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LAW & ORDER News Extra
VOL 8 NO.609
THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2014
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CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA
MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES
LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR
These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of
the foreign exchange market in Monrovia and its environs. The
rates are collected from the Forex Bureaux and the commercials
banks. The rates are not set by the Central Bank of Liberia.
Source: Research, Policy and Planning Department, Central Bank Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia
TUESDAY, MAY27, 2014 L$84.00/US$1 L$85.00/US$1
BUYING SELLING
L$86.00/US$1 L$87.00/US$1
L$88.00/US$1 L$87.00/US$1
MONDAY, JUNE 2, 2014
TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014
EDITORIAL pg. 3
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY SEEKING POLICE
PROTECTION AGAINST FRONTPAGEAFRICA


WHAT DOES EPA
WANT FROM US?
Throughout Monrovia, the buzzing sounds of generators can be heard. It saddens us that the EPA
has chosen FrontPageAfrica as the only violators of its Section 69 EPA Prohibition of Pollution
by Emission policy. Were pretty sure that if this policy is implemented throughout the length and
breadth of Liberia, the EPA would need a lot of police escorts to push a lot of businesses and homes into
darkness and Liberians out of work, in a nation still struggling to restore power to its people.
PROMOTING THE
CULTURE OF INTEGRITY
VOICES Sports
EXECUTIVE COMPROMISES
ON LEGISLATURES PROPOSED
US$73 MILLION
FROM 73
TO 18.25
WHO FORGIVES
CHUCKY?
LIBERIANS DIVIDED OVER EX-LIBERIAN
PRESIDENT SONS APOLOGY
Unity Partys Secretary General Paye wants
Nagbe Resign over Qatar World Cup scandal
DISAPPOINTMENT
CHINESE WOMAN DECRIES
SLOW JUSTICE SYSTEM

Page 2 |
Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Monrovia -
B
eginning 2008 to 2012, the Ministry of Public Works received
applauses from the Liberian public on the rapid construction of
roads across the country some of which includes the Caldwell
Road, the Samuel K. Doe Boulevard, the Jamaica Road, the
Buchanan-Monrovia highway and several other projects.

In several counties, feeder roads had been undergoing rapid rehabilitation
with donors including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and
the Government of Liberia along with others providing massive support
to the infrastructural reconstruction drive of Liberia but by 2013, the pace
of road construction suddenly changed with several projects coming to a
standstill.

The Ministry of Public Works overseeing the infrastructural development
aspect of the country experienced a change in leadership with Samuel K.
Woods resigning his position as he is yet to state the primary reasons for
quitting the post with several projects being implemented by the Ministry
under his watch.

Do the honorable thing and resign
Following Woods departure, the Public Works Ministry has come under
the scrutiny for the slow pace in projects implementation and delays
in the commencement of other projects, prompting public outcries
and donor expression of frustration on the inability of the Ministry to
conclude contracts for the reconstruction of the Somalia Drive Road and
continuation works on other roads.

In the wake of ongoing roads nightmare facing the country especially
during this rainy season, pressure has been mounting on the current
Minister of Public Works, Antoinette Weeks, who some segments of the
public believe is incompetent to handle the huge task at the Ministry of
Public works. On Monday protesters gathered at the Ministry calling
for her resignation, a day before she faced the Senate to answer queries
regarding the status of roads projects.

Weeks was preparing to meet the House of Representatives when the
Senate cited her to appear. On Tuesday she turned out at the Capitol to
provide explanations to the lawmakers ahead of another hectic Thursday
where she is expected to reappear before the Senate. Unless the lower
house rearrange her schedule, the minister is expected to be lured in for
another round of questioning.

Some senators including Geraldine Doe Sherriff (Montserrado County,
CDC), H. Dan Morias (CDC, Maryland County) were furious with
Minister Weeks performance going as far as to ask the Minister to resign
if the task ahead of her is diffcult to handle.

Everything you ask the Minister, she is shifting blame, so it means the
task ahead is so hard for her. I think she must do the honorable thing, to
resign, Senator Sheriff ranted.

Weeks Defense inherited nightmare

During her appearance Tuesday, Weeks defended her statement that she
inherited a complex ministry and as such to solve the problem, would
require a lot.

Weeks contends that she inherited a ministry with $US83 million debts for
contractors; something she said has negatively impacted the relationship
of her ministry with contractors. The minister said out of the $34 Million
United States dollars submitted to the Finance Ministry for payment, only
$14 million has been paid.

The Public Works Ministers comments was in response to concerns
raised by Senators Peter Coleman ( Congress for Democratic Change,
Grand Kru) and Joseph Nagbe (Sinoe, Alliance for Peace and Democracy)
who expressed fear that this years July 26 independence might not be
celebrated in Sinoe County due to the bad road conditions in the south-
east.

Minister Weeks told the senate that her administration inherited what she
described as a nightmare. Said Weeks The issues senator Coleman raised
is a nightmare that we have inherited and we need to fnd a way to deal
with it. One of the nightmares Senator Coleman alluded to is how we
address the issue of the contractors.

Added Weeks:These are some of things that we have to change and if
we are to change them, the change will not come easy because the part of
the change is we will have to bring changes to capacity. We cannot leave
the contractors with consultancy on their own to work because if you sign
a contract with someone, human nature is such, and dont give them the
kind of supervision needed they will give you what you didnt want.

In order to address the Nightmare, Weeks said feld engineers have
to have a level of competence. The reality is that the capacity for feld
engineers is sub-standard and some of the change we will be making will
be people change and that is the support we will want from you senators.

Woods legacy on the line

Weeks inherited nightmare claim took a swipe at the legacy of her
predecessor, Samuel K. Woods who was applauded by Liberians for
physically going on the feld and inspecting road construction projects in
a bid to fast-track ongoing work.

Woods in April moved to dispel suggestions that his administration
obligated the government to contracts that were not budgeted.

Some have averred that one of the reasons why the Government is
not meeting budgetary targets is because the government had been
overcommitted fnancially by some institutions, including the Ministry
of Public works during my tenure ... This account of events is a
misrepresentation of my stewardship of the Ministry that I cannot allow it
to go unaddressed, the former Minister stated.
Said Woods: All these roads people are talking about, you need
certifcates of completion, meaning if a man had 100% road to complete
in his contract, before they get paid, they must reach certain completion
benchmarks before they get paid, contrary to what people are saying that
someone took one year and gave US$80 million dollars worth of contract
to people, what for Gods sake. Check the record, nobody sat down in the
offce and just started signing contracts worth US$80 million. There were
even contracts brought from 2009.
Woods indicated that during his administration all contracts met
the required legal processes, including notifcations from the Public
Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC), signatures of the
Ministries of Finance and Justice.
During my tenure as Minister of Public Works, all Government contracts
above the US$250,000 threshold were signed by the appropriate authorities
at the Ministries of Finance and Justice prior to being submitted to the
MOF for payments. This is in keeping with the PPCC regulation number
three, as well as provisions of the PFM and PPCC Acts. The records are
there for all to see."

Weeks shifting of the blame on the slow pace of ongoing road projects on
Woods versus Woods defense of his records is already creating a public
debate on who is actually at fault in the prevailing road woes facing the
country.
Japan Frustration over Somalia Road

Talk radio has been buzzing with the discussion compounded by a leaked
to the public in which a Japanese offcial, Ms. Maki Okusa practically
begged the Minister of Public Works to meet an Engineer in order to
fnalize discussions for consummating the contract for the construction
of the Somalia Drive.
The letter read in possession of FrontPageAfrica pointed out how the
Japanese offcial took Minister Weeks to task over the slow pace of the
Somalia Drive Road project is crucial to Liberia, appealing to the Minister
to attend a meeting with a visiting Engineer.
The communication reads:
Dear Minister,
Thank you very much indeed for your reply.
Eventhough you will be out of town next week, the Consultant is planning
to come to Liberia, if there is a chance, to pay a courtesy call to you and
also to assess the current situation of Somalia Drive. He is arriving on
Monday evening and will leave on Saturday.
I do not have your detail schedule next week but it would be diffcult for
you to meet with the consultant even briefy if you are leaving town after
Tuesday? He is arriving by Kenya Airways on Monday so if you have
time, he will come to your offce straight from the airport.
The reason I am asking for your time to meet the consultant is, as you
may know already, unless JICA verifes the Contract, we are not going
to disburse the payment to the DNC, which means no construction work
will start.
Unfortunately, the Consultant will not be able to come to Liberia until May.
If he loses this opportunity to meet with you. The best is the consultant
will meet with you even shortly but if that would be diffcult, please
kindly go through the Amendments of the Contract that the Consultant
has emailed you. It would be greatly appreciated if you would give any
comments or hopefully your consent when the consultant contacts you by
phone early next week.
Minister, my biggest concern is the further delay of this project. This
is a project requested by Mdm. President. Due to the delay of RAP
implementation, the project is already delayed while the expectation of
the people is getting higher. We are already in March and rainy season will
be coming soon. As you know, if we miss current dry season, we have to
postpone the commencement until later this year, which causes the huge
delay to the entire schedule. This will be a big disappointment for people
and also for Mdm. President.
I totally understand your busy schedule and rather, appreciate very much
for your attention and cooperation for this project. For our assistance
by grant, Japanese consultant and contractor will be responsible and in
charge of all construction based on Japanese standard. Both Katahira and
DNC have enough experiences and done great jobs in other countries.
Once the construction starts, you will know what I mean. But meanwhile,
I need you generous cooperation to fnish this administrative/paper works
as soon as possible so that we can start the construction.
Unfortunately, I will be out of the country next week but I would
appreciate you very much if you could consider to give your time to go
through the Amendments and meet with the Consultant next week. If
you have any question or concern, please kindly let me know. I will be
checking emails while I am away and will come to your offce, if you
want, upon my return.
Sincerely
Maki Okusa(Ms.)
Head of Offce/Project Formulation Advisor
Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA)
Liberia Field Offce.
Weeks predecessor, Woods in April challenged Weeks to show the
Liberian people what she has to offer rather than sitting in the offce and
making administrative decisions.

Some legislators are predicting a tough time at the Capitol for Weeks
Thursday with some suggesting casting a vote of no confdence in the
ability of Weeks to continue as Minister of Public Works.

Since assuming offce, the Ministry has been in the media for the wrong
reasons ranging from dismissal, suspensions and fstfght between
offcials of the Ministry.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was one of the frst to criticize Weeks
insisting that she is yet to see the handy work of Weeks since she was
appointed as Minister.
Minister, my biggest concern is the further delay of this project. This is a project requested by Mdm. President. Due to
the delay of RAP implementation, the project is already delayed while the expectation of the people is getting higher.
We are already in March and rainy season will be coming soon. As you know, if we miss current dry season, we have to
postpone the commencement until later this year, which causes the huge delay to the entire schedule. This will be a big
disappointment for people and also for Mdm. President.
Maki Okusa(Ms.), Head of Offce/Project Formulation Advisor, Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) Liberia Field Offce.
Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014 Page 3
v
L
iberia stands a serious risk of embracing a dead future
if nothing is done now to reclaim the attention of most
Liberians, especially young people from a social syndrome
that is increasingly swallowing our country. The addiction
of this generation to gambling is alarming and I foresee an unfulflled
destiny if urgent measures are not taken to arrest the situation. The
demerits of this anti-social act are costly and any attempt to ignore
this fact will lead us as a nation to an undesirable end.
Gambling is not a friend to any innovative generation whose primary
goal is to take exclusive charge of a prosperous tomorrow. It poses
threat to our existence as a people and encourages an ill-focused
generation that eventually becomes societal liability. If Liberia
must make signifcant progress in this 21st Century by becoming a
trendsetter of economic expansion, then our government must take
the lead by persistently prioritizing youth empowerment! Gambling
is not an option for Liberian Youth. It does not provide any answer
to our current nightmare. It undermines our destiny as a nation. The
solution for unemployment, inequality, poverty, illiteracy, and disease
cannot and will never be gambling.
It is unarguably evident that the newest and most popular means
of survival nowadays under the leadership of Africas frst female
President is Gambling. This act has taken center stage within
our bleeding economy. The economy of Liberia will continue to
experience sharp decline until local dominance can overshadow
foreign control. The need to develop young minds is paramount to
national growth and development. An attempt to abandon Liberias
only hope will only add insult to injury.
The living condition of youth in this country is becoming very terrible
as the clock ticks. The certainty of a better future in a country of equal
citizenship is unthinkable as youngsters are left alone to struggle for
survival daily. Our leaders who are in control of state resources must
begin to rethink by engendering realistic steps to redeem this young
generation from sailing on a shore of incessant failure. As the poverty
gap widens, access to equal opportunities remains visibly unseen,
whereas article 18 of our Constitution says All Liberian citizens
shall have equal opportunity for work and employment regardless of
sex, creed, religion, ethnic background, place of origin or political
affliation, and all shall be entitle to equal pay for equal work. If
this provision guarantees our right to equal opportunities as taxpayers
of Liberia, why must our self-esteem and dignity be undermined by
gambling, prostitution, and drug traffcking?
It is important to reconnect with our history by critically examining
the role of young people during our civil unrest. Most of those who
committed heinous crimes during our senseless confict were young
people. These young and energetic youth were used as frontliners
by greedy politicians to perpetuate their evil plans. If the minds of
these young citizens were conscious and enlightened enough prior to
our war, Liberia would not have gone through this national tragedy.
We are yet to recognize how crucial youth empowerment is to the
stability of any democratic society, even though there are lessons
clearly written within the margin of our historical heritage. If we fail
to learn from our past as a nation, I wonder how we intend to make
progress!
Our country is on a pathway to economic and political uproar if
we continue to intentionally ignore and abandon the preference of
this generation. Empowerment opportunities such as education and
employment are key to protecting our fragile peace. The sky-scraping
increment of gamblers, prostitutes, and drug addicts in our society,
especially slum communities needs immediate remedy.
As the number of betting booths, entertainment centers, and drugs
hideouts around the country increases, there is less appetite to promote
academic excellence. As a result of this, the pillars of our educational
system are crumbling. Students are no longer willing to spend hours
reading and researching in order to ensure personal development.
Other countries like South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda
are far ahead of us simply because we have an ill-prepared population
that lacks necessary skills to respond to existing demands.
It has been proven that gambling contributes to a high rate of drugs
abuse, prostitution, robbery, etc. Gambling harms everyone and
destroys potential fulfllments of its victims. There is nothing good
that comes out of this less-busy practice. We see how it affects
families every day and hampers societal growth. Liberia has a
youthful population that needs serious human development. More
than 65% of our population consists of young people who are yet
to fnd a marketable career. Almost everyone, including our political
leaders is complacent about the current status of young Liberians.
The determination of any legitimate government in this country falls
solely on the shoulders of young people. If we are the ones to decide
who becomes President, Representatives, or Senators, then why
must we be treated in such a cruel manner? When I walk through the
principle streets of Monrovia, I pity the condition of my peers as they
jostle and hustle to survive daily. Some of them are already hopeless,
while others are still yearning to reap a decent living. Instead of young
Liberians eagerly standing on long queues to receive educational
materials and starter-kits, they are busy fghting among themselves
to obtain betting tickets from WINNERS, BLOOMING, PRIMIER,
and other gambling enterprises. This trend must stop now! The best
alternative is to invest more in technical training.
The Liberianization of our economy will remain a daydream until
young citizens are fully equipped in basic skills to respond to future
challenges. What is this government doing to ensure sustainable
empowerment program for over 102,193 ex-combatants who hastily
underwent the DDRR process? The best solution to reduce post-
confict trauma is to build their capacity vocationally. Liberia needs
technicians and technocrats who can easily use their minds and tools
to enhance reconstruction. Malcolm X said Education is a passport
to the future. The great United States was built by young technocrats,
and not gamblers, prostitutes, or drugs addicts. As such, the Liberian
government must do all it can to empower young men and women
who can refect an image of greatness.
Today, everyone is anxious to visit Europe and America simply
because citizens of these continents put their thoughts to work.
The Industrial Revolution is a unique strategy to emulate as an
underdeveloped country. There is no social, economic, or political
transformation without mental change. Most youngsters in this
country are thirsty for mental change. It is time to construct more
polytechnics, youth centers, district libraries, etc. If two young men
(The Wrights Brothers) had not put their ideas to work at a bicycle
shop, there would have been no airplane. These two great inventors
are memorialized today simply because they had the opportunity to
learn how to fx and repair bicycles. This is the kind of opportunity
young people of this country need. We dont need betting tickets and
drugs.
Drugs dependency is increasing every minute. Young men and
women are experimenting with harmful substances as a result of
unavailable opportunities. Liberia is now a major commercial site for
drugs transaction. Nothing tangible is being done to prevent drugs
traffcking. Young women are forced to sell their pride and self-
respect just to survive. The rate of teenage pregnancy, commercial
sex, and alcohol consumption in all 15 political subdivisions is
disturbing! The consistent dont care posture of Madam Sirleafs
administration to address youth unemployment is unacceptable. It
was another big mockery from the President when she promised to
provide 20,000 jobs annually for young people. The living condition
of Liberian youth continues to move in a counter-clockwise direction
even though this regime has received the highest international support
since 1822.

GAMBLING IS NOT A FRIEND TO ANY
INNOVATIVE GENERATION
FrontPage
v
Commentary
EDITORIAL
THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency of Liberia has
requested the Ministry of Justice to provide its inspectors with
police protection in a bid to remove the generator that supplies
FrontPageAfrica with power to operate its offce in Congotown.
THE EPAS DECISION stems from a complaint fled by Dr.
Martha Sendolo Belleh, a former Minister of Health and Social
Welfare in the Samuel K. Doe government.
FOR THE RECORD, FrontPageAfrica has been operating in the
vicinity in question since 2008, long before Ms. Belleh commenced
construction of her building. Nevertheless, following a meeting
with Ms. Belleh, FrontPageAfrica and Ms. Belleh agreed that we
would carry out a number of facelift to prevent the emission from
entering Ms.Bellehs building.
For the past three month, since FPA was informed by Ms. Belleh,
we have not used the generator in question because we came to the
conclusion that we would complete the tune-ups which included
raising the fence adjacent to Ms. Bellehs building and raising the
pipe above her building so that the emission from the generator
will no longer enter her premises.
THAT WORK is nearly completed.
IN THE MEANTIME, our staff has been working off the premises,
unless in cases where the Liberia Electricity Corporation decides
to give power to the area and that has not been the case for some
time now.
WE DID ALL THIS just to satisfy the wishes of Ms. Belleh and
avoid confrontation with her, or any breach of the EPA regulations.
TO OUR SURPRISE, while the construction was taking place,
the EPA continued to send us communications regarding the
complaint when in fact we were doing everything in our power to
ensure that this matter was resolve.
AFTER EXPLAINING TO ANYAA VOHIRI, Director of the EPA
the efforts we were making to rectify the issue with Ms. Belleh,
the director agreed that we should continue with the retooling of
the building to keep the emission from Ms. Bellehs yard.
TO OUR SURPRISE, Ms. Vohiris deputy, Stephen Neufville
took it upon himself to write the following letter seeking police
protection from the Ministry of Justice to remove the generator
from our offce.
IN A LETTER dated May 28, 2014 sent to Cllr.Wheatonia Dixon
Barnes, Acting Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the EPA
writes:
Dear Minister Barnes,
I wish to present you my compliments and to inform you of
EPAs decision to remove a generator located in the vicinity of
Congotown and owned by Mr. Rodney Sieh of the FrontPageAfrica
Newspaper. This decision is the result of the intervention of a
complaint brought to the EPA by Madam Martha Sendolo-Belleh,
a resident of Congotown against Mr. Rodney Sieh for the emission
of generator smoke into her house by means of the exhaust pipe
built through her fence.
Upon receipt of said complaint, Mr. Sieh was invited for inquiry
and at the end of our inquiry, it was decided that the generator
be removed within seven (7)working days as of the date of the
decision which was on Thursday, May 1, 2014. But the removal is
yet to take place.
In view of the above and in keeping with Section 69 of the
Environmental Protection and Management Law of Liberia 2003
entitled Prohibition of Pollution by Emission which prohibits
pollution by Emission, we are therefore requesting that the
Ministry of Justice provides police protection to our inspectors in
the exercise of removing the generator. This exercise is scheduled
to take place on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 10: 00am.
Please accept the sentiment of my highest esteem as we strive for
save and clean environment for Liberians.
Kind Regards
Stephen Y. Neufville
Acting Executive Director
FOR THE RECORD, no representative of FrontPageAfrica
was part of any inquiry as claimed by Mr. Neufville. Secondly,
FrontPageAfrica is only a tenant in the building and its publisher
Rodney Sieh is not the owner of the generator. The generator is
COMMENTARY
WHAT DOES EPA
WANT FROM US?
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY SEEKING POLICE PROTEC-
TION AGAINST FRONTPAGEAFRICA
Martin K. N. Kollie, martinkerkula1989@yahoo.com, Contributing Writer
owned by FrontPage Corporation.
WE ARE UNSURE what the motive is behind Mrs. Belleh and
the EPAs attempt to shut down our operations within the vicinity
when right next door to Mrs. Bellehs building is the Lonestar
Communication Corporations which has an even bigger generator
which spreads more smoke into the environment and her building.
The company equipment and operations are much larger than
FrontPageAfrica.
LONESTAR CELL operates two 500KVA generators which run
more hours than FrontPageAfrica which has an 80KVA generator
that operates less than fve hours daily and used only for printing
purposes at night.
ADDITIONALLY, the community is host to several companies
including Putu Range, Bea Mountain and others all with bigger
generators than FPA. This is why we are puzzled and do not see the
rationale for targeting FrontPageAfrica.
EPA HAS NEVER inspected the environment to know the volume
of smoke sent into the air by Lonestar Cell Communications and
other companies but is singling out FrontPageAfrica for reasons
best known to the EPA and Mrs. Belleh. More importantly, no other
company within the vicinity has taken the steps FPA has taken to
ease the concerns of Mrs. Belleh.
IT IS SAD that Mr. Neufville chose to use his power and infuence
to try and sabotage our operations by taking the generator away
from our premises.
IN A POST-WAR nation still struggling to restore electricity to
millions of its citizens, generator is the only source of power for
many homes and businesses.
THROUGHOUT Monrovia, the buzzing sounds of generators
can be heard daily and nightly. It is sad that the EPA has chosen
FrontPageAfrica as the only violators of its Section 69 EPA
Prohibition of Pollution by Emission policy.
WERE PRETTY sure that if this policy is implemented throughout
the length and breadth of Liberia, the EPA would need a lot of
police escorts to push a lot of businesses and homes into darkness.
Page 4 |
Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014
NO ALLEGATION
AGAINST TEACHER
CALL IT BY ANY NAME BUT
THIS IS CORRUPTION
AND GEORGE MANNEH
WEAH
FrontPage
Send your letters and comments to:
editor@frontpageafricaonline.com
YOU WRITE; WE PUBLISH; THEY READ!
COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE
DISCLAIMER
The comments expressed here are those of our online readers and
bloggers and do no represent the views of FrontPageAfrica
Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666;
077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com
Wade C. L. Williams, News Desk Chief, wade.
williams@frontpageafricaonline.com; 0880664793
Sports Editor, Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@
frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528
Henry Karmo, henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.
com
Al-varney Rogers al.rogers@frontpageafricaonline.
com, 0886-304498
Sports Reporter, A. Macaulay Sombai,macaulay.
sombai@FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428
COUNTY NEWS TEAM
Grand Bassa, Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, 0777432042
Bong County, Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@
frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-484666
Sinoe County, Leroy N.S Kanmoh, leroy.kanmoh@
frontpageafricaonline.com
0886257528
BUSINESS/ADVERTISING
Kadi Coleman Porte, 0886-304-178/ 0777832753, advertise@
frontpageafricaonline.com
E
DITORIAL TEAM
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB
The Reader's Page
SYLVESTER MOSES TOP COMMENTER
In their 2013 book on campaign reporting and political science
entitled THE GAMBLE: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential
Election, John Sides and Lynn Vavreck devoted a section to the three
stages of media coverage many candidates go through during primaries
on the road to the American presidency; they are as follows: discovery,
scrutiny and decline.
As a result of his charisma, and the adulation of a rising population of
soccer crazy youths and young adults, our legend, Ambassador George
Weah, didnt have to go through the stage of discovery. And apart
from the issue of education which he overcame, the popular candidate
hasnt yet undergone a serious scrutiny by the press on his integrity,
except now.
Despite his defense, would these emails be the smoking gun to trigger
a decline, and an end to his thrilling trek to the presidency? if Weahs
meteoric rise from rags to riches through determination, hard work and
competitive advantage is any guide, it would take more than emails to
slow down his ambition. Time will tell, we thank FPA for breaking the
story.
SELTUE R KARWEAYE SR. TOP COMMENTER METRO STATE
183 SUBSCRIBERS
The revelation of George Weah is sickening. It seem everyone is a
fatherly fgure to confused Weah. First Sapp Blatter and now Bin
Hammam. It was Sapp Blatter who appointed Weah to the Pretigious
FIFA Committee which also includes Members like Roger Milla and
Pele. Blatter even Weah continue to used his fame for corruptible
practices in order to maximize wealth-from the back door dealing
in Liberia politics to the international footballing stage. He should
be ashamed of himself! Unfortunately, the Brother have no Ethical
principles or Standards. Accepting mere 30 British pound for so-called
school fees is sad. I believe it's God revealing the true color of Weah and
criminal enterprise. We beat on Ellen's led government for corruption
and malpractices and yet Weah and his compatriots are catched with
their pant down and folks want to justifed Weah dealing in the FIFA
Scandal. Let called Spade a Spade. Sometime, I wondered if We
Liberian are Cursed People or just Wicked and Selfsh People.
JOHN WILLIAMS TOP COMMENTER EASTERN UNIVERSITY,
ST. DAVIDS, PA
Football made Weah and helped to propel him to the national political
scene. I hope football does not help to destroy his political career.
The elections in 2017 will be completely different from 2005 or any
presidential elections Liberia has ever seen. There will be rigorous
scrutiny of candidates like never before. In the past it was easy for
anyone to claim that "America or the UN sent me" and people would
buy it. After Ellen's performance that propaganda will not easily
work. Similarly, after the performance of the legislature and cabinet
ministers, just being a "country" man or woman will not earn anyone
automatic acceptance. Too many people have died and the Liberian
people have a responsibility to ensure that those hundreds of thousands
of innocent people who were killed did not die in vain. Liberians have a
responsibility to ensure that they elect people, from the lowest position
to the presidency, who will seek the interest of the country. I have
always maintained that academic excellence and international contacts
are good but they do not guarantee patriotism and good governance.
Liberians must search for competent and incorruptible people to move
the country forward. The state of Liberia is shameful and leaders who
are prepared to sacrifce for the country to make the great leap must be
identifed and given the opportunity to lead. As this story has shown,
there are people with money in the world who are prepared to buy
anything. If Liberia has not already been sold, Liberians have a duty
to ensure that the integrity of the country is retained and maintained!
EDWARD ROYE TOP COMMENTER LIBERIA COLLEGE
World best player turned BM? this is unfortunate. for sure, the rumor
that lone star sold her chance of going to worldcup in 2002 seem to
be real. if weah of all personalities who played for millions of dollars
can come so low as to take $50,000.00 to infuence vote in liberia, just
shows how unserious this guy who want to lead Liberia is. all of his
predecessors(renown world class footballers) are linked to positivities
not criminality; from King pele, Abdi Pele, Platini, kanu, abu trikha,
etc. why should it be our Weah?it is time for Amb. Weah to step out
of public domain and clear his name at the FIFA saga. it is time for
the CDC to ask amb. Weah to clear his name before being considered
political leader of his party. i m sure CDC would dare ask weah to do
such.
The Editor
I
was very disappointed with the article that appeared in todays
paper about AISM. There were several factual errors in the
story including the following:
1) At no time, was there an allegation of rape against the
teacher.
2) A Gender Ministry offcial, Beatrice Walker, appeared at the
school on Monday to meet with me. I was in a meeting and my
assistant scheduled a meeting for her on Tuesday. I met with her
Tuesday, discussed the allegation against the teacher, provided her
with access to the teacher and
gave her the name and contact information of the minor and his
mother.
Ms. Walker said she would contact the minor and his mother, but I
cannot confrm if she did. In addition, I am not aware of that the
"Justice Ministry" was present on campus.
The article says, quoting a senior government offcial, the accused
teacher tried to fee the country but was stopped. That is a total
fabrication. This teacher did not try to fee the country nor was he
stopped by any government offcial. In fact, he was in class at AISM
on both Monday and Tuesday and there was 100 percent attendance
by his students.
4) The article also says his whereabouts remain unknown. That
is totally untrue as well. I spoke with the teacher this morning and I
am aware of his location.
5) I did not tell a parent that the State Department would issue a
statement about the allegation; I said that I would issue a statement to
the parents, which I did, after checking with the schools head offce
in* Washington, D.C.*
I had hoped that a responsible newspaper like FrontPage Africa would
have published a more accurate, unbiased article. It is the duty of a
free media in a democratic society to publish accurate information
and not resort to sensationalism and innuendo.
With disappointment and regret,
Jeff Trudeau
Director,
American International School of Monrovia
EDITORS NOTE:
FrontPageAfrica stands by its story based on concerns by parents
who have children attending ASIM. Mr. Trudeau was contacted via
phone, emails and text messages and failed to acknowledged receipt
of those messages and questions raised. We hope in the future Mr.
Trudeau would be more forthcoming when approached about a matter
as sensitive as a sex abuse allegation against child.
Mr. Trudeau had a choice and he chose to respond in
the following manner:
Here is the schools response to your allegations regarding our staff
and students. All communication on this issue will be done by
writing, given the sensitive nature of these allegations. We became
aware of these allegations several weeks ago. We consider this to be
a very serious matter, and we immediately launched an investigation
with assistance from the Liberian National Police stationed at the
school campus. We found no evidence of any wrongdoing or criminal
actions, and therefore, we have no further comment on this issue.
WEAH DEFENDS FATHER
FIGURE ADMITS PROBED
IN FIFA SAGA
- AISM STATEMENT TO FRONT PAGE AFRICA
The Editor,
A
wanna-be Liberian president is already engaged in
corruption of bribery solicitation even before he
becomes president. So if Weah can commit such act as
a private citizen, what then as President of Liberia with
his global appeal and contacts? The likes of this Qatari, Mohamed
Bin Hammin would become "foreign investors" under a President
George Weah. When we thought Ellen was the devil already
giving away our land and natural resources to "foreign investors."
Say your prayers Liberians.
Then comes the question of whether George Weah reported and
paid taxes on such money in the US and in Liberia? If not, that
would be a violation of US taxable income as well as Liberian tax
income law. Equally, the same applies to President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf and Leymah Bowee on the money they received from
winning the Nobel Peace Prize. As for Weah, he should not be
surprised if the FBI and the powerful Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) come knocking on his door.
But the bigger question this FIFA bribery scandal raises is about
the character and integrity of a man who wants to be president of
Liberia.
Lucky Weah did not take up US citizenship or else that would
be the end of his Liberia presidential dreams. But then we are
talking about Liberia where corruption is a badge of honor that it
seems not to matter to people in government. So Weah's argument
is: "I have the right to accept the FIFA bribery money because
it was not Liberian tax payers' or government money." But
accepting/soliciting bribe, whether in Liberia, the US or anywhere
is corruption and criminal. Now Qatar will not get the 2018 FIFA
World Cup games, and will not get its money back, a good lesson
for all.
It is worth mentioning that most of the FIFA members that took
the bribes were the African chapters. Wonder why our continent
has become the toilet tissue for the rest of the world.
Where are you when we needed you most: Nelson Mandela,
Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Kwame Nkruma, Julius
Nyerere, Rosa Park, and Patrice Lumumba, just to name a few of
black people who had uncompromising character and integrity?
Most of our current leaders are as useless as a used toilet tissue
and good to fush down.....
President Barack Obama, please focus more on your father's
drifting continent. You are in a historic moment to help leave
your footprint on our continent starving for genuine democracy.
Call names and shame some of our corrupt and repressive leaders.
Sometimes you must eat crab with no shame as the saying goes
in Liberia. Put aside the niceties of diplomacy and tell our leaders
who they truly are.
You are part of the global black family. It is now time to say NO;
that we Africans have integrity, character, human dignity and we
refuse to be the TOILET TISSUE of the world. They world can
NEVER say that about you. You are our pride, a black man who
is President of the United States of America, leader of the free
world, and the most powerful man now on earth.
Jerry Wehtee Wion,
Journalist and Political Commentator,
Washington,
Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014 Page 5
Presidential Press Secretary Responds to Freemans
Critique of Sirleafs Address on Economy
Monrovia-
P
residential Press
Secretary Jerolinmek
Piah has responded
to comments made
by the political leader of the
Movement for Progressive
Change (MPC), in response
to President Ellen Johnson
Sirleafs nationwide address
on the economy, terming it as
gross indiscipline and a naked
political gimmick.
Piah in an angry response to
the MPC leaders critique of
the Presidents address, said
assertions made by Freeman
was a misrepresentation of the
fact.
I have called you here today
to simply comment on a
display of gross indiscipline
and naked political gimmick
by the political leader of the
Movement for Progressive
Change, Mr. Simeon
Monseegar Freeman, in total
pretense as a response to
President Sirleafs address to
Liberians on the State of the
Nations economy, said Piah
in a release issued on Tuesday.
Continued Piah: Firstly,
Mr. Freeman analyses on the
economy are dead wrong.
The substantive discussions
on the economy is out for a
debate and some of our people
charged directly with matters
concerning the economy at
the Executive Mansion are
herewith throwing out the
challenge to Mr. Freeman
on the address in particular,
and the State of the Nations
economy in general. With
his consent, we can take
advantage of the very platform
he used on Monday and any
other alternative pleasing and
comfortable for him.
Piah alleged that Mr. Freeman
is a former operative of former
Liberian President Charles
Taylor and as such the MPC
leader will always dwell on
what he (Piah) termed as
fawed and baseless analysis
and attribution of comparing
the current very democratic
and results-based government
to not just the Taylor regime
from which he amassed the
wealth he brags about today,
but to others he and his likes
similarly condemned.
We will therefore not be
surprised were he to shower
praises on the Sirleaf
administration long after she
leaves power; this is how most
Liberians see ones worth when
they leave the stage, he said.
Commenting on Freemans call
to the President to apologize
to her predecessors for not
living up to her promises to
the people of Liberia despite
her criticism of those regimes,
Piah said Freeman has totally
lost his way.
Mr. Freeman suggests
that President Sirleaf must
apologize to some former
leaders of Liberia, including
his former boss Taylor, said
Piah.
We would simply like to
advise Mr. Freeman to stop
living in the past and from
being a constant victim of
hallucination because the past
that he so greatly beneftted
from is gone and no amount of
anger and hate from him can
NAKED POLITICAL
GIMMICK
F
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POLITICS
return those dark days.
Commenting on the MPC
political leaders call for the
resignation of President Sirleaf
due to failed economic policy
and total mismanagement of
the countrys resources, Piah
said Freeman is only engaging
in what he (Piah) calls empty
talk.
How can such a young man
speak so condescendingly
about a leader aged enough to
be his mother? Is it so diffcult
for Mr. Freeman to address
issues of national concern
without his usual acts of
misconduct and indiscipline?
In a talk show appearance
that followed his so-called
press conference today, he
urged the President to attend
classes under his tutelage and
persistently referred to her as
Ellen leaving more question
about his moral upbringing,
he said.
Continued Piah: It remains
clear from Mr. Freemans
constant campaign about
the Presidents resignation
and/or impeachment that
he recognizes the near non-
existence of an empty talking
machine call MPC which due
to its empty nature has no faith
in the democratic process, and
that his only hope of imagining
state power is through vain
political agitation. Mr. Freeman
ought to know that President
Sirleaf remains pleased with
her governance record and
will not get distracted by loud
and empty talk from Freeman
and his likes. He described his
leader [President Sirleaf] as a
loud talker and that there were
no more lies to be told.
He said Freemans very
comical adding that freemans
credentials are debatable
and not credible therefore he
cannot be allowed to speak
derogatorily about a leader
whose credentials are replete
and venerated.
In fact, what is Mr. Freemans
governance or work record
that enabled him to make
such a provocative comment
to the President? Is something
happening to him, or has his
sense of simple reasoning and
understanding being swallowed
to the level of hate and anger
that have overwhelmed him?
Piah asked.
Mr. Freeman without a better
sense of judgment questioned
credible individuals and
institutions who have given
awards to the President,
suggesting that the awards
were bought. So the Americans
were bought to give the Medal
of Freedom Award? The Nobel
Committee was also bought
to award the President, and so
on?
The Presidential Press
secretary said in a democratic
environment such as the one
the Sirleaf-led administration
has created in Liberia, it is
normal that there will be
comments and reactions to
everything that comes from the
Government, the Presidency
not excluded.
He said while the regime
will always stand ready to
accept differences in thoughts
and opinions, but added that
the government will never
compromise its right to also
put in check what he calls
misconduct and political-
gambling as has always been
the case with Mr. Freeman.
We welcome his perspectives
on the Presidents address in
particular and on the overall
State of the Nations economy,
but like to draw attention to the
following comments that were
more about politics and the
usual show of disrespect and
misconduct to the Offce of the
Presidency, said Piah.
Piah rubbished the MPC
leaders claim that the Sirleaf-
led government is the worst
among her predecessors, using
harsh invectives to dispel the
claim.
Mr. Freeman claimed that the
Sirleaf Administration is the
worst the country has ever had
including that of his former
boss. Mr. Freeman is seriously
hallucinating and must act
quickly to stabilize because
take it or leave it, the Sirleaf
Administration remains the
best the country has ever had,
said Piah.
Not my words, but words
from serious entities such
as the Economist magazine
and dozens of credible global
institutions that have said so
and this is just the fact. Finally,
like I said from the beginning,
our team is ready to engage
Mr. Freeman on the more
substantive issues surrounding
the economy and the challenge
is for him to grab. A hint to the
wise is quite suffcient!
Piahs harsh attack on the
MPC leader is in response to
Freemans stinging attack on
the Liberian leader during a
news conference on Monday
referring to her speech on the
state of the countrys economy
as wishful thinking. Freeman
also asked Sirleaf to apologize
to her predecessors because
she has failed to change those
things for which she criticized
others in the past. The two
men (Piah and Freeman) hail
from Grand Bassa County and
were childhood associates but
politics has made them sworn
enemies.

Wade C.L. Williams, wade.williams@frontpageafricaonline.com
Page 6 |
Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014
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POLITICS
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HEALTH
EXECUTIVE COMPROMISES ON LEGISLATURES
PROPOSED US$73 MILLION
Liberias maternal death rate remains among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa,
but the government is trying to change that. This year, President Sirleaf announced
that reducing maternal deaths was among her governments top priorities.
Monrovia-
I
t seems the executive branch of government and the legislature has reached a thaw in their
fght over the proposed US$73 Million initially advanced by the House of Representatives for
inclusion in the draft FY 2014/2015 budget.
Following more than a week wrangling over the previous budget that was submitted by the
executive and the legislature denying being in possession of the said document due to what sources
termed the omission of the proposed US$73 Million the executive has submitted a new budget
adding US $ 18.25M for Direct District Development less than half of what is being proposed by
the lawmakers.
The Plenary of the House of Representatives has offcially received the Draft Budget from the
President of Liberia with tax, non tax and Budget support grants amounting to US $ 559,349 (fve
hundred ffty nine Million three hundred and forty nine thousand), stated the Legislative press offce
in a release issued on its website.
The legislature through its press offce informed the public that the President has the President
informed the House of Representatives that donor assistance amounts to US $ 650,058,155 (Six
Hundred ffty Million, ffty eight thousand, one hundred and ffty fve dollars).
The release states that with combined Revenue and donor assistance, the Budget now stands at
approximately 1.2 Billion United States Dollars.
International organizations named as contributing to the core and contingency component of the
budget include USAID, WHO,UNFPA, NIGERIA FUND, UN PEACE BUILDING FUND,
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK , UNICEF, EU, IDA, KUWAIT European development bank.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in response to the Legislatures request for Direct District
Development funds advanced US $ 18. 25 Million, which she stated is primarily for the construction
of security and social infrastructure.
According to the President of Liberia, this will accelerate economic activities in the districts and
alleviate the diffculties in attracting skilled professionals for assignments away from Monrovia,
stated the release.
It can be recalled that House Speaker Alex Tyler upon the submission of the frst draft copy of the
budget, told members of the House that the budget presented to that august body was a symbolic one
and as far as he was concerned there was no budget before the legislature.
The anger of the House kindled against their colleagues in the legislature when the Senate threw
out the proposal and sent it back to the House and Speaker Tyler and other members of the House
were angry over the decision of the Senate to trash out the US$73 Million with him (Tyler) accusing
hidden hands of infuencing the senates decision to throw the bill out.
Legislative sources hinted FrontPAgeAfrica recently that the House was set to recoil into a fve-day
emergency break to launch an intensive campaign in their communities in an effort to educate their
people on the reasons why they insist on allotting the US73Million in the FYI 2014/2015 national
budget.
The Draft National Budget represents the third year of implementation Liberias frst medium term
Expenditure Framework.
The submission of this Budget with the Revenue Template, Performance report, framework papers
now fulflls section 12 Public Financial Management Law according to the release.
The 9th National Budget proposes development priorities with resource envelope, including
revenue, budget support from donors and borrowing, over a rolling, three year period, states the
release.
FROM 73 TO 18.25
Wade C.L. Williams, wade.williams@frontpageafricaonline.com
U
pon assuming the presidency in
2006, Liberias Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
promised to tackle many national
problems made worse by a decade
of civil war. One of her goals was to curtail the
maternal death rate, which has soared to 994 out of
every 100,000 live births.
Liberias maternal death rate remains among the
highest in sub-Saharan Africa, but the government
is trying to change that. This year, President Sirleaf
announced that reducing maternal deaths was
among her governments top priorities.
The ministry of health developed the essential
package of health services which describes maternal
health interventions at both community level and
health facilities level, says Tolbert Nyenswah,
deputy minister of health for preventive services.
The deputy minister says he is hearing some
positive news about maternal mortality reduction
in our country.
Government expands service to mothers and
children
Nyenswah names some of the practical steps being
taken to protect the lives of pregnant women. He
encourages women to seek at least four medical
visits before the delivery date to receive needed
services such as immunizations.
Institutional delivery is improving in Liberia, as
compared to from 1990. Right now our institutional
delivery has increased. Tolbert also urges medical
services after the birth for the mother, the new infant
and other children in the family for preventive
treatment for malaria visits.
Women are also given vaccinations for tetanus and
for malaria, he says, which can lead to still births,
under-weight babies and even the death of the
mother. The government has also expanded access
to family planning services to 20 percent of all
couples, nearly twice the prior rate.
It is also taking measures to curb complications that
can endanger the lives of the mother and baby.
We have increased services to EMOC - that is,
emergency obstetric care and centers - that can
provide Cesarean section and other services to
mothers. But this cannot be done alone by the
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Liberia.
"We are integrating with other ministries and
agencies including the national legislature, the
ministry of rural development because of the
chiefs and the traditional people in the villages. You
know, institutional delivery has increased but there
are still 40 percent of people that are still delivering
in the facilities and to account for that.
Promoting traditional birth attendants
Another solution to curbing maternal deaths relies
on traditional birth attendants. Miatta Fahnbulleh,
the government-appointed goodwill ambassador on
maternal health in Liberia, describes the support for
traditional birth attendants.
What the ministry of health and social welfare has
discovered is that we have our traditional midwives,
women who through generations have been giving
birth to women. So, why do we not enhance their
skills? Why do we not give them the tools to work
with? Why dont we give them the information, the
basics to help us to reduce that?
"Because really, I dont see how we can build
enough clinics. We dont have enough doctors,
there are not enough nurses. So we must rely on
the community and trained traditional midwives.
Dr. Odell Kume, the chief medical offcer of
Maryland County, says the government has
reopened a school to train midwives for the
southeastern region in Zwedru. Upon graduation,
the birth attendants serve at various clinics within
the county for two years. A referral center is
available for cases they can not handle.
Midwives are also being trained in Bomi County in
Western Liberia.
Dr. Gorbee Logan, the chief medical offcer of
the regional government hospital, says doctors
work closely and meet once a month with trained
traditional midwives (TTM).
More doctors on the ground
You know this whole issue of maternal mortality,
it has cultural beliefs and practices associated
with it, Logan says. Our people believe that the
best people to go to are the traditional birth
attendants. Doctors use that opportunity to also
train them as well, tell them the danger signs of
pregnancy, tell them that facility-based delivery is
what the government wants. And every pregnant
woman coming by their way, you know, should be
referred to the hospital.
Meetings are also held with commissioners,
town chiefs and other infuential people who help
encourage health care among local women. And,
there are now more doctors on the ground to
handle emergency referrals from traditional birth
attendants, he says.
Logan cites other improvement by the government:
new ambulances bring women to maternal clinic,
and new and improved health facilities have been
built in Maryland County in southeastern Liberia.
We have 24 health facilities, says Dr. Odell
Kumeh of Maryland County and most of them are
run by the government. Others are for Catholics
and for the Cavallah Rubber Corporation.
The local medical community now anticipates
funding for maternal waiting homes for people
who live far from the clinic. If they are nearing
delivery, they move there and we have people there
to monitor them. If there are complications, they
are transferred to a hospital. We actually need to
do that in Maryland County because we dont have
any maternal waiting home in the county.
Health care specialists say there are many steps to
making childbirth safer for Liberians, including
better reproductive health education for girls.
Some of the changes are already underway to meet
the U.N. Development Goals reducing Liberias
maternal death rate by three-quarters by 2015.
TACKLING MATERNAL DEATHS

Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014 Page 7
Monrovia-
L
illy Lee a Chinese woman doing business in the country
said she has for the past three months walked back and forth
to the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice with the
aim of getting justice, but to no avail as her complaint is yet
to be looked into.
Lilly claimed that she was allegedly robbed by a Police offcer
identifed as Mamadee Kelleh of US$ 10,000 in January of this year
after she instructed the police offcer to collect the money from her
business partner to bring it to her but Lilly said instead he collected
the money and diverted same to his personal use.
She stated that after the incident the matter was reported to
the authority of the Liberia National Police, the defendant was
investigated and later charged with theft of property and forwarded to
the Monrovia Magisterial for prosecution.
While at the Monrovia City Court, the Police offcer was formally
charged with theft of property and sent to jail at the Monrovia Central
Prison where he spent a week before a bond was fled on his behalf
through the Continental Insurance Company for his temporary release.
Lee said when the defendant appeared in court at frst he denied the
charge but later begged his lawyer to negotiate with her to pay the
money through installment, but while in that process it was reported
that the defendant had escaped the court.
She furthered said that after news reached her that the defendant had
escaped the country, she contacted City Solicitor Sam Solomon who
later invited the Managing Director of the Continental Insurance
Company George Dahn and promised to produce the defendant who
confrmed that the defendant was on the run.
According to Lee, George Dahn indicated that he was in the
process of arresting the defendant but should be given time to pursue
the defendant if not he was going to reach an agreement with the
complainant to see how best to pay the money.
What surprises me is that the Insurance company boss promised
to meet me last Friday but did not show up whenever I talk to the
Magistrate he tells me that only my lawyer can talk with him, not me.
This is very surprising that I should be treated in this way, she said.
In a FrontPageAfrica interview, Lee appearing disappointed stated
that she is down-hearted about the slow manner in which her case
is taken at the Magisterial Court presided over by Magistrate James
Dudu.
I dont think that this court is treating me fair when this roguish
police offcer has taken my money away and no effort made by the
court to get it back.
When FrontPageAfrica contacted the offce of the City Solicitor Sam
Solomon he was out but a source there confrmed that there is effort
under way by the offce to seek the Supreme Courts intervention on
the slow pace of the theft case involving the alleged fugitive police
offce.
Monrovia-
A
motion for separate
trial has been denied
Perry Dolo and others
facing drug traffcking
charges at the Criminal Court
C at the Temple of Justice;
but his lawyer has been granted
permission to review state
evidence following a request.
Monrovia-
W
eeks after he
sanctioned the
dismissal of
three police
offcers allegedly caught in
the act of bribery, Police chief
Chris Massaquoi has vowed
to dismiss any police offcer
involved in bribery regardless
of status.
He gave the warning at the
headquarters of the Liberia
National Police on Capitol
Hill Tuesday when several
top police brass were inducted
into offce, to replace those
that were relieved of their post
by President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf.
Those who were relieved of
their post include Deputy
Director for Police for
Administration Rose Stryker
replaced by William K.
Mulbah while Commandant of
the Police Training Academy,
Samuel Dakana was relieved
and replaced by Titus Kimba.
During the turn over ceremony
outgoing deputy boss Rose
Stryker was absent with
information from the Police
boss that her absence though
unfortunate was due to ill
health.
In his remarks in welcoming
the new corp of offcials,
Police boss Massaquoi stated
that every measure has been
taken by his administration to
discourage acts of misconduct
in the force.
We have taken every measure
either to suspend or dismiss
for acts of misconduct, but it
appears that some of you are
still hard to learn from these
measures, he said. But we
will continue to take these
measure to safe guard our
reputation without fear or favor
or who involved.
Col. Massaquoi told the
gathering that with the
increase in the budget of the
police, efforts are underway to
improve the welfare of police
offcers and that offcers will
get resettlement packages
when transferred from one
assignment to another.

More promotions

He however announced the
promotion of several police
offcers that the police had
embarked on capacity building
and up to 600 college graduates
currently in the force received
salary increment as a way of
encouragement.
The incoming Deputy Director
of Police William K. Mulbah
also stated that he has come to
the LNP second highest post
after 24 years of service.
He said he will seek the
welfare of police offcers, but
called on them to work harder
adding that there will be salary
deduction for offcers found
to be deliberately absent from
work.
The outgoing and incoming
commandants Samudel Dakana
and Titus Kimba praised the
President Sirleaf for allowing
them to serve their people.
F
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LAW & ORDER
DISAPPOINTMENT
Chinese Woman Decries Slow Justice System
Kennedy L. Yangian kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 077296781
Kennedy L. Yangian kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 077296781

LAWYER DEMANDS EVIDENCE IN
POLICE OFFICER DRUG CASE
Perry Dolo a police commander
of the presidential escort vehicle
assigned at the Executive
Mansion and four others have
gone on trial after the state
indicted them on charges of drug
traffcking in the western town
of Tienni in Grand Cape Mount
County, Saturday, November 9,
2013.
The defendants were to be tried
in Grand Cape Mount County
where the crime was allegedly
committed, but were transferred
to stand trial in Monrovia with
reasons yet to be made public.
Others indicted with offcer Dolo
and also charged with illegal
possession of narcotic drug and
criminal facilitation include
Mohammed Bah, Augustine
Saah, Sekou Rogers and Cyrus
Slewion and are currently under
detention.
Courts records in the possession
of FrontPageAfrica indicate that
the vehicle that Perry Dolo was
riding was arrested at the Tienni
Security Check Point while
under security surveillance.
Dolo was allegedly escorting
compressed cannabis drugs
known as marijuana in the
assigned presidential escort
vehicle, but escaped the scene
and later arrested by some
concerned citizens according to
court records.
On Wednesday lawyers
representing the fve defendants,
Atty. Arthur Johnson fled to
the court a motion for separate
trial and another motion for
discovery, which calls on state
lawyers to present their evidence
ahead of the trial as required by
law.
Atty. Johnson argued in the
motion for separate trial that the
defendants had defenses that are
contradictory and antagonistic to
each other therefore it was the
right of the defendants in such
circumstances to be awarded
separate trial.
Your honour, take judicial
notice of the police charge sheet
and the investigative report and
the voluntary statement of each
of the defendants, said Johnson
In resistance to the motion, state
lawyer Atty. Jerry Garlawolo
asked the court to deny the
motion because the issue to
be determined by the court is
whether the defense lawyer had
stated suffcient grounds in law
to enable the court to grant the
defendants separate trial.
In support of states argument,
your honour, take note of 16LLR
page 341 text at 344 and 345
Liberia code of law revised
Chapter 1, 6.5 and the Criminal
Procedure Law, said Atty.
Garlawolo.
In his ruling after the perusal
of defense lawyer Johnson and
its subsequent resistance by
the prosecution lawyer Atty.
Garlawolo, presiding Judge
Yussif Kaba stated that the court
does not see how all the defenses
of the defendants under this
indictment will be contradictory
or antagonistic.
This court cannot pre-determine
the nature and or the facts or
evidence available to the court
and or the defense, wherefore
and in view of the foregoing the
motion of severance is denied
and hereby so ordered, said
Judge Kaba.
The Judge upheld the request
of the defense counsel motion
for discovery and asked that
the Sheriff of the court proceed
with the counsel of the defense
and prosecution to inspect the
presidential escort vehicle, which
forms part of the prosecutions
evidence at the trial. Friday has
been set for the continuation of
the trial.
FIGHTING
BRIBERY

Kennedy L. Yangian kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 077296781
Page 8 |
Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Stephen D. Kollie, stephenkollie13@gmail.com 0776329124
F
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PAGE
Vices
NO LEGACY
LIBERIANS STILL EXPECTING MORE FROM SIRLEAF
TO REGAIN DAMAGED IMAGE
Monrovia-
W
ith nearly nine years in power serving as Africas
frst democratically elected female head of state
and remaining three years to quit the presidency,
Liberians are still pondering over what would be
considered the milestones achieved by President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf and her Unity Party regime in the aftermath of her exit
from state power.
Many believe the resources from the tiny West African Nation
with just over 3.5 million inhabitants have over benefted the
Sirleafs and what many consider her cronies, many of whom were
brought in from abroad and now occupying lucrative positions in
government.
FrontPageAfrica has been sampling the views of several Liberians
as to what the president has done and continues to do to build
a strong and cemented legacy when she departs the executive
mansion in the coming years.

Ayoubah K.Dulleh: The last time we listen to this woman she
sent most of her ministers on administrative leave. We thought
it was in the best interest of the Liberian people. Those that she
never had interest in were sacked and those that she had interest
in were brought back in the process. When she came to power
she said that meritocracy was going to be the hallmark of the day.
But today we see favoritism taking the lead way. This woman
is suffering from memory problem and she cant remember
lengthily. So most of her advisors are giving her bad advices that
we see happing today. But what we are saying is that the madam
has not built a legacy. For her to say that she has built a legacy it
will be a mockery to the Liberian people. What we are telling the
madam right now is for her to in fact formerly resign because she
is not doing her own thing.

Albert S. Doe: For the fact that madam Sirleaf took over a
country and try to introduce a system where if you have never
been in America you cant have the opportunity to have a job, for
Madam Sirleaf to have a kind of good or vibrant legacy in our
country, I think it is belated.
For madam Sirleaf to leave a legacy, we say no Madam Sirleaf
does not have a legacy now the only thing we are thinking now
is where to bury Madam Sirleaf when she dies. When policies
are been made, it improves the livelihood of the people but all of
those policies that are been put in place by madam Sirleaf are just
on the books. If Madam Sirleaf was implementing those policies
than by now Liberia has gone far ahead of other countries in the
world. One of those recommendations from us that we try to tell
the madam is Madam Sirleaf needs to put her feet to the fre and
stop defending corrupt people. Dont be hiding behind certain
people. Madam Sirleaf is not worrying on legacy we the Liberians
are the one worrying on legacy.

Addul Azziz Kromah: The remembrance of this madam
image is widely known even the underage child today is aware
of her damaging image. Madam Sirleaf has failed the Liberian
people massively. I want to believe strongly you are aware of the
impediments this government continue to impose on the students
of Liberia and the University of Liberia. For now we are fnding it
diffcult to go through our registration processes. Even the issues
of scholarships we are fnding it diffcult. With all of the resources
been allocated to this University from national government yet
still things are diffcult to have even a pin control to go and do
your billing to the EPD section.
One may tell you that the hidden agenda of all of these things are
just the guys dont want to see us moving forward as indigenous
Liberians. The guys are imported bureaucrats. Bulk of them that
are in power today lived their lives in America and saw many
things. Whats wrong with you implementing those many things
you saw in the diaspora to the Liberian society? How long will it
take to develop this country that is not even equal to a state in the
United States in terms of land scape? The economy is crumbling
as you are aware now Amara Konneh and the Central Bank
Governor are seriously at loggerheads. The guys are focusing
more on being President than even carrying on their work. If you
look at the social terrain of our country is damaged. I need not
to tell you how many times you see crazy people in the streets
of Monrovia when you have the Ministry of Health and Social
Welfare to deal with mentally drenched fgures in our society.
Reconciliation is one of the cardinal points this government
needs to address if we want to move forward. Every government
that mean well for the Liberian people should have their people
unifed. But in this government, there is no unity and the President
herself is not willing to reconcile the Liberian people. Even if
madam Sirleaf resigns today, she has no legacy. Even if she is to
complete her three years that are remaining she has no legacy to
the Liberian people.
Lawrence George: Lets look at the statement that madam
Sirleaf made about jobs in this country. She said she was going
to create twenty thousand jobs annually when she wins for the
second time. Has madam Sirleaf created three thousand jobs
annually for Liberian people? We say no. Madam Sirleaf has
not been able to live up to her promise. You dont necessarily to
interview people to know if they are hungry. You will see it clearly
on their faces. There are two ways history can remember people.
You either be remembered negatively or positively. We know that
madam Sirleaf will be remembered negatively. To be very friend
with you I fnd it extremely complicated for Madam Sirleaf to be
remembered. Madam Sirleaf was given the frst six years she did
not do well and now she is in the terminal semester now. They
give you nine years in totality you did not do well. So tell me in
three years, can you do well my brother? It becomes diffcult and
impossible. I am not convinced that with the three years she has
remaining she is able to make any signifcant transformation in
Liberian society.

K. Richelieu B. Zeon: I want to take serious exception to
assertions that Madam Sirleaf has no legacy to display after her
legacy. As Liberians, we all have bad images but when we say
holistically that Madam Sirleaf has no legacy it will be brutal to
her character. Madam Sirleaf is doing what she can contribute
while it is true that Liberia is still nagging back when it comes
to development. The development process is not speedy and not
rapid but its very, very steady. And people are yearning for quick
impact development so as result you see people going on the
radio talking against Madam Sirleaf and her government. Madam
Sirleaf has done a lot of things. In the frst place she is the frst
female President of Africa. Madam Sirleaf has put Liberia on the
map when it comes to the issue of press freedom. The last time I
listen to the West Africa Democratic Radio they made reference to
Liberia when it comes to Press Freedom. People in other countries
dont enjoy that kind of freedom. Another thing is the issue of
gender base violence. She has suppressed the environment for
rape.




Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014 Page 9
remorse. So he is not aware that he has done anything in Liberia.
Chucky is in jail for torturing in Liberia and for changing his name
while he was on his way to America. So Liberia as a country has
no problem with Chucky or his father that is in jail now for ffty
years. Chucky did not apologize; I do not even know how his
statement got in the media. So conclusively, Chucky is not in
jail based on complaint from Liberia. And the statement he made
recently did not sound apologetic.

Franklin K. Wesseh: I want to say that Chucky Taylors apology
is welcoming. The saying goes that to err is human to forgive is
divine. For people to start enumerating wrongs that he did, then
we should have no reason to forgive anybody for a wrong because
even within our corridors, those who perpetrated atrocities are
still very much with us here and we entrusted them with public
offces. If we should say we would not forgive, then we better
start chasing them with machetes. Chucky Taylors apology is not
an apology that you should mock and go against America or go to
plead with America to release him. If you listen to the brothers
apology, he began in three words, now I understand. And that was
his message he was saying to his father. Maybe he has understood
that what he did was actually wrong and that is why he is where he
is. For people to say because he opened the stomach of a pregnant
woman and wanted to know the sex he should not been forgiven
then we dont worth living. Because even ourselves directly or
indirectly we were involved with all manners of atrocities. I want
to say he demonstrated remorse and it takes a man to do what he
did. No matter the magnitude and gravity of your offense when
you can master the courage and put aside your pride and say to
people that you have offended that you are truly sorry and ask for
forgiveness, your soul will be freed.

Philip Toe: We are still in the process of advocating that the TRC
report be implemented and in the presence of the TRC report we
will not use this time to forgive anyone. Somebody said that so
many persons that allegedly brought war in this country that are
now passing around here with so many power we can rest assure
you that in as much as we want the TRC report to be implemented
the essence of Chucky Taylor who has been jailed for ninety-nine
years, we recommend that the ninety-nine years be multiplied by
two because we are advocating that the likes of Prince Johnson,
Madam Sirleaf and other people around here to be brought to
book for what they did to this country. Any attempt to just stand
here and say I am a Christian, let Chucky be forgiven, then you
forgive everybody around this place. So I can tell you they will
not go unpunished. Those that lost their lives during the Liberian
civil war they are all in the grave crying and they need justice also.
Let Chucky be apologizing to them also. Thank you.
Monrovia-
J
ust a day after the son of former Liberian President Charles
Taylor, Charles McArthur Taylor Jr. otherwise known as
Chucky, publicly apologized to all Liberians on Al Jerome
Chidis online show Issues in the Press Reloaded, to for any
harm he may have caused them while in Liberia, the apology has
sparked mixed reaction from several quarters.
Some Liberians are accepting Chuckys apology in good faith
citing religious principles while others are terming it as belated.
Taylor Jr, is serving a ninety-nine-year jail term in the United
States for human rights violations including rape and torture
committed during his fathers tenure as President.
His father is on the other hand serving a ffty-year jail term in
Britain for aiding and abetting war in neighboring Sierra Leone.
Whether Chucky will be forgiven by all Liberians especially
victims of his atrocities remains to be seen; but FrontPage Africa
has been sampling the views of several Liberians regarding their
wiliness to accept Chucks apology.

Samuel T. Kun: I strongly believe that we Liberians should
accept the apology of Charles Taylor Jr. because I read a book
that says the strongest man is the man who apologizes and dont
fght back. Mr. Charles Taylor Jr. has realized his mistake and
the mayhem that he has caused this country. So he has come out
openly to apologize. I am Christ-like so I believe in forgiveness.
If you read the Bible in Roman 23:23, says for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God. So if Chucky Taylor has come
out to say Im sorry let us accept the apology as Liberians and
move forward. And in this vain I am praying that some Liberians,
who got us to where we are today, can also take the format of
Charles Taylor Jr. to apologize. If I will call names I will say,
Hon. Prince Johnson has to come out boldly and say sorry. If we
go at the executive mansion our own President who said she gave
ten thousand dollars to NPFL (NPFL is not a church or a mosque
that is ruining Charity to give money they killed people in this
country) so let them come and apologize to us and we will accept
the apology.
Musa S.B Dorley: There is small regret in the process.
Chucky Taylor is not a Liberian citizen he was incarcerated as an
American. For us Liberians, we are a God fearing people and for
the fact that he apologized to the Liberian people, forgive your
fellow man seventy times seven. We have given him forgiveness
and let him live there and go through his sentence. Even if the
Liberian people forgive him he cant be freed. Chucky has been
sentenced for ninety-nine years in jail that is the American law.
Whether it is proper can only be interpreted in the American laws
not the Liberian laws. The issue of Chucky being in America is a
little bit far away from the Liberian judiciary system. So we pity
his condition. We agree that his father is from Liberia but hes
enjoying what you called justice in the contest of America but not
Liberia. I think we want to also help to beg for him there, but the
only thing is that there is something in the world called being a
paranoid. A paranoid is a person who kills other people and then
afraid to die. The action exhibited by Chucky Taylor and his father
it was very bad but yet we still forgive them.

Joel Ama Hansford: Chucky Taylors apology means nothing to
the Liberian people. As a matter of fact whether he apologizes or
not he will serve his jail term and so his apology at this time is just
worthless to us. We should not fnd that as a point of discussion
here. Taking into consideration the level of atrocities that this
brother meted against ordinary Liberians. Think about a situation
where a taxi cab driver who allegedly over took his vehicle or
ATU convoy, the only punishment he had for that cab driver was
to shoot him on sight. Such a man says hes apologizing? He
should now be apologizing to that taxi driver that was a father
who is no more today. Thats the reason why Liberians must be
careful as to how we judge President Children in this country.

Baccus M. Carr: I fnd no apology in Chuckys statement. This
boy is saying if I have done any wrong that means he shows no
Stephen D. Kollie, stephenkollie13@gmail.com 0776329124
F
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PAGE
Vices
WHO FORGIVES
CHUCKY?
LIBERIANS DIVIDED OVER EX-LIBERIAN
PRESIDENT SONS APOLOGY
Page 10 |
Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014
EYING SHERMAN, KROMAH UPSET
Grand Cape Mount Seeks New Breed
A. Macaulay Sombai, sombai121@gmail.com
F
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PAGE
POLITICS
Gola Konneh District, Grand
Cape Mount County-
G
rand Cape Mount
County is one of
the nearest counties
to Liberias Capital
City, Monrovia but is one of the
impoverished in terms of the
living conditions of its people
and commercial activities
further compounded by lack of
good feeder roads.
Currently there are heavy weight
politicians lining up to contest
the single seat for senator come
October with the likes of the
Chairman of ruling Unity Party,
Cllr. Varney Sherman, former
head of Liberias Oil Company
Foday Kromah, all gearing up
to challenge incumbent Abel M.
Massaley but yet there are others
who are weighing up upset come
October.
When big guns fght, they split
votes and in some instances,
others utilize the opportunity to
have a chance with their focused
support base and this is what
Citizens from one of the districts
in Grand cape Mount believes
they can do come October.
Petitioning one of their sons, the
citizens of Gola Konneh District
in a statement said it is now time
for change at the senate which
will ensure that somebody
form down the line is elected,
indicating that the county has
been unrepresented at the level
of the senate and now want
one of their kind to take up the
challenge against the big guns
Theyve turned their backs
Jeffer Varney from Gola Konneh
reading a petition presented to
Jesseh Zinnah Segbo through
the Friends of Jesse Association
((FOJA) said their district
located in the northern part of
Cape Mount with vast mineral
deposits such as iron ore,
gold, diamond, pristine natural
forest remains underdeveloped,
impoverished and one of
neglected sections of the county.
According to Varney the district
has been neglected because the
current members of both House
of Representatives and Senate
have turned their backs to the
people who elected them and as
such as a people, they feel that it
is time to vote for aspirant Segbo
who they believe can bring
development in their district and
the entire county.
Varney said safe drinking water
and sanitation and good health
care system are vital to life but
today their district and the entire
county lack those facilities,
which he described as a big
setback for their children.
He said lawmakers are yet to
listen to their cry so it is time for
them to replace those lawmakers
with a person like segbo who
he said continues to work with
them with the little he has.
In consideration of all of these
above and in recognition of the
need for a change of leadership
in Grand Cape Mount, we
the Friends of Jesse, citizens
of Gola Konneh District have
unanimously adopted this
resolution, with keen observation
from past and present leaders in
our county, especially regarding
the mismanagement of our

natural resources and the poor living
conditions of our people, have gathered
here today to petition our brother, our son,
and our friend to contest for the seat in
the forthcoming mid-term 2014 senatorial
elections, said Varney.
The citizens emphasized that their son
and brother is well prepared and ready
for the task as he is preparing to receive
his second Master Degree in International
Relation with emphasis in Political
Science.
Politics not lying game
The senatorial aspirant, Jesseh Zinnah
Segbo responding to the petitioners
acknowledged that the House of Senate
is a place for prepared people and not
for people who want to get there before
preparing themselves and turning their
backs to the people who voted them in.
He told citizens of Gola Konneh District
that their county has for the past several
decades been under represented in the
senate.
Politicians, leaders years back and today
made leadership to look like a group of
people that are always consider as layers
or a lying game but earnestly politics is
not a lying game and so we have come to
help all of us as citizens of our beloved
county to bring changes that will help
improve the lives of our people.
The aspirant told his people that as a
leader, one has to be earnest to the people
and must always stand by promises to
the people and must be somebody who is
always ready to sacrifce time and listen to
the call of the people.
As you have come here today to petition
me to run for the senatorial seat of this
our one and only beloved county, I have
agreed to run for the seat and I can assure
you that come October 2014 you will have
senator who is ready to work as you will
order us to do.
Aspirant Segbo explained that Cape
Mount as one of the oldest counties in
Liberia has not been properly represented
in the House of representatives because
1847 constitution states that 10,000 people
is equal to one representative and now the
county is made up of 37 to, 40,000 people
but still stands with three representatives
due to the lack of development.
County Going backward
He furthered that today Montserrado
County now has 17 representatives and
Nimba County now stands with nine
representatives in the house which shows
that those counties are growing on the
line of development while Cape Mount is
going backward in development.
The aspirant emphasized that when people
talk about development they are talking
about infrastructure, better roads but Cape
Mount as one of the oldest counties today
lacks these facilities because of what he
termed as greed for power by their current
and past leaders and said the time has
come for change not only for those in
authority but for those who voted them
into authority.
The change is here, we are the change
and I am the change and we will fght
to reach Cape Mount where she has not
reached in development all these years so
it is time for all of us to vote for young,
energetic, forceful and robust leader, a
leader that can move among the movers of
Liberia when it comes to development.
He further told citizens of the county
that the senatorial seat is not a place of
joke and a place to send a child or send
one who is not prepared but to go there
in order to go to school so they are ready
to do everything possible to conduct the
election in order to seek the interest of
their people.
Aspirant Segbo called the attentions of
his fellow citizens that nobody else can
develop their county besides themselves
and noted that now is time for them to
vote for a young and strong man like him
in order to bring development in their
county.
Segbo continued that he has come to
retire the old hands in the county politics
because the constitution of Liberia says at
the age of 65 you must retire from politic
so those that are in the age range of 65 it
is now time for them to make way to the
younger generation.
He called on citizens of the county that are
residing in Monrovia and other part of the
county to return home and register for the
October senatorial elections so that they
all will be able to elect the best senator for
their county and people.
Segbo currently holds a Master Degree in
Public Administration with concentration
in Public Policy and his people describe
him as charismatic, selfness, kind, and
prepared to help others at all time, and
importantly he has always wanted to serve
his county in the area of public service.
In preparation for the senatorial election,
Dr. Foday Kromah has already crossed
over to the opposition Congress for
democratic Change sensing that he might
had a diffcult task defeating Unity Party
Chairman Cllr. Varney Sherman in the
primary for the UP ticket.


Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014 Page 11
Unity Partys Secretary General Paye wants Nagbe
Resign over Qatar World Cup scandal
Gbarnga, Bong County
T
orrential rains fell in Gbarnga for two consecutive days
on Tuesday and have put the roads in the city in a state
of disrepair.
This new incident has caused commuters untold
hardship as they ply the roads to their various destinations.
Commercial drivers who spoke to FrontPageAfrica said the rain
has exposed the bad state of roads in the area.
A driver, Moses Peters, who plies Gbarnga to Ganta and Gbarnga
to Monrovia route, said his taxi broke down twice Monday on the
road.
The rains have really messed up the roads. Its only the Gbarnga-
Ganta area that is relatively free from potholes, he said.
Other sections of the route I use from Gbarnga and Zoweinta are
nothing to write home about. Since the rains started falling on a
daily basis, I have been having problems using the road. The taxi
developed a fault on Wednesday and Friday and I spent over LD5,
000 to get it repaired.
A driver, Michael Jones, who plies the Gbarnga-Monrovia route,
said he had temporarily suspended his transport business until the
rains subsided.
Michael said: The Gbarnga-Monrovia highway is dotted with
deep potholes. The rains have washed off the surface of the roads.
Most of the potholes usually contain sharp objects and last week,
my tyre burst three times when I drove into one of the ditches.
A commuter, Joseph Fineboy, said he spent over three hours
commuting between Gbarnga and Zoweinta.
The rains have really washed off the roads in the area. There is
hole everywhere and moving is not easy, he said.
This morning, I spent nothing less than three hours for a road that
should normally take me less than an hour. Quick steps need to be
put in place to fx the roads.
Another commuter, Patience McGill, said the rate at which
potholes suddenly reappeared on the roads was alarming.
When it rained on Monday, the taxi I rode ran into a hole and I
had no choice other than to assist the driver and the conductor to
pull it out. It was such a bad time, she said.
Monrovia-
U
nity Party secretary-
general Wilmot Paye
wants Youth and
Sports Minister Lenn
Eugene Nagbe to resign in the
wake of Qatar 2022 World Cup
scandal.
Nagbe, ex-Liberia captain
and technical director George
Weah and ex-Liberia Football
Association (LFA) president
Izetta Wesley were unleashed
in leaked secret documents
published by Londons Sunday
Times newspaper.
The publication detailed how
Mohamed Bin Hammam, who
was president of the Asian
Football Confederation and
a member of Fifa executive
committee during the vote for
the 2018 and 2022 World Cups
in December 2010, utilized a
systematic campaign to win
support for Qatar 2022 in Africa
in the tune of more than US$5
million from slush funds.
Wesley, then a candidate for
the LFA presidency, received
US$10,000 from Bin Hammam
while Nagbe requested
US$50,000 for Wesley's
reelection campaign.
A sum of the same amount
was subsequently deposited
in Weah's account, according
to Times senior reporter Jon
Ungoed-Thomas, with Nagbe
serving as the middleman.
Paye, who called for Nagbes
resignation in passing on ELBCs
Bumper Show on Monday,
said the former Congress for
Democratic Change (CDC)
secretary-general lacks the moral
rectitude to preside over the
youth and sports sector.
I think what is important in
this country is that we must be
a discipline society. We must be
introspecting all the times. We
must evaluate ourselves [and]
our conduct, whether it is in the
private or public sector, whether
it is present or past. I think it is
very important for us to look at
that Paye said.
The UP Secretary general
believes the scandal took place in
the past and it is been unearthed
now and as such it will be fair for
Nagbe to quit his position.
Said Paye If it turns out
tomorrow that some of us had
done some things that are being
unearthed and we have to answer
to those allegations or whatever
the issues might be it is just fair
enough for us to just say hey,
we cant continue to enjoy public
confdence and trust. I think this
is the fundamental problem.
Not about individual
The UP offcial said his call for
Nagbe to quit is not individual
driven but part of the platform of
the ruling party in which Nagbe
is serving as a Minister.
It has nothing to do with the
individual. It has nothing do with
disagreement. It has nothing to
do with the political party. Dont
forget that part of our platform
is credibility, accountability and
transparency at all times. All of
these transactions that we are
reading about today from the
Fifa setting happened long, long
ago and behind the scenes and
they are coming out.
Paye told FrontPageAfrica in an
exclusive interview on Tuesday,
So I think we should be able
to face it. It didnt happen in
Liberia. That is not the argument.
It has nothing to do with our
government. That is not the
argument. It has something to
do with credibility and I think
the individuals concerned have
a moral responsibility that they
cant shy away from,
Contacted for response, Nagbe
said he couldnt provide a
response because he had not
heard or read Payes comments.
But in an earlier response to the
Sunday Times, Nagbe intimated
that the report was a grand
scheme by the British to cast
doubt over the credibility of Fifa
and that of the voting procedure.
The request for support to Mrs.
Wesley was never a part of any
scheme to get Qatar awarded the
2022 World Cup. Subsequent
events have proven that as
neither Mr. Weah nor Madam
Wesley cast or infuenced the
vote for the award of 2022 to
Qatar, Nagbe said.
Nagbe continued I have spoken
to Mr. Weah who has informed
me that he had availed all records
of his fnances to an earlier
inquiry by Fifa and that he has
always acted with integrity and
prudence.
Weah a hero
The Youth and Sports Minister
who served Weah CDC party
as Secretary general before
defecting to the Unity Party
described Weah George Weah
is a genuine hero of the world
and African game. He is a legend
and a quintessential iconic
footballer whose contribution to
the global game on and off the
pitch has remained exemplary
and irreproachable.
Nagbe in an email stated It is
my worry that your investigation
of the award of 2022 to Qatar
is now being skewed towards a
vain glorious assailment of the
reputation of this great football
legend purely to ft a pre-
designed narrative that England
was cheated by and through a
grand conspiracy,.
But Paye downplayed Nagbes
email response sent to the
newspaper.
There is a growing call within
the global community for Fifa to
institute reforms. Fifa president
Sepp Blatter has come out to say
the decision to even award the
2022 World Cup to Qatar was
a mistake even though he said
it was because of the [winter]
climate and all of that said Paye.
Matter of grave concern
Paye believes the matter is grave
and needs attention. I think
what is important is that we
shouldnt belabored the issue.
This is a matter that is of grave
concern. We should look beyond
the individuals. We should look
at the issues and we should look
at it as a matter of credibility. I
think this is fundamental.
He stated Our people are talking
about corruption. We know that
this has been endemic in our
society. We have public offcials
who are administering on our
behalf [and] who are entrusted
with resources. I think at all times
and under all circumstances they
must continue to demonstrate
that they have our confdence
and the public trust. This is
important,.
Bin Hammam's goal was to gain a
groundswell of support in Africa
for the Qatar 2022 campaign
so that the four executive
committee members would have
no choice but to support Qatar
2022 and his ambition to become
Fifa president.
F
RONT
PAGE
COUNTY NEWS
FLOOD TAKES
OVER GBARNGA
Commuter, Drivers feeling
pinch of natural rage
Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com
Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com


PROMOTING THE
CULTURE OF INTEGRITY
Wilmot Paye Lenn Eugene Nagbe
Page 12 |
Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014
NPPs Mulbah Endorses Jackson Months after Declaring
Support for Jewels Re-election Bid
Gbarnga, Bong County-
N
o one saw it
coming, not even
politicians in
Bong County, but
the highly revered lawmaker
of Jorquelleh District #3,
George Mulbah, dropped
the bombshell Saturday: he
endorsed his longtime friend
and brother, Ranney Banama
Jackson for the senate bid.
Rep. Mulbahs support for
Jackson comes fve months
after he endorsed the re-election
bid of incumbent senator Jewel
Howard-Taylor. In declaring
for Howard-Taylor August last
year, Rep. Mulbah said: I have
been under immense pressure
from my supporters as to who
to support. Today, I commit
my support to Senator Taylor. I
will support her re-election and
ensure that she gets the nod for
re-election.
Rep. Mulbah at the time
disclosed that his support for
the former frst lady was the
result of his longstanding
tie with her former husband,
Charles Taylor, who appointed
him as superintendent of Bong
County in 1997. My support
for Jewel owes much to the
longstanding relationship I
built with her former husband
Charles Taylor. I will be
ungrateful to snub Senator
Taylor for any aspirant in Bong
County, he said.
New Dimension in Bong
politics
The lawmakers validation of
Jackson Saturday, without any
iota of doubt, has thrown a new
dimension into the scramble
for the senate seat in Bong
County.
Jackson, an accountant and
public fnance management
expert with over 27 years of
distinguished career, is one
aspirant of the Unity Party,
whose popularity in the last
few months has been a topic of
most political discussions in the
county, with speculations that
he is the choice of the oracle
that domiciled at Kwatawolah
in Bong County.
Though last Saturdays event
was the dedication of a hand
pump to residents of Jarmeyea
town, the ceremony eventually
turned into an endorsement
arena. As it is, the position of
the lawmaker, who scooped
the highest votes at the lower
house during the 2011 election
84 per cent has steered the
hornets nest in Bong politics.
Jackson is a true Bong native
Rep. Mulbah
Contrary to remark by Rep.
Mulbah during his endorsement
of Howard-Taylor in which he
hailed the NPP senator as a
dedicated servant of the people,
the district 3 lawmaker said the
failure of Senator Taylor to
construct a house in the county
during her nine years stint
clearly exposed her insincerity
to the Bong County populace.
F
RONT
PAGE
POLITICS
CRACK IN JEWELS DEN
Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com

In declaring for Jackson
Saturday, Rep. Mulbah said:
Jackson has been tested in
public offce when he served
as superintendent of the county
and he did not disappoint the
people. So, I am very sure and
confdent that God will help
him to defeat all his opponents.
You cant be a senator for nine
years and failed to construct a
house in the county.
He said no amount of pressure
within the camps ofother
aspirants can stop Jackson from
becoming the next senator of
Bong County.
In what seemed like a royal
blessing, Rep. Mulbah prayed
that God should continue to
endow Jackson with wisdom
so that he can triumph over
his rivals. God will help you.
You will triumph. God will
give you wisdom. Nobody can
predict any human being, until
he fnds himself in a position
of authority. God will stand by
you. The chiefs and bishops
will stand by you. Whoever
gangs up against you will not
triumph over you. Before I
became the Representative of
district 3, many things were
said against me and the same
shall be said of you.
Apart from Rep. Mulbah,
several speakers at the event
also tactically endorsed
Jackson for the October 2014
race by extolling the virtues
of the former superintendent,
describing him as the best man
for the Bong County senatorial
race.
Condemnation trailed Rep.
Mulbahs Endorsement
While the endorsement was
well celebrated and accepted
by a section of partisans of the
National Patriotic Party (NPP)
within the venue, a barrage of
knocks was already waiting
for the lawmaker for publicly
pitching his tent behind a
particular aspirant.
A member of the NPP in
the county, Esther Peters,
described Rep. Mulbahs
endorsement as unfortunate.
She advised the lawmaker to
apologize to partisans of the
party and publicly retract the
endorsement of Jackson within
seven days.
The lawmakers action
is regrettable and very
unbecoming of a leader who
is expected to be a father of
all. His decision to openly
descend into the murky waters
of Bong County politics has
unequivocally confrmed him
as not ft and proper to be a
leader of District 3.
In the same vein, some
members of the NPP under the
banner Friends of Ranney,
in a statement by its leader,
Jeremiah McCauley, said the
lawmakers endorsement is
not out of place, nothing that
democracy allows an individual
to express his opinion. His
words: What he did is not out
of place. Rep. Mulbah has the
right to support who he wants
to. For us in the NPP we have
decided to support Jackson
once the mandate has come
from our lawmaker.
Jackson is a good aspirant and
as far as I know, if he emerges
as the Unity Party candidate, he
will be a good candidate going
through his background.
Clearly, Jacksons royal
endorsement is going to have
implication on the battle for
the senatorial bid. Considering
the closeness of Rep. Mulbah
to his constituents, many
people believe that the
lawmakers position may be
the true refection of residents
ofDistrict 3 and this seems to
be why there are jitters in some
quarters over the endorsement.
Will Jackson become the next
senator of Bong County in
October? The answer lies in the
hands of the electorates.
Rep. Mulbah in declaring for Jackson Saturday: He is the best aspirant that can transform Bong
County as evidenced by his achievements during his regime as superintendent of Bong County.

Rep. Mulbah in August last year heaped praises on Howard-Taylor describing her as an
aspirant with intimidating legislative credentials.
Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014 Page 13
REGULATOR STILL IN LACC DRAGNET
Commission on Higher Education Director General long Corruption tale
German prosecutor to probe U.S. spies for
bugging Merkel's phone
IN BRIEF
REPORT: 10 GENERALS
GUILTY OF ARMING
BOKO HARAM
KERRY CALLS SYRIAN
PRESIDENTIAL VOTE
'MEANINGLESS'
TALIBAN VIDEO SHOWS
HANDOVER OF US SOLDIER

KADUNA, Nigeria (AP)
T
en generals and fve
other senior military
offcers have been
found guilty in
courts-martial of providing
arms and information to Boko
Haram extremists, several
Nigerian newspapers said
Tuesday, though the military
insisted there was no truth in
the reports.
They follow months of
allegations from politicians
and soldiers who told The
Associated Press that some
senior offcers were helping
the Islamic extremists and that
some rank-and-fle soldiers
even fght alongside the
insurgents and then return to
army camps. They have said
that information provided
by army offcers has helped
insurgents in ambushing
military convoys and in
attacks on army barracks and
outposts in their northeastern
stronghold.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)
T
he Taliban released
a video Wednesday
showing Sgt. Bowe
Bergdahl being handed
over to U.S. forces and bundled
into a helicopter in eastern
Afghanistan, touting the swap of
the abducted American soldier
for fve Taliban detainees from
Guantanamo as a signifcant
achievement for the insurgents.
The exchange and still-murky
circumstances of how Bergdahl
came to be captured by the
Taliban nearly fve years ago
have prompted a ferce debate in
Washington after the fve freed
Taliban were fown to Qatar, a tiny
Gulf Arab country that served as a
mediator between the two sides.
BEIRUT (AP)
U
.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry says
Syria's presidential
elections this week
were "a great big zero" that won't
change anything.
He said Wednesday the vote was
"meaningless, because you can't
have an election where millions
of your people don't even have an
ability to vote."
Kerry, who spoke during a one-
day visit to the Lebanese capital,
insisted that after the Syrian
election, "the confict is the same,
the terror is the same, the killing is
the same."
Syrians in government-controlled
areas voted Tuesday in a
presidential poll all but guaranteed
to hand President Bashar Assad
another seven-year term. Voting
did not take place in opposition-
held areas.

F
RONT
PAGE
WORLD NEWS
FEW DIFFICULTIES
TO OVERCOME
BERLIN (Reuters) -
G
ermany's top
public prosecutor
has launched
an investigation
into the bugging of Angela
Merkel's mobile phone by
U.S. intelligence in the light
of revelations by former spy
agency contractor Edward
Snowden, authorities said on
Wednesday.
The two countries have been
at odds over the U.S. National
Security Agency's (NSA)
spying habits since Snowden's
revelations last year showed
the United States had listened
in on many of its allies,
including Merkel, severely
testing ties between Berlin and
Washington.
Attorney General Harald
Range's offce said Germany's
top federal prosecutor has
enough data to push ahead with
an offcial investigation.
"Extensive preliminary
investigations produced
suffcient factual evidence that
unknown U.S. intelligence
offcers tapped a mobile phone
of Chancellor Angela Merkel,"
said a statement from Range's
offce.
Although there is not yet a
strong enough case to start legal
proceedings, Range's offce
said he is still looking into
wider allegations that both U.S.
and British intelligence carried
out "massive surveillance
of the German population's
telecommunications data".
Range, who had told a German
parliamentary committee
earlier on Wednesday about his
plans to open legal proceedings
over the espionage, was due
to hold a news conference
at 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) at his
offce in the city of Karlsruhe.
Justice Minister Heiko Maas
told German radio earlier
in the day that investigators
would "have to take action" if
it came to light that German

law had been broken regarding
Merkel's mobile phone or
other surveillance revealed by
Snowden.
Revelations that the United
States and Britain have carried
out large-scale electronic
espionage in Germany -
including from the roofs of
their embassies in Berlin,
near Merkel's offce and the
Reichstag - have provoked
widespread indignation in
Germany.
In a country sensitive about
offcial surveillance after
the excesses of the Nazi-era
Gestapo secret police and of
the Stasi in former communist
East Germany, politicians have
pushed in vain for a "no-spy"
agreement with Washington.
The United States said it did
not have such agreements with
any country, friend or foe.
When Merkel visited President
Barack Obama in May, she was
asked by reporters if trust had
been restored.
She replied by saying that
"we have a few diffculties to
overcome", referring to the
confict over U.S. surveillance
practices. Snowden, who has
sought refuge in Moscow,
has promised to bring new
information to light proving
Germans' rights were violated
by American intelligence if
he is able to give evidence
to a German parliamentary
committee investigating the
matter. Merkel's government
has so far declined to bring him
to Berlin to testify in person
fearing it would further damage
relations with Washington.
DEATH ANNOUNCEMENT
EXCLUSIVE: GUINEA-BISSAU'S EX-NAVY
CHIEF PLEADS GUILTY IN U.S. DRUG CASE
T
his is to announce with deep sorrow the death of Samuel
Benedict Cooper Jr.
This sad event took place in the ambulance en route to St.
Josephs Catholic Hospital,
on Thursday, May 15, 2014 at 12:40 pm.
This is a tremendous loss for the Cooper family and for countless
others that affectionately referred to him as Ben Cooper, Papa Zulu,
Jolly Pappy, or JP.
Funeral arrangements will be as follows:
Removal of Bens body from the Stryker Funeral Home:
Friday, June 6, 2014 at 4 PM
With the wake keeping to follow at Trinity Cathedral, Broad Street.
Funeral Service will be held at Trinity Cathedral, Broad Street:
Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 10:00 AM
This announcement was brought in by the Cooper Family.

Samuel Benedict Cooper, Jr
June 22, 1944May 15, 2014
NEW YORK (Reuters) -
G
uinea-Bissau's
former navy chief,
captured in a high-
profle drug sting
on the West African coast, has
secretly pleaded guilty ahead of
a trial on charges he conspired to
import narcotics into the United
States, court sources said on
Tuesday.
The trial of Jose Americo
Bubo Na Tchuto, 64, had been
scheduled to begin on Monday in
U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
But Na Tchuto, who U.S.
authorities say is a kingpin of
West Africa's illicit drug trade,
pleaded guilty at a May 13
proceeding, the transcript of
which was immediately sealed,
the court sources said. It could
not be learned why the hearing
was sealed.
Nor could it be determined what
charges Na Tchuto pleaded
guilty to or the terms of any deal
he received. The offcial court
record does not indicate that a
plea or hearing took place.
Guilty pleas are sometimes
sealed when defendants agree to
cooperate with authorities.

Sabrina Shroff, Na Tchuto's
attorney, and representatives
for U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara
in Manhattan and the Drug
Enforcement Administration
declined to comment on Tuesday
when contacted by phone and
email.
The secret plea came more than a
year after the arrest of Na Tchuto
in April 2013. He was seized
on a luxury yacht off the coast
of Guinea-Bissau following a
monthslong DEA undercover
operation.
Before his plea, Na Tchuto faced
life in prison if convicted on a
previously announced charge
of conspiring to distribute 5 kg
(11 pounds) or more of cocaine,
knowing or intending that the
cocaine would be imported into
the United States.
Poverty-stricken Guinea-Bissau
is viewed by the United Nations
as a major waypoint for Latin
American cocaine headed for
Europe. U.S. and European
authorities have long suspected
the country's military is
involved in the drug trade.
According to U.S. prosecutors,
Na Tchuto and his two co-
defendants met with confdential
DEA informants who posed
as representatives of Latin
American drug traffckers.
Page 14 |
Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014
OVER 10 YEARS SINCE MARC-VIVIEN FO'S DEATH, HOW CAMEROON COULD DO WITH HIS FIGHTING SPIRIT
WILL FOOTBALL'S BIGGEST COMPETITION EVER
WITNESS A 'CAMEROON 1990 SIDE' AGAIN?
Roger Milla and his Cameroon team-mates captured hearts and minds at Italia '90
but world has changed too much for another 'unknown' team to cause a surprise
By Sam Crooker, World Cup
Nation: Cameroon
T
he globalised game
means we may never
see a Cameroon 1990
side again.
We all know the story. The
plucky underdog, roaming
around the pitch in their baggy
green shirts, unknowingly
creating one of the greatest ever
stories that the football and the
World Cup has ever seen. At the
time they were almost mythical
group of players, plucked from
the deepest, darkest Africa,
and made to play on the world
stage against some of the
heavyweights of the global
game. But how likely is this
to ever happen again? Will
future World Cup teams ever
be defned by a man in his late-
30s, who played his football
on a French-controlled island
east of Madagascar that most
people now still haven't heard
of, serenading a corner fag
with his bodily movements?
I am, if you had not worked
this out already, talking about
the Cameroon team of the 1990
World Cup. With colonialism
not quite a thing of the past
and images from Joseph
Conrad's Heart of Darkness
still dominant in the Western
world's conception of Africa,
this Cameroon team were
almost the perfect sporting
representation of Africa as an
"unknown", as the world were
more interested in why they ate
monkey's heads and practiced
juju than the way they played
football.
And much like the way that the
Western world defned a way
7 Days to go: All the action leading up the Brazil
COUNTDOWN WORLD CUP



that African countries were
"supposed to progress", there
were certain conventions that
Cameroon employed during
this World Cup that defed how
football was "supposed to be
played". The employment of
Valeri Nepomniachi - a coach
whose only management
experience was with a
Turkmenistani club in the
Russian third division who
spoke no English nor French;
their pre-tournament defeats
to uninspiring domestic sides
in Bordeaux and Yugoslavia;
and of course the calling-up
of a 38 year-old Roger Milla
- at the President's instruction
- who was easing himself into
retirement by playing domestic
football on the island of
Runion.
But in a world where you
could fnd probably someone
on Twitter providing match
reports of the under-12 regional
leagues from the Burkinabe
town of Dedougou, there is the
question of whether this sort of
team will ever grace our World
Cup coverage again.
Essentially, we know so much
more about the world than
we did in 1990, and manifest
itself in football in a way that
perhaps eliminates the element
of surprise. Take the modern
day Cameroon side as an
example of this. Every single
player who is likely to go to
the World Cup plays in Europe,
with only three domestically
based players called up in the
past year. Compare this to the
1990 side, where 11 players
in the squad played for teams
based in Douala or Yaound.
Of course the counter to this
would be the Senegal side in
the 2002 World Cup, whose
largely France-based squad
surprised everyone watching,
as they booked themselves into
World Cup folklore. But now
with such excellent coverage
of the French league, and the
reduced likelihood of a World
Cup squad being so heavily
based in a single country, a
modern day Senegal would be
greeted with little more than a
raising of eyebrows - before a
keyboard warrior look to his or
her laptop to moan about the
"best" teams not reaching the
fnal stages.
Not that this extensive
knowledge is a bad thing
necessarily. Whilst it probably
does polarise the European
leagues from the domestic
African leagues, this can be
seen as recognition for the
ability of players from a wider
range of contexts, producing
an increased diversity of
nationalities that I think we can
all get on board with.
By what if, hypothetically,
history repeats itself. Say
Cameroon beat a Neymar-
inspired Brazil side in the fnal
group game to get out of the
group, and go onto make the
quarter-fnals. Will it be the
same? Of course not.
And again, this probably isn't
a bad thing. If journalists are
asking Nicholas N'Koulou
after the game about how his
team played rather than about
rumoured West African tribal
practices, it shows that the
world has moved on a bit, and
gained an increased respect for
the football that comes out of
African countries.
But in terms of the romantic
desire for something different,
I think we have lost out here.
Football refects the wider
world in so many ways,
including our unstoppable
desire to gain more knowledge
about more places that we don't
necessarily understand. But
that 1990 team was special,
and instigated an excrement
of chemicals inside each fan's
brain to produce feelings of
excitement, fascination and
joy. Whilst our noble quest
to satisfy our thirst for more
information and knowledge
to trump our friends at the
pub/someone you've never
met on social media, we have
probably foregone that feeling
of something fresh and new
that got us all into football in
the frst place.
By Sam Crocker, World Cup Nation: Cameroon
F
alling to the ground in the centre
of the pitch in the 71st minute, the
crowd in Stade Gerland in Lyon were
not initially aware of the devastating
reality of what they were watching. Forty-fve
minutes later, despite the efforts of the medical
team on hand to restart his heart, Marc-Vivien
Fo was pronounced dead in a backroom of the
stadium the stadium that he called home. With
no obvious physical ailments beyond his lifeless
body as he lay still on the grass surrounded by
his concerned team-mates, the scars can still be
seen on the football of the country that he left
behind today in 2014, as his native Cameroon
prepare to head to Brazil for the World Cup this
summer.
Born with a condition called hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy a condition associated with
the thickening of the heart muscles the brusque
nature of his collapse was the frst sign of this
condition. The Lyon midfelder, who had been
on loan at Manchester City that season, fell into
the 80 per cent of sportsmen with the condition
to have the misfortune of its frst symptoms
appear upon their sudden death.
Whilst an ECG can diagnose it, the result of his
death has been the vast improvements in on-feld
facilities to prevent the same result that befell
Fo from his condition, with defbrillators and
extensively trained medical staff now on hand to
provide on-pitch assistance. Fabrice Muamba has
been one of the benefciaries of this, surviving a
similar incident in 2012, with the legacy that
Fos death left now enacted in football stadiums
across the globe to give players the best chance
of surviving a condition that many will not know
they had. Sadly, whilst this technology and
knowledge will probably be taken for granted
10 years from now, the fact that this came at a
cost of such a well-respected player and likeable
human being is where it hurts the most.
Occurring in a game between Cameroon
and Colombia in the semi-fnals of the
Confederations Cup, this is a tournament they
have since failed to reach, as the Indomitable
Lions reputation built up from since 1990 World
Cup has begun to unravel. With Cameroonian
journalist Francis Ngwa Niba commenting that
Cameroon football has gone down the drain,
the lack of tournament success since the 2002
African Cup of Nations that qualifed them for
the Confederations Cup is something that has
riled fans of the Indomitable Lions especially
considering their consistent output of players
and considerable pedigree that comes with their
nickname. Failing to even qualify for the past
two African Cup of Nations, and highly-sketchy
World Cup qualifying campaign highlights the
massive governance issues that the team has
wrestled with. And it is the fghting spirit of a
player like Marc-Vivien Fo that the team could
really do with right now.
As mourned last year at the 2013 Confederations
Cup in Brazil in the semi-fnal between Uruguay
and the hosts, it is now over 10 years since
Fos death, and Cameroon are preparing for
their upcoming World Cup. With relatively little
expectations from the Indomitable Lions, after
a troubled period for football in the country,
harnessing the spirit of a player who they know
would have given his all for his country would
perhaps be the best tribute of all.
After troubled period for football in Cameroon, harnessing the spirit of a player who they
know would have given his all for country would perhaps be the best tribute of all

Frontpage
Thursday, June 5, 2014 Page 15
Sports
SPORT BRIEF
MESSI RANKED
SOCCERS MVP,
TWICE AS VALUABLE
AS RONALDO
F
or several seasons
Lionel Messi and
Cristiano Ronaldo
have been inseparable
at the top of the game.
It causes constant debates
between soccer fans that like to
discuss the following: who is
better, Mess or Ronaldo?
In a study released by the
CIES Football Observatory,
Messis value has been set at a
staggering $270 million. That
is almost twice as much as
Ronaldos valuation of $142
million in the same study.
Does something seem slightly
wrong with that?
SAN ANTONIO (AP)
L
eBron James has it all
wrong. Gregg Popovich
is a people person.
"I like everybody," the
San Antonio Spurs coach said.
Sideline reporters might disagree,
but that's what Popovich said in
response to James' comments
that the Spurs don't like the
Miami Heat.
Immediately after San Antonio
beat Oklahoma City in Game
6 of the Western Conference
fnals to set up the NBA Finals
rematch with the Heat that begins
Thursday, Tim Duncan said,
"We've got four more to win.
We'll do it this time."
SHARAPOVA LIVES TO
FIGHT ANOTHER DAY,
GULBIS POWERS ON
SPURS DISAGREE WITH JAMES,
SAY THEY RESPECT HEAT
PARIS (Reuters) -
T
here was no Serena
Williams standing in
her way but despite
the absence of her
American nemesis, Maria
Sharapova came dangerously
close to missing out on a semi-
fnal date at the French Open
with a younger version of
herself.
At 6-1 5-4 down the Russian
was on the verge of being
toppled by the same Spanish
gale force that had blown away
defending champion Williams
in the second round.

Z
ambian Football
Federation president
Kalusha Bwalya has
admitted pocketing
the money allegedly given
to him by disgraced former
FIFA vice president Qatars
Mohammed Bin Hammam but
claims it was a debt to be paid
back amounting to US$50, 000
and not the US$80, 000 shown
in email exchanges between
the two parties.
Kalusha told the Zambia Daily
Mail allegations by the Sunday
Times of the UK were stupid
and unfounded allegations. A
statement quoting Kalusha on
Lusaka Times said the article
was a witchhunt; Sour grapes.
I dont vote for World Cup
bids. Its done by the FIFA
Executive Committee.
Dont think even Bin
Hammam was in Qatar bid.
I remember we went there
for Brazil versus Argentina
friendly and there all kinds of
people. From Europe, Africa
and everywhere.
It must be a witch hunt by the
people who lost the Bid.
But in a telephone interview
with The Post from Tampa,
Florida, Bwalya said the
amount was in fact US$50, 000
and not US$80, 000 as alleged
by the Sunday Times.
Bwalya explained that the
money was borrowed to help
FAZ run its activities at the time
it was embroiled in wrangles
with the then government
under Rupiah Banda.
Yali ninnkongole which I
offered to pay; (it was a loan
which I had to pay). When I
said I had the money they said
no, and that is where we are.
Bin Hammam is a personal
friend of mine, I knew him for


FIFA CHIEF INVESTIGATOR MICHAEL GARCIA FACES
TOUGH TASK OF INVESTIGATING WORLD CUP BIDS
a long time. Lulya twakwete
ama problems ku FAZ, he
said to me that, if you need
any help, let me know, so he
said he was going to help me.
There were other discussions
before what was published, so
later I decided to brief him that
natukwatako ama problems
because yalifula as we were
fghting akamfulumfulu.
That is why I wrote him that
email so that he can help us
with that amount. He, however,
did not send us that amount,
he sent less. Yali ninkongole
which I offered to pay back,
you understand, it is not that
amount indicated, Bwalya
said.
He said that the money was
channeled to FAZ activities
at that time when Zambian
football association was having
fnancial problems.
The money was put to good
use because that is the time
twalepishana nabena Rupiah. I
offered to pay them as indicated
but they said no, just wait
we will tell you. In principle
we should have paid it back
because yali ninkongole, he
said.
And Bwalya dismissed the
allegations in the Sunday
Times of UK that he was
among the recipients of illegal
payments from Mohammed
Bin Hammam in a covert
operation to win votes for the
World Cup 2022 bid for Qatar,
as merely an act of witch hunt
by people who lost the 2022
World Cup bid.
He said he does not vote for the
World Cup bid.
Thats a witch hunt by people
who lost the bid. Anyone who
is in football knows that I do
not vote for the World Cup
bid. Its the FIFA executive
committee who vote. In fact
the leader of the Qatar bid
was another gentleman, said
Bwalya in an email.
Bwalya travelled as part of
the advance party for the
Chipolopolos trip for a friendly
with Asian champions Japan on
Friday in the Raymond James
Stadium.
Zambians should know that
I did not take part in voting
for the 2022 World Cup hosts
and so could not have voted
for Qatar. The 30 presidents of
football associations in Africa
mentioned in the article have
no say in who gets the nod to
host a World Cup. Even the
Sunday Times of the UK know
that even though they went
ahead and published those lies
about us. Voting for World Cup
hosts is the matter of for the
FIFA executive committee, he
said.
At the time of the elections
for the Qatar 2022 World
Cup I was not yet an offce
bearer in CAF. I was only
elected into CAF executive
committee during elections
held in Sudan in 2011. Another
thing is that the Qatar bid was
headed by someone else, not
Bin Hammam. Any dealings
between me and then FIFA
Vice President Bin Hammam
was therefore not related to the
Qatar 2022 bid.
And Sports Minister
Chishimba Kambwili says
Bwalya should not be judged
on mere speculation.
The Sunday Times reported the
African offcials were bribed to
infuence their four members
on the FIFA committee to vote
for Qatar as the continent had
the tradition of voting as a
block.
F
IFA Chief Investigator Michael Garcia "will have found looking
into allegations of corruption surrounding the votes for the
2018 and 2022 tournaments to be one of the most gruelling
assignments" of his legal career, according to Ben Rumsby of the
London TELEGRAPH. Garcia announced that "his investigation would
conclude on Monday." A report will follow in mid-July but it could be
"another several weeks" before organizers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
and 2018 tournament in Russia discover whether Garcia has "unearthed
evidence" that would compel FIFA to "strip them of the events they spent
so much effort acquiring." That would be "astonishing considering the
limits on Garcia's ability to delve as deeply as he might have wanted into
precisely what led 14 members" of FIFA's exec committee to vote for
Qatar and 13 for Russia back in '10 (TELEGRAPH, 6/3).
RE-VOTE NOT SOLE OPTION: REUTERS' Mike Collett reported
FIFA presidential candidate Jerome Champagne said that FIFA has
"more options available than just organising a re-vote to decide new
2022 World Cup hosts if allegations are proved that Qatar's winning bid
to stage the fnals was corrupt." Champagne said that it "was far from a
foregone conclusion that, if and when FIFA had to decide on a change,
there would be a simple re-vote." Champagne: "It is too simplistic just to
say there should be a re-vote. Would Qatar be allowed to re-submit a bid
if these allegations are proved? Can you imagine that happening? I don't
know. Is an athlete allowed to run again if he is guilty
of doping?" (REUTERS, 6/3). The FINANCIAL
TIMES wrote the "location for 2022 is not the only
issue that needs rethinking." FIFA is a body that has
been "mired in corruption allegations for so long --
and which has been so lame in mending its shoddy
governance -- that it demands a complete overhaul."
FIFA's responsibility in managing world football
is "huge." But "far from being accountable to any
outside body," FIFA acts like a "sovereign state." In
'11, Blatter, "unable to ignore the spate of scandals,
asked outside experts to make recommendations on
better governance." One of "those experts said most of
the proposals were rejected" (FT, 6/3).
FIFA BOARD A RISK: BLOOMBERG's Tariq Panja
reported FIFA Audit & Compliance Committee Chair
Domenico Scala said that the "biggest corruption
risk" facing FIFA is its board. Scala: "The highest
single risk at FIFA is the executive committee and
its members. Which is why the reforms have all
tried and have actually achieved the limitation of
their decision-making powers by introducing several
checks and balances. The single individual missing
point now is the limitation on the terms of offce."
Since a 22-member exec board made the Dec. '10
choice of Qatar as 2022 host, FIFA has "changed the
selection process, including taking away that power
from the board and giving it to representatives of
FIFA's 209 member associations around the world"
(BLOOMBERG, 6/3).
FFA'S LOWY DEFENDS BID: In Sydney, Simon
King reported Football Federation Australia Chair
Frank Lowy and the FFA have been "left seething
by allegations their 2022 World Cup bid was
anything other than 'completely transparent and
above board.'" Lowy, who "initiated and presented
Australia's unsuccessful bid, slammed any suggestion
of wrongdoing." Lowy: "We did it transparently and
in close consultation with governments, aid agencies
and not-for-proft organizations. The fact is that
Australia ran a campaign it can be proud of" (THE
AUSTRALIAN, 6/4).
PLATINI ADMITS TO MEETING: In London, Watt,
Newell & Bryant reported UEFA President Michel
Platini has "admitted holding a secret meeting" with
"disgraced" former FIFA VP Mohamed Bin Hammam
"shortly before voting for Qatar." A source "close
to" Platini said that he had "met the Qatar football
offcial for breakfast in a hotel in Switzerland, just
a few days before the controversial decision to hand
the 2022 World Cup to Qatar." The source said that
Bin Hammam asked Platini to "stand against" FIFA
President Sepp Blatter in the 2011 FIFA presidency,
but Platini refused. The source added that the two men
"had met 30 to 50 times, as both sat on the decision-
making committee" for FIFA (TELEGRAPH, 6/3).
EX-MILAN PLAYER QUESTIONED:
BLOOMBERG's Alex Duff reported former footballer
George Weah said that he was "questioned as many
as fve times by a team investigating allegations of
corruption in bidding to hold the World Cup." Weah
said that Garcia's team asked him about a "2010
e-mail" published by the Sunday Times. According
to a "redacted copy of the message," Weah sent his
"Bank of America account number in Pembroke Pines,
Florida, to the assistant of Bin Hammam," who was
then on FIFA's exec committee. Weah, who has homes
in Florida and his native Liberia, said that he "frst
met Bin Hammam in Paris" in '98. Weah said that Bin
Hammam was a "father fgure" to him and that "any
interaction with him had been personal and not related
to Qatar's bid"

www.frontpageafricaonline.com
Sports
FrontPage
PRICE L$40 VOL 8 NO.609 THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2014
Duport Road Residents Having it Tough Getting By
R
esidents in rural and urban
Liberia are still feeling
the pinch of bad roads.
Throughout the city and
the country, many Liberians continue
to struggle to get from one point to
the next. One area that is having it
tough this rainy season is the Duport
Road area, the Lutheran Junction
after Cow field second junction to be
exact.
Vehicles are struggling to get through
deep holes filled with water. Many
others have to park their vehicles
miles away from their residence to
avoid going through the daily hassles
of finding their way through the
drenched and muddied road.
Erik Kumlin, a resident of the
area took these photos in hopes of
drawing the attention of government,
particularly the Ministry of Public
Works, to the plight of residents
in the area. The holes on the road
are so deep that four cars got stuck
and damaged because of the poor
condition of the road this rainy
season, he says. We urgently
need some repairs of the road. It is
damaging our cars causing mayor
costs for repairs.
RAINY SEASON WOES
Spot News FrontPage
7 Days to go: All the action leading up the Brazil
COUNTDOWN WORLD CUP