the representative who claimed busy schedule
while sitting in Al la Lagun and passing in his rubber
farm was given two weeks to have his story written by his
representation, not himself. Was their aim once again to
brush a case under the carpet?
Since the assault, the woman says, Rep. Mulbah has called
people he assumes to be associated with her issuing
threats. He threatened that if you let her stay I will hurt
your family and you by using my power. He made calls
like that. Then for some reason up until now, police have
not forwarded the case to speaker Tyler, they seem to be
taking their own time to process the case.
FrontPageAfrica has learned that House Speaker Alex
Tyler and the Ministry of Gender have now been made
aware of the incident and threats and is said to be
reviewing the matter.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Frontpage

Page 3

FrontPage COMMENTARY
EDITORIAL GOL. USE COMPETENCY
v

LAW MUST
PREVAIL
IRRESPECTIVE
OF
STATUS
Lawmaker Tokpah Mulbah
Must Answer Questions

IN LIBERIA, IT has become a common practice for

individuals in high positions to violate the law relying on
their status.
IN MOST INSTANCES these individuals contend that they
make the law and should therefore decide what constitutes
violation.
POLICE SPOKESMAN SAM Collins speaking at a roundtable
held between security agencies and the media recently
responding to question on the widespread violation
of traffic laws by numerous vehicles in Monrovia and
environs said it is the security that knows what constitutes
traffic violations.
THE DEFENSE BY Collins is just one of many made by
senior government officials who wantonly violate the laws
they took oath to uphold.
ONE JOURNALIST AT the occasion boldly challenged
Collins and other senior police officials in attendance to
prove where it is stated in law enforcement that a law
enforcer can break the law in order to enforce the same
law.
IT HAS NOW become a common occurrence for
government officials to be treated differently when they
commit offense for which ordinary citizens are normally
treated like criminals.
IN MANY COUNTRIES around the world, the law is the law
and officials of government who come in conflict with the
law are treated like ordinary citizens, some senior officials
even resign their positions when it becomes clear that
they have acted against the law.
FOR LIBERIA THE case is different as state security officers
including the police have repeatedly shown that officials of
government deserve preferential treatment than ordinary
Liberians irrespective of the acts committed.
SEVERAL LIBERIANS ARE languishing behind bars at
the moment for allegedly committing offenses such as
aggravated assault, battery, simple assault and other
offenses awaiting trial.
IN RECENT WEEKS, a member of the House of
Representatives, Tokpah Mulbah is facing allegations of
assault and battery with the victim physical body showing
stains of blood and bruises.
THE PHYSICAL BODY of the victim, a German lady does
not need additional evidence but what is required is
proving whether it was the lawmaker who committed
such barbaric act against a woman.
THE VICTIM IS saying that the police has been informed
of her situation but is yet to act, which points to how an
ordinary individual stands the risk of being killed by a
government official before fast action is taken.
AN OFFICIAL OF the Ministry of Gender, Children and
Social protection has even indicated that the ministry is
aware of the situation but is allowing the police to conduct
an investigation.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY no justification why an alleged
act of brutality by lawmaker Mulbah with the victim
visibly displaying injured body parts should go several
weeks without arrest by the police for questioning and
subsequently being charged in line with the law.
LIBERIA IS UNDER obligation to protect the rights of any
citizen within the territorial limits of the country and as
such the German lady deserves full protection just as any
other Liberian citizen.

FOR EMPLOYMENT!!
BY Edward S. Valentine, Cell 0777065559, Contributing writer

didnt leave Liberia during the terrible wars; I was taken hostage
on my farm in Shiefflin, Margibi County from July 15, 1990- July 13,
1992 by orders of President Charles Taylor.
Ive lived in Monrovia and its suburbs since 1992 and began to
see and noticed the dreadful breakdown and gradual decline of our
road system. I was the last appointed head of the Operations Bureau
of the Ministry of Public Works prior to the war. The decline actually
began in the last six months of 1990; the beginning of a breakdown that
continued into the 14 years of ours civil crisis.
During this period an additional 9 years of relative and total peace all
and every needed equipment worth millions of dollars were either
destroyed or looted. Most of the trained manpower had left the country;
those who remained were sidelined including me.
You, (Liberians of all works of life) know the story. I can go on and on;
the lost of competency, Im sad to say it still continues. To downplay the
correct and proper approach to upkeep the system and forge ahead.
The development of the Liberia Highway Network began around
1952 when the Bureau of Public Road of the United States of America
though the International Cooperation Agency (ICA); the forerunner
of the United States Agency for international Development (U.S.A.I.D)
began training surveyors; some later became engineers were trained in
the United States of America, the American Engineering system were
adopted as our own. The engineering principals, designs, and practices
combine with the construction and maintenance under the same
engineering knowledge.
The United States of America was very cognizant of our needs and
began more ways to improve the new field (Engineering). According to
our history, Joseph Walker, John Coleman, Joseph Boayou, and others
were some of the first group of Liberian Civil Engineers. By 1956, the
engineering field had become more attractive and many Liberians
followed role models at that time. I got interested in the field while
attending the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) and observing the
relocation of the Monrovia- Kakata Highway.
By 1963 the major roads began to take on a new approach; the MonroviaRobert International Air (RIA) highway was the first to be located and
aligned to reduce distance and travel time by fifty percent (50%); this
improved new road covers a distance of +/- 27 miles as compared to the
road from Monrovia to Kingsville (15 Gate) though Firestone into the
Roberts International Airport, which is a distance of +/- 58 miles, The
principal idea was to introduce the toll system; charging a small fee, but
the toll system was never accepted. If it had been accepted the two-lane
road could have developed into a four lane road by now.
I returned home from the United Stated of America in 1964, a qualified
engineer, and replaced the late Gabriel Tucker as location engineer on
the RIA road. He took a new assignment as Resident Engineer Maryland
County. After the completion of the location Monrovia- RIA road; which
was a World Bank Loan Project, I was assigned to locate the Clay-Cape
Mount Highway and later located the Mano River Bridge Crossing,
another World Bank Loan Project. Connecting Sierra Leone.
I again located and laid-out the four-lane capital by-pass which was a
USAID and government of Liberia funded project. I was later assigned
to locate the Pleebo-Barclayville Highway in Maryland and Grand Kru
County and then was assigned as resident engineer to Sinoe County, and
finishing the road from Sinoe to Grand Gedeh Country. As counterpart
engineer assigned with Stanley Consulting Engineers; we study traffic
modes and located the Johnson Street Bridge and Port Access Roads. We
had to begin an Origin & Destination study of the traffic modes before
finally locating the bridge around 1970.
A later time ago, there was a pronouncement from the Ministry of
Planning and Economic Affairs that the government of Liberia intends
to begin improvement of major highways. These roads had been aligned
and designed to meet the needs of our (then) present times but they
were never implemented. I had previously written to the then Minister
of Planning and Economic Affairs with an eager mind to assist in the
improvement with background knowledge.
I have also offered advice to the government of Liberia that the MonroviaBachanan highway will be better developed using the though-traffic
approach; the Farminton River crossing is very necessary now! We cant
improve travel time by driving along narrow curvy roads though the
Firestone plantations.
Develop a definite approach to modern highway principles. Get out
of concession areas, middle of town-such as Kakata and other areas, I
believe this is the right and proper time now; the World Bank is helping
us once more. Another approach is re-alignment which is currently
necessary for the Monrovia- Kakata and Gbarnga-Ganta Sanniquellie
Highways. It is now time to begin the Kakata adjustment; re-alignment
for Kakata which increases travel time and is very dangerous to human
v

A LAWMAKER SHOULD not be the one acting in a manner

that presents Liberians as brutal people. If this is this
private affairs, it should have been handled at the level of
such and not allowed to reach the police or the Ministry of
Gender.
NOW THAT THE alleged action of lawmaker Mulbah has
reached the police and the Ministry of Gender, the police
must move swiftly to bring him to book for his action
irrespective of his status in society.
THE LIBERIAN NATIONAL Police and other state security

safety as it is now.
At present, traffic is located in the center of a major city. The solution to
this is to relocate, re-align, and re-design the highway from the Todee
intersection to the upper Kakata section into Centa as the highway
continues toward Totota. The assessment from the Gbarnga-Ganta
Highway and others will fall in place gradually.
The Parkway Ocean Drive in Monrovia is a project that I had already
envisioned, and proposed. The purpose is to reduce the over burdened
traffic congestion from Monrovia though Sinkor to Congotown and
Paynesville including a portion of RIA highway. This four-lane driver is
still very possible. The government of Liberia could save the beautiful
Atlantic Ocean frontage of 100 feet at the end of the wave on the beach
into the land.
The Ocean drive is to be located along this 100-foot wide public land
which takes in the four lanes and parking areas. If there was a response
to the ocean drive proposal, GOL would have known her policy on the
Ocean frontage. They would have consulted with the Chinese about this
policy, and I am sure the Chinese would have not built their New Embassy
there. What is presently needed is to begin the detail engineering to
determine how much the entire project will cost, with some adjustment
Again, I am sure considering the condition we find ourselves in, meaning
the lock- jammed traffic; some help could come from the World Bank
and perhaps some friendly countries a group of them wealthy nations.
If anyone reads the Ocean Drive Proposal and see the design and layout
reasons why such a road is necessary, one would ask why not build it
now?
Since 1990, our relationship with the Bureau of Public Roads of the
United States of America, a technical helping hand, is not noticed by
some of us here at home. The country could gain a great deal or benefit
much more if the technical arm of our government try to reconnect
with the Bureau of Public Road thru USAID. Several of our engineering
practices especially in road technology are repulsive. We noticed during
construction the disregard to wetness (the rainy season) a major
deterrence to road construction.
What a shame that we cannot see reason not to put goat and sheep in
the same room; but what we see today is that we gave employment
to those who are lack of the technical knowledge therefore, it cause
us a complete breakdown. They think an administrator can handle
the Ministry of Public Works, that person should have some technical
knowledge or else a disaster! All the ordinary citizens see and know
that the roads being built now are not well built.
GOL has failed to realize that every trained person in his or her
profession strives to be promoted to the top. How did any of you get to
the top if not in your field? If we continue to compromise; it will lead to
a loss of competitiveness in any profession. See pure logic and lift Public
Works up and others!
GOL failed to employ qualified professionals in areas necessary for such,
instead doing the opposite by employing by What-so-what or Who-sowhat?
We end up being jammed! We are not an over populated people, we
can build each ministry by itself and developed loose land in the city
by this approach each ministry by itself from this terrible experience of
working as a large office and the confusion and question getting around.
Look, people we have several experienced Liberians who have traveled
and work around the world who known that this approach of building
several ministries together is not the proper approach. Liberia is a
nation since 1847. We are a people who were brought into nationhood
by a great nation who too was brought into nationhood by similar
extreme nation building idea with experience. From that system, our
nation now exists.
To change into another system, which we must study with several
technical approaches; and we should not rush into it. Set up Think
Tank and let us look into it first. The ideology of our system is based
on the US system; and it is working. Our nation, people are not used to
putting different situation, policy, management, system and idea in to
one building, what are we saving? Cost, Space, or what?
Liberia will use its own system by working separately in each profession
or management. We have land within Monrovia to develop our
surroundings.
We are okay with our system.
Please see my point before we end up being jammed up together. We are
not an over populated people! We can build each ministry by itself and
develop several loose lands in Monrovia. We have several experienced
people in Liberia who have travelled and see for themselves.
I just heard that some language should be learned here, wow! I will try
to learn the two languages English and French. Even, I hardly know the
English I am still learning. Please leave (us alone).

agencies must strive to protect all citizens and hold all to

account for their actions in line with the law.
GONE MUST NOW be the days of you know who I am I? the
popular phrase used during the ugly past in Liberia when
individuals committed crimes against innocent civilians
without facing the wrath of the law.
IN THIS 21ST century, there should be respect for human
rights and equal treatment of all irrespective of status in
society.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Page 4 | Frontpage

The Reader's Page

FrontPage

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB

COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE
WHY NGAFUAN QUIT:
FOREIGN MINISTERS BOLD
POLITICAL STATEMENT
FREDERICK JAYWEH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT CENTER FOR
IMMIGRANTS AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, (CIIS)
Did Mrs. Sirleaf nominate and commission the former finance Minister
of Nigeria to Represent Liberia at an international function?
Why is Mrs. Sirleaf in constant violation of the Constitution and
Ststutory Laws of Liberia with absolute impunity?
Well, when the National Legislature of a nation is consistently bribed
by the President to have her way done, this is what Liberia gets.
Wow, Mrs. Sirleaf really thinks the constitutional power to appoint
in Liberia certainly includes appointing every citizen of West Africa.
WOW!
While one powerful NIGERIAN Minister faces arrest and possible
prosecution in the UK for allegedly STEALING billion of Nigeria's Oil
money, the other Minister is unlawfully appointed to Represent Liberia.
Is this why some Liberians are opting for a Ghanian style of Revolution
to change Liberia?
Cllr. Frederick A. B. Jayweh
fjayweh@hotmail.com
Website: www.liberianlaw.org
Ph: 720-278-8735
JARWINKEN WIAH CASEWORKER AT BENSON COUNTY SOCIAL
SERVICES
Here is why we have the current situation in Liberia. When the 5th
President of the United States James Monroe saw repatriating the
former slaves to Africa as a way to end slave trade in the U.S. and to
avoid an uprising in the U.S.
Several of the colonies joined together to form the Commonwealth of
Liberia in 1838 and Liberia declared its independence in 1847. The
name Liberia originated from the word Liberty or freedom, and the
capital city of Monrovia was named for President Monroe. This new
country was created with the objective of providing freedom, prosperity
and justice for all. Because of this objective, the wording on the official
seal of Liberia is The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here. It is now 168
years, but the vast population of Liberia has not experienced true
freedom because the appropriate mechanisms for creating awareness
empowerment structures for equal opportunities for all Liberians
have not been put in place. The founding of Liberia was meant to end
enslavement and was intended to appease the segment of Africans who
were victims of the slave trade. The second aspect was the creation of a
new country based on rule of laws and strong institutions but Liberian
leaders main concerns for the 168 years have been personal gains
for themselves, families and friends. Personalizing the resources of
the country when one is the position of power and control is the only
experience all Liberians. This culture grew out of the returnees because
it was the only thing they also learned from their former slaves masters
from the United. We must change this culture because this is part of the
fundamental problems for Liberia. Liberia's problems are not due to
ethnicity and religion or any particular tradition, instead they are due
to the nonexistence of awareness and empowerment structures.
JESSE FAHNGON METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY
I didn't expect for ALL ministers in the EJS government to hang in there
with her for 12 unbroken years. REALITY FOLKS! Secondly, presidential
appointees follow the "At Will" doctrine. Meaning either the President
or appointee can let go at anytime. Big news for ministers to quit but it
is part of public service. Maybe in Liberia we see being a Minister as a
profession. So folks stay in for 10 years behind one wood calling it desk.
ELIJAH BARNARD UNIVERSITY OF LIBERIA
I don't know if I mistakenly read part of this story which said that
President Sirleaf was represented at a function by a former Nigerian
minister.? Someone please tell me quick quick that I misread the sorry.
More to come.
JAMES DAVIS
OK , let reason this out together , shall we ? First , the author of the
article did not say at which functions did the former Nigerian Minister
represented the President while the Foreign Minister was present .
Was this a world Bank function , United Nations functions ? If so , at
what capacity ? UN women conference that was to be chaired by the
President , but was then co-chaired or represented by the former
Nigerian Minister while the Foreign Minister of Liberia was present ?
The author did not say whether the Nigerian Minister was still active
in her government or not . But one thing that is clear , is that the
President of Liberian belongs to so many organizations which she also
chaired with a co-chairperson or persons . And should the President be
unabled as in this case , her co-chairperson can represent her . The is
not like government to government signing agreements or one that is
representing the country Liberia . The author speaks of representing
the President Sirleaf at some unknown functions , but not in the
capacity of representing the Republic of Liberia at some functions .
The President just received an award , but anyone could represent the
President to receive that award on behalf of the President while the
Foreign Minister of Liberia is present . Especially , if it is coming from
an organization for which the President is a member . The author is
not very clear , neither did he asked the right question to find out the
reason why .

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YOU WRITE; WE PUBLISH; THEY READ!

. . . ACTION . . . TO CURB ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS- FPA:

The Editor,

n its current Editorial, Urgent Action needed to Curb Illicit

Financial Outflows (FPA, September 30, 2015), the FPA argues
that reports by the GFI relating to Liberia are very alarming . .
. require serious attention from all . . . mainly the government,
to put in place stringent measures to curb the huge wave of illicit,
financial flows from the country, Liberia.
This argument is based on reports by the international watchdog
group of Global Financial Integrity (GFI) that Liberia ranked second
. . . in the world with the most illicit outflows of money . . . reached
61.6% of GDP on an average between 2008 and 2012 and 80.6%
of total trade volume . . . that the money lost could have funded the
countrys health budget 4 and a half times over, in a country where
63.8% of its population lives in poverty.
In another, earlier Editorial, the paper warned, No Time for Inaction,
Liberia must move to Recover exported Millions (FPA, February 12,
2015), based upon leaked Analysis by an International Consortium
of Investigative Journalists, indicated that Liberia ranks 57th of
203 countries worldwide, with billions of US dollars of stolen,
national income stashed away in foreign banks. The paper reported
that, according to the leaked reports, that the maximum amount of
money associated with a (Swiss or foreign bank) client connected
to Liberia was $59.5 million, a figure that could be . . . much higher
based on the number of activities that took place in Liberia during
. . . the . . . civil war, involving foreign individuals who operated as
foreign investors, transacting deals with rebel leaders . . ..
The Case for Recovery

The Liberian Case for recovery of its stolen wealth is a lost case for
several reasons, as we shall see shortly. However, it is important
and reasonable that we are informed, educated on the why and
how we got into it and the devastating impact upon the nation
and people - billions of US dollar out-flows from Liberia due to
tax evasion, money-laundering and related thievery, although we
run around boasting of of Ivy League school-trained/experienced
experts in Finance management and micro/macroeconomic policy
analysts.
The reported record by the New York Times of stolen wealth
extracted from our (Liberian) timber, gold and the Sweet-Heart deal
of the Taylor regime with the Taiwanese are all known and a matter
of record. The UN record is clear and comprehensive about the
criminal activities of such individuals as Sanjivan Ruprah, a Kenyan
national (and business partner of Viktor Bout, the Merchant of
Death) granted Liberian passport under the name, Samir M. Nasr,
made Deputy Commissioner of Liberias Maritime Affairs, in
association with the Liberia International Shipping & Corporate
Registry (LISCR); Viktor Bout, a Russian/Ukrainian Arms dealerMerchant of Death; and the Dutch national, Gus Kouwenhovens
Oriental Timber Company, all close business partners with the
Liberian chief operator in theft, death and transfer of stolen,
Liberias billions into foreign banks - His Excellency, Former
President Charles Taylor - are all a matter of record.
Topping it all off are the questionable activities of LISCR, our
major income-generating agency which had been, and is, managed
by questionable characters. It was the major source, during the
civil war, for funding the purchases of arms/ammunitions that
maimed and killed hundreds of thousands of Liberians, according
to the UN recorded reports. Today, there are arguments regarding
questionable payments made by LISCR to questionable individuals
and organizations, with serious management decisions/questions
involving millions of US dollars, not answered or rationalized by
LISCR and its friendly, Liberian handlers/superiors.
Solutions where do we go from here?

Indeed, we followed and noted all of the reports and analysis by

the journalists and international watchdog organizations, and that
we are aware, unfortunately, of our own behavior disobedience,
almost, to all of our important, major laws, including tax evasion,
stealing of public properties and related resources.
In the instant case of whatever Liberia does to recover its stolen
billions of US dollars, the British multinational bank (HSBC) via its
Swiss subsidiary (HSBC), the Swiss and other national authorities,
in so far as they are concerned, will find it unlikely to participate, in
cooperation with Liberia, because there are no political or economic
benefits for doing so. In the light of this reality and others, we held,
elsewhere that, Although a recovery effort is reasonable, lawful,
moral objective and a responsibility, but the context is something
else, fraught with several questions, because:
Firstly, the recovery effort requires, will require, legal action
against the Swiss banks, related others and the Viktor Bouts, etc.,
instituted in the various, now unknown, home countries of the
defendants. It requires, will require, also, the services of foreign,
high-priced, international attorneys, because our attorneys may not
practice in courts of foreign countries. This requirement presents
opportunity for foreign travels air tickets, per diem payments,
hotel bills for our (Ministry of Justice) attorneys just to hire foreignlocal attorneys with all attendant costs for witness research,
expected postponements, delays for years, etc. with no benefits to
Liberia.
Secondly, in the light of the history of failures of the Ministry
of Justice to extradite because it has been and is alleged that our
judicial system is not free and fair, but controlled and dictated by
politics. Arguments against this recovery effort is likely to cite
the prevailing case of Ellen Corkrum and Melvin Johnson, who
have become heroes, with their counter-charges of government
corruption, though charged with stealing public money entrusted
to them. The Ministry of Justice has been and is unable to extradite
them.
And thirdly, the Swiss Banks, related others and the Viktor Bouts
know that their former rebel drivers, looters, thieves, crooks and
friends are now Honorables in Liberia; they are Counselors-atLaw, Judges, Policemen, women, Military and Security Personnel;
some are Ministers & Deputies; Managing Directors & Deputies;
they are Senators, Representatives; others are citizens of foreign
countries dual (Liberian & Foreign) -they control and dominate
the political economy of Liberia. This condition says volumes about
potential futility of the proposed Recovery effort.
Solutions to Our Problems

Indeed, there are solutions to these and other problems; it may take
some efforts. But, there is no problem without a solution. First, we
must honor, respect, protect and obey the laws that we prescribe,
debate and pass. It is said that a thriving, successful political
community is the community that obeys its laws.
However, for example, our problems of the billions of US dollar,
illegal outflows from Liberia into foreign bank accounts of
individuals some Liberians and investors - are the direct result
of disobedience to tax laws evasion, money-laundering, drug
trafficking and related violations.
Additionally there are mansions, hamlets and other real estate
properties on Tubman Boulevard, Clara Town, Bishop Brooks,
Paynesville, Downtown, Mamba Point and everywhere in Monrovia
area, developed and built with stolen public resources; there are,
also, businesses or corporate Liberia capitalized with stolen
public funds & related resources; and there are Liberians who
became instant millionaires stealing from the state.
But we do not have nor summon the personal or political will
or the guts to speak out on these critical issues, because the
personalities concerned are or were the nations untouchables,
although this is prevention, better than cure!!

EDITORIAL TEAM
Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666;
077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com
Samwar S. Fallah, News Desk Chief, 0886-527
541, samwar.fallah@frontpageafricaonline.com
Gboko Stewart, Copy Editor 0886 484974
gboko.stewart@frontpageafricaonline.con
Danesius Marteh, Sports Editor, danesius.
marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528
James-Emmanuel D. Cole, Jr, Graphics Designer
& Layout Editor, echange4life@gmail.com;
0886 211 390, 0777 027 030
Henry Karmo, Reporter, henry.karmo@
frontpageafricaonline.com
Bettie Johnson, Reporter, , / betty.johnson@
frontpageafricaonline.com/0886971922

Al-varney Rogers, Reporter, al.rogers@

frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-304498
Kennedy L. Yangian, Reporter, kennedy.yangian@
frontpageafricaonline.com 0777296781
A. Macaulay Sombai, Sports Reporter, macaulay.sombai@
FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428
COUNTY NEWS TEAM
Grand Bassa, Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, 0777432042
Bong County, Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@
frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-484666
BUSINESS/ADVERTISING
Kadi Coleman Porte, 0886-304-178/ 0777832753,
advertise@frontpageafricaonline.com

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

LAST MAN STANDING

DEFENSE MINISTER IS

The Resignation of Foreign Minister Augustine Ngafuan Leaves Defense

Minister Brownie Samukai Only Remaining Cabinet Minister of the Sirleaf-Era

Monrovia
he resignation of
Liberias
Foreign
Minister Augustine
Ngafuan has left
Defense Minister Brownie J.
Samukai as the only surviving
member of the Sirleaf Cabinet
original appointees in 2006.
He is also the longest serving
Defense Minister in the
countrys history.
The Defense minister was
part of a class of high-profile
appointees that included Dr.
Antoinette Sayeh, a former
World Bank colleague of
Sirleaf in the key job of
finance minister, and a rival
presidential candidate and
career educator, Dr. Joseph
Korto as Minister of Education.
The 2006 class also included
human rights activist, Samuel
Kofi Woods, who campaigned
against the excesses of her
predecessor, Charles Taylor,
at labor and later Public
Works, and journalist turned
businessmen, the late Willis
Knuckles, at public works. Dr.
Richard Tolbert, was appointed
as head of the National
Investment Commission(NIC),
Ambassador George Wallace,
a career diplomat, now retired
as foreign minister, Frances
Johnson-Morris, Minister of
Justice and Attorney General,
Ambullai K. Johnson, Minister
of Internal Affairs, Jackson
E. Doe, brother of the late
Samuel Doe as Minister of
Post and Telecommunications,
Dr. J. Chris Toe, Minister of
Agriculture, Eugene Shannon
Minister of Lands, Mines and
Energy, Jamesetta HowardWolokollie, Minister of Youth
and Sports, Jeremiah Sulunteh,
Minister of Transport and
Morris Dukuly, Minister of
State for Presidential Affairs.
Dukuly was the first casualty
of the government who was
forced to resign in the aftermath
of a fire gutted the fourth floor
during the observance of the
independence day celebration.
Sayeh, resigned after two years
in 2008 to become Director
of the African Department at
the International Monetary
Fund(IMF).
Woods resigned in 2014 to
return to his advocacy roots
while Dr, Korto, Doe and
Johnson were casualties of

dismissals.
Samukai was one of few
ministers who returned to
the Cabinet in 2010 when
President Sirleaf sent her entire
Cabinet on Administrative
leave. Gongloe was reportedly
offered another ministerial
post at the Ministry of Post
and Telecommunications but
is said to have turned the offer
down.
At the time, the president
told ministers she wanted to
restructure the cabinet and
start with a clean slate.
In 2013 when a secret
recording of the minister
surfaced from Ellen Corkrum,
the fugitive former head of
the Liberia Airport Authority,
saying what some say were
unkind views about some of his
peers, Samukai weathered the
storm but publicly apologized.
Samukai was heard on the
recording stating that there
was a big money contract
coming up for the renovation
of the RIA which could have
been the driving force behind
a possible setup of Corkrum.
Im not aware. The only thing I
heard about is $130 million for
the runway, Corkrum is heard
responding to Samukai.
The revelation of the recording
heightened speculations that
Samukai was asked to step
down from his post but the
minister again weathered
the storm and hung on to the
influential post.
In May 2014, months after
the Corkrum saga, President
Sirleaf who appeared to have
put Samukai in the doghouse,
entrusted
the
embattled
Defense Chief with the state of
the nation as she embarked on
a private visit to the United
States of America. Samukai has
since enjoyed the presidents
confidence and has been left in
charge of the state of affairs on

numerous occasions when the

president was absent.
Samukai took office on January
16, 2006, as part of Sirleaf's
Cabinet.
He worked in the 1980s
within the Liberian Ministry of
National Defense. In 1986-87
he was worked within the G-4
Branch of the AFL.
Samukai was appointed in
1991, as Deputy Minister
of Defence for Operations,
responsible for reestablishing
civilian control over the
Liberian army and helped
established an urban response
team to counter urban
terrorism.' He served in this
position until 1994.
In her inaugural address,
immediately
after
being
sworn in as president, Sirleaf
pledged to fight corruption,
and committed Liberia to a
controversial economic plan,
which will entail a high level
of foreign supervision of its
finances.
In 1993-94, Samukai oversaw
the evolution of the 'Black
Berets,' a paramilitary police
force in the Monrovia enclave
of Amos Sawyer's Interim
Government of National Unity
(IGNU). The International
Crisis Group also notes that
the Black Berets also fought
alongside ECOMOG at times,
notably during Charles Taylor's
1992 assault on Monrovia
('Operation Octopus'). 'They
and the AFL were accused of
killing some 600 civilians in
the June 1993 Camp Carter
massacre, which, testimony
at the Liberian Truth and
Reconciliation
Commission
has indicated, was perpetuated
by Taylor's NPFL fighters, who
may have orchestrated it to put
blame on the Armed Forces of
Liberia.'
He served as Director of the
Liberian National Police from

199495 and Deputy Minister

of State for Administration
from 1995 to 1997.[3]
In 1998 he served on the AFL
Restructuring
Commission,
where he was listed as a retired
Colonel of the AFL in private
business.
At Police, he set up the Rapid
Response Unit (RRU), dealing
with armed robberies, and
making the city much safer.
From 1999-2006 and 19912000, Samukai worked with
the UNAMET/UNTAET in
East Timor and between
2000-2003, Security Officer
with UNHCR; 2003-2006,
Kibonao, Tanzania, and later,
Chief Security Officer with
UNDP/UN DSS Dar Es Salaam,
Tanzania.
At the height of the deadly
Ebola virus outbreak, the
minster told the United Nations
Security Council that the
deadly virus was "spreading
like wild fire and devouring
everything in its path." "Liberia
is facing a serious threat to
its national existence. The
deadly Ebola virus has caused
a disruption of the normal
functioning of our State," said
Liberian Minister of National
Defense Brownie Samukai. "It
is now spreading like wild fire,
devouring everything in its
path. The already weak health
infrastructure of the country
has
been
overwhelmed,"
he told the 15-member
council, adding that the initial
international response was
"less than robust."
With speculations mounting
that more officials, including
senior members of the Sirleaf
Cabinet could be finding their
exits as her second and final
term comes to an end, Samukai
is unlikely to be joining the
exodus, according to the
ministers aides.

Frontpage

Page 5

Page 6 | Frontpage

By: Tecee Boley

Monroviaesidents of Mat Estate community on Monday
morning woke up to the news that a baby with
fish tail was born in their area. By the time it
was 7 am the news had spread like wild fire with
exaggerations reaching most people in the Congo Town
and Old Road communities. Within no time the house of
the traditional birth attendant identified as Doris John was
overcrowded. The community dwellers were demanding to
see both the child and mother.
I just came here to see the fish tail baby they talking bout.
The way they talking it made me want to believe that it
is true. So I want see for myself because from the time I
was small I have been hearing about mamie-wahta,says
Trakon Zargar.
Mamie-wahta is the Liberian word for mermaid, a
legendary aquatic creature with the upper body of a female
human and the tail of a fish. They appear in the folklore of
many cultures worldwide, including the Near East, Europe,
Africa and Asia.
Traditional birth attendant Doris, well aware of the public's
interest in mamie-wahta purportedly decided to use the
situation to her advantage. As the crowd pull in at her house
it is alleged that she collected money to allow community
members to stare at the dead child.
Linda left the house around 4 am it was dark to go deliver.
She gave birth to this kind of child. I have not seen the child
but people came to the house and say your sister nah gave
birth. But the child does not have foot, but the woman
taking money for that child business. Before anybody sees

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

MAMIE-WAHTA CHILD OR
MEDICAL
DEFICIENCY?
Woman Gives Birth To Strange Human

the baby they must pay money to her, says Patience last
name withheld to protect the woman who delivered.
But Doris vehemently denied the allegation and claimed
she was only assisting the mother because no one
accompanied her. Moreover she asserted that the labour
time made it difficult to get the pregnant woman to the
nearest health center.
I started knowing this girl for 4 years now. She delivered
at my place 4 times now. This morning she came to my
place around 4. She started yelling that her stomach was
hurting. I was getting ready to check her when I saw this
dead thing (baby) coming. The placenta even cut on the
way. I tired and I got it out. Plenty people started coming
so I locked her up and came here to call the police. I came
to the police because that people daughter and the way she
nah born that thing I was scary so she cannot die too.
This is not a rare case, decreasing maternal and infant
mortality rates have been a battle that the Liberian
government is yet to win. Under-five mortality rate remains
among the five highest in the world, and more than 15 per
cent of children die before reaching their first birthday in
Liberia, according to UNICEF.
Maternal mortality rates soared up to 994 deaths per 100,
000 live births between 2000 and 2007, part of the reason
is that fewer than half of all births in Liberia are attended
to by health professionals.
These high rates prompted President Ellen Johnsons Sirleaf
to vow to exert all efforts to curtail the maternal and new
born deaths on the very day she took state power in 2005.
In 2013 the countrys maternal deaths reduced by 5 per
cent. However this little gain was short lived. In 2014 Ebola
entered Liberia ravaging the countrys entire health sector
and leaving maternal health care in a very poor state. As
Liberia prepares to get back on track with its strategic
health agenda covering 2013-2017 under which people
like Doris have new roles
to play, that is, referring
or ensuring the pregnant
woman reaches a health
professional.
The strategy which is called
Reach Every Pregnant
Woman is a plan that aims
to provide equipment to
clinics and hospitals, and
training for staff. It also
trains traditional midwives
in rural areas where the
closest clinic or hospital
may be days away on
foot or communities are
inaccessible by road. In
Doris case she lives in
Monrovia where there are
many public clinics and
hospitals.

Patience came to her sisters recuse too late. Some people

in the crowd began to accuse her of witchcraft. But where
is that witch craft woman who born the mamie-wahta self?
Yor put her outside. Whole night they cant sleep for witch
business. Yor see nah . Some of the things they can be
dealing with follow her to this world, one angry resident
shouted.
Another replied, Do not say like that o, maybe somebody
bewitched her. But the crowd did not buy the second
persons thoughts. They all started to converse at once.
Later some started to chant we want the witch.
Doris soon realized that she could not contain the crowd.
She called the police at Zone 3 depot in Congo Town to save
her and the mothers live. Upon arrival the police decided
to take the two along with the couple of the baby to the
station. As they tried to make their way to a taxi, the crowd
jeered at the mother and bullied her as though she had
committed a crime. Others in the crowd took videos and
photos to be uploaded to social media sites.
By the time I got to Doris house the police people were
already there. So I just follow to the police station. But
to be honest with you, I am too vex with her because she
called crowd on my sister. To the God that I am serving,
what Doris did is hurting me. This thing brought shame
to my family and womanhood. She disgraced my sister
publicly, said Patience
What Patience and the crowd did not know is that the baby
was born with a limb deficiency that occurred because legs
failed to form completely during pregnancy. This condition
is also known as a limb reduction defect according to
California Department of Public Health website.

ELEMENT OF THREAT
Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Frontpage

Nimba Lawmaker says CDC optimism of 2017 victory a recipe for Chaos

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviahe
opposition
Congress
for
Democratic Change
(CDC) has taken to
the streets in protest after
two presidential and General
elections held in Liberia in
protest of being cheated. The
CDC has reached runner up
to the ruling Unity party of
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on two
occasions.
A two times runner up place
for many CDC supporters is
enough to make them the
next government since in
fact President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf constitutionally is will
not be able to contest for a
third term. To supporters
of CDC their positions of
runner up in two successive
elections could produce the
likelihood of being the next
government indisputable.
Representative
WorleahSaywah Dunah (UP-District
#4 Nimba County) believes
such thinking or ideology
is not healthy for Liberias
peace.
For
people
to
start
pretending that they have
taken state power and that
the election of 2017 is theirs
because they have lost twice
is an element of threat to our

Monroviahe
National
Health
Workers
Association
of
Liberia (NAHWAL)
is
appealing
to
the
government to extend the
date for the payment of
hazard benefits to all health
workers across the country.
The association launched the
appeal over the weekend at a
news conference held at its
head office on 12th Street,
Sinkor, Monrovia.
Addressing the conference,
the
Secretary
General
of
NAHWAL,
George
Poe Williams, said the
organization is responding
to a request from health
workers in the public and
private sectors concerning
the manner in which hazard
benefits payment is being
handled by the Liberian
Government.
According
to
NAHWAL,
recent pronouncement by
government that October 2,
2015, was the final date set
for the presentation of claims
from all health workers who
have not been paid their just
benefits to do so, or forfeit
the amount due them is
worrisome.
After Liberia successfully
defeated the deadly Ebola
Virus in March 2015,
there has been protest and
complaints from health
workers and others who
actively participated in the
fight against the virus, all
demanding hazard payments.

democracy. And what I can

say is that the election will be
comparative and any party
that is unprepared as most of
them are will not win.
The Unity Party Nimba
lawmaker
also
told
FrontPageAfrica that another
issue that is a serious element
of threat that is being
overlooked is the decision
by the Supreme Court to
issue prohibition on election
ignoring
the
procedure
laid out for election related
complaints.

UP in the Drivers seat

The Unity party lawmaker
in an interview with FPA
Monday said he believes that
the incumbent Unity Party
is the only political party in
Liberia that is currently in the
drivers seat but said, he like
some members of the Party
believe that the candidacy of
Vice president Joseph Boakai
will not be the right choice.
He is talking internally at
the moment he is saying he
wants to be standard bearer
of our party we have not
reach the National level our
convention is one year from
now and there are some of us
who think that giving his age
and experience he should be

in the background as elderly

and there are people in the
party who believe in that
ideology,
Representative
Dunah said.
Many political commentators
are careful not to rule out
the possibility that the Unity
Party could lost come 2017
but they believe that the
party chances of winning a
third election with another
standard bearer is darken
by allegations of corruption,
nepotism
and
arguable
lack of development but to
Representative Dunah that is

arguable because according

to him lots of positive actions
have been taken towards the
fight against corruption.
He said UP supporters
believe that the reason the
song of corruption has been
sang is because corruption
has been exposed.
He admitted that much has
not been done to improve
the Health sector blaming
the backwardness to the
administration of Dr. Walter
Gwenegalie and Bernice
Dahn whom he accused of
doing little.

Bomi cannot retain the

Presidency
Responding to question as
to whether the Party has try
to convince partisan Alex
Tyler, speaker of the House of
Representatives to abandon
his ambition to contest
the presidency come 2017
but with another political
institution he said, the
speaker has not officially said
that but he believes regional
barrier could hamper his
chances.

Page 7

The Nimba lawmaker who

has won two successive
elections on the Unity party
ticket claimed that as a
speaker of the ruling party
whose standard bearer will
not be contesting is time
for him to take charge of the
party using his influence to
make impact. He like many
others believe that President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf should
have a say in who becomes
the next president.
Urey and Brumskine are
splinter group of the Defund
NPFL
Urey and Brumskine are
splinter groups of the former
rebel group NPFL headed
by their jailed boss Charles
Taylor. Brumskine cannot
make a comeback outside
of Grand Bassa County. Urey
is one of those Liberians
should discourage if we are
serious about corruption in
this country, Representative
Dunah claimed.
Lawmaker Dunah is one of the
many critics of Presidential
Aspirant Benoni Urey who
believe that the Businessman
now politicians got his wealth
from in his words a rough
machine of President Charles
Taylor administration that
awarded unto themselves
concession agreement and
sold out shares to foreign
investors that has made them
millionaires over the years.
He believes that giving Urey
a Presidency will be creating
another Ben Laden or Sadam
Hussein where people will
not be regarded, no respect
for human rights.

EXTENSION APPEAL
Health Workers wants more time for Hazard Benefits Payment

Edwin G. Genoway, Jr (231886458910)-edwin.genoway@frontpageafricaonline.com

These complaints in some

instances led to series of
protests before the Ministry
of
Health
and
Social
Welfare and the office of the
President, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and other
locations as the demand for
benefits increased.
The government in recent
weeks announced that it
has started the payment of
hazard benefits to health
workers and others.
Following a meeting at the
weekend the government

announced that it has paid

over US$20 million to people
in four categories including
Ebola
Treatment
Units
(ETUs) workers, routine
Health workers, response
teams and contract tracers.
A statement from a joint
meeting
attended
by
representatives from the
Ministry of Health, Ministry
of Finance and Development
Planning,
Ministry
of
Justice, House and Senate
committees on Health and
INGOs/UN Agencies partners

provided a full breakdown

of the ongoing payments to
beneficiaries.
The government of Liberia
recently set October 2,
2015 as deadline for hazard
payments of health workers
the deadline has expired and
health workers in hard to
reach areas have not received
their payment.
This
deadline
by
the
government of Liberia, the
Health Workers Association
of Liberia. the secretary
General of the NAHWAL Mr.

Williams said health workers

who are working in hardto-reach areas across the
country have found it difficult
to receive their benefits
because of the limited time
the government took to
handle the whole process.
NAHWAL therefore requests
that the government adjusts
the payment period for
all health workers to an
appropriate date, which will
enable all health workers
who have claims to be
verified and paid, Williams

said.
The Secretary General said
health
workers,
whose
names were omitted from the
payroll, those whose account
numbers were wrongly
copied, in addition to those
who did not benefit at all,
need to be considered.
He called on the government
to quickly disburse the
hazard payments to private
sector health centers across
the country so as to bring to
an end the misunderstanding
regarding the payment of
hazard benefits.
NAHWAL also called on the
government to ensure that
all Ebola death benefits of
health workers be treated
properly so as to settle the
deficiency in the payment
of just benefits to those who
died during the fight against
Ebola in the country.
Mr. Williams said NAHWAL
will continue to engage the
government until the issue is
properly addressed.
At the same time, NAHWAL
has commended all local and
international organizations
and the entire citizenry for
successfully cooperating to
battle Ebola Virus Disease
(EVD) out of the country.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Page 8 | Frontpage

RIOT ON THE PLANTATION

CONCESSION ISSUES

In Liberia, palm oil has set off a dangerous scramble for land

Elaisha Stokes in Sinoe

County, Liberia/ Al Jazeera
America
N the morning of May
24, a rumor started
to circulate around
Butaw
district.
The CEO of Golden Veroleum
Liberia, the palm oil company
that had become the lifeblood
of the local villages, was going
to visit. It was a big deal. When
the roads are good, Butaw
is a six-hour drive from the
countrys capital, Monrovia.
But the roads are rarely good,
and dignitaries seldom visit.
When the company planted
its first oil palm seedlings in
2010, villagers hoped they
might find employment with
the company. But for most
the jobs didnt materialize.
People remained unemployed
and terribly poor. They were
farmers by trade, but farmland
had become scarce since the
company came to town. Now
villagers had no land and no
jobs, and they were angry.
The Butaw Youth Association
saw an opportunity. They wrote
the CEO a letter requesting a
meeting to please address our
plight, referring to the land
dispute between the people of
Butaw and Golden Veroleum
Liberia, or GVL. Your failure
to hold this meeting with us,
the letter continued, will have
consequences.
On May 26, senior GVL
representatives arrived in
Butaw for the meeting. (The
company will not confirm
their names.) What happened
next is of some dispute.
According to the company,
earlier that morning, 30 to 40
men blocked workers from
entering the plantation. As
the demonstration swelled,
witnesses
say,
hundreds
of young men and women
wielding rocks and sticks ran
through the property. The
deputy minister of internal
affairs, who had previously
mediated conflicts between
the Butaw people and the
company, was flown in on a

private GVL plane. A

police contingent sent to
restore calm was quickly
overrun.
The rioters stormed the mess
hall. A group of young men
surrounded a Land Rover and
pulled the driver out. They
beat him within an inch of his
life. Video taken less than 24
hours after the incident shows
the man, Christopher Nyendeh,
with a face swollen beyond
recognition. Each time I talk, I
cough blood, he says through
his broken jaw. I urinate
blood.
Varney Sirleaf, the deputy
minister, was quickly smuggled
away in the trunk of another
vehicle. A plantation manager
from South Africa was taken
hostage. The United Nations
Mission in Liberia dispatched
two platoons of Chinese
peacekeepers to negotiate his
release. Two contingents of
Nigerian peacekeepers arrived
by helicopter to help disperse
the crowds.
By nightfall, the ransacked
mess hall was emptied of both

its foreign staff, which had been

evacuated to Monrovia, and all
of their belongings, which had
been stolen. Computers, power
saws, motobikes, bed sheets
everything was taken. At least
six SUVs had their windows
blown out. Shards of broken
glass and grains of rice were
strewn across the lawns. The
search and seizure warrant,
issued the next day, listed the
cost of damage as $736,509.58.
The plantations operations
were shut down and the
grounds completely evacuated,
save for a few staff to keep
watch. For the first time since
the oil palm seedlings were
sown, the plantation was quiet.
In Liberia, the unrest in Butaw
is just the latest episode in a
series of recent land disputes
that have turned violent. The
small West African nation
does not have large deposits
of minerals and it has been
slow to exploit its oil reserves.
Instead, it has land, which
multinational companies have
been eager to acquire. The
government has promised

at least 520,000 hectares of

land close to five percent of
the country to the top four
palm oil companies in Liberia.
These investments will bring
development to the rural
regions, the government says.
GVL alone plans to invest $1.6
billion in the development of
its palm oil plantations.
But the over 70 percent of
Liberians who depend on
agriculture for their livelihood
are less convinced. Reluctant
to hand over their land for
uncertain gain, many villages
have descended into violence.
In 2009, the United Nations
Mission in Liberia identified
land and property conflict as a
serious threat to the countrys
peace
and
development.
The government has since
encouraged
concession
holders to negotiate directly
with villagers to expand their
plantations. It has created a
David and Goliath scenario,
with high stakes for all parties.
The quest for sustainable palm
oil
Palm oil is a ubiquitous
component of modern life. It
can be found in candy bars and
dish soap, lipstick and instant
noodles. Most of the worlds
supply comes from the red
fruit of the stocky African oil
palm tree, Elaeis guineensis.
A healthy tree can produce
a single yield of bright red,
plum-sized fruit that together
can weigh hundreds of pounds.
A hectare of palm trees can
produce as much as eight tons
of oil.
While the African oil palm
is native to West Africa, the
largest producer of palm oil
since 2007 has been Indonesia,
with Malaysia coming a
close second. According to
the Indonesian Ministry of
Agriculture, 8 million hectares
of oil palm trees are currently
under cultivation in the
country, twice as many as in
2000. Last year, the country
was expected to produce 33.5
million tons of palm oil.
Oil
palm
trees
need

consistently high temperatures

and humidity to bear fruit,
making a rain forest climate
ideal for their growth. The
World Wildlife Fund estimates
that from 1990 to 2010, about
one-third of the land planted
with oil palm was land that
had been cleared of virgin
rain forest. Palm oil is blamed
with placing the orangutan
on the endangered species
list,
evicting
indigenous
communities from their land
and
releasing
enormous
quantities of carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere.
By the mid-90s, environmental
groups were lobbying the
worlds major palm oil
purchasers, such as Kraft and
Nestl, to start using ethically
sourced palm oil. In 2004, the
palm oil industry responded
by creating the Roundtable
on Sustainable Palm Oil, or
RSPO a voluntary group
of growers, processors and
nonprofits that certifies the
production of palm oil to
make sure it is a sustainable
crop. Much in the same way
that farmers have their crops
certified as organic, palm oil
growers could now declare
that their oil had been ethically
produced.
But the certification process
proved slow and cumbersome.
New rules had to be developed
and then adopted by the
industry. Certifying oil palm
as ethical is costly, and many
producers were reluctant to
adopt the standards.
In 2008, Greenpeace sent eight
activists in orangutan suits
to climb up the side of the
corporate offices of Unilever,
one of the worlds largest
purchasers of palm oil. The
move prompted the company
to commit to purchasing only
RSPO-certified palm oil (though
previously, Greenpeace had
released a report accusing
the RSPO of being little more
than a mouthpiece for the
palm oil industry). Soon after,
other large companies such as
Procter & Gamble and Nestl

followed suit. Demand for

certified sustainable palm oil,
or CSPO, continued to grow.
Last year, for the first time
since the RSPO was founded,
demand for certified palm oil
grew faster than the supply
could be produced.
To obtain certification, palm
oil producers must adhere to
the RSPOs principles, chief
among them the stipulation
that oil palm cannot be
planted in a virgin rain forest.
For companies that hoped
to expand their plantation
holdings, this posed a problem.
Most of the land in Indonesia
and Malaysia that might have
qualified under these new
regulations had already been
planted. Fortunately, across the
ocean, there was a tiny African
country whose recently elected
president was desperately
courting investment after
more than a decade of civil
war which had already
destroyed most of the virgin
forests. Best of all, the oil palm
trees were indigenous to the
region, promising the perfect
climate for profit expansion.
There is a lot of interest in
Liberia because a lot of people
think that West Africa is the
next frontier for palm oil,
explains Ravin Krishnan, the
complaints coordinator for the
RSPO. Its like the wild west.
Liberia, the wild west of oil
palm
Liberia, with a population of
roughly 4 million, is slightly
larger than the state of
Tennessee. Historically, all
land in the republic that was
not privately owned belonged
to the government. Farmland
was held under customary
tenure. There were no titles
to demarcate boundaries;
instead, villagers relied on
the slope of a hill or a bend in
the river to tell them where
their farm stopped and the
next began. But such informal
limits were of little concern to
bureaucrats in Monrovia
without a deed, this land was
public and could be used, and
sold, by the government as it
saw fit.
And so for much of the nations
history the land was parceled
and leased to large companies
that sought riches in the fertile
soil. Entire villages were
evicted so that the earth might
be mined or the trees could
be chopped. When interest
in palm oil rose in the 1960s,
the country was already home
to the worlds largest rubber
plantation, owned by Firestone.
For investors, oil palm seemed
a natural progression.
In 1989, Liberia descended
into civil war. Most commercial
plantations were abandoned.
Villagers fled their homes for
forests that might hide them
from
armed
combatants,
who roamed the countryside.
When a peace deal was finally
reached in 2003, most of the
countrys infrastructure had
been destroyed. After Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf was elected
president in 2006, she began
an ambitious campaign to woo
foreign investors.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Frontpage

INTERVIEW

PRESIDENT ELLEN JOHNSON-SIRLEAF

WOMEN ARE READY FOR

CHANGE IN LIBERIA

Stephanie
Sy:
Madame
President, you have now
been in office for almost a
decade. Was the presidency,
as you look back on the last
10 years, everything you
hoped it would be?

President
Ellen
Johnson
Sirleaf: It comes close to
everything I hoped it would be.
Weve had some shocks that
were unexpected things
to do with global commodity
prices, the disease that we
faced one year ago. That has in
a way stalled some of the goals
that we had set. But in terms of
being able to renew my nation,
to be able to be able to bring
back a devastated country, to
restore hope to our people, to
lift women and to give them a
new horizon, a new ambition
and new dreams, in respect
of all of that, I think weve
accomplished it, and I feel
very good about that.
Even from Day One of your
inauguration, you talked
about
womens
rights.
Specifically, what do you want
to accomplish in that arena
before your term expires?
I would like to make sure,
first of all, that our women in
the informal sector I mean,
these are the farmers and the
traders, many of them are
not educated, many of them
lacking literacy be able
to give them better working
conditions. And weve done a
lot to be able to achieve that.
Id also like every girl to be
in school to make sure that
their entire potential can be
met and that they will not
be disadvantaged because of
access to quality education. Id
like to see every woman being
able to have access to all the
rights that men have access to
right to land, right to credit,
right to technology.
Women were ready for
change in Liberia. And Im
glad that they decided to go
ahead and vote a woman in
office. Im privileged to have
been the one to represent
their aspirations. Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf
Why dont they have those
rights yet in Liberia?
Well, because, first of all,
because there are social
inhibitions. There are cultural
disadvantages that they face.
We have to overcome the
practice of male domination.
Even though its changing
and changing in Liberia quite
drastically.
Youre saying its cultural
this male domination and
that women were treated

as second-class citizens.
How were you able to
break through, given those
cultural barriers?

I tell you, it may seem as a

paradox, but first of all, I think
Liberia, being a small country,
has not had the kind of deep
restrictions against women.
Weve had some pretty strong
women leaders going back into
our history. In this particular
case, this was a strategy to say,
Hey, this country is over 100
years old, and it has been male
dominated, and now we want
a change. Now we want to see
what a woman can do.
And the women just came
together behind this strategy
and just decided that it was
time. And dont forget, we had
already had two decades of
war. People were tired of war.
War was seen as something
that had been initiated and
carried on largely by men,
who in fact had subjected
women during this period. So
women were ready for change
in Liberia. And Im glad that
they decided to go ahead
and vote a woman in office.
Im privileged to have been
the one to represent their
aspirations.
Ive also read that genital
mutilation is something that
you want to address before
your term expires. How
much resistance do you face
culturally when you take on
an issue like that?

It is a difficult one, because as

you pointed out, it is cultural,
long-standing. But you know
weve already made some
progress on Liberia on this.
We have begun to sensitize
traditional women leaders,
pointing out to them the ill
effects of this on young girls.
Some of them have come to see
it, even the traditional leaders.
Men also are beginning. So it
is still going to be a long road,
but Im optimistic that if we
continue on the progress we
have already made, we can get
to that. Its a battle that Im
going to fight.
How did you get this fight
in you? I have read that you
are a domestic violence
survivor. How much does
that continue to drive you
when it comes to womens
rights?

I grew up in a situation in
which my family setting
perhaps provided the basis
for my strength, particularly
my mother. My father was
the first native member of the
legislature, but he got ill very
early in my early childhood,

so there was no way he could

lead me or propel me and my
siblings to what we are.
But my mother was the
strength. She was the anchor.
She was a preacher and a
teacher. And she had four
children who she had to take
through school without any
support, without a husband,
who was ill for seven years
and finally died. I think that
strength comes from her. So
we all learned, to be ahead
in life, to survive, to get what
you wanted, you had to do it
on your own. You have to be
the one that pulled yourself
up, and that strength, I think,
has stayed with all of us and
with me, because my whole
life story is so different. I
got married right after high
school. I was 17 years old.
Why did you do that?

Because I had a good friend

that I wanted to be with, is
that enough?
Yes.

And I had four children. I had

four children who I had to
take care of, young children,
before I went back to school.
When I went to school, I
went to school with a huge
determination that I wasnt
going to let my classmates,
who had already gone ahead
and completed college I
was going to catch up with
them. I believe that the whole
long road of having to make it
on your own, having to excel
having to go that extra mile for
your own self-success, maybe
that strengthened me, and
maybe that prepared me for
all the many other difficulties
that I would face on this road.
Ebola was an unknown
enemy. I didnt know what to
do. Nobody knew what to do.
Nobody could tell us what
we were faced with. How do
we react to it? People were
dying. People were running.
People were crying. I cried

too. I didnt know what to

do. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Was the Ebola outbreak the
darkest time of your time in
office so far?
Without a doubt, the darkest
time. I mean, every other
difficulty I faced I knew, and
I had the means to find a way
to deal with it. Ebola was an
unknown enemy. I didnt know
what to do. Nobody knew what
to do, nobody could tell us
what we were faced with. How
do we react to it? People were
dying. People were running.
People were crying. I cried
too. I didnt know what to do.
We turned to prayers. We did
everything in those very early
days. But then, you know, then
came the pronouncement that
20,000 of our citizen would
die by January in the three
affected countries. I think that
just brought out everything in
me. And I just got on the air
and said this will not happen.
We are not going to die. We are
going to take responsibility.
We are going to do what we
can. We started some, you
know, measure that proved
wrong. Lets just put it that
way.
Are you referring to the
quarantine?

We quarantined people. We
restricted movement across
borders. We put our security
forces to make sure that they
enforce those decisions, and
then we had some incidences,
the scuffle between the army
and some of the young people
in one of our communities,
and someone died.
You were scared?

Yes, I was. There was no

doubt about it. We were all
scared. But we turned things
around when we found that
the military approach was
just not going to do it and was
not the thing to do. And we
realized the only thing that

we could do is to turn to our

communities and put them
in charge. And that turned
the whole thing around and,
I think, the determination. I
went around to the different
clinics and hospitals, and
they told me that I took risks
because I didnt wear gloves
or wear protective gear or
anything like that. But I went
there because our doctors
and nurses were dying. They
were afraid to treat anybody
because of that, and so I had to
go into the clinics. I had to give
to them encouragement.
It exposed a lot of
vulnerabilities in the public
health system in the three
countries that youre talking
about in your country,
in Guinea, in Sierra Leone.
If Ebola were to come back
today, are you prepared
now?

Yes, we are, and I am glad

to say that. There is always
room for improvement and
expanding your capabilities,
and we are working on that.
We also know what until all of
our countries have the kind of
response capability, until all
of them reach a level of being
declared free of Ebola, we are
always at risk.
How much did it mean to
you to win the Noble Peace
Prize?

Quite a lot, because I didnt

expect it. Its one of those
positive surprises in life. True,
that my life story of fighting,
of getting up, of being beaten
and rising again, fighting for
the things I believe in. And
if anybody looks, theyll see
consistency from the time I
took a position in prison
I took a certain position
there is a consistency in that,
says I earned. Those of us who
went to jail in those particular
days you know, when jail
was jail you dont know
whether you are going to live
until the next day. So I went
through that. And I went to jail
twice. My first time I went to
jail, it took the U.S. Congress to
take a strong position because
Liberia is such a prime country
for them.
And I went to jail again, and I
took political positions. So in
a way I know that in selecting
me, they went through the
life history. I am pleased that
today I can use that when I
work with other women and
young girls and I say there is a
lot you can be, if you stay with
your dreams, work at those
dreams, determined to get
what you want.

Page 9

Your political career has

been decades in the making.
Your predecessor Charles
Taylor, of course, convicted
of war crimes hes in jail.
At one time you were allied
with him. How do you view
him today?
Charles Taylor had an
opportunity to bring some
change to Liberia and those
of us in the early days who felt
I was not in the country, I
was out but somebody who
could have brought something
different. But Charles Taylor
just proved to be, quite frankly,
bad for the country. And so the
devastation. He penetrated
the country very well. He was
a powerful political force. And
some of the force is still with
us today. Some of that loyalty
is still with us today.
I read that when you were
9, you got into a fight over a
plum that had been stolen.
Is that true?

The story is true. In the

morning, kids woke up and
went to look for which are the
fruits in the trees which are
ripe.
So I started to pick a plum
that I think is the choice of the
person who lives in the house
where the plum tree was. And
she decided that it was her
plum and she wasnt going
to let me get it. So we had a
scuffle on that, and I think
she beat me, to tell you the
truth. So I went home crying.
I missed my plum and a got a
beating.
And then you went to your
grandma?

My grandmother in the
traditional days people
were protected with charms
and things like that. So my
grandmother said she had the
right thing. She took a razor
blade and put some nicks into
the hand. And, my god, how I
didnt get my wrist cut, didnt
die. They know how to do it.
They are very expert. And then
there is a portion there, you
see, which is black because it
is charcoal and whatever else.
The magic is still there.

I dont think it will go away.

When will Ellen Johnson

Sirleaf retire and watch
Green Bay Packer games?
Because Ive heard you like
them.
I want to watch Green Bay
Packers games, and every time
I find the opportunity to do so,
I do. Even if I miss some work.
But I dont think I want to rest.
I hope that the inspiration I
bring to women all over the
world whom I meet when I go
places they do come and tell
me the inspiration I will be
out there in the world working
with womens groups.
I also want to use whatever
skills, whatever strength that
I may have left to continue to
inspire girls and women to get
us to the place where equality
is certain.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Page 10 | Frontpage

Invitation for Bid

Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs
National Competitive Bidding (NCB)
For
MACHINERY & EQUIPMENTS
IFB NO.MOS/NCB/004/15/16
1. The Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs intend to apply part of
its budgetary allotment for the fiscal year 2015/2016 to fund eligible
payments under the contract for MACHINERY & EQUIPMENTS (IFB NO.MOS/
NCB/004/15/16) towards the Ministrys operation for the Fiscal year
2015/2016.
The Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs now invites sealed bids from
eligible and qualified bidders for MACHINERY & EQUIPMENTS with the
descriptions and quantities.

Items / Description
250 KVA GENERATOR

Quantities
1

2. Bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding (NCB)

procedures specified in the PPCA and approved by the PPCC, and are open to all
Eligible bidders.
3. As of Monday October 5, 2015 eligible bidders may obtain further
information from The Office of the acting Procurement Director, Ministry of
State for Presidential Affairs; Mr. Robert Marshall, robertmarshall2002@yahoo.
com and pick up the bidding documents at the address given below from 9:00
A.M -4:00 P.M. Monday to Friday
4. A complete set of Tender documents in English may be purchased by
interested Bidders upon a payment of a nonrefundable fee of Eighty United
States dollars ($80.00 USD) for each set. The method of payment will be cash
and bidders will be issue a valid receipt after payment. Bidding documents will
be pickup by the bidders or their representative.
Tenders must be delivered to the address below at or before 2:00 PM, October
28, 2015. Tenders shall be valid for a period of 80 days after the deadline of
Tender submission. All Tenders must be accompanied by a Bid Security of
2% of their tender price from a reputable bank or insurance company. Late
Tenders will be rejected and returned to the bidder unopened. Tenders will
be opened in the presence of the Bidders or their representative who choose
to attend at 2:30 PM, Wednesday, October 28, 2015 in the Office of the Deputy
Minister/Administration, Foreign Ministry Building 5th Floor.
5. Qualification requirements include:

1. Articles of Incorporation,
2. Valid Tax Clearance,
3. Valid Business Registration
4. Past performance records including the names and contact number of at
least three clients.
5. Line of Credit (30days)
6. Availability of Spare Parts
7. Evidence of being part of the PPCC Vendor Registration database

JEALOUSY KILLER
Woman Jailed For Murdering Mate

Kennedy L. Yangian kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 0777296781

Monroviaefendant
Siatta
Morris 18, a mother
of two children
now charged with
the crime of murder bows
her head in shame and wept
bitterly Monday when she was
taken from court at the Temple
of Justice to the Monrovia
Central Prison.
I did not mean to kill this
woman your please forgive
me said Siatta while she was
on her way to the Monrovia
City Court at the Temple of
Justice Monday.
The 18 year old woman is
reported to have been arrested
by officers of the Liberia Police
on September 24, 2015 after
allegedly murdering a woman
she accused of been aware of
an affair between her niece-inlaw and her boyfriend in the
Bernard Farm Community.
Police charge sheet in the
possession of FrontPageAfrica
states that defendant Morris
knowingly, purposely stabbed
victim Weedor Lamah 29, on
her neck with a small black
handle kitchen knife about
9:30 p.m which rendered the
victim unconscious and she
was rushed to the JFK Hospital
where she was pronounced
dead on arrival by medical
doctors.
The police have stated
that
during
investigation
conducted with the homicide
Division of the LNP it was
established that prior to the
victims death there had been
constant
misunderstanding
between the two of them
over accusation that he fianc
identified as Alex Karkor was
in love affair with the victims
niece in law also identified as
Ma Lonkon.
Defendant Morris according
to the police had directly

accused the victim Lamah

of being aware of the sexual
relationship existing between
her fianc and the victims
niece in law of which she
claimed is now pregnant for
her fianc.
The police say that on the night
of September 24, 2015 at about
9:30 there was heated verbal
exchange of insults between
the deceased Weedor Lamah
and defendant Siatta Morris
which resulted into a fist fight.
As the result of the fight the
police charge sheet revealed
that
defendant
Morris
sustained a cut on her left ear
after been bitten by victim
Weedor Lamah.
According to the police in
the course of the fighting the
two persons were separated
by some neighbors who
intervened
but
however,
Morris who was still harboring
malice went and informed her
brother identified as Dakina
Morris who was armed with
knives and went to attack
the victim and her family at
their house which is about
10 minutes walk from the
defendants house.
The police continued that upon
their arrival at the deceased
house her brother immediately
attacked one of the sons of the

DEFENSE MINISTRY SUSPENDS

SEVERAL PERSONNEL

Bids must be in English and fees much be quoted in United States dollars.

6. Prospective bidders must submit one original and two copies. Original Bid
must be enclosed in a separate envelope and marked ORIGINAL. The two
copies and the original copy must then be enclosed in one larger envelope and
labeled: MACHINERY & EQUIPMENTS; IFB NO.MOS/NCB/004/15/16 and must
be submitted to the office of the acting Director of Procurement. Additional
details are provided in the Bidding Documents.
Attention: The Procurement Unit

Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs

Motor Pool Division, 1st Floor, Room #1

Executive Mansion Ground, Capitol Hill

Opposite LISGIS

Cell No: +231777372609/0886639382
Monrovia, Liberia
Signed: ______________________________
Management

deceased identified as Johnny

Lamah thereby stabbing him in
the face with a knife while piece
of the blade used by Dakina left
in the flesh of Johnny and the
assailant fled from the scene to
an unknown location.
However the police alluded
also in the charge sheet that
while the deceased was
standing outdoor complaining
to one of the neighbors in
person of Hajah Karkor about
how defendant Morris had
brought in some people to
attack them, defendant Morris
rushed to the victim unnoticed
and stabbed her at her throat
causing the victim to bleed
profusely and when taken to
the JFK died upon arrival.
According to the police, when
the defendant had stabbed
the deceased she attempted to
escape but was grabbed by the
deceased husband and taken
to the community chairman
and later turned over to the
police.
In view of the foregoing facts
and circumstances coupled
with voluntary admission of
defendant Siatta Morris as
well as witnesses testimonies
and evidence adduced the
investigation
resolved
to
charge defendant Siatta Morris
with murder stated the police.

Monroviahe
Authority
of
the
Ministry
of
National
Defense
has suspended for
time indefinite four civilian
employees of the Ministry
in connection with alleged
financial impropriety following
joint investigations conducted
by the Internal Audit Section
and the Department of Defense
Intelligence of the Ministry of

National Defense.
In keeping with internal policy
of the Ministry of National
Defense, those involved were
confronted with the facts and
it was established that there
were salary discrepancies in
the accounts of those culpable.
The individuals, all from the
Comptrollers Office, include
two accountants and the Senior
Administrative Officer for
Budget and Fiscal Accounting,

and the Resource Management

Accountant.
During
preliminary
investigations,
it
was
established through verbal
testimonies and documentary
evidences
that
those
individuals were culpable
for lacked of judgment and
malfeasance thus resulting
into payroll piling thereby
defrauding the Ministry of
National Defense in the tone
of $8,547.96( Eight Thousand
Five Hundred forty Seven
and Ninety Six) United States
Dollars.
Meanwhile the Ministry of
National Defense said it has
strengthened
its
internal
system of control in payroll
handling. Under the reinforced
measures, all payrolls are
encrypted and the password
is usable once a month from
the Ministry of National
Defense and accessible only
by the Ministry of Finance and
Development Planning and
Ecobank Liberia Limited, the
depository bank.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Frontpage

Page 11

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
The Judiciary Branch of Government seeks application from qualified Liberians interested in filling the vacant post of Jury Manager and Secretary

at county levels within the Judiciary in accordance with an Act amending Title 1 of the Liberian Code of Laws Revised, relating to juries and jurors,
passed by the Honorable 53RD Legislature, in 2012 and approved in 2013.
Job Title:

County Jury Manager

Place of work: Circuit Courts in Lofa, Nimba, Bomi, Margibi, Bassa, Bong, and Grand Gedeh Counties.
Report to: National Jury Manager, Central Office
POSITION SUMMARY:

The Circuit Jury Managers shall head the county offices of the Jury Management, and shall assist with jury selection, organizing jury pool and
ordering the number of jurors necessary for the functioning of the various circuit courts.
A. Functions and Responsibilities of the Judicial Circuit Jury manager:
A Judicial Circuit Jury Manager of the Office of Jury Management assigned within a Judicial Circuit Court of each county under the direct supervision
of the Chief Jury Manager shall:
a. Provide the jury selection and management services to be carried out by the Judicial Circuit Court of office of jury management, relating to the
administration of the Office of Jury Management;
b. Supervise and monitor within the circuit court all jury selection and management processes;
c. Produce detail monitoring and evaluation reports of the jury management process and outcomes during each term of court etc.;
d. Ensure the adherence by Office of Jury Management and the circuit court of procedures for:
Juror polling
Venire of grand and petit jurors
Jurors Summons and
Jurors Orientation.
e. Conduct routine post-jury service evaluation of each juror, upon completion of jury service and compile information to be utilized as data for the
improvement of jury service in the circuit;
f. Collect reports for onwards submission to the Central Jury Office;
g. Assist the circuit courts with the formulation of short and long-term programs and projects for an efficient and effective jury selection and
management program; and
h. Each candidate must be willing to reside in the county of his/her interest.
B. Qualification:
a. Be a graduate of a recognized university with a degree in sociology, Criminal Justice or a relative social science;
b. Must have at least a minimum of three (3) years working experience in the public or private sector;
c. Have knowledge in the workings of the Liberian Judiciary; and
d. Be computer proficient;

SECRETARY:
The Secretary shall be responsible to receive, and process all communications and documents forwarded to the Office of the County Jury Manager in
a timely manner and handle correspondences to and from the County Jury Manager.
Duties and responsibilities:
a. Responsible to keep all documents safe; and to manage incoming and out-going correspondences in an orderly manner;
b. Supervise the recording and follow-up of the processing of incoming and out-going correspondences; making sure that proper record is made;
and,
c. Establish record and files of all in-coming and out-going correspondences, and according to dates and time of service and or processing; and
d. Carry out any other duties as required for the smooth functioning of the Office of the National Jury Management; and
e. Be computer literate.
Qualification and skills:
a. High school and WAEC certificate or other relevant certificates;
b. Must possess a certificate from a recognize computer institution
c. A college degree may be an added advantage

Application Procedure
Applicants, male and female may apply and will be considered for recruitment and subsequent appointment. All applications will be reviewed on
the basis of merits.
A letter of application along with an attached updated RESUME with three (3) professional references will be required from applicant (s).
Note: All applications with relevant documents should be addressed to:
THE OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL JURY MANAGER
JUDICIARY BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE
CAPITOL HILL
MONROVIA, LIBERIA

APPLICATIONS CAN ALSO BE DELIVERED TO THE CLERKS OF COURT OF YOUR RESPECTIVE CIRCUIT COURTS
DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATION LETTERS IS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015 AT
4:00 P.M. (Absolutely no application will be received after the deadline)

Page 12 | Frontpage

Monroviaormer
Deputy
Police Director for
Operations,
Abe
Kromah has called
for the Liberia National Police
to go back to its origin of
establishment. Kromah said
the Liberia National Police is
a complete replica of the New
York Police Detachment of
America and should perform
in such manner.
The
police
organization
is an operational oriented
organization and what I
thought needed to be adjusted
is the issue of the mission of
the police, the structure most
especially that follows the New
York oriented style should be
observed, he noted.
He said the police for what it
is right now has mix training
background with different
countries contributing to the
process.
After the war those fellows
that came in to help, most of
the guys that came from Ghana
and Nigeria most especially the
British colonialized countries
brought in suggestions and
since in fact we had regional
arrangement, people thought
that they could bring Liberia
on par with other countries
in the world not realizing our
own orientation, we are a New
York and NYPD United States
oriented police force, said
Kromah.
Kromah
observed
that
countries that came to help
brought in new suggestions
taking into consideration that
Liberia was in a post conflict
situation and they all wanted
to help restructure the police.
They adopted what they
thought was best for Liberia,
and they brought into force
the Inspector General position
instead of police Director and
all of those nomenclatures
that is not within our own
orientation, he furthered.
Speaking in an interview with
FrontPageAfrica
recently
the former Deputy Director
of Police said trainers of the
Police brought in change of
names of heads of the police,
they brought in Chief inspector,
Superintendent,
Deputy
Inspector General amongst
others,.
He said while those names
might not be radical for where
the police was, saying hes of
the strongest conviction that
there has to be a reflection
on the Liberia National Police
orientation which he says is
the New York style of Police
Force.
Kromah noted that it is a
complete radical departure
for Liberia to reflect on British
orientation of policing and
departing from its original
American orientation.
Basically
Liberia
Police
forces has a New York style of
orientation and there where

POLICE NEEDS
Tuesday, October 6, 2015

RADICAL CHANGES
Former 102 Wants New York Styled Force
By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr (231886458910)-edwin.genoway@frontpageonline.com

we were before the war and it

is where our police originated
from, I think in my mind we
have had too much radical
departure from our orientation
and we need to go back, he
said.
The former Deputy Police
Director also noted that the
new police act currently
before the senate needs to
be revisited, saying, there
should be a criteria set in the
recruitment exercise of the
Police Chief and the Deputy
Police Chief.
Kromah said in the new
act there is no academy
qualification for the chief of
police of the Liberia National
Police Force, suggesting that
sections of the act be revisited.
We are suggesting that there
is a need to change the way
in which the chief of Police
and the Deputy Chief of
Police are recruited, in the
document there is no academy
qualification for the chief of
Police, that is something that
we need to look at seriously,
he said.
The former Police official who
was recently invited by the
senate to give suggestions on
the new police act described
the document as a good

document but calls for the

change of some of the clauses
in the document.
He however suggested that
the chief of police should not
be a uniformed police person,
saying, the person should be
an administrator who has a
security background but not
necessary a policeman.
Kromah is suggesting that
Chief of Police primary
objective should be to provide
administrative reasons, and
since the person will have
criminal Justice and sociology
backgrounds, the person will
have a better understanding as
to where the police is.
He added Because the
police is a paramilitary
organization, and because
Liberia is a democratic state,
it is necessary for a civilian
management team to lead
the force, and the Deputy for
Administration in my view
should be the technocrat who
has an accounting background,
who also has economic
background and that person is
the technician that will provide
technical knowhow to the
administration, the Deputy for
Operation on the other hand
should be a guy who grew
up in the department of the

police force, the person should

have police orientation of law
enforcement with a criminal
Justice background and deeply
seated within the framework
of the organization.
Kromah wants the Deputy
for Operation of the Liberia
National Police to run the day to
day activities of the police from
the civilian administrators.
Commissioner
of
Police
in New York is not a police
officer but hes a guy who
understands policing, thats
how it supposed to be in Liberia
because thats our style, that
is what our constitution calls
for, the constitution that we
are enforcing is a copy of the
United States constitution, he
said.
He clarified that hes not calling
for Liberia to divert from its
constitution, but added that it
is a need that the country goes
to its orientation.
To not follow the US style of
policing is to deviate from the
constitution obligation we
have and if we do that it is a
complete contradiction, he
stressed.
Nimba Situation Unlawful
The former Police Director has
described the recent violence
situation in Nimba that led to

the destruction of properties as

unlawful and calls for speedy
investigation in the matter.
Kromah who also hails from
Ganta Nimba County said
those who carried out the
destruction in Ganta City are
not from Ganta, saying, they
are people who settled in
Ganta to cause confusion in the
City.
It is disgrace to us, and I
challenge the guys that did that
in Ganta are not Ganta citizens,
they are people who came onto
our land and decided to own
it and brought about all these
violent act, I condemn the life
that was taken, and nowhere
in our country such gruesome
should be encouraged, those
who did the killing should be
brought to book Kromah
noted.
He said Liberians should do
away with taking the laws into
their own hands and follow
the rule of law. He however
expressed disappointment in
the actions by some people in
the County, I am flabbergasted
about what happened in Nimba
County and those responsible
need to be penalized according
to the laws of our land, he
added.
He however called for the

establishment of a Tactical
Operation Group within the
police mainly in the Emergency
Response Unit (ERU) and the
Police Support Unit (PSU) that
will normally deploy tactically
in times of violence like the
recent case in Nimba.
He said the establishment of
a Tactical Group within the
PSU and ERU in the leeward
battalion will enable the police
control violence as soon as
possible, saying, the presence
of PSU in the hub is not enough
because according to him
there are always logistical
constraints.
The Former Deputy for
Operations noted that the
creation of a tactical group is
a fundamental requirement
right now in the police. He said
the need for logistical support
especially lethal and nonlethal
cannot be overemphasized.
One regret he pointed out
for leaving the police is not
completing plans he said
he had in place, one of the
regrets I will have for leaving
the police force is the fact that
some of the plans that we put
together to actually do tactical
deployment and to address
some of these issue of the rule
of law, we didnt see it through,
and one thing you learn when
you go to police school you
have to be effective and your
effectiveness has to be with
persistency and consistency
and you have to be fair.
Kromah noted that during
his stay in the police he was
persistent
and
effective,
something he said more people
respect him for.
People were not afraid of
me, they respected me that is
why when they are violating
and they hear the name Abe
Kromah or 102 they always
stop because they know I am
effective, he noted.
The former police however
described the current police
force as capable of controlling
situation even in the absence
of the United Nations Mission
in Liberia (UNMIL) saying
the police only need logistical
support that will enable them
to be effective in the absence of
the international body UNMIL.

SEARCH FOR MISSING MOUNDS VIEW MAN EXPANDS TO CALIFORNIA, LIBERIA

he search for a missing

Mounds View man who
was last heard from on
Labor Day has expanded to
California and Liberia.
The now international search is
underway in places where 32-yearold Henry McCabe used to live.
Members
from
the
Liberian
community, McCabes soccer team,
coworkers and family members are
actively searching in Minnesota,

California and Liberia to try to find

the missing man.
Members of the community, friends
and family gathered on Saturday to
support each other in the search and
to ask the public for any information.
We are grateful for all of the support
that you guys have shown us,
McCabes brother said to those who
had gathered.
If you know where he is, please call
the police and let them take over,

one of McCabes soccer teammates

said.
McCabes wife, Kareem McCabe, said
she last heard from her husband
early Labor Day morning, when he
left a strange, roughly two-minute
message on her cell phone that
contained bizarre sounds. The New
Brighton Police Department recently
sent the audio recording to a local
FBI office for further analysis.
Pings from McCabes cell phone

placed him last near Creekview Park

in New Brighton. On Tuesday, police
searched the areawhich borders
New Brighton, Mounds View and
Fridleybut were unsuccessful in
finding information related to the
case. Ramsey County Water Patrol
also searched near the area but were
also unsuccessful.
Authorities say they havent ruled
anyone out in this investigation.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Frontpage

Page 13

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

MINISTRY OF HEALTH & SOCIAL WELFARE

P.O. BOX 10-9009
1000 MONROVIA 10, LIBERIA

The Liberian Bank for Development & Investment organized and operating under the Laws of the Republic of Liberia,
is seeking for qualified Liberians to fill the below vacancy. Duty station is at its Monrovia Offices. Successful candidates
should be willing to travel out of Monrovia.
All applications should be addressed to the Human Resource Department no later than October 12, 2015. All signed
applications should be sent to recruitment@lbdi.net. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview. For
additional information you may call: 0880 159 159.

TREASURY OFFICER (TRADING & INVESTMENT)

Job Title
Grade Level: P1-P3
Reports To Vice President Treasury

Job Purpose
- Assist in the undertaking of a wide range of treasury management activities, developing long-term financial
projections, investment strategies and financial risk analysis.
Key Duties
- Measure impact of interest and exchange rates on Banks investment portfolio;
- Report/Analyze major development on global financial markets that impact the Banks portfolio;
- Raise memo to effect changes on system in exchange market, Money markets, Government and other securities;
- Conduct gap analysis and advise appropriate investment action;
- Maintain daily dashboard, measure the Banks cost of funds and advise on pricing of credit products;
- Measure, monitor and report the Banks FX exposure and resolve all transaction discrepancies to ensure settlement
by close of day and within 24 hours;
- Analyze bank cash flow requirements and identify funds available for investment;
- Advise and implement the transfer of funds and securities to implement;
- Help prepare investment proposals and contracts;
- Assist with formulation and implementation of investment policies
- Perform portfolio analysis and prepare periodic performance reports
- Perform any other duties assigned by Management
Key Performance Indicators
- Timely response to the Banks day-to-day cash requirements;
- Quantum of successful deals handled per period;
- Timely updates of exchange rates in the operating system.
Education & Experience
- Bachelors degrees in economics, finance or accounting;
- Three (3) years work experience in treasury management with at least two (2) years in treasury trading environment;
Skills
- Goal oriented, extremely capable communicator;
- Good analytical skills;
- Computer skills in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word;
- Good Knowledge of financial products;
- Knowledge of regulatory and/or liquidity processes;
- Understanding of banking products-both assets and liabilities;
- Knowledge of investment principles and practices related to securities
- Understanding of cash management principles assets and liabilities;
- Ability to evaluate and interpret economic and financial information
- Capability to asses and apply economic and financial conditions to current investment decision
- Ability to negotiate the purchase and sale of investment instruments

The Liberian Bank for Development & Investment organized and operating under the Laws of the Republic
of Liberia, is seeking for qualified Liberians to fill the below vacancy. Duty station is at its Monrovia Offices.
Successful candidates should be willing to travel out of Monrovia.

All applications should be addressed to the Human Resource Department no later than October 12, 2015. All
signed applications should be sent to recruitment@lbdi.net. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for
interview. For additional information you may call: 0880 159 159.

TREASURY OFFICER (LIQUIDITY MANAGEMENT)

Job Title
Grade Level P1-P3
Reports To Vice President/Treasury

Job Purpose
- To implement the resource mobilization initiatives of the Bank, proactively monitor and manage the Banks
liquidity portfolio.

KEY DUTIES
- Monitor and measure the liquidity position against established benchmark and report exceptions;
- Monitor and report the Banks daily inflow and outflow of cash;
- Maintain daily treasury dashboard;
- Implement the approved strategies to raise funds in domestic and international capital markets;
- Provide inputs into the monthly, quarterly and annual treasury business plan;
- Prepare daily and weekly Management reports on liquidity and rate outlook;
- Inform and provide recommendations to the Treasurer of significant developments, emerging opportunities
and challenges in areas of responsibilities;
- Carryout any other duties assigned by Supervisor/Management.
Key Performance Indicators

- Timely response to the Banks day-to-day cash requirements;

- Timely reporting of exceptions;
- Timeliness in identifying and establishing hedge positions and recommendation to mitigate risk position;
Education & Experience
- Bachelors degrees in economics, finance or accounting;
- Three (3) years work experience in treasury management with emphasis in liquidity management.
SKILLS
- Goal oriented, extremely capable communicator;
- Good analytical skills;
- Computer skills in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word;
- Good Knowledge of financial products;
- Knowledge of regulatory and/or liquidity processes;
- Understanding of banking products-both assets and liabilities;
- Understanding of issues within liquidity management and liquidity risk management

Job Announcement: Pool Fund Accounting Officer

1. Background: The Health Sector Pool Fund (HSPF) was established in 2008 to
finance unfunded priorities from the National Health Plan (NHP). A Health Sector
Pool Fund Management Firm manages the fund within the Ministry of Health. The
management firm is currently recruiting an experienced accountant to serve as a
Pool Fund Accounting Officer within the HSPF Secretariat. The HSPF Secretariat
is comprised of a small team of hardworking, dedicated professionals that are
supervised by a dynamicPool Fund Manager.

2. Responsibilities: The Accounting Officer will report directly to the Pool Fund
Manager and willshare the following responsibilities with other SecretariatStaffs
in strict adherence to the Pool Fund Procedures Manual:
ReviewingMOH payment requests to ensure consistency with contracts and
budgetary provisions under approved pool fund allocations, and processing
payments requests in keeping with the MOHs accounting procedures and the
Pool Fund Procedures Manual;
Participating in payroll monitoring and other fiduciary activities to control
against the potential leakage of funds;
Ensuring disbursement vouchers and checks are properly prepared, coded, and
submitted for approval to the appropriate authorities;
Usingthe MOHs ACCPAC accounting software system to account for all inflows
and outflows of funds, ensuring all ACCPAC journal entries are made on a regular
basis is an added advantage
Preparing cash flow projections and timed deposit requests for review by the
Fund Manager;
Strictly executing the MOH and pool fund advance and liquidation policies and
practices;
Conducting monthly bank statement reconciliation on the main pool fund bank
account and on the pool fund disbursement bank account statements;
Preparing monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports for review by the
Fund Manager;
Supporting financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, controls and analysis
regarding proposed and approved pool fund allocations;
Supportingthe annual independent audits and fiduciary risk assessments of the
pool fund;
Participating in the periodic review of accounting and financial management
policies, practices, and procedures of the pool fund;
Performing other related duties as may be assigned by the Pool Fund Manager.
In the fulfillment of the duties detailed above, the Accounting Officerwill accepts
direction from the Pool Fund Manager concerning work assignments that will
vary according to workload.

3. Qualifications: The successful candidate should have an academic degree

BBA in Accounting or Finance from a credible institution with relevant experience
in bookkeeping, accounting, financial management, public administration, or
a related field. He/she will have an in-depth knowledge of issues inherent
to accounting for high value projects with demanding reporting and audit
requirements under a high degree of fiduciary scrutiny. He/she will have a
very strong knowledge of recording keeping and documentation requirements
inherent to effective financial management, as well as office computer skills in MS
Excel, MS Word, and preferably a good working knowledge of ACCPAC and other
accounting software.He/she will have a basicunderstanding of procurement and
contract award processes fundamental to the tender of goods, works and services.
4. Experience: We are looking for a resourceful candidate with a well-documented
track record of success in a similarly position working with government or
international donor funding. The successful candidates resume must clearly
show that he/she has at least 5 years of combined experience in the areas of
responsibility indicated in section 2. Knowledge of the health sector and the
Ministry of Health will be an advantage.

5. How to apply: We welcomereceiving by email (at proumohsw@gmail.com),

hard copies of applications and CVs can also be dropped in the tender box situated
on the ground floor of the Ministrys Central Office in Congo Town under the stairs.
All applications should be addressed to:
James M. Beyan
Director of Personnel
Ministry of Health

The deadline for submission is October 20th, 2015 at 15:00 GMT

Page 14 | Frontpage

PAGE

RONT

WORLD NEWS

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

OSCAR PISTORIUS MUST REMAIN

IN JAIL, REVIEW BOARD SAYS
AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS SHOW

IMPROVEMENTS BUT PROGRESS 'STALLS'

hirty-three out of Africa's 54 countries have shown

improvements in the way they are governed over the
last four years, research has found.
But the researchers behind the Ibrahim Index of
African Governance say progress "is stalling".
The index measures changes in development, human rights,
security and economic opportunity.
Mauritius and Cape Verde are the top-ranked countries, and
South Sudan and Somalia are at the bottom of the index
The Sudan-born mobile phone magnate Mo Ibrahim, who
funds the research, said that it is hard to make generalisations
because "Africa is not a country", and the research reveals huge
differences within the continent.

SYRIA CONFLICT: NATO WARNS

RUSSIA ON AIR STRIKES

ato has urged Russia to end air strikes "on the Syrian
opposition and civilians", days after Moscow began
raids to support Syria's government.
Moscow says it is targeting Islamic State and other
Islamist positions, but US-led allies and Turkey say government
opponents are targeted.
Turkish F-16 fighter jets were scrambled after a Russian plane
entered Turkey's air space on Saturday.
Russia said the violation was for just a few seconds and due to
poor weather.
Saturday's interception took place near Yayladagi in the
southern Hatay region, Turkey says. The foreign ministry in
Ankara said it had summoned the Russian ambassador to issue
a "strong protest".

CIVILIANS 'ACCIDENTALLY STRUCK' IN AFGHAN

HOSPITAL BOMBING, U.S. COMMANDER SAYS

A
(CNN)

Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan

was struck accidentally after Afghan forces called
for air support from the American military, Gen.
John Campbell, the commander of U.S. forces in
Afghanistan, said Monday.
Saturday's bombardment in Kunduz has sparked international
outrage. It killed 12 medical staff members and at least 10
patients, three of them children, Doctors Without Borders said.
Another 37 people were wounded, according to the global
charity group, which works in conflict zones to help victims of
war and other tragedies.
Every person who died at the hospital was Afghan, the group
said.
Addressing reporters Monday at the Pentagon, Campbell said
initial reports indicated the airstrike was called to protect U.S.
forces.
"We have now learned that on October 3, Afghan forces advised
that they were taking fire from enemy positions and asked for
air support from U.S. forces," he said. "An airstrike was then
called to eliminate the Taliban threat, and several innocent
civilians were accidentally struck."

scar Pistorius must

remain in jail and
not be transferred
to house arrest
after a decision to grant him
parole was again delayed.
His lawyer Brian Webber
told the AFP news agency
that a decision over his early
release has been referred
back to the parole board.
The Paralympic star was
jailed for five years in 2014
for the culpable homicide of
Reeva Steenkamp.
He has been fighting a
lengthy battle to be released
early from jail.
Pistorius was due to be

released in August, but

remained in prison after
Justice Minister Michael
Masutha made a last-minute
intervention blocking it.
The parole review board the final recourse for parole
disputes - met on Monday to
decide if the star, 28, should
be allowed out on house
arrest.
A definitive parole ruling
is now unlikely to be
made before the athlete
in a separate legal process
appeals
against
his
conviction on 3 November in
Bloemfontein.
This ruling could result in

him receiving a longer prison

term.
Mr Webber explained that the
parole review board decided
to refer the matter back to
the original parole panel - the
body accused by Mr Masutha
of "prematurely" wanting to
release him in August.
There will not be much
sympathy
for
Pistorius
because many people felt that
the judge erred by acquitting
him of murder.
The double amputee will
have to remain behind bars
because while his case joins
the lengthy queue of other
parole hearings that need

The arrests were "part of an

investigation into suspected
bribery
and
moneylaundering offences", it
added.
No further details were
given but Nigerian media
reported
that
AlisonMadueke was granted bail
but had her passport seized
and was ordered to stay at
her London address.
The 59-year-old, a close
ally of Jonathan whose
administration was dogged
by allegations of corruption,
has faced accusations of
graft in the past but denied

wrong-doing.
Buhari, who was elected
on
an
anti-corruption
ticket, has pledged to crack
down on endemic fraud in
government and state-run
agencies, in particular in
the oil sector.
He has said that "mindboggling" sums have been
stolen over the years and
promised to prosecute
those responsible.
But he has also said he
would not conduct a witchhunt against the former
administration.

to be heard, and there is no

indication when this will
happen.
Legal experts say the
decision by the justice
minister Michael Masutha
to intervene was correct in
terms of the law.
At the time of his intervention,
Pistorius had been granted
parole only six months into
his five-year sentence.
The law states clearly that
an offender can only be
considered for parole after
serving one-sixth of his
sentence, in this case 10
months.
But because he has now
served one-sixth of his
sentence, he probably should
be released by now.
Prosecutors argue that the
judge who presided over his
trial did not apply the law
correctly by acquitting him of
murder.
The judge instead found
him guilty of a lesser charge
of culpable homicide equivalent to manslaughter.
Reeva Steenkamp's parents
are strongly against Pistorius'
possible release, telling an
Australian TV channel in
August that the Paralympian
has ruined their lives.
"He killed her. He admits he
killed her. She's dead. Why
didn't he just let her walk
away? Why?" Reeva's mother
June Steenkamp asked in the
interview.

NIGERIAN FORMER OIL MINISTER 'ARRESTED': REPORTS

Lagos (AFP) igeria's former

oil minister has
been
arrested
in London, the
BBC said on Friday quoting
unnamed family members,
after Britain's National
Crime Agency said it had
detained five people over
alleged
international
corruption.
The
identities
and
nationalities of those held
were not disclosed but the
broadcaster said on its
website that relatives of
Diezani
Alison-Madueke
confirmed she had been
arrested in the British
capital.
Alison-Madueke
was
Nigeria's
minister
of
petroleum resources from
2010 until earlier this year
when Muhammadu Buhari
defeated Goodluck Jonathan
in presidential polls.
She was the first woman to
hold the post in Nigeria -Africa's number one crude
producer -- and the first
female president of the
global oil cartel OPEC.
Britain's
NCA,
which
investigates serious and
organised crime, said in a
statement on its website
that
its
international
corruption unit arrested
five people across London.

No one was immediately

available for comment
at
Nigeria's
Economic
and
Financial
Crimes
Commission (EFCC) when
contacted by AFP and the
government in Abuja said it
had "no information" on the
arrests.
Online and social media
reports, however, said the
EFCC had sealed AlisonMadueke's home in the
capital, Abuja.
Alison-Madueke
has
reportedly been overseas
since Buhari came to power
on May 29.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Frontpage

Sports

LAST BATCH DUE TODAY

Ronaldinho to miss Liberia versus G. Bissau matches as five foreign-based players arrive

Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

he Liberia Football
Association
(LFA)
has confirmed that
Patrick Ronaldinho
Wleh will miss the 2018 World
Cup qualifiers with Guinea
Bissau.
The first leg takes place on
Thursday at the Antoinette
Tubman Stadium (ATS) in
Monrovia and the return leg
is slated for the multi-purpose
20,000 seater Estdio Nacional
24 de Setembro in Bissau on
October 13.
Wleh was recalled by head
coach James Salinsa Debbah
in a 26-man squad, which was
unveiled at a news conference
on October 1.
But Debbah did say that Wleh,
who hasnt played since he
took over in November 2014,
had a 50-percent chance due
to a reported injury.
Well, LFA communications
director Henry Flomo told
UNMIL Radios Sports Extra
program that Wleh, who plays
for PKNS FC in the Malaysian
Premier League, will take to
the pitch later than sooner.
My understanding is that his
team has just written [the LFA]
to say that he is recuperating
from injury so they cant
send him, Flomo revealed on
October 5.
Asking whether the LFA will
demand the release of Wleh

to confirm the severity of

the injury in keeping with
Fifa
standard
operating
procedures, Flomo said: Well
normally, that is between the
two institutions. If the country
insists, by Fifa rules, they [club]
should [obey].
But it is like, probably, Debbah
is sure that indeed he is
recovering. If you doubt it, you
have the right to demand his
release but I am not sure if
Debbah is in doubt.
Born on July 17, 1991 in
Monrovia,
Wleh
became
known as Ronaldinho for his
physical morphology and his
dazzling skills.

He has scored against Cape

Verde (on March 26, 2011),
Mali (on October 8, 2011),
Nigeria (on October 13, 2012)
and Uganda (on March 24,
2013) in competitive matches.
So why was Ronaldinho, who
scored for a Malaysian IX
against Liverpool in a preseason friendly on July 24
overlooked?
Well, I am the coach of
the national team. I select
players based on what I see
and not what the fans want,
said Debbah in response to
a FrontPageAfrica question
during his news conference.
In a related development,

NO TRACE OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURES

HOW MUCH IS SPENT ON AN

INTERNATIONAL MATCH?

Govt. to release US$300,000 despite Fifas US$300,000 for 2018 World Cup qualifiers

Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

he Liberia Football
Association (LFA)
is
to
receive
US$300,000 from
the Ministry of Finance
& Development Planning
for the 2018 World Cup
qualifiers with Guinea
Bissau despite a financial
contribution from worlds
football governing body.
Multiple sources at the
Ministry of Youth and
Sports have confirmed the
governments contribution
after it gave US$500,000 to
the LFA for the 2017 Africa
Cup of Nations qualifier
with Tunisia on September 5.
At the LFA 20th ordinary
congress on October 3, Deputy
Sports Minister Henry Yonton
disclosed that the government
has been heavily funding the
team despite media reports of
US$250,000 being allocated for
the national football teams.
In
December
2014,
Fifa
approved
US$300,000
as
support for the preparation of
and participation in the 2018
World Cup qualifiers to its 209
members, except for Zimbabwe,
which was disqualified due to a
failure to settle a US$67,000 debt

with former Brazil coach Jose

Claudinei Georgini.
There is also a threat of a ban
from the 2022 qualifiers as
another former coach, Tom
Saintfiet, has approached Fifa
after taking legal action over
money owed by the Zimbabwe
Football Association (Zifa).
LFA president Musa Bility, since
his return from the 2014 Fifa
congress in Brazil, has only
spoken about a US$500,000
bonus
and
the
annual
US$250,000 financial assistance
program (FAP).
Bility has been mute on that
money but reluctantly confirmed

the news at a news conference

on August 10.
I dont know why you people
cant listen to people. It is
difficult to be repeating yourself.
I have reported twice that that
US$300,000 is even small. They
[Fifa] should have given us US$1
million. Our budget for the World
Cup qualifiers is US$3.5 million
but it is stage-related, he said in
response to an inquiry from Sky
FMs Christopher Walker.
Financial reports have never
been made public by the LFA
despite warnings from Fifa
development officer for West
Africa Sampson Kablan.

Flomo also confirmed the

arrival of six foreign-based
players.
They are midfielder Patrick
Gerhardt
of
Sarawak,
Malaysia;
defender
Teah
Dennis and midfielder Marcus
McCauley of Al-Ahli Sports
Club, Jordan; defender Dirkir
Glay of Gor Mahia, Kenya;
defender Adolphus Marshall
(unattached),
midfielder
Anthony Snothi Laffor of
Mamelodi Sundowns, South
Africa and Francis Grandpa
Doe of NX Matrix in Malaysia,
who has been in Monrovia
since the match with Tunisia
on September 5.
As part of his campaign
promise in 2010, Bility assured
stakeholders and the media of
transparency and accountability
but treasurer Jallah D. Corvah
has refused to abide by several
Freedom of Information requests
from FrontPageAfrica.
Montserrado
County
Representative Edwin Snoweled mobilization committee,
which raised more than US$1
million during the 2013 Africa
Cup of Nations tie with Nigeria,
is yet to report since the 6-1
mauling in Calabar on October
13, 2012.
So,
LFA
director
of
communications Henry Flomo
could be forgiven with his
explanation of how much the
LFA spends on an international
question.
In the first place, I dont know
if you will want to consider the
flight that goes through Morocco,
comes back down to Bissau, goes
back to Morocco and comes back
to Monrovia, you will be talking
about over US$200,000 for a
delegation of 30 persons.
Besides that, you know of
preparation. These are two leg
matches. So there
are so many things involved. I
dont want to get into the cents
and dollars. Right now, you have
16 oversea players coming in.
The expensive will depend on
how much you pay for a ticket,
Flomo told UNMIL Radios Sports
Extra program on October 5.
In total, Fifa gave US$1.3 million
to its members after the Brazil
congress as was explained by
then secretary-general Jerome

The rest of the foreign-based

players are due on Tuesday.
Full squad
Goalies: Tommy Songo of
LISCR; Saylee Swen of LPRC
Oilers and suspended-Simpson
Giddings of FC Fassell.
Defenders: Solomon Grimes of
Nea Salamis, Cyprus; Adolphus
Marshall;
Gizzie
Tuncan
Dorbor of Hapoel Afula, Israel;
Hilton Varney and Alpha James
of Barrack Young Controllers
(BYC); Trokon Zeon of LISCR
FC; Dirkir Glay of Gor Mahia,
Kenya; Teah Dennis of Al-Ahli
Sports Club, Jordan; Raymond
Fanciah of Monrovia Club
Breweries.
Midfielders: Marcus Macaulay
of Al-Ahli Sports Club, Jordan;
Abel Gebor of KS Trbuni
Puk, Albania; Sam Johnson of
Djurgarden, Sweden; Patrick
Gerhardt of Sarawak and Zah
Kranger of Felda United in
Malaysia; Anthony Laffor of
Mamelodi Sundowns, South
Africa; Sporo Somah of Sewe
Sport, Ivory Coast; Junior
Barshall of BYC and Murphy
Oscar Dorley of Monrovia
Club Breweries.
Strikers: William Jerbo of
Ponferradina, Spain; Francis
Grandpa Doe of NX
Matrix, Malaysia; unattached
Sekou
Conneh;
Patrick
Ronaldinho Wleh of PKNS FC,
Malaysia; Dioh Williams of
Gefle IF, Sweden.
Valcke.
Following the final analysis of
the financial results for the 20112014 cycle and a proposal made
by the Fifa Finance Committee,
the Fifa Executive Committee has
approved additional financial
support of USD300,000 for each
of the member associations
participating in the Fifa 2018
World Cup qualifiers.
A specific circular on this
financial support will be issued
after the required registration
forms for the competition have
been received by the Fifa general
secretariat, the deadline for
which is 14 January 2015.
Consequently and in summary,
this means that in 2015,
each
member
association
will be entitled to receive
USD1,050,000: USD250,000 for
the 2015 FAP; USD500,000 as
a one-off financial bonus and
USD300,000 as support for the
preparation of and participation
in the 2018 Fifa World Cup
qualifiers.
This sum is in addition to the
first tranche of USD250,000
of the bonus that was made
available after the 2014 Fifa
Congress. Therefore, the total
one-off contributions made to
Fifa member associations as
a result of the good financial
results of the 2014 FIFA World
Cup amounts to USD1,050,000
each plus, as mentioned, the
normal 2015 FAP contribution
of USD 250,000, making a grand
total of USD1,300,000, said
Valcke in a December 19, 2014
circular #1463.

Page 15

SPORTS

MESSI ON TRACK TO
MAKE INJURY COMEBACK
V REAL MADRID AFTER
COMING OFF CRUTCHES

he Argentina star
injured his knee
ligaments in the win
over Las Palmas, but
he's now ready to step up his
recovery work with a Clasico
date the goal
Lionel Messi has taken the
first significant steps in his
recovery from a serious
knee injury, with Barcelona
hopeful the Argentine will
be fit and firing in time for
the first Clasico of the season
against Real Madrid on 22
November, Goal understands.

LIVERPOOL CONFIDENT
OF KLOPP APPOINTMENT

he Reds want the

former
Borussia
Dortmund manager
to replace Brendan
Rodgers and hope to have
their new coach in place
before they face Tottenham
on October 17
Liverpool want Jurgen Klopp
to replace Brendan Rodgers
and the German has indicated
his interest in becoming the
clubs new manager, Goal
understands.
Official
talks
between
Liverpool and Klopp will
take place this week with the
club confident of appointing
a new manager ahead of
their next fixture away at
Tottenham on October 17.
Klopp won two Bundesliga
titles during seven years
with Borussia Dortmund and
is considered by Liverpool
owner Fenway Sports Group
as an ideal fit to take over at
Anfield.

JUVENTUS WANT TO SEAL

20 MILLION DEAL FOR
CHELSEA'S CUADRADO

oth
the
Colombian and
the Bianconeri
are keen to make
the 27-year-old's loan deal
permanent at the end of the
2015-16 campaign, though
the Blues may hold out for
25m
Juventus are hoping to agree
a 20 million (14.8) deal
with Chelsea for the outright
purchase of winger Juan
Cuadrado.

STILL HOPEFUL
National Toiteirs Inc Factory building at Bernard Farm, Paynesville

CBL Governor Jones Predicts Future Economic Boom for Liberia

Monroviaespite criticisms
in some quarters
against
offering
micro-finance to
empower small businesses
across the country with
some Liberians squarely
saying that the loan offer is
politically motivated which
is yet to be established,
Central Bank Governor Mills
Jones remains hopeful that
prosperity lies ahead for the
countrys economy in the
wake of dooming hardship
currently facing the average
Liberian.
Governor Jones who is
expected to end his second
year tenure expected in
April 2016 just a year to
the countrys third post
war election has called on
Liberians not to lost hope as
a people and nation.
We have the facts about the
CBLS private sector initiative
but what is more interesting
is the story associated with
the facts that with vision and
commitment we can use the
resources even if not much,
to transform lives, that we do
not have to wait for others to
do for ourselves. But above
all, the story to tell is that
Liberia still has the chance to
live up to its promise, to be a
land of possibilities for all
said CBL Governor Jones.
The Central Bank Governor
spoke Friday when he served
as guest speaker at the 2nd
Anniversary of the of a local
business
establishment,
National
Toiletries
Inc
attended by cross section
of
Liberians
including
former National Investment

Kennedy L. Yangian kennedy.yangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 0777296781

A cross section of platform guests with Dr. Jones

Commission Chairman Dr.
Richard Tolbert, Liberia
Bank for Development and
Investment (LBDI) John
Davies.
The
National
Toiletries
INC owned by a Liberian
businessman
Fumba
Trawally was established in
2013 and is located in the
Bernard Farm Community in
Paynesville.
Touching on the entitys two
years existence Governor
Jones indicated to the cross
sections of Liberians who
gathered at the occasion that
Liberian owned business

has performed exceptionally

well and is trumpeting
the unfolding story of the
emergence of the new
Liberian economy.
He stated that the lives
of Liberians who are in
business or want to go into
business can be changed
by the successful story of
Trawally adding that the
circumstances of ones birth
should not be an eternal
chain of poverty.
Governor
Jones
lauded
that the successful story
of businessman Trawally
indicates that discipline, hard

work, setting high standards

for oneself, self-confidence
and being focused can make
the
difference
between
failure and success.
Outlining the CBL loans
initiative
despite
some
criticisms
and
many
commendations from the
locals who are benefiting,
Governor Jones stated that as
of the end of July 2015, 198
borrowers have benefited,
including 26 loans to gain
home ownership from the
National Housing Authority
(NHA).
Governor Jones continued

that the deposit with the

Afriland Bank has facilitated
lending to 47 farmers
in 10 counties and that
alluding some of these
individuals being prominent
personalities in the society
have chosen to condemn
the policies of the CBL in
the public even condemning
the micro-finance program
which makes available small
amounts of Liberian dollars
to poor cities, towns and
villages while receiving
thousands of United States
dollars at low interest loans.
Dr. Jones who has repeatedly

pleaded against divisive

politics while offering out
most of the micro- finance
loan in the country told the
gathering that those are
preaching politics of division
are on the losing side of
history.
Those who preach the
politics of division are on the
losing side of history, indeed,
we can and we will move
forward together as one
people, building a stronger,
more inclusive economy as
the basis for peace, stability
and democratic governance
said Dr. Jones.