Thursday, November 20, 2014 Edition

TOP
STORIES
EBOLA
INTERVIEW
pg 5
pg 8&9
CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA
FDA HAS CAPACITY

LIMITATION
EBOLA PUT NEARLY

HALF OF LIBERIANS
OUT OF WORK
There is certain minimum diameter of

trees, they are not to be cut and of course the
new code of harvesting practices makes it
very rich so you may have logging company
cutting the bigger trees but it may not cause
complete deforestation. . ..
- Harrison Karnwea: Managing Director,
Forestry Development Authority
Negative Economic Impacts of Virus Seen

Throughout the Country, with Serious
Consequences for the Poor and Vulnerable
MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES

LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR
FrontPage

BUYING

L$84.00/US$1
L$85.00/US$1
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014
L$84.00/US$1
L$85.00/US$1
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014
L$84.00/US$1
L$85.00/US$1
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2014
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
www.frontpageafricaonline.com
PRICE L$40
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014
VOL 8 NO.724
SELLING
LIBERIAN DOCTORS WHO TREATED

INDIAN EBOLA MAN IN LIBERIA SAY
MEASURE FARFETCHED
BUT IN PLACE
Considering the population of India, they have over one billion people in that country. It is just from one case that thousands of
cases emerge. Though we treated Raji, here and he tested negative for the virus more than once, he carries the virus in his semen for
90 days. If he goes out and start having sex with any woman, it would be a serious problem.Dr. I. B. Pabs-Garnon, ELWA-2 ETU
INSIDE
EBOLA
FACTOR
VIRUS CRISIS COULD DISSUADE

VOTERS IN BASSA

County News
p13
Ebola - pg.5
ELECTIONS
UNDER DIFFICULT
CIRCUMSTANCES
EJS Calls for Smooth Campaigning

News Extra
p10
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Page 2 | Frontpage
W
Monrovia
ith fifteen seats up for grabs and 135 contenders

seeking victory, the 2014 senatorial elections, nearly
derailed by the deadly Ebola virus is moving along but
not in the fashion many political observers envisioned.
Fears of voter fatigue have been compounded by a virus which from
all indications has taken the luster out of the enthusiasm.
A provisional list of applicants published by the National Elections
Commission shows that 18 political parties are fielding 15 contenders
while 25 are independent aspirants. But ahead of the election, there
are growing concerns that process might be a repeat of Liberian
politics of aged old characterized by mudslinging and personality
contest instead of candidates addressing the real issues.
The race is beginning amid reports of threats, loom of a bloody
contest and controversies. Early indications of what could be in
the cards came in the aftermath of the withdrawal from the race of
the candidate from the ruling Unity Party, Ali Sylla who pulled out
at the last hour drawing criticisms from within his own party who
questioned his motives. While his name is expected to remain on the
ballot, the aftermath of his withdrawal has sent a chilling effect on the
campaign trail.
The Unity Party described him as a traitor who they claimed betrayed
the confidence of partisans.
Syllas supporters on the other hand labeled the ruling party the real
betrayal, arguing that their candidate was not getting the needed
support from the party because President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the
partys political leader, son Robert Sirleaf is in the race.
Some accused Sylla of trading his political ambition to Robert Sirleaf,
compelling him to pull out of the race, citing health reasons.
With Sylla out, many thought the Unity Party could have endorsed
the candidacy of independent candidate Sirleaf but it was not long
when the Unity Party launched a stinking attack against Robert
Sirleaf describing him as lacking the moral credential to get the party
support.
Even before the Unity Party stance against him, an appearance by
Rob Sirleaf in the Red Hill Community in Virginia outside Monrovia,
triggered an angry backlash from members of the party which brought
his mother to power. The party through its Secretary General took
Sirleaf to task for allegedly threatening to beat people who jeered at
him during his appearance at Red Hill, until their stomach come out.
The main opposition Congress for Democratic Change also added to
the controversy by warning electorates against attending independent
candidate Sirleafs campaign due to a statement attributed to Sirleaf.
In a statement the CDC stated The CDC is therefore calling on all
Liberians to restrain their children (especially young men and boys)
from the Robert Sirleaf campaign programs in order to keep them
save from Bleeding till their stomach come out, as threatened by the
candidate; the CDC believes Mr. Sirleaf is capable of many evils
and should be avoided.
The campaign team of Benjamin Sanvee of the opposition Liberty
party is not also quiet in the early exchanges as Darius Dillon has
warned that opponents to his candidate should expect a crude shock
during these campaigns.
Stated Dillon Nothing diplomatic. Campaign begins tomorrow, and
we have a very crude shock awaiting our opponents. Be assured.
Montserrado uphill race
Two of the prominent candidates in the already crowded Montserrado
County senatorial race are Robert Sirleaf, one of President Sirleafs
sons, and football legend and two-time presidential candidate George
Weah.
Although Weah is dubbed the most popular politician in Montserrado
County judging from the results of the last two presidential elections
in Liberia but Weah has ruled out complacency.
Weah told VOA recently that he would win the contest, having won
the county in the last two presidential elections against Sirleaf. Last
week, 14 lawmakers from Montserrado County presented Weah with
a petition endorsing his candidacy.
Despite his popularity, one of Weahs opponents, Sirleaf has been
making in rows in the county identifying with the needy through his
humanitarian efforts but could face strong competition from Dr. Chris
Neyor, the former head of the National Oil Company of Liberia, Weah
as well as Benjamin Sanvee, the 33 year-old former youth leader
during the Charles Taylor era.
Neyor is promising change when elected to the Senate but Sanvee
professes that hes the real candidate of change, vowing that if elected,
he will fight for what he calls bread and butter issues, as well as
the establishment of an anti-corruption court to fast-track corruption
cases.
I believe that I bring to the table a breath of fresh air, new ideas, a
21st century approach, not forgetting where weve come from in our
history, but also understanding that about 80 percent of Montserrado
Countys population is young people. And, I believe that the time has
come for us to have a senator from that county that shares the dreams
and aspirations of that generation, but also someone who is able to
bridge the gap and work with people from older generations, so that
we can start to solve the problems confronting us as a county and as
a nation, he said.
Who will be Nimbas David?
In the second most populous Nimba County, Liberians will be
watching to see who will take the county from the nine years reign of
incumbent Senator Prince Y. Johnson.
Like the biblical story of young David killing the giant Goliath, some
of the candidates in Nimba have vowed to defeat Johnson come
December 16.
Edith Gongloe-Weh of the opposition Liberty Party and Cllr. Yarmine
Gbessay of the CDC are amongst the candidates endeavoring to oust
Johnson.
Cllr. Gbessay recently told FrontPageAfrica that he will be the David
of Nimba to defeat Goliath Johnson but he and other candidates are
not new to the senatorial race in Nimba as they have all tasted defeats.
In what seems a tribal election, Johnson will rely on his huge Gio
votes, the most populated tribe in the county to maintain his grip on
power.
Sinoe renewed rivalry
Besides Montserrado County, the senatorial race in other counties
is tipping old faces against each other. Mobutu Nyepan and Milton
Teahjay who have been at odds over the running of the affairs of the
county have commenced their rivalry at the polls.
Teahjay recently accused Nyepan and Representative Matthew Zarzar
of orchestrating the mentioning of his name in a report released by
the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission recommending him to the
Ministry of Justice for Prosecution.
There is nowhere that says Milton Teahjay took contract or is
associated with any company. We made all the information available
but yet and still the LACC never intended inviting Nyenpan and
Representative Mathew Zarzar for their role in the implementation of
projects in the county, the former Sinoe County official further said.
But Nyepan in rely said his main contender should go to court to clear
his name.
Teahjay should go to court and disprove his indictment rather than
looking for people to go down with him, Nyenpan said
Big Fight Looms in Cape Mount
Grand Cape Mount will see a test of wealth when the current
Chairman of ruling Unity Party, Cllr. Varney Sherman sought it out
with incumbent Abel Massaley and former head of the National Oil
Company of Liberia, Foday Kromah.
Sherman was a defeated presidential candidate during the 2005
general and presidential elections but is said to be quietly plotting
a win despite insurmountable odds. Sherman faces stiff competition
from Senator Abel Massaley, the incumbent looking to clinch another
nine years.
Lurking in the shadows is Dr. Fodee Kromah, a geophysicist and
former head of the National Oil Company of Liberia(NOCAL) had
been a little known name in Liberian politics until he contested
the 2011 election as a senatorial candidate for Grand Cape Mount
County. Kromah managed sixth place in the 2011 senatorial election
acquiring 9,173 votes about 24.7%, out of a total of nine candidates.
With growing confidence from his performance in the 2011 election,
Kromah believes this is his time to go to the Legislature and a CDC
ticket could boost his election bid.
In public life he once served as President and Chief Executive Officer
of the lucrative National Oil Company of National Oil Company of
Liberia and presided over several contracts negotiations with foreign
companies for operations in the virgin oil industry of Liberia.
Following a brief stay at NOCAL, Kromah left the oil company and
now runs a private radio station, Famema recordings owner of Fabric
radio, one of Liberia's leading radio stations. Kromah is viewed by
many as the candidate most likely to cause an upset in part due to the
Muslim support he is poised and expected to draw. In preparation for
the Senatorial race he joined the CDC.
Several other counties will see intriguing races with Grand Bassa also
up to witness whether the Liberty party of Cllr. Charles Brumskine
will upset incumbent Senate Pro temp Gbehzongar Findley who has
managed successive budgets hovering over a million dollar each year
for more than four years now.
Twelve of those contending are looking to stay on after serving nine
years.
Three sitting senior senators Cletus Wotorson of Grand Kru County,
Isaac Nyenabo of Grand Gedeh County, and Frederick Cherue of
River Gee County are not seeking re-election.
Bomi County has a total of ten aspirants for the one vacancy, including
eight from political parties and two independents.
There are 13 aspirants for the one vacancy in Bong County, including
11 from political parties and two independents.
Gbarpolu has seven candidates, all representing political parties,
while Grand Bassa County registered five candidates, with three
contesting on party tickets and two as independent candidates.
Grand Cape Mount County has eleven candidates with ten contesting
on political party tickets and one as an independent candidate.
For the one vacancy in Grand Gedeh County, 11 aspirants have
registered, including nine contesting on political party tickets and two
as independent candidates.
Grand Kru County has seven registered candidates with five
representing political parties, and two independent candidates, while
Lofa County has nine candidates, with seven running on political
party tickets and two as independent candidates.
Margibi County registered 13 candidates with 12 representing
political parties and one contesting as an independent candidate, while
Maryland County has nine candidates, eight representing political
parties, and one contesting as independent candidate.
The most populous counties, Montserrado and Nimba, have 11 and
six candidates respectively, with six in Montserrado contesting on
political party tickers and five as independent candidates, while five
candidates in Nimba are contesting on political party tickets and one
as an independent.
River Gee has nine candidates, eight representing political parties
and one contesting as an independent candidate, while Rivercess
is fielding 12 candidates, 11 representing political parties and one
contesting as an independent candidate.
Seven persons are contesting for the senatorial post in Sinoe County,
with five representing political parties and two contesting the poll as
independent candidates.
The list has to be scrutinized by citizens to determine whether or not
any of the candidates is not eligible to contest the poll.
Sitting senators who win this years senatorial races will remain
senior senators while new comers will be junior senators. All winners
will serve a nine-year term expiring in 2023.
Voters apathy could hurt race
Liberian voters are indifference about the senatorial election with
some questing the holding of the polls in the wake of Ebola.
Jacob Mensah 21 believes that election should not go on due to the
Ebola outbreak.
Due to this sickness everything in the country is not moving
[standstill] nobody going to school what is pushing the government to
have this election, Mensah asked.
A mechanic Maker Rufus 27 said, he sees no problem with going to
election adding that Ebola is gradually going away.
Rufus said: This sickness is already going away. I want this election
to go on because I want to have new leaders who bring new ideas for
us to defeat this Ebola.
Rufus said, people can follow the health rules during election adding
that Ebola should not be the cost that Liberia as a country should
function.
I will to vote and want to encourage other Liberians to vote, if they
still home it will take them nine years to have such opportunity,
Rufus said.
A civil society activist, Eddie Jarwolo believes that the national
legislature is a powerful branch of the government adding that voting
to fill such position should not be overlooked.
Voting for fifteen senators is not an ordinary thing. Liberians should
come out and make their voices to be heard through the ballot,
Jarwolo said.
Page 3
FrontPage COMMENTARY
EDITORIAL AFRICA: PAVING A UNITED
Frontpage
Commentary
ASenatorial
CLEAN
FIGHT
PATH FROM A DEADLY DISEASE
Campaign Period
Must be Free of Violence
135 CANDIDATES ARE VYING for fifteen seats in

their quest to become senators, in what is inarguably a
crucial prelude to the decisive 2017 presidential power
play
IN THE MIDST of a deadly Ebola virus that claimed
the lives of hundreds of Liberians, many who would
have otherwise be preparing to participate in the
process, the process to elect senators has been preceded
by numerous chatter bordering threats to some of the
candidates participating in the race.
The senatorial election is taking place amid an
ongoing fight against the outbreak of the deadly Ebola
virus which has so far claimed thousands of lives
raising fears that the process might not get the usual
momentum electioneering processes get in Liberia.
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS including rallies will this
time be held when electorates are aware of the deadly
nature of Ebola with prevention messages posted in
street corners and on billboards warning people to
avoid physical contacts.
IN ADDITION to the different flavor the political
campaign and election will get this time around, the
issue of mudslinging, badmouthing and other forms
of personal attacks by candidates against each other is
emerging early on.
ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT new to Liberian politics
where candidates and their supporters go out engaging
in verbal and physical attacks during campaigns, but
we believe in the wake of national health emergency
where many people are in tears, candidates and their
supporters need to engage the political process in a
moderate manner with some of responsibility.
INITIAL SIGNALS from the campaign process
is pointing to a process that might be more about
personality contest than discussions surrounding
the plethora of issues confronting the electorates for
whom some of these candidates are claiming to be
aspiring for public office to address.
FIRST, THE REPORT that candidate Robert Sirleaf is
said to have threatened to beat people who jeer at him
until they bleed like Ebola has been causing stir with
the political party of George Weah, one of Sirleafs
opponents sending a strong worded statement in which
it warned Liberians to stay away from the Robert
Sirleaf campaign.
IN A STATEMENT the CDC stated The CDC is
therefore calling on all Liberians to restrain their
children (especially young men and boys) from the
Robert Sirleaf campaign programs in order to keep
them save from Bleeding till their stomach come
out, as threatened by the candidate; the CDC believes
Mr. Sirleaf is capable of many evilsand should be
avoided.
ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA, exchanges are profane
and bitter with supporters of either of the senatorial
candidates engaging in harsh exchanges.
PICTURES OF GEORGE WEAH are seen on
Facebook with painting of blood in his noise, ear,
mouth and other body parts followed by positing of
insults.
SAME AS ROBERT SIRLEAF, whose personal life
including allegations that he is a gay has taken over
the social media with posts from supporters of his
Olivier Bucyana, Contributing Writer
ith close to 5,000 deaths and nearly 10,000 reported

cases since last December, the current outbreak of
Ebola has exposed both the weaknesses of our health
care systems and our inability as Africans to work
together in times of crisis.
The first Ebola outbreak occurred in what is today the Democratic
Republic of Congo in 1976 and infected more than 300 people, with
a mortality rate estimated at 88 percent. Since then, the virus has
emerged and been contained more than a dozen times across subSaharan Africa, although in some cases only after exacting a heavy
price.
Africa's Response
Fifty or more years after gaining independence, most African nations
continue to rely on the West to solve their own crises. When it comes
to the Ebola outbreak, African governments have been slow in
responding.
There is deep irony in this lag, as the social and economic consequences
of Ebola extend far beyond the borders of those affected countries.
The World Bank estimates the cost could be as much as U.S. $32.6
billion by the end of next year. Although the IMF's growth forecast
for this year remains strong, it has nonetheless dropped from 5.5 to
five percent.
At the end of October, an African Union delegation went into the
Ebola-affected countries on the ground. But a mere visit to pay
respects is simply not enough. The handful of medical staff deployed
and the meager pledges put forth by African governments are also
not enough.
Regional institutions, such as the West African Health Organization
- whose role, amongst others, is to facilitate cooperation amongst
member states to tackle health problems threatening the region
have been quiet. A collective, well-coordinated response by African
governments and African regional institutions is needed.
One of the State's primary roles is to ensure its citizens have access to
a good health care system. The Ebola outbreak reveals the extent to
which this is lacking in the affected countries, and that it is a result of
much deeper and underlying governance issues.
Compare the current governance system of Guinea, Liberia or Sierra
Leone to that of a country like Nigeria, and to a lesser extent Senegal.
Both the latter experienced Ebola cases, but quickly managed to
contain them particularly Nigeria, which had at least 19 confirmed
cases.
So what did Nigeria and Senegal do differently? Nigeria took swift
and coordinated action, including early detection and tracing of
contacts, with the support of federal and state institutions working in
collaboration with a network of NGOs.
For example, they provided law enforcement agencies with temporary
access to mobile phone records, which helped track people who may
have been in contact with infected patients. By providing training to
healthcare workers and running nationwide campaigns, with civil
society organizations at the forefront, they were able to contain the
outbreak.
Senegal may have been lucky to have only one reported case, but
civil society came together just the same to help sensitize the public,
through the use of a #SenStopEbola campaign, for example.
There is a lot to learn from both Nigeria and Senegal, just as there is
from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that has faced and
contained multiple Ebola outbreaks over the decades. It may be worth
exploring more experience-sharing ventures between countries like
Nigeria and Senegal and Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone so that we
can all benefit from our failures and successes.
International Response
It took a thousand or so deaths nine months after the first outbreak

before the United Nations Security Council finally declared Ebola a
threat to international peace and security, in September. And only then
did the world sit up and take note.
Since then, Ebola has become the subject of the latest "a la mode"
media hype and international aid has increased accordingly. Funds
have been pouring into Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Liberia with the
United States contributing U.S. $200 million, Britain $18.8 million
and China $8.3 million to the United Nations' Ebola Relief fund.
France and Italy have contributed $7.4 million and $2 million
respectively, and Cuba a country with a long history of providing
health workers during crises has sent more than 250 doctors
and caregivers. International institutions and non-governmental
organisations are also contributing to the Ebola fund.
The Ebola outbreak has exposed some of the weaknesses in the way
financial support has been used to strengthen national health systems.
Typically, foreign aid that is destined for health issues has focused
on specific diseases mostly HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
Rarely have funds been used to provide training to doctors and nurses
or build more clinics and hospitals. While providing aid to address
specific diseases is welcomed (and has been successful to some
extent) it shouldn't be at the expense of strengthening health care
systems as a whole.
Since the early 2000s, both Sierra Leone and Liberia have been slowly
recovering from their respective conflicts, which have left palpable
markers on nearly every aspect of life, including the health sector.
This latest Ebola epidemic has stretched already strained and fragile
health economies, serving as clear reminders that both countries
require more than quick-fix Band-Aid solutions.
This epidemic has shown that there is a serious lack of capacity on
the part of the countries in question to respond to the needs of their
citizens. Medical care, but also logistics and public awareness, are at
the center of this fight. A well-developed and long-term plan one
that includes increasing the number of health workers, hospitals and
clinics, and ensuring the media are appropriately tooled and resourced
to provide the public with pertinent and reliable information is
needed when facing future outbreaks and epidemics.
Conclusion
The Ebola outbreak has shown that we still live in uncertain times
in West Africa. Though many of our post-conflict societies have
been steadily improving over the years, politically, socially and
economically, this epidemic reveals just how precariously built these
houses may be.
But it doesn't have to stay this way. We can collectively - as Africans
- use the opportunity to come closer together, to bind and unite our
wills and strengths so we can learn from our past failures and prevent,
or at least limit, the impact the Ebola outbreak has had throughout
West Africa and beyond.
We have many of the ingredients in place for us to work together
and to succeed. We have the regional institutions and we have the
experience. We just need the will and the commitment to deploy
resources more effectively.
And solutions to our crises are not always outside the continent. As
Sisonke Msimang, the writer and activist, eloquently said: "For some
reason in the minds of the leaders of those countries most affected by
the current Ebola outbreak, Kinshasa is further away from Monrovia
and Conakry and Freetown than Washington".
Olivier Bucyana is an associate in the Political Governance Program
of the Open Society Institute for West Africa. Follow Olivier on
Twitter @OlivierBu1
opponents taking a dip at his perceived lifestyle.

A member of the campaign team for Benjamin
Sanvee of the opposition Liberty party also came out
bluntly warning other candidates that there is nothing
diplomatic about this campaign and that they should
expect a crude shock.
STATED DARIUS DILLON: Nothing diplomatic.
Campaign begins tomorrow, and we have a very crude
shock awaiting our opponents.
ALL THE COMMENTS from candidates and their
supporters regarding the campaign trail are not healthy
for the emerging democracy Liberia is nurturing
following years of conflict.
DISCUSSING THE issues and selling ones candidate
in a responsible manner will not in any way show sign
of weakness or academic limitations.
POLITICS OF PERSONALITY has done no good
for Liberia as after elections these candidates and
their supporters still have to interface in a small and

congested Monrovia.
IF INDEED the candidates are upright of their expressed
desire to transform the country, it must begin with the
manner in which they conduct themselves during these
elections.
OUR YOUTHS are still exposed to violence and any
attempt to engage in dirty campaigns, it is youths that
will go out against each other on the social media,
radios, and other medium to fight, which is not good
for the upcoming leaders.
LETS THE CURRENT senatorial election be based on
ideologies and the real issues confronting the Liberian
people rather than personality contest.
WE DEMAND a clean fight from senatorial candidates
and their supporters to help maintain the fragile peace
and console Liberians from the impact of the deadly
Ebola virus.
Page 4 | Frontpage
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YOU WRITE; WE PUBLISH; THEY READ!
LOOKING UP TO MA
ELLEN: AN OPEN LETTER
TO PRESIDENT SIRLEAF
LIBERIAS RULING UNITY
COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE
PARTY SHUNS PRESIDENT

SIRLEAF'S ENEMY SON
SYLVESTER MOSES TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT
SELF-EMPLOYED
Truth be told, if the ruling party had lived up to the definition of
unity, and the premise and promise of its nomenclature, the
statement we are convinced that while this Sirleaf may have
become rich overnight, he lacks the moral credential and credibility
to earn our partys trust would have been unnecessary. Mr. Sirleaf
didnt mince words; he was upfront about running the senate race as
an independent candidate.
So UP Secretary General Payees diatribe is hypocritical, irrelevant,
unnecessary, and served no meaningful purpose other than widening
the gulf between an unpopular president, and her party. For a man
who saw most of the so - called loyalists of President Doe ran
away like rats while the blitz of the Taylor insurgency was tearing
through Margi County, I think this is a rerun of those dangerously
unforgettable experiences.
Should President Sirleaf have a crystal ball, she ought to be
reforming governance in order to get it right with the downtrodden
who believed that this child of a Gola man and a Kru woman
would be empathetic, and do right about the marginalized majority.
Interestingly, the UP that should have been in her corner especially
when governance is rapidly unraveling, is paying back big time for
her sin of desertion after the 2011 elections.
PHIL GEORGE TOP COMMENTER
Its a very interesting political drama unfolding in Monrovia.
But one can understand why these folks would have such enmity
towards the son of President Sirleaf. Well, the saying goes "the
way you make your bed so shall you sleep in it." Liberians have
gotten wiser and they're not going to let themselves be fooled again
by big names and corrupt money. The defeat of Eugene Shannon,
Clemenceau Urey, et al in the last election is a good tell tale sign that
Liberian voters can no longer be taken for granted. They'll eat your
rice and vote against you. Watch out politicians!! On another note,
I'm curious about the comment by Paye that Robert Sirleaf doesn't
have a family. What is he implying?
JAY WION TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT NPRC
Is this the death nail in the coffin of the ruling Unity Party, with
the wake keeping next month and the funeral and burial during the
2017 presidential elections? When Things Begin To Fall Apart,
then the chickens could be coming home to roost. There must be
some sleepless nights in the Sirleaf Clan with this big stabwound
in her back inflicted by her Secretary General. I guess the "Chicken
Rogues" are tired eating the bones that fall from the master's table. I
will have my full say in "MY TURN" commentary.
SAYKU KROMAH TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT RETIRED
Phil George They are GAY BASHING! But they also called him
a thief. in essence accusing his mother, the President. This is the
incipience of things to come!
JOHN T NYUMAH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
MANAGER AT SELF-EMPLOYED
Thanks a million to the Ruling Unity Party for such a brilliant
decision against the cherished son of the President.....Mr. Robert
Sirleaf! For us, we are prepared to kill his ambition for the Senate,
and what so ever ambition he may have 2017. Enough is enough!
Liberians will not keep rewarding the Sirleaf's family, especially the
way his Mother (Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf) lied to all Liberians.
" I will provide 20,000 jobs annually", I will electrify Monrovia in
6months", " I will fight corruption", build roads and infrastructures,
they all have become invisible and lip-service! Liberians are now
schooled and sophisticated to be used when it comes to Elections
in our Country. We are also aware that your cherished son will dash
out million of Dollars as a means of convincing our people to vote
for him, we eat his money because it's the Liberian people's money.
On this backdrop, we are all prepared to say "NO" to your beloved
son...Robert Sirleaf, and to say a resounding "NO" to the Sirleaf's
family!
MOSES SANDY
TOP COMMENTER TEMPLE
UNIVERSITY
Is the UP press statement, directed at Mr. Robert Sirleaf or his
mother, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf? I assume Madam President,
the written is on the wall. The people are fed-up with you and
your son, Robert. Before taking my exit, could the UP Executive
Committee please clarify this statement for me: "UP alleged that
Robert does not have a family and such person cannot become a
sound senator." Did the Executive Committee make this assertion?
When did marriage or having a family become a requirement for
holding senatorial or legislative seats in the Liberian government?
DISCLAIMER
The comments expressed here are those of our online readers and
bloggers and do no represent the views of FrontPageAfrica
Dear Ma Ellen,
e, the children of Quardu-Gboni District, organized

as the Quardu-Gboni Concerned Citizens (QGCC),
wish to add our voice to the outcry of the larger
Quardu-Gboni community in opposition to the
proposed 40-year-6000 hectare concession agreement between the
Government of Liberia and the Liberia Cocoa
Corporation (LCC).
Knowing that the LCC is already engaged in another 40-year-6000
hectare Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) within QuarduGboni District; and that there is a significant portion of our land
reserved by the Government of Liberia as community forest, the
LCC Concession was unanimously approved by Your Excellency;
the Ministers of Finance, Agriculture, and Justice; the Chair of the
National Investment Commission; and signed by the Chief
Executive Officer of LCC, but, was absent of any signatory distinctly
representative of the people of Quardu-Gboni District. For a region
that is well documented as being food-insecure; and for a people
that rely heavily upon the land as their sole
source of sustainability, mortgaging away15000 hectares of land
in a district that is, in totality, only 33000 hectares, would pose
a significant threat to the survivability of an already vulnerable
population. We see the LCC concession as a deliberate attempt to
subjugate our people by uprooting us from our homes
and subsistent farmlandswhich threatens our livelihood and
robs us of our nativity; consequentially, enslaving us in our own
homeland, all under the guise of development.
Development is defined by growth and progress; not conniving
propaganda, manipulation and exploitation. The LCCs work, under
the MOU in Sazanor Town, Quardu-Gboni District, is marred by
all of the above. The development LCC promised is yet to impact
the lives of the peoplethe 3 classroom school house, pictured on
our website (<http://www.concerned-citizens.org/> ) has been under
construction for five years; the modernized bridge is a log bridge
used for transporting their goods; of the 24 km feeder road, only
5km has been brushed; and there hasnt been talk of a health
center for years now. Our wages have been reduced by 50%; and
those that objected have been replaced with Guinean
laborerseven so, we still have to wait for six months to get paid.
More vexing is that LCC used our tribal deed as collateral to secure
a $1,000,000.00 ($1 Million) loan upon fraudulently requesting it to
do a survey. That Afriland Bank would award such a loan without
due diligence is appalling. Even in
Liberia, such actions should be investigated, not swept under the rug
and rewarded lucrative concessions. Right now, Sazanor has armed
security men guarding the plantation and intimidating our people
because we have exercised our rights to free speech--no good can
come of that. Yet, when we voice our dissent, a massive media
campaign is launched to paint the people of Quardu-Gboni, 99% of
who are of Liberias marginalized Mandingo-Muslim minority, as a
people that are resisting development in their refusal to assimilate.
Every Liberian should be concerned when our land and natural
resources are being mortgaged awaywithout our knowledge; and,
in deals that further impoverish the masses.
Just last year, the Moore Stephens report found that of 68
concessions awarded by the Liberian government, only 2 were
done in accordance with the laws of Liberia. In response, Minister
Lewis Brown averred that the report was not just for finding and
recommending; but, that it was also, to show us the templates
by which we will now go on in the future to award contracts and
license." A little over a year later; here were, again faced with the
same problem again. One would think that a company that is touted
as being 100% Liberian-owned would be more conscientious

having intimate knowledge of the challenges of the everyday
Liberian. Then again, LCC is owned by President Tolberts nephew,
the child of our prominent Ambassador and stateswoman; and, a
key official of LCC, as listed on the concession, was chief justice of
the Republic of Liberia and acting city mayor.
Quoting Benjamin Netanyahu, No deal is better that a bad deal.
As our elders asserted to your representatives in our joint meeting
on Saturday, November 15, 2014, we, collectively, say No to
LCC! In line with teaching a man to fish, we humbly recommend
that the people of Quardu-Gboni, seasoned farmers that we are, be
empowered through our cooperatives with improved seedlings,
incentivized
fertilizers, and necessary tools so that we can uplift ourselves.
Ma Ellen, the Almighty God has appointed you leader of the
Liberian people. We plead with your good conscience to show us,
as Liberians, that youre truly our Ma-Ellen, mother to all of us, not
just a select few; that you would not condone the corruption and
cronyism that you spent your career fighting against; and finally,
that when you say development, you mean progress in the interest
of the majority, not corruption and exploitation by a few privileged.
Ma Ellen, we look up to you.
Respectfully yours,
Bindu K Jallabah
WHY ARE CDC GOONS BEHIND

EVERY ELECTION VIOLENCE?
The Editor,
our article "CDC Warns Liberians of Rob's Bloody

Threat" (Nov. 18) prompts an obvious question: Why
are the same goons who are behind every election
violence "warning Liberians of Rob's Bloody Threat"??
I guess, it takes a goon to know a goon, right?
In case you've forgotten, let me refresh your memory about these
CDC goons..
Are you ready???
1) Have you forgotten how these hoodlums stopped school children
from going to school, stopped market women from taking their
goods to the market, and vandalized other people's private property
during their so called "peace march" in 2006? You remember that,
right? Ok, let's move on to 2011:
2) Have you forgotten how these goons went around the country,
hyping election violence, saying that if their standard bearer
(Winston Thugman) didn't win the presidential election, they will
make "Monrovia ungovernable!"?? Leopard don't change its spot,
right? !!!..ok, let move on to 2012:
3) Have you forgotten how a civil war that broke out after
George Solo stole CDC national chairmanship! According to a
newspaper article, "supporters of the two contenders (George Solo
and Lafayette Gould) engaged in a face to face combat for nearly
two hours, leaving at least eight persons wounded, while others
sustained bruises! (Re "Anarchy Mars CDC Convention", New
Dawn Liberia, 06/10/2012)!
As you can see, these goons have continually engaged in election
violence--even their own elections was bloody!! So the warning
about "Rob's Bloody Threat" should also be a warning about "CDC's
Bloody Threat" too..Why? Because CDC bloody threat is coming
r-e-a-l soon!
If you don't believe what I just said--just wait until Ellen's son
(Robert) whip Weah's ass in the upcoming senatorial elections! All
hell will break loose! Remember I told you so...
Martin Scott
High Priest of the Church of the Painful Truth!
Atlanta, Georgia
martyretire@yahoo.com
EDITORIAL TEAM
Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666;

077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com
Wade C. L. Williams, News Desk Chief, wade.
williams@frontpageafricaonline.com; 0880664793
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
EBOLA
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Frontpage
Page 5
LIBERIAN DOCTORS WHO TREATED INDIAN EBOLA MAN IN LIBERIA SAY
MEASURE FARFETCHED BUT IN PLACE
O
Monrovia-
n Tuesday, news
spread of an Indian
man who was treated
in Liberia for Ebola
and survived, but was being held
at an airport in India because
he still carried the virus in his
semen. Doctors who treated the
26-year-old only identified as
Raji were puzzled when they
heard he was being quarantined
because of that. Dr. Jerry
Brown runs the ELWA-2 Ebola
Treatment Unit in Monrovia, he
said if the patient abstains from
sex, he poses no risk to the rest
of the population. Dr. Brown
said before leaving the ETU, the
patient was cautioned on the risk
he could pose to his family or
loved ones if he does not abstain
from sex.
We treated him at this unit and
he later tested negative for the
virus and was discharged, said
Dr. Brown. I would tell those
who are holding him to read
well about how the virus can be
transmitted. He cannot transmit
the virus unless through sex
and all male patients are told
about the risks involved during
discharge.
As in all men who survive the
disease, Indian health authorities
said they found traces of the
virus in the mans semen, which
makes it possible for him to
sexually transmit the deadly
disease.
Dr. Brown said the virus could
remain in secretions such as
semen for up to 90 days after a
male patient tests negative for
the virus. But Dr. I. B. PabsGarnon, ELWA-2 ETU, who also
helped to treat the man, said the
decision may be outrageous but
the Indian government is taking
precaution to save the rest of the
Considering the population of India, they have over one billion people in that country. It is just from one case that thousands of
cases emerge. Though we treated Raji, here and he tested negative for the virus more than once, he carries the virus in his semen for
90 days. If he goes out and start having sex with any woman, it would be a serious problem.Dr. I. B. Pabs-Garnon, ELWA-2 ETU
population.
Considering the population of
India, they have over one billion
people in that country. It is just
from one case that thousands of
cases emerge, he said. Though
we treated Raji, here and he
tested negative for the virus
more than once, he carries the
virus in his semen for 90 days.
If he goes out and start having
sex with any woman, it would
be a serious problem. In that
case even though I dont support
the measure taken by the Indian
government, I think they are
doing it out of precaution for the
good of the rest of the country.

The man is said to have travelled
from Liberia to India landing in
Delhi on November 10, 2014
and underwent the mandatory
screening at the Delhi Airport.
It was during the screening and
subsequent interview by airport
authorities that the 26 year-old
told them that he was admitted
to a health facility in Liberia and
treated for Ebola on September
11, and was discharged on
September 30.
The man is said to have displayed
a certificate of medical clearance
from the ministry of health and
PAGE
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social welfare, government of

Liberia, mentioning that he has
successfully undergone care and
treatment related to Ebola Virus
Disease and after post treatment
assessment he was declared
free of any clinical signs and
symptoms
and
confirmed
negative by laboratory analysis
according to the Hindustantimes.
He is said to have been
isolated at the Airport Health
Organizations quarantine Centre
at Delhi airport while his blood
samples were taken and tested
at National Centre for Disease
Control, Delhi, from November
EBOLA
EBOLA PUT NEARLY HALF

OF LIBERIANS OUT OF WORK
Negative Economic Impacts of Virus Seen Throughout the Country,

with Serious Consequences for the Poor and Vulnerable
WASHINGTON
bola has substantially
impacted all sectors
of employment in the
Liberian economy, in
both affected and non-affected
counties, according to the most
recent round of mobile phone
surveys conducted by the World

Bank Group in partnership with
the Liberian Institute of Statistics
and Geo-Information Services
and the Gallup Organization. In
all, nearly half of those working
in Liberia when the Ebola
outbreak began are no longer
working as of early November

2014.

Even those living in the
most remote communities in
Liberia, where Ebola has not
been detected, are suffering
the economic side effects of
this terrible disease, said Ana
Revenga, Senior Director of

the Poverty Global Practice at
the World Bank Group. Relief
efforts must focus not only on
those directly affected by the
virus, but also on those in the
poorest communities for whom
market access, mobility, and
food security continue to get
worse.
Those
engaged
in
selfemployment activities have
been the hardest hit, in large
part due to the closure of
markets in which they operate.
The wage employment sector
has also seen substantial job
losses. Overall, only about
36 percent of previously selfemployed workers outside of
agriculture and about half of
those originally engaged in wage
labor are still working since the
crisis unfolded. After an initial
downturn, the agricultural sector
is showing the most resilience in
the face of Ebola.
Existing problems, especially
those related to food prices
and food security, have only
10-13 were found negative

for Ebola virus by Reverse
Transcriptase Polymerase Chain
Reaction (RTPCR) tests that are
considered confirmatory.
Though under World Health
Organization (WHO) and CDC
(Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention) specifications, he
was "cured", his semen and urine
samples were sent for analysis
for re-confirmation the website
stated.
Currently, this person is not
having any symptoms of the
disease. However, he would be
kept under isolation in the special
health facility of Delhi Airport
Health Organization, till such
time his body fluids test negative
and he is found medically fit
to be discharged, the website
stated quoting a statement from
the Indian health ministry.
It is reiterated that the person
concerned is a treated and
cured case of Ebola. No cases
of relapse of Ebola have been
documented. All necessary
precautions
are being taken at the

isolation facility. This would rule
out even the remote possibility
of spread of this disease by the
sexual route. The situation is
under control and there is no
need for any alarm. However,
all precautions are being taken in
this regard.
India is the second most
populous country in the world,
with over 1.21 billion people
(2011 census), more than a
sixth of the world's population
and experts believe if Ebola is
allowed to spread by any means
it could be a global catastrophe
than what is happening in West
Africa.
worsened. Liberia saw a large

spike in imported rice prices
(nearly 40 percent over the
average for October)but when
asked in the survey, over 70
percent of respondents said that
regardless of price, they do not
have enough money to afford
food. More than 90 percent of
those surveyed worried that
their household would not have
enough to eat. With the arrival
of the harvest, these figures have
and will likely continue to trend
downward, but they remain
alarmingly high.
"This high frequency phone
survey allows us to connect
directly to the Liberian people
and to track the impacts of Ebola
over time. With the lifting of the
state of emergency, we hope that
the worst of the crisis has passed,
and that we will see positive
changes in the December round,
said Kristen Himelein, Senior
Economist at the World Bank
Group and the reports author.
At the same time, we also want
to identify those groups at risk of
being left behind in the recovery
process so that interventions can
be accurately targeted."
The
survey
questions,
administered
from
Gallup
offices in Nebraska, covered
key areas such as knowledge
of Ebola, employment, prices,
food security, and migration; the
resulting findings are available

in the report. A third round of
the mobile phone survey will
conclude in mid-December,
2014.
The World Bank Groups
Response to the Ebola Crisis
WHOs transmission mode

The WHO states that in the
current outbreak in West Africa,
the majority of cases in humans
have occurred as a result of
human-to-human transmission.
Infection occurs from direct
contact through broken skin or
mucous membranes with the
blood, or other bodily fluids or
secretions (stool, urine, saliva,
semen) of infected people, states
the WHO advisory.Infection
can also occur if broken skin or
mucous membranes of a healthy
person come into contact with
environments that have become
contaminated with an Ebola
patients infectious fluids such
as soiled clothing, bed linen, or
used needles.
Research conducted over the
years has found that Ebola does
remain in a patient's semen for
much longer than other bodily
fluids, even after a patient
has recovered from the acute
infection and it's no longer
detectable in a blood test.
Subsequent research has found
the virus can live for up to three
months in semen. This means
a man could infect his partner
weeks or even months after he
has recovered from the illness.
This research has prompted the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention to encourage
abstinence for three months after
recovering from Ebola. Health
workers have also suggested
condom use for those who
cannot wait.
The World Bank Group is

mobilizing nearly $1 billion
in financing for the countries
hardest hit by the Ebola crisis.
This includes more than $500
million from IDA, the World
Bank Groups fund for the
poorest countries, for the
emergency response and to
help speed up the deployment
of foreign health workers to
the countries, and at least $450
million from IFC, a member
of the World Bank Group, to
enable trade, investment and
employment in Guinea, Liberia
and Sierra Leone. For more
information: www.worldbank.
org/ebola<http://www.
worldbank.org/ebola>
This survey complements a
previously released World Bank
Group analysis showing that if
Ebola continues to surge in the
three worst-affected countries
and spreads to neighboring
countries, the two-year regional
financial impact could reach
$32.6 billion by the end of 2015,
dealing a potentially catastrophic
blow to already fragile states.
Page 6 | Frontpage
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POLITICS
NEWS EXTRA
TOKPA BROKE? LIBERIA LOSING US$ 20M ANNUALLY

Cuttington President Appears Broke
as Senatorial Campaign Begins
Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com
TO ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOW
A
Monrovia-
Gbarnga, Bong County ess than one seven weeks to the Special senatorial election in
Liberia, there are fears that one of the leading candidates in
the Bong County race, Cuttington University president, Dr.
Henrique Tokpa, may be running out of cash to successful
prosecute his ambition.
FrontPage Africa investigation revealed that Tokpa, who was the
first among the candidates in the county to hop into the fray with
an elaborate declaration four months ago, was completely broke and
searching for avenues to raise funds to complete the race slated for
December 16.
But a source close to the Cuttington University president who is
contesting as an Independent candidate has dismissed the insinuation
and described it as absolute baloney concocted by the opposition to
diminish the growing profile of the senatorial hopeful.
The source said such mudslinging would have come from no other
quarter than the camp of the incumbent senator, Jewel Howard-Taylor
of the National Patriotic Party (NPP).
However, investigations revealed that Tokpa's pre campaigns which
started with great momentum had begun to lose its steam as he seemed
to lack adequate fund to sustain the tempo while other candidates are
intensifying their campaigns.
It was gathered that the cash crunch which has hit Cuttington
University (CU) is because of the closure of the University due to
the outbreak of the university. FrontPage Africa also gathered that
those that the CU president thought would sustain his cash needs were
gradually turning their back on him.
The situation is said to be so bad with the Tokpa campaign that funds
for mobilization and publicity are difficult to come by.
Not unaware of the situation which poses great threat to his ambition,
Tokpa was said to have made frantic but unsuccessful efforts to pump
in more money to re-energize his campaigns.
One of the steps allegedly taken, it was learnt, was an attempt to raise
about US 100,000 from the covers of the university. A Cuttington
source revealed that the request was turned down by one of the
Accountants at the university and the development is believed to have
further slowed down Tokpas campaign.
While Tokpa has not yet relented on his ambition, observers have
attributed his financial woes to naivety, exuberance, extravagance and
needless spending that have so far characterized his pre campaigns,
having started a bit too early.
"You cannot imagine that while they have not actually campaigned
effectively to woo citizens of Bong County who are the real voters,
he (Tokpa) has continued to go to Lower Bong and for campaigns.
While he does that, a lot of money that would have been useful for
his campaigns here is wasted. Or wouldn't you say that is wastage?"
queried a Gbarnga-based politician who pleaded anonymity.
Sources close to his campaign organization claimed that most of his
advertisements and other publicity needs were being executed on
credit with another huge debt profile waiting to haunt him after the
election.
But the source which defended Tokpa said the CU president who was
still basking in his showing at the senatorial debate in far away, had
visibly changed the political gear along with his supporters, urging
more people to join in the effort to build a better future for the county
and her citizens when they speak for a positive change with their
votes on the election day.
Theres just one month to go until Bongese (citizens of Bong County)
cast their ballots and choose their next senator. Its an important
choice one that will have a major impact on the future of our dear
state, Tokpa once said, adding that As I have travelled across this
the county speaking to citizens and listening to their priorities for this
critical election, one thing has become clear: they are sick of the same
old political tricks and want a fresh approach.
I want to bring the skills and expertise Ive developed while building
a Cuttington, and put them to work for the people of my county. I
have a plan to transform the county, and with your help, I will put that
plan into action, he added.
survey
conducted
by
the
Institute
for Research and
Development
(IREDD) said Liberia is losing
close to US$ 20 Million annually
to illicit financial flows in
investment specifically in the
extractive sector of the country.
In the IREDD survey, it is
stated that Liberia, despite
being abundantly blessed with
natural resource wealth such
as iron ore, gold, diamonds,
timber and rubber, it is acutely
underdeveloped,
societal
vices such as corruption, the
unequal distribution of wealth
and mismanagement of the
Countrys natural resources, are
the underlying factors that fueled
years of violent conflict.
According to IREDD, Liberia,
like most impoverished African
nations, faces the dilemma
of
attracting
investment
opportunities for vast extractive
resources, to drive growth
and development, but at the
same lacking the system and
regimes to effectively curb
losses from illicit activities like
smuggling, money laundering
and mispricing.
IREDD report said: After the
general elections in 2005, the
new government under President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf stressed the
need for growth, development

and reconciliation by ensuring
transparency,
re-establishing
broken institutions and building
public confidence within the
extractive sectors. IREDD
stated that the investment
confidence in Liberias ability to
shift from war to recovery was
evidenced in the attraction of
US$ 16 billion worth of foreign
direct investment.
However the main problem
with these investments is the
enormous scale of the underdevelopment challenges facing
Liberia,
the
organization
stated. It remains one of the
poorest and least developed
countries on earth, with a per
capital income of US$500 per
year, with unemployment at an
overwhelming 85% and 80% of
the population living below the
poverty line in a country of 3.5
million.
The IREDD report stated that
dealing with illicit financial
flows becomes critical if Liberia
as a postwar nation does not
address corruption and other
societal vices that brought about
a devastating civil war which left
more than 250,000 citizens dead,
millions displaced, and all basic
social services grounded.
Illicit flows undermine and
significantly constrain a countrys
potential
for
development
and economic transformation,

as draining tax revenues and
scarce foreign exchange stifle
growth and unsettle the domestic
economy, IREDD stated in the
report.
In the IREDD report, several
other reasons were given as
forces driving the illicit financial
flow (IFF) in the extractive sector,
some of which include: policy
and legal issues, Governance
issues,
Traceability
lapses,
mispricing data administration
Glitches,
weak
legislative
oversight and scanty knowledge
and awareness of IFF.
Weak legislative oversight
The report claimed that the
National legislature whose
responsibility is to enact or ratify
concession agreement into law is
not exercising said responsibility
given to them by law. The report
stated that individual legislators
are rather interested in serving
as lobbyist for pecuniary gains.
The report stated that analysis
into the causal factors for weak
and illegal concessions shows
problems ranging from selfserving interest for economic
gain, weak capacity and lack of
trained staffs as well as lack of
public interest to weak citizens
oversight by lawmakers.
Making reference to the Arcellor
Mittal 100 pickup trucks given
to legislators, IREDD stated
that many observers had said

inadvertently that the donation
served, as inducement to weaken
the oversight roles of legislators
and public views.
The
lack
of
effective
mechanism
to
track
the
prevalence of IFF, especially
within the mining sector, in
both alluvial and concessional
mining is critically examined
in this report, the IREDD
report stated. The efficient and
effective tracing and monitoring
of IFF traceability loopholes is
a serious impediment especially
when it comes to the provision
of precious mineral tricking
equipment as well as modern
software system that provide
real time estimation of armslength value of high grade export
commodities.
The report also claimed that
research findings shows very
poor knowledge and awareness
level of IFF among civil society
members, ordinary citizens and
even within key organizations
that have statutory mandate to
investigate occurrences of IFF.
The organization stated that
while
quantitative
studies
specifically testing the impact of
illicit financial flows (IFF) are
lacking, it is a globally accepted
fact that IFF undermines health,
development, and government
legitimacy, while increasing
debt, aid dependence and the risk
of economic cries.
IREDD
is
recommending
that government put in place
measures such as; strengthening
customs data administration,
reducing international bribery,
strengthen weak policy and
legal framework and strengthen
institutions to monitor and
regulate occurrences of IFF.
From 2003 to present, Liberia
has seen an amazing infusion
of foreign direct investment
opportunities resulting to the
injection of more thanUS$16
billion. Despite that, the gap
between the haves and havesnot remains ever widening,
and the hope for middle class
development lingers increasingly
with uncertainty.
TIPOTEH SAYS SENATE LOWERS ITSELF
D
Monrovia -
r. Togba-Nah Tipoteh,
the
longstanding
economist
and
politician says that
the House of Senate of the
National Legislature takes action
that lowers itself. The action
that Dr. Tipoteh refers to is the
action taken by the Senate on
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 to
approve of the National Elections
Commission's
request,
sent
publicly to the Senate, to hold the
Special Senatorial Elections on
December 16, 2014.
According to Dr. Tipoteh, the
National Elections Commission
(NEC) asked for the approval of
the Senate to hold the Senatorial
Elections in December of this year
because NEC held the view that
its request was the legal action to
take. The Senate, in the view of
Dr. Tipoteh, began considering
the request of NEC because it was
of the opinion that NEC had taken
the appropriate legal action.
Surprisingly, Dr. Tipoteh point
out, NEC went ahead implementing its plan to

hold elections without the Senate's approval, by
announcing the beginning of electoral campaigning
on Thursday, November 20, 2014. More surprising,
Dr. Tipoteh observes, is the approval of the request
of NEC after NEC had begun the implementation of
its plan to hold the Senatorial Elections.
Dr. Tipoteh insists that NEC's action to proceed with
its plan prior to receiving its requested approval of

the Senate means that NEC considers the Senate's
approval to be unnecessary and irrelevant. Therefore,
Dr. Tipoteh concludes that the Senate lowers itself by
allowing NEC to proceed with the elections without
the approval of the Senate, especially after NEC had
publicly asked the Senate for the approval of NEC's
elections plan.
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Frontpage
NEWS EXTRA
Page 7
CHILDRENS RIGHTS DAY
Monrovia he
Ministry
of
Gender,
Children
and Social Protection
will
on
today
(Thursday) join the rest of the
world in commemorating the
25th anniversary of the United
Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child.
The 20th Day of November,
each year, is set aside by the
UN to ensure that children
have specific set of rights, that
can enable them to live, learn
and participate in society in a
safe, decent and meaningful
way.
This
wildly
recognized
and accepted child rights
instrument was adopted by
the United Nation General
Assembly
on
November
20, 1989 and was signed by
61 countries. As one of the
signatories to the conventions,
Liberia ratified the act on the
4th of June 1993. Since its
ratification, the Government
has made significant progress
towards the realization of
the rights enshrined in the
convention for all children.
Liberia joined the celebration
on the convention of the rights
of the child in 2009.
The UNCRC includes the
childrens rights to play, to
participate, to be free from
harm, to get an education, to
be protected, to be listened
to, to be alive, to receive and
Liberia to join the rest of the world to commemorate the 25th anniversary Child rights
healthcare amongst others.

This
year
UNCRCs
anniversary will be observed
globally under the theme
CHILDREN RIGHTS and
it is expected to highlight
the need to ensure that the
fundamental rights of the
child are guaranteed under the
convention to which Liberia is
a signatory.
The Ministry, through its
Children Division, stated
that it has developed a new
framework
focusing
on
ensuring that every child in

Liberia receives that needed
healthcare as it is mandatory
under this year United Nations
Convention on the Rights of
the Child anniversary.
This instrument binds Liberia
with the rest of the world
to ensure that the rights of
children to survival, growth,
development and protection
are fully realized his or her
full potential with dignity
and without any form of
discrimination.
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The Ministry stated: It is no

secret that Children still suffer
tremendously from poverty,
are victims of abuses, are
dragged into conflicts and
lack opportunities to really
participate in society. We
therefore call on all parents
and local children related
institutions to fulfill their
obligations and implement
the UNCRC, so that children
can live in and contribute to a
world of peace, solidarity and
prosperity for everyone.
The Ministry of Gender,

Children and Social Protection,
and the Liberian National
Childrens
Representative
Forum in collaboration with
the Child Protection Network
(CPN) is observing the 25th
anniversary of the CRC.
Traditionally, an Interactive
forum is held which usually
bring together children and
students from all walks of life
at the Ministry to discuss the
national theme of the CRC
celebration.
GOVERNMENT NEWS
According to the Ministry,

Due to the current Ebola crisis,
where the disease has orphaned
many of the children, this
years activity will focus on
children affected and infected
by the Ebola virus, Interim
Care Centers, Transit Homes
and Communities response to
child survivals. The ministry
will observe this years CRC
anniversary under the national
theme: Child Rights to
Healthcare and Protection in
Emergencies.
ECOWAS COMMISSION PRESIDENT, DR. QUEDRAOGO AND SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE

UN SECRETARY GENERAL TO ECOWAS, DR. CHAMBAS PAY SOLIDARITY VISIT TO LIBERIA
Monrovia
he
President
of
the
ECOWAS
Commission
H.E.
Kadr
Dsir
Oudraogo and the Special
Representative of the United
Nations
Secretary
General
and Head of the UN Office of
ECOWAS, Dr. Mohammed
Ibn Chambas have expressed
solidarity to the Government and
people of Liberia, on behalf of
the sub-regional organization, as
the country combats the further
spread of the deadly Ebola virus
disease.
According to an Executive
Mansion release, the two
high-level officials made the
comments when they met with
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
at her Foreign Ministry office
during a one-day solidarity
visit to Liberia late Tuesday,
November 18, 2014.
On behalf of the Commission,
President Oudraogo expressed
sympathy and condolence to
the victims and their families
and stressed that all institutions
of the sub-regional organization
were fully behind the affected
countries battling the disease.
ECOWAS will do its best to help

address the current Ebola crisis,
H.E. Oudraogo promised.
Let me pay a special tribute
to you Madam President for
your countrys courageous fight
against the further spread of the
Ebola virus disease. ECOWAS
stands ready to collaborate with
your government, the UN System
and all partners for an effective
and efficient response to the
Ebola outbreak, the ECOWAS
Commission President said.
He informed the Liberian
President that the Authority of
Heads of States and Government
of ECOWAS has named the

President of Togo, H. E. Faure
Gnassingb, as the regional
coordinator for the ECOWAS
Ebola Response in West Africa
and a donation of US$1 million
has been made available by
ECOWAS to the three worst
affected countries Liberia,
Guinea and Sierra Leone.
The ECOWAS Commission
President
further
informed
President Sirleaf that 131
healthcare workers have been
recruited and expected to
undergo training in Accra,
Ghana beginning next Monday
for deployment in the three

worst affected countries.
Mr. Oudraogo stressed that
the ECOWAS Commission will
continue to advocate for the
free movement of people, goods
and services across ECOWAS
countries, urging all countries of
the sub-region to fully cooperate.
For his part, Dr. Mohammed
Ibn Chambas expressed joy
at visiting Liberia when the
country needs all of the attention
and support, adding that he had
taken office on October 29 after
a long stay in Burkina Faso to
address the political situation
unfolding there.
There will be actions and
the United Nations will work
closely with ECOWAS on its
intervention in Liberia, Dr.
Chambas said. He welcomed the
regional collaboration initiated
by ECOWAS and noted that the
Ebola crisis is a regional and
global threat.
In response, President Sirleaf
thanked Mr. Oudraogo and Dr.
Chambas for the solidarity visit
and reflected on how ECOWAS
has always been there for and
with Liberia. She recalled an
earlier visit of the Chairman
of ECOWAS and President of
Ghana, Dr. John Mahama, to
Liberia to show support and
solidarity as well as the financial,
logistical and moral support of
ECOWAS to Liberia.
ECOWAS messages sent to

the UN System were helpful in
generating the overall global
response to the crisis. You have
done well in standing by us and
our people are grateful, the
Liberian President told the two
officials.
President Sirleaf pointed out
that Liberia is a clear example
of how a disease can destroy
and devastate a country, but also
shows how a collective response
from collective actions can yield
results. We are using this crisis
to address the challenges in the
healthcare system and prevent a
reoccurrence of such damaging
impact of a disease on the
country, she stressed.
The Liberian leader said the
countrys national target is zeronew-cases by Christmas. She
expressed the hope that with
all hands on deck and good
practices and attitude, the target
can be achieved.
She briefed the delegation
about the upcoming mid-term
senatorial elections and urged
ECOWAS to send observers to
monitor the process.
The Liberian leader also
reminded ECOWAS to factor the
Duala-Bo Waterside corridor into
the ECOWAS road connectivity
project aimed at enhancing free
movement of people, goods and
services across the sub-region.
Page 8 | Frontpage
W
Monrovia -
hen it was
announced
at the United
Nations
Climate Summit in New York,
recently that the Government
of Norway would be partnering
with the Government of
Liberia to halt the destruction
of Liberias rainforest, in
a US$150 million dollar
arrangement, many Liberians
were caught in their tracks.
Loggers of Liberias trees
took keen interest in the report
which aims to put an end to
new logging contracts, more
scope for forest-dependent
communities to manage their
forests, and increase protected
forest areas. In particular,
many questioned the timing
and cloud of secrecy which
preceded the signing. Harrison
Karnwea, Managing Director
of the Forestry Development
Authority recently sat down
with
FrontPageAfrica
to
explain why the deal had to
be made, the complications,
implications and of future
logging activities in Liberia
and how the FDA intends to
force forest concessionaires to
conform to the new measures
of an industry crucial to
Liberias economic resurgence.
INTERVIEW
HARRISON KARNWEA: MANAGING DIRECTOR,
F
PAGE
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FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
FDA HAS CAPACITY
LIMITATION
There is certain minimum diameter of trees, they are not to be cut and of course the new code of harvesting
practices makes it very rich so you may have logging company cutting the bigger trees but it may not cause
complete deforestation. . .. - Harrison Karnwea: Managing Director, Forestry Development Authority
FrontPageAfrica: What was

the driving force behind the
agreement between Liberia
and Norway that culminated
into agreeing on preserving
Liberian Forest in return for
over $150 million?
FDA
MANAGING
DIRECTOR KARNWEA: It
started a long time ago at the
time we were not even here.
I was not even here; Madam
President had a committee
on climate change under the
chairmanship of Chris Neyor.
On that committee, I was a
member when I was still at the
Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The EPA, FDA, Lands Mines
and Energy, Agriculture etc,
all were members of the
committee.
The whole world is concerned
about Global Warming, and so
the United Nations itself has
this convention framework on
climate change, known as the
Kyoto Protocol. So Liberia
was approached as the biggest
forest country in the subregion to conserve parts of
its forest. To help Liberia do
so, countries like Norway and
other countries that have the
financial capability wanted to
intervene to help Liberia meet
the challenge.
Unfortunately, at the time, we
had the massive issuance of
logging concessions, some
of which were questioned
by Global Witness and other
international NGOs as not
meeting
Liberias
legal
standard. Some of the partners
in the forest sector disengaged
and of course 2012-2013 the
PUP situation, Liberia was
all in the media for the wrong
reasons so they disengaged.
But since the government
started to take actions including;
the dismissal, the indictment of
some government officials that
were thought to be culpable in
these issues and our appointment to chair the state of

affairs at the FDA, there seems to be some positive
impact. So we were again engaged, first by the Center
for Global Development in Washington. It is a thinktank working on P4P-Payment for Performance. Their
intent is to pay the countries that are saving their forest
some money, so they can help these countries continue
saving their forest.
We later got an invitation from Norway and that
invitation came through the Forest Carbon Partnership
Facilities at the World Bank. They had presented
a project concept note for about 51-million to help
us continue the work that we were doing in the
conservation sector. The World Bank has sponsored
two projects- first the consolidation of Protected Area
Network known as CORE PAN for short that expired
sometimes about a year ago. They got extension of
Protected Area Network EXPAN that expired last June.
We pushed it to June 2015 orlow cost extension, so
as this was coming to an end, we needed additional
funding to support the process.
These funding going in the 2006 forestry reform
law, the Government of Liberia as part of the reform
process said they will set aside 30% of the remaining
forest as protected areas so as to continue to mitigate
climate change so they did a line used map. All these
different colors on the map stand for different things,
some land will be set aside for forestry concession,
some community forest. Some land will also be set
aside for agriculture, mining, concession etc.
So, these projects were running out and the World
Bank wanted additional funding so they approached
Norway and Norway invited us. We went there in
April of this same year. Why we were there we told
Norway that why it is good for them to support the
World Bank project, we proposed that Liberia itself

needed support. We told them the support was needed
because one of the major drivers of deforestation in our
country is shifting cultivation, the kind of agriculture
that we do where we clear the bush, we burn it and we
shift to another sector and of course unemployment for
our youth some of whom will turn to charcoal burning,
some of them doing massive deforestation by their
chain soil activities because when it comes to the main
strain forestry what forestry company do is guided by
regulations.
There is certain minimum diameter of trees, they are
not to be cut and of course the new code of harvesting
practices makes it very rich so you may have logging
company cutting the bigger trees but it may not cause
complete deforestation as these aspects that I have
just mentioned .
We asked Norway that their intervention should not
be only the support to the World Bank project but also
to the Government of Liberia, through FDA and other
key institutions in the country so that we can prepare
for the Global payment for carbon credit which starts
as of 2020. They embraced our ideas and said we will
come to Liberia to see and they came here in June. I
think it was a team of three persons, the first two came
and we flew over Liberia with the help of the UN, the
UN was very helpful. We flew from here to Greenville,
from Greenville to Zwedru, from Zwedru to Harper
and we came back through the same route and they
were very impressed. For them, what we call degraded
land here is forest because other parts of the world
where they are investing money to support forest like
Ethiopia and other places you yourself go there you
will tell whether they have what they really call forest
that we have here.
They met with different institutions, they met with

NGOs coalitions, the forestry sector working group,
the Ministries and Agencies at the Ministry of Finance
under the chairmanship of SebastianMuah who was
acting minister at the time, and they climaxed that
meeting with the President.
Our technicians continue to work together to develop
the letter that you now have there, by then we did not
know how much money they were prepared to put into
it until around 16th to 17. All these things we were
doing our target was to sign the agreement in New
York on the 23rd.
They called us and said this is what our cabinet has
approved for Liberia. They gave the information, I had
a meeting with the board but we were not allowed to
release the information to the press until the signing
ceremony in New York. We went and signed the
document and some international NGOs like the
Independent Forestry Monitor, Global Witness and
other people were very happy. They were the ones
who actually put out the release that was issued. It
sent a kind of message to the logging companies
and they are kind of jittery, Jittery because some of
them said 2006 Executive Order #1 canceled all
their logging concessions so because of the way the
press release was crafted they had thought we have
gone there to cancel their logging concessions.We are
business people our self, how can I advocate or cancel
concessions that have a life span.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA:I think thats where the
confusion is coming from, people think that once
this document is sealed, that means there will
no more be logging activities in Liberia, is that
whatshappening?
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA:No, look at the

document there is nothing that say so, what it says is that we will
not award any more large scale commercial logging concession.
This is the decision that the Government of Liberia had already
made. You know the land right policy returned the entire territorial
limit to the interior people. So, the Government of Liberia can
never sit down in this office again and say lets go to Gbarpolu,
take four thousand hectares of land and give it to company X.
The people will not agree, so the future of forest logging in this
country lies with community forest which is provided for under
the 2009 Community Rights Law and its attended regulations.
The communities can decide to do logging or conversation, but
the letter says, if the community decides to do logging it must
be low impact- meaning it must not be the one that cuts down all
the forest. It says that we will review the concessions and that we
have to ensure that they are compliant with Liberian laws. You
are no doubt aware that the Moore Stephens audit, post award
audit stated that almost all the forest logging concession failed,
so the need to review cannot be overemphasized. The VPA,
Volunteer Partnership Agreement we signed with the European
Union says that logs coming from Liberia must come from legal
sources. Legal source means that the company shipping the log
is complying with everything under the law, so it says we must
review it.
But that reviewing dont mean that we stop this before reviewing
it but after the review if you are found not to be compliant
definitely the necessary action will be taken to ensure that they
become compliance, but if the gravity of the non -compliance is
grave, well the appropriate steps will be takenalso.
Liberia cannot be seen as doing different from what they have
signed up to with the European Union. The legality verification
department that was established as a result of the agreement is
supposed to make sure that when a log leaves from this country,
those extracting the logs have met all the requirements under
the law including payments of taxes owed to the Government of
Liberia and to the communities.
The logging companies to me once compliant have nothing to fear
for because their agreements have tenure unless they dont meet
the requirement. Their accusation is unfounded; the action by the
President at the beginning of her tenure was part of the action that
has been proposed by the forestry concession review to enable the
lifting of sanctions that imposed on Liberias timbers at the time.
Once that review process was completed the recommendations
made the President to take the appropriate actions. If anyone of
them thought that the Government of Liberia had acted illegally
they had the right to judicial review but they did not do it and by
them not doing it mean they accepted the situation. So they should
not be guessing now that we are on our way to do the same thing.
We are law abiding and illegal cancellation on legal agreements
has legal consequences, financial consequence as well, so that was
in it.
What this agreement is going to do- it is giving Liberia one
hundred fifty million dollar, divided into two, the first is fifty
million. Out of that, fifteen million will go towards direct
government budgetary intervention to the Ministry of Finance.
Five million dollars per year starting this this budget year, the
remaining fifty five million will go to the fund manager which
is the World Bank and the last fifty million will go to Liberia.
How is it going to be used? For instance, FDA needs to set aside
the thirty percent of the land as protected areas so it needs to first
of all go into the communities and consult the forest dependent
communities providing for them reasons why that place should be
set aside. They must have a pre prior informed consent; they must
be given alternative source of livelihood. Alternative source of
protein, they must be satisfied that they are doing the right thing.
FDA must build park headquarters. FDA must recruit and train
Park Rangers to stay in the area and take care of the forest. So this
money empowers us to do so, this money does not empower us
alone it also empowers the Ministry of Agriculture to experiment
with other different forms of farming that will not destroy the
forest and the ministry of Finance will be benefiting so that it too
does its own work of collecting taxes regularly and making sure
that no body is delinquent.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA:This new arrangement, will the
amount exceed the annual profits that FDA makes?Thats one
of the key issues that many people are talking about.
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA: Well, FDAs
intake has not been affected because logging continues so we will
continue to collect our resources.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA:In addition to the one hundred and
fifty million will the logging companies still be working?
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA: Yes, the logging
companies will still be working, so once they are not impacted,
they are not stopped, they have to be working and by working
we will still collect the revenue that we have been collecting. In
addition to that, the government will be getting the five million
which adds up its revenue. In the second terms eighty million
which is intended for emission reduction, payment for emission
reduction because it has to be there will be monitored. There will
PAGE
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INTERVIEW
be or what they call MRV, Monitoring Reporting and Verification,

so it is not just us,we will say we are doing well here.Those people
will come and work with us to ensure that we are doing the right
thing, so there will be Monitoring Reporting and Verification. That
money will go to private land owners, community, Government of
Liberia of course taxation and the government owned forest. The
one that was set aside for protected areas, so this will be a kind
of experimental payment pending 2020 when it is anticipated that
the whole world will start payment to countries for the mitigation
of greenhouse gas emission.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA:Does Liberia or the FDA have the
capacity to monitor this arrangement interms of ensuring that
everything the Norwegians want will be implemented?
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA: That is exactly
what the money will be helping us to do. FDA has capacity
limitation; you will be surprise to know that we even have payroll
deficits. Every month we take our goods and services to pay
some of the people that are on FDA payroll that the Ministry of
Finance does not provide money for. So this money thats where
the capacity building comes in, there will be training of our staffs
there will be recruitment of additional younger people.
We will even go to the extent of retiring some of us who have
exceeded our working age under the law. We have to require some
younger people to understudy us so that they take over from us.
So definitely thats why the first seventy million is needed for
capacity so that we can put in place the kind of check and balances
that make it possible for us to meet the various requirement under
this arrangement because there will be reference level and all
kinds of things all of us here will be going to school to learn
new things because the World Bank has set up a kind of training
program that I have signed up to it going to be three weeks for us
to learn about emission trading, this is new.
Page 9
Frontpage
that even the taxes we collect the share that should go to the
communities are not been going and it is embarrassing. The 30%
of the land rental and other administrative fees that should go to
the communities have not been going since I left the Ministry of
Internal Affairs or the Counties have not received a dime.
The first seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars that we received,
that was distributed across the country fifty thousand dollars per
county thats the only time the country received its 30%. So as we
speak we have not signed an agreement with the communities
for the Ministry to begin paying them starting this budget year,
otherwise we will have a whole lot of interference in the field
from the communities because the government has not been able
to meet its side of the bargain. This money will be managed by
the World Bank. The World Bank has a group in our country that
monitors our work and they make sure that we do what we are
supposed to do.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA:On the Political issues now how is the
government and the FDA handling the issues of the counties.
I know there has been lots of difficulties in the areas these
concessionaires and investors are working?
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA: Well, right now
we do not have a lot of problems because these people signed
what is call social agreements with the communities.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA:Directly?
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA: Directly.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: So, is it not part of this?
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA: No, this is
different, the logging companies signed social agreement with
the communities which outlines all what they will do for the
communities.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: But the problem is that some of
the companies are failing their obligation, it might affect this
arrangement.
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA: No, this
agreement will deal directly with the communities. If you look
into the agreement, it states that the communities capacities
will be built and there will be experimental direct payment to
communities for conserving their forest. The communities are
already organized everywhere they have community forest they
get what they call CFDC, Community Forest Development
Committee; they get CFMB, Community Forestry Management
Body. These people are already organized and in Liberia we
already have something they call the Benefit SharingBoard, which
includes the community the government and the civil society
organizations.
There is lot of check and balance in this thing, you also have a
multi stakeholder monitoring committee which include the civil
society, the logging concessionaires the government of Liberia
and the communities. We meet once in a month for us to report to
them for them to report to us whats not happening directly so the
level of transparency demanded by this if you miss one step than
you are in trouble. So it has to be transparent.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA: So,are you confident that this
agreement will change the way FDA works the policies, the
implementation of the agreement with the villages and others?
Are you satisfied with the agreement?
FRONTPAGEAFRICA:All this sounds great but you know

the history of how you got here, there was a major problem
with the forestry sector, they had to revamp everything and
shut everything down. What guarantee can you tell the public
that FDA will implement its side of the agreement in the wake
of the budget situation?
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA: That is exactly
why these arrangements were made because the government is
barely paying salaries and wages here, so these extra money are
intended to capacitate us to do those things.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA:The release is important though, the
release of the funding thats what I am driving at.
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA: Okay, like for
instance the first set of money does not have lot of deliverables
because it has to build capacity so the money will be managed by
the World Bank through the Public Financial Management Unit
under Christ Sorgbor at the Ministry of Finance.
When we need money for a particular piece of job, we make the
request to the World Bank and they will make the no objection and
we will send that no objection to Christ Sorgbor and the check is
written, so it is beyond other fiscal control in Liberia definitely.
We opted for that because sometimes it can be rough.
I mean without accusing the Ministry of Finance it is true also
FDA MANAGING DIRECTOR KARNWEA: It will change

Liberia. I am optimistic that it will change Liberia. But let me
go further. In addition to this arrangement, Norway and Liberia
hosted a meeting in London from September 3 to 4 that brought
together the group they call Tropical Forest Alliance. Tropical
Forest Alliance compromises of consumer goods companies
that have signed up to zero deforestation policy within their own
setting.
We are encouraging them come to this area, the wet spot on our
map that we call the degraded land to come to invest. These people
are investors in the cocoa and oil palm, paper and oil sectors and
some of the names are Unit Legal, Nestle, Earth sham, mars and
two of our companies in Liberia attended that meeting- Golden
Veroleum and Sime Darby. The intent is for these people to come
and help Liberia to become producer of something. Today, we
are in the sub-region, La Cote D Ivoire is one of the biggest
cocoa producers in the world. Ghana also produces cocoa. Cote
D Ivoire is one of the biggest producers of oil palm in Africa,
also rubber too.
Liberia with bigger rainfall and is at zero. So the intent of this is to
bring investors who will work side by side with Liberia to ensure
Liberia empowers its citizens. Those people are not going to take
large size concession as business as usual - they will be working
mainly with Liberians.
Page 10 | Frontpage
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NEWS EXTRA
ELECTIONS UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES,
EJS CALLS FOR SMOOTH CAMPAIGNING
Monrovia
iberian
President
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
says the holding of a
senatorial
elections
in the midst of the deadly
Ebola outbreak in the post-war
nations puts responsibility on
all Liberians to ensure a smooth
political campaign period.
Addressing the nation Tuesday
night, the President said:
These elections are important,
but they are being held under
very difficult circumstances.
We still have the deadly Ebola
virus in our country and in the
neighboring countries of Guinea
and Sierra Leone. This puts a
new responsibility on all of us, to
ensure that the political activities
that will be carried out during
the campaign and the voting
do not lead to a resurgence of
the epidemic. People will be
meeting at places in groups for
campaigning. When the time
comes to vote, we will line up to
vote. These could lead to serious
risks.
The
National
Elections
Commission
on
Monday
declared Thursday, November
20, 2014 as the kick-off of the
political campaign season.
Sirleaf reminded Liberians that
election is a fundamental exercise
that must take place at certain
times. As you know, we were
supposed to have election this
year, on October 14th, to elect
those legislators, who would
fill seats of members whose
term would expire. However, in
October this year, our country
was deep in a health crisis that
did not allow the process to take
place.
The President said after
consultations with the leadership
and political bodies of the
country, the National Elections
Commission has decided to
hold the senatorial elections on
December 16, 2014, in a months
time.
While we are sustaining our

democracy, the President said,
government
has
instituted
measures that would safeguard
the nation during this critical
period.
Said
the
President:
In
consultation with relevant local
and international partners and
political parties, the National
Elections Commission will issue
guidelines and protocols that
we must all abide by. We can
only enjoy democracy if we are
healthy and alive.
Issuing a strong caution over
the declining Ebola cases, the
President averred:
Although we continue to see
decline in the number of new
cases of Ebola, we must not
relent our efforts, we must not
lay down our guards and we

must not become complacent.
The
President
reminded
politicians, voters and elections
workers that stringent measures
will be in place to contain health
laws that everyone must and
will abide by. When we say no
hugging, or shaking hands and
rubbing shoulders, we mean it
and we want people to take this
seriously. We want democracy,
we want to elect people, but we
want to do so keeping all of us
healthy. Making sure that we do
not return to those difficult days
must be our common priority
number one.
The president reminded Liberians
about the difficult period of the
past months which saw scores
of Liberians lose their lives to
the virus. We all remember

how things were bad several few
weeks ago. Now we are seeing
progress, but we cannot talk
about success as long as there is
one case of Ebola. We all know
what to do to avoid catching the
disease. When someone is sick,
dont play doctor, take them to a
health center. Wash your hands
constantly. When passing in front
of a store or anywhere where
people have thermometers, take
your temperature. If somebody
passes away, call the health care
respondents and they will come
and do what is necessary. We all
like our traditions but these are
not normal times and we have to
let go some of our habits.
The President said the Ministry
of Health, in collaboration with
Darnesh Byrumdi booked for allegedly stealing several items

from the Management of Naresh Brother worth US$30,000 while
serving as Ware House Manager
Monrovia olice
Wednesday
arraigned
suspect
Darnesh at Monrovia
City Court charging
him with theft of property.
The accused was acquainted
with his right under the laws
of Liberia by City Court
Judge Kennedy Peabody who
informed him that his offense
was billable.
The presiding judge reminded
the suspect that his failure to
secure a criminal bond will lead
the court with no alternative
but to have him remanded at
the Monrovia Central Prison
pending trial.
The suspect was prevented from
imprisonment after his lawyer
secured a criminal appearance
bond for his temporally release
as provided by law.
On November 9, 2014 the
Management of Naresh Brother
decided to conduct inventory in
their Warehouse at the Freeport
Community.
agencies and partners, under

the Public Health Law, will
be announcing a number of
preventive measures Thursday
to ensure that all Liberians
and foreign nationals are safe
especially during this electoral
process. In so far as they are
intended to keep our people
safe, I will endorse all of the
preventive measures and will
direct that they be strictly
followed. These rules would not
stop anyone from campaigning
or interacting with the people but
are there to ensure that people
are protected.
Despite the move to go ahead
with the elections, some
opposition and civil society
organizations are threatened to
resist the plan which has been
sanctioned by both houses of the
national legislature.
On Monday, Simeon Freeman
political leader of the Movement
for Progressive Change (MPC)
at a joint press conference with
former Grand Kru County
Senator Blamo Nelson and Mr.
Alaric Tokpah described the
conduct of the senatorial election
as unconstitutional and wicked.
In a statement the three said NEC
guidelines for the holding of the
special Senatorial Elections
identified June 30, 2014 as the
date for the publication of the
final Voters Roll, something they
said was not done and therefore
cannot be done at this juncture
quoting Section 3.19 of the New
Elections Law of Liberia, as his
reliance.
According to Freeman, the
provision of the election law
speaks against the altering of
Voter Registration roll update
within the 30 days period
immediately prior to an election,
including Election Day, except
upon
order
of
the
Honorable
Supreme Court of Liberia on
the determination of a manifest
error.
On Tuesday, Dr. TogbaNah Tipoteh, a longstanding

economist and politician issued
a statement, also questioning the
legislatures decision, stating that
the Senate had lowered itself by
approving the National Elections
Commission's request, sent
publicly to the Senate, to hold
the Special Senatorial Elections
on December 16, 2014.
According to Dr. Tipoteh, the
(NEC) asked for the approval of
the Senate to hold the Senatorial
Elections in December of this
year because NEC held the view
that its request was the legal
action to take. The Senate, in
the view of Dr. Tipoteh, began
considering the request of NEC
because it was of the opinion that
NEC had taken the appropriate
legal action.
Sirleaf on Tuesday cautioned that
the decision to hold the important
elections has been taken with
the support of all branches of
government. We do this with
the support of other leaders of
the government, because it is a
right and a duty which must be
fulfilled.
Added President Sirleaf: The
true essence of democracy is to
compete on the basis of ideas
ideas about how we improve
the lives of the people we aspire
to lead. This will mean that
candidates will disagree. But
I know we can disagree and
exchange our ideas, as well as
afford the voters a chance to
understand our values, without
resorting to mudslinging or
violence. I therefore urge all
of our candidates, even as I
wish all of them well, to stand
up for tolerance to lend their
campaigns to civil discussions
from which our people will
know them better, and the final
decisions of the people will
benefit their communities and
the nation.
In the process the management

discovered that several cartons
of brake fluid oils along with
other items were stolen from the
warehouse.
When
suspect
Darnesh
Byrumdi was questioned by the
Management, he asked to use
the restroom and later escape
the scene according to the court
records.
The Management of Naresh
Brother also stated that suspect
Byrumdi left the apartment
where he lives and went into
hiding.
Authorities say he has not been
see for the past three weeks
until an employee of Naresh
Brother came across him on the
street. The police was quickly
contacted and he was arrested.
During Police preliminary
investigation, the defendant
Byrumdi admitted to the
crimes against him voluntary,
informing the police that he had
been employed as a warehouse
Manager of Naresh Brother on
Randall Street for the past four

years.
The suspect said he usually gave
out goods from the warehouse
when the Management issued
delivery note for him to supply
the customers with the goods.
The defendant further explained
that three months ago he met
a man by the name of Rufus
Pewee who told him that he
was sent by one Lucky to buy
engine oil.
He said that he sold 5 gallons
of the engine oil to Mr. Pewee
without reporting the money to
the Management. He said it was
at that point that he established
acquaintance with Pewee and
both of them exchanged phone
numbers.
He
admitted
to
police
investigators that he and Pewee
transacted business on several
occasions and proceeds from
said transactions were diverted
into his personal account.
INDIAN ARRESTED FOR STEALING US$30K
Frontpage
ALLVoters
THEY
WANT
IS
POWER
Apathy Haunts Senatorial Election
Al-Varney Rogers avarney.rogers@frontpageafricaonline.com 0886304498
D
Monrovia-
espite the Ebola

outbreak that has
claim the lives of
over two thousand
Liberians, all seem to be set
for over 1.9 Million Liberians
to go to the poll, after the joint
conference committee of both
houses concur for elections to
be conducted on December 16,
2014.
But the outbreak and the lack of
trust for public officials may be
reasons for many voters not to
show up during these elections.
Liberians are expected to go to
the polls come December 16 to
elect 15 senators to complete
the 30- member Liberian
Senate after the tenure of those
elected in the second category
of senators upon obtaining the
second popular votes during the
20015 general and presidential
elections expired last October.
Expectations were high for the
election until the outbreak of
the deadly Ebola virus which
shifted all attention to battling
the human killer disease and
Liberians are now divided on
whether to go to elections with
some saying there is no need for
election when people are dying
as a result of Ebola.
A Pehn-Pehn rider, Jacob
Mensah 21 believes that election
should not go ahead due to the
Ebola outbreak.
Due to this sickness everything
in the country is not moving

[standstill]
nobody
going
to school what is pushing
the government to have this
election?, Mensah asked.
Mensah suggested that the
election be postponed to 2015
adding that this will prevent the
country from further outbreaks.
Campaign will be crowded,
I really want to see how the
government will manage for
people not to touch one another,
Mensah added.
Mensah said that he is not going
to risk his life for the benefit of an
individual adding that senatorial
election is about providing jobs.
Tire of empty promises
Mensah said It is not because of
one person business I am going
to risk my life. I voted 2011 all of
the promises they made to us we
are not seeing anything so why
should we put ourselves at risk.
He further added Let us agree
we are going to election some of
us voted outside of Montserrado,
how we will go back because
people are afraid to host
strangers.
A mechanic, Michael Rufus 27
said, he sees no problem with
going to election saying that
Ebola is gradually going away.
Rufus said This sickness is
already going away. I want this
election to go on because I want
to have new leaders who will
bring new ideas for us to defeat
this Ebola.
Rufus said, people can follow
the health rules during election
adding that Ebola should not
cause Liberia to stop functioning
as a country.
I will go to vote and want to
encourage other Liberians to
vote, if they stay home it will
take them nine years to have
such opportunity, Rufus said.
Rufus said, if the fifteen senators
are absent from the legislature
the government will not function
properly.
All They want is power
Gorpu Jaimah 26 years, who
sells roasted meat said that going
to election makes no sense
while Ebola is still in the country.
These people know that Ebola
is in town why are they calling
for election. If we talk they will
not hear us to stop this election
all they want is power, Jaimah
said.
Jaimah vowed that she is not
going to vote adding that she
does not have information on
any of the candidates in the race.
I will be here that day selling
my market anybody they put
there is their business, I will not
vote, he indicated.
One organization that is on the
front in ensuring that voters
turn out in their numbers is
the National Youth Movement
for
Transparent
Elections
[NAYMOTE].
NAYMOTE Executive Director

Eddie Jarwolo believes that the
national legislature is a powerful
branch of the government and as
such voting to fill such positions
should not be overlooked.
Voting for fifteen senators is
not an ordinary thing. Liberians
should come out and make their
voices to be heard through the
ballot, Jarwolo said.
Jarwolo said, the national
legislature has the authority to
make laws and supervise the
President adding that a better
Liberia depends on the type of
people that will be elected.
According to the head of
NAYMOTE his organization is
going to get fully involved in the
election awareness campaign.
Jarwolo noted that the upcoming
midterm election is the first of its
kind in Liberia calling for more
awareness to be done.
He said Ebola prevention
messages, voters education and
the importance of non-election
violence are going to be his
organization election campaign
approach.
On Monday this week the
announced
that
campaign
activities for the midterm
senatorial election will begin
on 20th of November and also
announced the arrival of ballot
papers.
NAYMOTE will deploy three
hundred volunteers and fifteen
county coordinators across

Liberia and seventy three district
focus persons, Jarwolo said.
These volunteers will be going
from house to house to tell the
people what will happen to them,
if they do not vote, Jarwolo
added. Each of them will reach
ten houses a day.
The Executive Director of
NAYMOTE added that mobile
phones and van movement
will also be used to educate the
voters.
Jarwolo said: We will be using
the phone to call voters across
Liberia because we already
have about five thousand voters
number in our data base, so we
will call and educate them and
ask them to talk to ten people
about the elections.
Jarwolo fears election violence
might erupted if caution is
not taken adding that the way
politicians speak on the media is
worrisome.
There is a fear of election
violence. Election violence is
so terrible, fast and destructive.
Im very afraid that there might
be election violence, if you listen
to the radio and hear political
leaders, Jarwolo said.
Jarwolo added for the Van
movement we will show
documentary on the election of
Kenya and Ghana. The both
elections are examples of bad
and good election.
Jarwolo said, debate will be
Page 11
organized to bring candidates

and voters face to face for
scrutiny adding that NAYMOTE
will work with community radios
in airing the debate.
We will be documenting
campaign promises; we will
follow them [Candidates] to
ensure that they do what they say.
We are going to change politics
in Liberia, Jarwolo added.
Jarwolo said, political leaders
and the National Elections
Commission should conduct
themselves in way that will not
lead to any election violence.
We can make all the phone
calls and do the education. The
leadership of political parties and
NEC need to behave in manner
that will protect our peace.
The Head of NAYMOTE called
on NEC Chairman Jerome
Kokoyah to enforce the election
laws regarded of who is in the
race.
Chairman Kokoyah needs to
get from his office to ensure
that magistrates are doing the
right things and fully capacitated
because the election of 2014
will determine 2017, Jarwolo
asserted.
He also said If the chairman
of the election commission
conducts a free and transparent
election he will win the trust of
the Liberian people.
Jarwolo urged the Chairman of
NEC to take the task at hand
seriously, saying I want to call
Chairman Kokoyah to take this
job on this election seriously.
As the Chairman of NEC, he
will be held fully accountable
for anything that will go good
or bad, he should make sure that
polling centers open on time and
that the result of the election
reflect the view of the Liberian
people, the NAYMOTE head
concluded.
GRAND GEDEH COURT DROPS 34 THEFT CASES

Kennedy L. Yangian kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 077296781
A
Monrovia-
mid
the
overcrowdings of
prison
facilities
and the prolonged
detention of pre-trial detainees

in the Liberia hereby bringing
public criticisms against the
Judiciary the Seventh Judicial
Circuit Court in Grand Gedeh
County has dropped 34 theft

cases in its just ended August
Term 2014 Term of Court.
The Public Defense Office
report from the county
for the month of August
with copy obtained by the
FrontPageAfrica states that
the 34 cases which ranged from
theft of property to illegal
possession of narcotic drugs
were nolle prosequoi by the
Judge George Wiles due to lack
of evidence to prosecute the 34
defendants.
Though the report compiled
by Attys. Nyakpao R.G. Daye
and G. Natt Karga, the two
public defenders in the county
did not indicate how long
the defendants were held but
according to the Criminal
Procedure law, a defendant can
be freed when the prosecution
fails to indict a defendant held

for a criminal offence after two
successful terms of court.
For the August Term of the
court, the report also stated
that there were eight cases on
the trial docket and out of the
total cases the Public Defense
Office whose job is to defend
indigent defendants moved to
advance two of the cases on the
trial docket to be heard by the
Presiding Judge George Wiles.
In the same August Term
of Court, there was one
regular trial of theft of
property involving defendant
Washington Wea that ended
with a judgment of acquittal
while the other aggravated
assault and criminal mischief
also ended with the Judgment
of Change of Venue.
According to the statistics in
report, 34 cases were nolleprosequoi, total number of

cases on trial docket 8, one
judgment of acquittal, no
hanging verdict, one motion
for pretrial detainees 34,
Liberia National Police (LNP)
2 and total number of cases 38.
The release of the 34 defendants
comes in the wake of call
by the Chief Justice Francis
Korkpor to magistrates and
judges that in the wake of the
outbreak of Ebola, they should
use discretionary power under
the law to avoid defendants
who commit lesser crimes to
jail to avoid overcrowding but
rather turned these defendants
to their lawyers until the case is
assigned by the court.
Chief Justice Korkpor also
asked magistrates and Judges
to commit defendants who
commit armed robbery, murder

and rape but indicated these
defendants whenever they are
suspected of the symptom of
the deadly Ebola must be taken
to the isolation center treated
before taken to jail to avoid
infecting other inmates.
He made the statement when
he and Associate Justice
Kabineh Janeh toured several
court facilities in Montserrado,
Margibi,Bong and Nimba
Counties to acquaint court
officials
about
taking
preventive measures in the
fight of the deadly Ebola virus
which had caused the loss of
several lives across the country
since its outbreak in March in
the country from neighboring
Guinea via Lofa County before
spreading to other parts of the
county.
Page 12 | Frontpage

Vacancy Announcement
The American Refugee Committee seeks to establish an Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) in Liberia. The ETU will be a highcapacity, isolated unit with up to 10 beds upon completion, which will require the oversight of approximately 125 staff, over a
period of 6-9 months. Given the magnitude of the need, the plan is to set up the ETU immediately in Fish Town. Staff safety
is an absolute priority of the ARC, therefore, strict adherence to infections control procedures will be undertaken to protect
staffs. Given the nature of the work, staffs dealing directly with confirm and/or suspected Ebola patients will be required to
wear protective equipment gears and must adhere to ARC/WHO/CDC/MHSW infection control protocols and procedures at
all times.
ARC is therefore soliciting applications from qualified candidates for the below listed positions to be based in Monrovia,
Harper and Fish Town Republic of Liberia. All interested candidates are encouraged to send your resume and cover letter with
the title of the job you are applying for in the subject line of the email to jobs@arcliberia.org.
Contract duration: Six (6) months with attractive salary and Benefits.
1) Monrovia Based Position
Finance Manager (1), Accountant (1), Logistic and Procurement Manager (1), National HR Manager (1), HR Assistant (1),
Drivers (2), Cleaner (1), Cook (1)
2) Harper Based Position
Logistics Officer (1), Cleaners (2), Driver (1), Cook (2)
3) Fish-Town Based Position
Status: 3 month Rotations
Clinical/Health staff
Physician Assistants (4), Nurses and Nurse Aids, (5), Pharmacist(1), Pharmacy Assistant, Laboratory Technician, (1) Ambulance
Nurses (4)
ETU Other Program Staff:
ETU Site Manager Staff: (1),Surveillance Officer (1), WASH Coordinator (1) Local WASH Staff (44)Coordinators (5) Warehouse
Manager/Storekeeper (1)Waste Management Specialist (1) PSS Staff (1)Driver (Ambulance/Regular) (5), Sprayers (18)
ETU Support Staff:
HR Coordinator (1), Logistics and Transportation Officer (1) Accountant
IT/Communication Coordinator (1), Foreman (1),Daily Labor (4),Security focal point
Tent City / Fish Town
Cooks and Cleaners (30)
Deadline is November 30, 2014. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Diversity
ARC is committed to gender equity and ethnic and racial diversity in programs and organizational policy. ARCs employment
policy provides for the equality of opportunity, regardless of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status,
physical or mental disability, or past, present, or future service in the uniformed services. ARC will not violate any applicable
law by showing partiality or granting any specific favors to any employees or group of employees
EBOLA FACTOR
PAGE
RONT
COUNTY NEWS
Frontpage
Page 13
FREGULATOR STILL IN LACC DRAGNET

ive middle-age men
avoided the blazing
sunshine, so the best
they could do is sit
under a makeshift structure
annexed to a shop in the heart
of the market. The shouting
of marketers, the honking of
vehicles and the music from
a mini tape recorder firmly
placed on a table in the far
corner of the tea shop, made it
almost impossible to eavesdrop
their conversation.
A man, wearing a green faded
Unity Party t-shirt with an
imprint of the partys 2011
campaign slogan - 8 will
hold - listened keenly as
the other four argued about
the possibility of holding
the Senatorial elections this
December. The four quickly
lower their voices after an
elderly man, speaking broken
Liberian English,warned them
about instigating a political
debate. He pointed to a sign
on the whitewashed mud-brick
wall dirty with dust, which
reads No more Forum Here!
For whatever reason, the tall,
hairy, light skin man refused to
justify to the discussants why
talking politics at his tea shop
is prohibited. Rumor has it that
his shop almost crushed down
in 2013 when supporters of two
candidates physically attacked
each other in a debate-gonebad.
Its Friday, the busiest and most
popular market day in Grand
Bassa Countys second most
populous district, and many
people have turned out to either
sell or buy at the Wayzohn
Market, Compound Three the
districts provisional capital.
The most dominant issue
nowadays is the Ebola crisis
and it takes a lot to sway people
from this discussion especially
in a county where new cases
of the virus have emerged thus
sparking fears amongst locals.
The debate now amongst
many, not just those gathering
at forums or market place,
is how much impact will
the current Ebola crisis have
on the Special senatorial
election? The answer to this
has prompted many to suggest,
without any doubt, that the
virus has already altered
Liberia election time table.
Like those men at the tea
shop, many people who have
spoken to FrontPage Africa
fear that voters turn out will
be lower than expected mainly
because of the compounded
problem of the Ebola fear and
the reluctance of people who
see it meaningless to vote only
because they claim government
has forsaken them.
As we all know when election
is coming about this time the
momentum is very high but
for this election were only
hearing about election but the
momentum is low, Alexander
Flankiah, a resident of
Wayzohn, District Three said.
Flankiah is expected to be on
the campaign trail of one of
the famous candidates in the
race but his pessimism about
attracting a large crowd for
rally is keeping him worried.
During a recent trip to a town
in rural Grand Bassa, he
said it was difficult to bring
Commission on Higher Education Director General long Corruption tale
VIRUS CRISIS COULD DISSUIDE VOTERS IN BASSA

ALPHA DAFFAE SENKPENI, daffae.senkpeni@frontpageafricaonline.com
Flashback: voters line up at a polling center in the 2011 elections in Grand Bassa County
people together. People were

stopping their immediate
family from showing up
because of the recent Ebola
cases in the county. he said.
A petroleum dealer, who
spends his day trading gasoline
in the busy district market also
agreed that the virus crisis will
affect the turn out.For me I
dont think the turnout will
be impressive because most
people are afraid and since we
already know that the virus
is spread by contact, people
might be afraid to turnout and
vote, he assumed.
Some have suggested that
NEC needs to double its civic
voters education while others
called on candidates to embark
on more awareness that will
encourage people to turnout.
At the same time, civil society
groups are being call upon to
step up for the election.
In
Buchanan,
a
group
famous for staging a recent
protest against the county
administration has vowed to
initiate an awareness process
which will enable electorate
know the five candidates
participating in the election.
The group believes that if all
the stakeholders are brought
together to highlight the
importance of holding the
election and know the cross
cutting concerns of people
in the county as it relates the
political responsibilities of
lawmakers and how they can
impact the county, it might
keep people motivated to
participate in the election.
We are planning a program
called
Talk
with
the
Candidates, which will bring
together all the candidates
to explain to their people on
why having the elections is
important. Our people might
not want to come out and if you
have few people coming out it
will also affect the integrity of
the election, Du-Ben Cleon
warned. Our people appetite
for this election is very low.
But some political observers
in the county are confident
that turnout will be successful
and are also confident that
measures that will be put in
place by NEC will safeguard
voters on Election Day.
Victor Flomo, a young activist
in the port city says: Elections
should be held because we are
doing more risky things that
cannot be compare with just
standing on line to vote.
Flomo, who agreed that the
election momentum in the
county is low, also said that in
some communities people are
expressing zest to exercise their
political franchise. Several
morning radio shows are
setting the agenda for citizens
participation and callers views
are summing up that they want
the election, he added.
On
Tuesday,
November
18, the Senate and House
of Representatives signed
a joint resolution agreeing
that the National Elections
Commission holds election on
16 December. The Legislators
decision comes after weeks of
argument over setting a date
for the election which has
already been delay due to the
Ebola virus crisis.

NEC launched its civic and
voter education campaign on
Monday while also revealing
that political campaigning will
start Thursday, November 20
across the country. NEC boss,
Cllr. Jerome Korkoya also
specified that several Ebola
measures will be consider on
Election Day.
All voters and polling staff
will be required to wash their
hands with chlorinated water
at all precincts across the
country, the NEC chairman
said. Voters will be required
and provisions will be made to
ensure that they stand three feet
apart in queues at all polling
centers on election day; voters
will be required to use cotton
buds to ink their thumbs before
marking the ballot, he added.
Cllr.
Korkoyas
recommendations
while
quoting Article 37 that byelection for counties still
experiencing Ebola cases
should be held after 90 days
when election are over for
other counties was ignored by
the legislators leaving many
rural Bassonians (people of
Grand Bassa) cautious about
what may happen to the
election if there are new cases
in the coming weeks.
Despite the reduction of cases
in some counties, experts have
warned that the country avoid
complacency before the virus
possibly spread again. Over 2,
800 people have died of the
virus as of November with a
total of 6,878 cases recorded
as of November 11. And with
six new cases reported in

Grand Bassa early this month
and an alarming situation in
neighboring RiverCess County,
many are apprehensive.
Back in district three, where
many youth have often turn
out to vote in past elections,
the president of the districts
university students unionasserts
that there have been low
turnouts during elections of the
past in the county. Emmanuel
Daywoe referenced Liberty
Partys
NyounbleeKarngaLawrence 2013 by-election
victory which she won with the
total vote of 11,000 as very low
if it is match with the voting
population in the county.
This is because our people
over the year have been feeling
somehow dissatisfy as it relates
to the manner in which people
they elect represent them, he
asserted. Seeing the situation
(Ebola crisis) now around us,
I think buck of our people will
not be satisfied to go to the poll
and vote on election day, there
will be a low turnout of voters
this election, he concluded.
In 2011, 81,369 (74,867 valid
votes) people turnout for the
senatorial election which was
won by the late Senator John
Francis Whitfield (NPP) with
23, 490 votes (31.4%) and
in 2013s by-election, out of
the total of 26,802 valid votes
the winner, Senator KarngaLawrence claimed 11,000
votes (41%).
NECs Grand Bassa election
statistics for registered voters
in 2011 and 2013 match against
its 124,280 registered voters
for the upcoming election have

ignited a debate over voters
apathy in the county and with
the presence of the Ebola fear
it has heighten more concerns.
A report from an opinion poll
survey conducted in June this
year with over 1700 people
in the county by a local radio
station (Magic FM) to identify
issues and better understand
the perception or attitude of
voters toward participating in
an election showed that lots of
people were discouraged and
frustrated to participate in the
coming election in the county.
With support from Community
Based Organizations and
UNMIL Civil Affairs, the
survey intended to help create
strategies and mechanism to
increase citizens participation
in the election, though
implementation was disrupted
by the outbreak of the Ebola
virus.
With December 16 now set as
the new date for the election,
it has become even more
demanding for candidates,
NEC and partners to ensure
that turnout is impressive
especially when some people
are showing reluctance to
participating.
As far as Im concern I think
this year election will be one of
the poorest ever in the history
of Liberia especially with
virus crisis and people are still
losing their love ones. I feel
that people are not happy to
go to the poll, Moses Cooper,
student of Grand Bassa
Community College said.
Page 14 | Frontpage
IN BRIEF
RUSSIA BLASTS UKRAINE

FOR PAYMENT FREEZE
MOSCOW (AP)
ussia's foreign policy
chief on Wednesday
claimed
that
Ukraine's decision
to freeze budget payments to
the eastern rebel-held territories
could be a precursor to a military
onslaught.
Ukrainian officials announced
earlier this month that they will
freeze the $2.6 billion in state
support to the areas now in
rebel hands, which could further
worsen the deplorable economic
situation there.
In an address to the parliament,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov said he suspects that by
doing so, Kiev is "preparing the
ground for another invasion in
order to solve the issue by force."
POLICE: MISS HONDURAS,

SISTER APPARENTLY KILLED
TEGUCIGALPA,
Honduras
(AP)
wo bodies believed
to belong to Miss
Honduras 2014 and
her sister have been
found buried near the spa where
they disappeared six days ago,
the Honduras National Police
director said Wednesday.
Authorities were awaiting
confirmation from forensic
officials that the bodies are
Maria Jose Alvarado, 19, and
her sister, Sofia, 23, said Gen.
Ramon Sabillon.
Sabillon said Sofia's boyfriend,
Plutarco Ruiz, confessed and led
authorities to the bodies buried
in a river bank in a mountainous
area of Santa Barbara, about
240 miles (400 kilometers) west
of Tegucigalpa.
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) urkina

Faso's
transitional
government
named
Lieutenant
Colonel
Isaac Zida as prime minister on
Wednesday, four days after he
restored the country's constitution
under pressure from the African
Union and the West.
Zida declared himself head
of state on Nov. 1 after mass
protests toppled President Blaise
Compaore who then fled the West
African country. The African
Union gave Zida two weeks
to restore civilian rule or face
economic sanctions.
As prime minister, Zida, a
large, bespectacled man with a
trademark red beret, will help
Burkina Faso's newly appointed
interim
president,
Michel
Kafando, to appoint a 25-member
government that will steer the
country to new elections in 2015.
Neither Kafando, a former foreign
minister and ambassador to the
United Nations, nor Zida will be
allowed to take part in next year's
presidential election.
Compaore triggered the protests
against his rule last month when
he tried to change the constitution
and extend his 27-year grip on
power.
Compaore was a regional power
broker and a key Western ally
against Islamist militants. France
has a special forces unit based in
Burkina Faso as part of a regional
counter-terrorism operation. The
country has long been one of
Africa's cotton producers and is
now also mining gold.
PAGE
RONT
WORLD NEWS
BURKINA FASO NAMES ARMY

COLONEL ZIDA AS PRIME MINISTER
THE BEST DAD EVER
JOSEPH KONY'S REBELS SELL

IVORY, MINERALS: REPORT
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP)

atchdog groups
say
Joseph
Kony's Lord's
Resistance
Army is increasingly trafficking
in ivory and minerals to obtain
weapons and other supplies to
be used in the jungles of central
Africa.
Enough Project, Invisible
Children and The Resolve said
in a report released Wednesday
that the rebels' illegal trade in
ivory, diamonds and gold may
be linked to the LRA's efforts
to improve relations with other
armed groups such as Central
African Republic's Seleka
militia.
Kony's LRA comprises a few
hundred fighters who are being
hunted down by African Union
troops as well as U.S. advisers.
The report says the rebel group
transports most of the illicit
ivory and minerals to an area
controlled by Sudan, although
some are traded locally with the
Seleka and local civilians.
MY DAD IS THE BEST DAD EVER

MY DAD FORSAKES ME NEVER
ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES WE QUARREL
MY DAD LOVES ME FOREVER
HE ALWAYS MAKES THE RIGHT
DECISIONS
HIS THOUGHTS ARE ALWAYS GODS
AMBITIONS
ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES HE NEEDS
CORRECTIONS
MY MOM CAN GIVE THE RIGHT
PRESCRIPTIONS
I LOVE YOU DAD
DONT MAKE ME SAD
STAND BY MY SIDE
LETS TAKE A RIDE
BY: JEE-WON M.E. ARKOI. VALENTINA.
Sports
Frontpage
NIGERIA 2-2 SOUTH AFRICA: SUPER EAGLES OUT

OF AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS DESPITE COMEBACK
one Aluko's double was

not enough to send the
reigning
champions
into next year's finals,
with Congo edging into through
behind Bafana Bafana from
Group A
Nigeria are out of the Africa Cup
of Nations 2015 despite coming
from behind to hold South Africa
to a 2-2 draw at the Akwa Ibom
International Stadium in Uyo on
Wednesday.
South Africa went into the clash
against their Group A rivals
having already booked their
place at the 2015 finals, now due
to be held in Equatorial Guinea.
However, though Sone Aluko
denied Bafana Bafana a first
competitive win over the Super
Eagles, it was not enough to send
Stephen Keshi's men into the
finals next year, with Congo's
win over Sudan enough to see
them take second spot.
Bafana Bafana striker Tokelo
Rantie nearly handed the visitors
an early lead in the fourth
minute after the Super Eagles
defence made a mistake, but the
Bournemouth forward ballooned
his effort over the crossbar.
The hosts' first chance of the
match came four minutes later,
when CSKA Moscow winger
Ahmed Musa beat Bafana
defender Erick Mathoho for pace
before unleashing a powerful
strike which hit the crossbar,
with goalkeeper Dareen Keet
SPORTS
BONY SIGNS NEW

SWANSEA CITY CONTRACT
rooted to the ground.

In the 16th minute, Musa had two
great back-to-back opportunities,
finding himself in a one-on-one
situation against Keet twice.
However, the Kortrijk shotstopper denied the 22-year-old
attacker on both occasions.
Keet was again called into action
in the 24th minute, and this
time it was Nigerian forward
Ikechukwu Uche, whose strike
from 30 yards out was well
gathered by the South African
goalkeeper.
In the 41st minute, Nigeria were

made to pay for their profligacy.
Rantie broke down the left into
the box, before beating Super
Eagles keeper and captain
Vincent Enyeama at his near
post to hand the South Africans
the lead.
Just three minutes into the
second half, former Orlando
Pirates striker Rantie grabbed
his second, out-muscling Nigeria
centre-half Azubuike Egwuekwe
on the edge of the box then
hitting the back of the net.
Nigeria had a chance to pull one

back in the 59th minute, when
Fenerbahce striker Emmanuel
Emenike won a free header
inside the Bafana box, but the
27-year-old forward's effort went
straight at Keet.
The Super Eagles kept on
pushing and pressing in search of
a goal, and they were rewarded
10 minutes later, after substitute
Aluko pounced onto a loose ball
inside the box to make it 2-1.
In the 70th South Africa
midfielder Letsholonyane was
red-carded after collecting his

second yellow of the night and
Keshi promptly urged his side
forward in search of the goals
they needed.
The reigning Afcon champions
grabbed a lifeline right at the
death, with Aluko's low drive
into the bottom corner offering a
glimmer of hope.
However, time ran out on the
game and Nigeria's hopes
of a place in the finals, with
speculation over the future of
Keshi sure to follow.
Finke had indicated that his

side would use the encounter to
kickstart preparations for next
year's tournament, thus sending a
warning to the Ivorians that they
would not be in for an easy fight.
Cote DIvoire proved dominant
in the opening exchanges, with
Gervinho and Salomon Kalou

linking up tidily and ploughing
forward but the visitors defence
held thanks to captain Stephane
Mbia and Nicholas Nkoulous
clever positioning.
Centre forward Lacina Traore
was the man chosen to score
the goals in the absence Didier
Drogba, and the Monaco striker
had sufficient opportunities to
prove local detractors wrong,
but he once more failed to
successfully exploit his 6 ft 8
height and pace.
Kalou, who had scored four
goals throughout qualifying, was
given the ball on the left wing
by a low cross from Yaya Toure,
but after passing two men, the
Hertha BSC wingers final effort
crashed against a defender.
After 20 minutes of play,
Cameroon seized control of the
game in style, with barnstorming
displays from Portos Vincent
Aboubakar in the Ivorian area.
Kolo Toure and Tiene Siaka
blocked a number of chances for
the Lions in a display of nervy
defending, but neither side could
find the net as the rhythm of the
exchanges dropped by the half
hour mark.
PSGs Serge Aurier grabbed a
loose ball from the touchline
and raced down the right flank
unmarked but his tight-angled
cross failed to find an Orange
shirt in the visitors box.

A similar action from the
opposing flank by Kalou forced
a save from Cameroon keeper
Ondoa, who had a busy first half.
The first period ended goalless,
with the local fans still very
cheerful for the tentative result
which booked a place for their
team in the finals.
The second half resumed with
some threatening attacking
play from Cote DIvoire but
Cameroons defence remained
impenetrable.
By the hour mark, Cameroon
captain Stephane Mbia was
sent off after roughly blocking
Gervinhos drive into the box.
The Elephants struggled to
make their one man advantage
count however, due to a strong
Cameroonian defensive display
that kept efforts from Gervinho,
Kalou and second-half substitute
Wilfried Bony at bay.
Flanked by Tiene and Aurier,
Kolo Toure negotiated the
final moments of the game by
knocking the ball back and forth
to ensure his team did not lose
the point they needed to qualify.
The match eventually ended
goalless, which saw both sides
qualify for the tournament in
Equatorial Guinea in 2015.
COTE DIVOIRE AND CAMEROON SHARED THE SPOILS AFTER A

SCORELESS ENCOUNTER IN ABIDJAN ON WEDNESDAY, WHICH
HANDS THE IVORIANS THEIR TICKET TO NEXT YEAR'S TOURNAMENT
ote DIvoire have

qualified for the 2015
Africa Cup of Nations
after a goalless draw
with Cameroon in Abidjan on
Wednesday.
The Elephants came into the
game with two main objectives:
Page 15
picking up at least one point to

ensure qualification and taking
their revenge on Cameroon after
a 4-1 defeat suffered in Yaounde
in their earlier group stage
meeting. But only the former
was achieved.
Indomitable Lions coach Volker
ilfried
Bony
has
agreed
a new fouryear deal with
Swansea City, ending speculation
surrounding
the
in-demand
striker's future.
The Ivory Coast international
revealed last week that he was
close to agreeing a new contract
and is now tied to the club until
the summer of 2018 following the
one-year extension.
Bony scored 26 goals in an
outstanding first season at the
club, prompting a bid from
Liverpool and interest from
Tottenham during the summer
and Garry Monk is delighted
to see the club-record signing
recommit.
"It's great news for the club,"
Monk told the club's official
website.. "I've spoken a lot about
what Bony has brought to the
club not just on the pitch but off
it as well.
LEO'S LAST SEASON? WHY MESSI IS

CONSIDERING BARCELONA EXIT
different discourse.
Lionel
Messi's
claims
that
he
no longer knows
whether his long-term future
lies at Barcelona are fruit of the
forward's growing frustration
at the Catalan club. Once a
marriage made in heaven, Messi
and Barca could now be set for
an unhappy break-up.
The Argentine attacker has
always said he wants to retire at
Camp Nou or at least stay until
late in his career before ending
up at boyhood club Newell's
in Argentina, but he has now
changed his tune. On Tuesday,
he told Argentine sports daily
Ole that he does not know what
the future holds. And it was no
coincidence.
LIVERPOOL CONFIRM
STURRIDGE INJURY
SETBACK
iverpool
have
confirmed that Daniel
Sturridge has suffered
another thigh strain in
training and is now unavailable
for Sunday's Premier League
clash with Crystal Palace.
As reported by Goal, Sturridge
pulled up during a session at
Melwood on Tuesday and it is
believed the injury is similar
in nature to the thigh problem
that originally sidelined him
while on England duty in early
September.
The precise extent of the
new problem has not been
elaborated on and the 25-yearold will be assessed by
Liverpool's medical staff in the
coming days, but the striker has
been ruled out of contention to
face Palace.
FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com
Sports
THE NEW GEORGE WEAH?

VOL 8 NO.724
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014
PRICE L$40
WHY THE KHOUMA BABACAR TURNED DOWN MAN UTD AND REAL MADRID
ikened to George Weah and secure

enough to reject Real Madrid
ANDManchester United as a
teenager, great things are expected
inside Italian football from Khouma Babacar.
The Fiorentina striker, fresh from a successful
year on-loan with Serie B Modena, is this
season justifying the praise that has been
lavished upon him from some of Italy's
biggest football identities.
Only last week, it emerged Tottenham and
Southampton had made contact with the
21 year-old's camp, with his agent, Patrick
Bastianelli, recently admitting he was aware
of Premier League clubs scouting the centreforward.
This all comes amid confusion over
Babacar's contract status. Fiorentinacoach
Vincenzo Montella (above) and sports
director Daniele Prade have both made clear
they want to keep hold of their top prospect,
but the club has dragged its heels opening
talks over a new deal.
"Babacar has to grow," says Montella, "he
still makes too many mistakes during the
game, but I see in him an endless potential
still untapped."
Prade adds: "Babacar is a product of our
academy. We strongly believe in the guy."
Babacar's former Fiorentina Primavera
coach, Alberto Bollini, agrees with Montella
over the striker's potential.
Standing at 1.91cm and boasting superb
control, Bollini says of Babacar: "Wonderful
potential. He reminds me a lot of George
Weah."
For now, Babacar is about to enter the final
18 months of his current deal and the interest
of clubs abroad is complicating the situation.
Italy's iconic agent Antonio Caliendo, who
has handled the likes of DiegoMaradona,
Roberto Baggio and David Trezeguet, has no
doubts about Babacar's potential.
At Modena, where he is now owner, he saw
the Senegal striker up close.
"Babacar is my regret, because we could've
signed him outright," recalls Caliendo. "It
was two years ago and with Modena we gave
him a chance to emerge, thanks to a quiet
environment.
"Personally I've always said his resources are
far greater than those of (Mario) Balotelli,
without a doubt.
"My greatest strength has always been to identify
those players at 16 years of age capable of great
things. I saw in him a potential of someone who has
something extraordinary because with the ball at
his feet he can do it all. You will see, the more time
passes, the more you'll agree."
It's that comparison with Liverpool striker Mario
Balotelli, that Babacar, himself, ducks.
"Many on Facebook compare me with Balotelli, but
I have nothing to do with him. He's Balotelli and I'm
Babacar, I play for Fiorentina, and nothing else. They
also tell me I walk like him, but I am tall, how should
I walk?" laughs Babacar.
"Drogba, Eto'o, Adebayor and Ibrahimovic: I always
watch what they do on the field and try to do it too,
and sometimes even try to do something more."
Modena coach Walter Novellino agrees with
Caliendo: Babacar can be rated ahead of Balotelli.
"I think he has more quality and I'm not kidding,"
said Novellino. "I know that Balotelli is strong, but
I know Babacar and saw him train every day, for me
he has more quality."
If not for the intervention of former Viola sports
director Pantaleo Corvino, Babacar would never

have made it to Fiorentina.
While coming through in Senegal at US Rail, a 14
year-old Babacar was offered to Fiorentina by a local
agent before he was eventually brought to Europe
and Italy by Pescara.
Upon first clapping eyes on the teen, Corvino
immediately offered 35,000 to bring Babacar to
Florence. As for those two scouts who rejected that
first approach - Corvino sacked them on the spot!
Franco Rondanini, who first brought Babacar to Italy,
confirms Corvino managed to see off competition
from Manchester United and Real Madridto sign the
teen.
"I saw him for the first time in Africa and I decided
to take him to Fuerteventura thanks to the consul
of Senegal, I assumed the responsibility as a tutor,"
recalled Rondanini.
"Before signing the contract with Fiorentina, Real
Madrid andManchester United were pressing the
parents."
Babacar actually scored on his debut as a 16 yearold for Fiorentina and Rondanini continued: "When
he scored the first goal against Chievo in the Coppa
Italia, I immediately called his parents, who were

crying on the phone."
Four years on and Babacar's form has Bastianelli's
phone running hot. It began over the summer and
hasn't stopped.
Andrea Stramaccioni wanted to take the youngster
to Udinese before the campaign kicked off, while
AS Roma sports director Walter Sabatini seriously
considered a bid.
Now, with four goals in ten games and a string of
powerhouse performances behind him, the clubs
expressing interest are a couple of rungs higher.
But Fiorentina officials are confident they won't need
to rush into a new deal.
A source told tribalfootball.com on the weekend
from Florence: "We know his contract needs to be
improved. But everything is quite relaxed. The
communication lines with Mr Bastianelli are open.
"Yes, there's a growing number of scouts from
foreign teams watching our games. But we also know
that Babacar's dream has been to make it here. He
made this decision some time ago.
"The contract needs to be improved, but we're happy
that this will happen from a base of positivity."
VISIT UNCLE ZEH'S LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SERVICE ON CROWN

HILL, BROAD STREET WHERE THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST
CALL: 0775 149 376, 0775 149 161

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TOP

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

FDA HAS CAPACITY

EBOLA PUT NEARLY

There is certain minimum diameter of

Negative Economic Impacts of Virus Seen

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2014

These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

LIBERIAN DOCTORS WHO TREATED

VIRUS CRISIS COULD DISSUADE

EJS Calls for Smooth Campaigning

Thursday, November 20, 2014

ith fifteen seats up for grabs and 135 contenders

Thursday, November 20, 2014

135 CANDIDATES ARE VYING for fifteen seats in

Olivier Bucyana, Contributing Writer

ith close to 5,000 deaths and nearly 10,000 reported

It took a thousand or so deaths nine months after the first outbreak

opponents taking a dip at his perceived lifestyle.

their supporters still have to interface in a small and

Thursday, November 20, 2014

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

The Reader's Page

Send your letters and comments to:

PARTY SHUNS PRESIDENT

e, the children of Quardu-Gboni District, organized

as being 100% Liberian-owned would be more conscientious

WHY ARE CDC GOONS BEHIND

our article "CDC Warns Liberians of Rob's Bloody

Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666;

COUNTY NEWS TEAM

Thursday, November 20, 2014

LIBERIAN DOCTORS WHO TREATED INDIAN EBOLA MAN IN LIBERIA SAY

MEASURE FARFETCHED BUT IN PLACE

good of the rest of the country.

social welfare, government of

EBOLA PUT NEARLY HALF

Negative Economic Impacts of Virus Seen Throughout the Country,

surveys conducted by the World

working as of early November

Revenga, Senior Director of

10-13 were found negative

worsened. Liberia saw a large

resulting findings are available

WHOs transmission mode

The World Bank Group is

Thursday, November 20, 2014

TOKPA BROKE? LIBERIA LOSING US$ 20M ANNUALLY

Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com

TO ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOW

need for growth, development

and economic transformation,

that many observers had said

TIPOTEH SAYS SENATE LOWERS ITSELF

out, NEC went ahead implementing its plan to

its plan prior to receiving its requested approval of

Thursday, November 20, 2014

CHILDRENS RIGHTS DAY

healthcare amongst others.