TOP

STORIES

Business

NEWS EXTRA

pg 7

EXODUS AT
FOREIGN
AFFAIRS

pg 11

MTN FINANCE
UNCOVERED
Cell Phone Giant Shifts
Billions Offshore

DRUGS
SCANDAL

pg 13

CRIME WATCH

Twelve Suspended at National

Drugs Service for 300K Missing
Medical Supplies

FrontPage
After Minister Ngfafuans Exit

www.frontpageafricaonline.com

VOL 9 NO.160

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

PRICE L$40

NOCAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING OUT

OF REACH FOR ALL BUT THE RICH

NOT FOR POOR

I dont believe the houses are for the poor people, because if you make more
than US$500
in this country, you are not a poor man, Peter Twehway, tenant

COUNTY NEWS- pg. 5

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES

LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

BUYING

SELLING

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2015

L$88.00/US$1

L$89.00/US$1

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

L$88.00/US$1

L$89.00/US$1

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2015

L$88.00/US$1

L$89.00/US$1

These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of the foreign exchange market
in Monrovia and its environs. The rates are collected from the Forex Bureaux and the
commercials banks. The rates are not set by the Central Bank of Liberia.
Source: Research, Policy and Planning Department, Central Bank Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia

FROM PAGE 1

Page 2 | Frontpage

Monday, October 12, 2015

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviaiberias ruling Unity party looks to be treading the ugly

path of former ruling political parties that barely survive
beyond their tenure in state power, collapsing within a
short span.
Less than two days after the resignation of Augustine Ngafuan
from the position of Foreign Minister amid speculations that
some internal political wrangling in the Unity Party might be
some of the factors for his action, another senior member of the
party has officially resigned.
Although Ngafuan is yet to announce his resignation from the UP
but his assurance that he will not be inactive in 2017, couple with
the acceptance of a petition from the citizens of Lofa County by
Vice President Joseph N. Boakai to contest the presidency in the
ensuing elections, are all developments that have left the future
of the ruling party bleak, threatening its cohesiveness ahead of
crucial polls.
With President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who led the party to two
successive victories now constitutionally unqualified to contest
for a third term of office, her decision to keep the pronouncement
of a successor to her chest looks to be causing stir within the party.
Vice President Boakai has said President Sirleaf has asked him to
succeed her but the President maintains that she is not ready to
talk succession politics leaving room for speculations and what
appears a likely infighting amongst top officials of the party,
many of whom might want to grab the opportunity to contest the
presidency in the absence of Sirleaf.
TYLER OUT

With two years left to the end of the tenure of the party after
10 years in power, the party appears to be in disarray with
confirmation by the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Alex J. Tyler that he has tendered his letter of resignation from
the party.
President Sirleaf earlier this year organized a meeting of Unity
Party lawmakers in an attempt to bring the party together in what
was seen as a move to rally the lawmakers for the presidency of
Vice President Boakai but since the meeting, things now look to
be falling apart.
Amid the growing speculations that former Foreign Minister
Ngafuan is heading out of the party to another political party,
Speaker Tyler has confirmed his resignation from the Unity Party,
although failing to provide reasons for his action.
Speaker Tyler confirmed to FrontPageAfrica late Saturday that
he has officially resigned from the Unity Party, saying he cannot
provide further details at the moment.
Yes it is confirmed, Speaker Tyler stated in a message via mobile
to FPA in response to an inquiry about his resignation before
declining to make any further comment. No comment for now,
the House Speaker further stated.

Before his resignation, Tyler has been linked to a newly certificated

political party, the Liberian People Democratic Party (LPDP).
The new party is located in the compound of a lawmaker hailing
from the same county as Speaker Tyler, former Bomi Senator
Richard Devine and the Speaker attended the official launch of
the political party.
Sources close to Tyler hinted FPA that the Speaker is contemplating
officially launching his political party in the fifteen counties this
November as he prepares for 2017.
The LPDP is currently one of the recognized political parties
by the National Elections Commission (NEC) among 30 others
political parties.
Legislative sources have also hinted that several members of the
House of Representatives are currently paying dues to the LPDP
to solidify their memberships as they plan to run on the party
ticket for re-elections. Majority of the lawmakers looking the way
of the LPDP are members of a group of lawmakers known as the
Tyler bloclawmakers loyal to Tyler.
Speaker Tyler has over the months remained tightlipped over his
future within the UP as he has repeatedly told journalists that at
the right time he will comment on his political future in the ruling
Unity Party.
In May 2015, the Speaker appeared not to be in favor of the
2017 aspirations of Vice President Boakai, falling short of saying
whether or not he will remain a member of the ruling unity Party
(UP) in 2017 if the party elects the vice President as its flag bearer.
Speaker Tyler, who has not hidden his presidential ambitions,
when asked if he will leave the Party if he is not the chosen as the
presidential candidate, said; well, it is good that it is an alleged
ambition and I think that question will be for the future.
BOAKAI LOOKING FOR OPTIONS?

As the Unity Party disintegrates daily, Vice President Boakai who

is already known to be one of the many presidential candidates in
2017 based on his acceptance of a petition to contest, according
to sources, is also weighing the possibility of looking for another
political party.
Boakai looks likely the favorite to lead the Unity party to election
but with the defection of key party members, he is said to have
instructed his campaign team to explore the possibility of
contesting on the ticket of another political party.
According to sources, the VP is discouraged by comments coming
from some senior members of the UP who have opposed his
choice as the Party next standard bearer.
Recently in a FPA interview Representative Worlea Dunah (UP,
Nimba County) said the Vice President is talking internally asking
for the Party support to be their candidate in 2017 but Dunah said
he is one of the many senior Party officials who think that giving
Boakais age and experience, he should be in the background as
an elder to push a younger candidate.

UP NEARS COLLAPSE
The Unity party attracted scores of Liberians at home and abroad
who crossed over from other political parties to the UP after the
2005 general and presidential elections which the party won
during the runoff polling.
From 2005 to 2011, the party became the hottest political
institution on the bloc gaining more membership to the extent
of producing the Speaker of the National Legislature which many
described as gradually turning the country into a one party state.
Before 2011, the UP formed merger with two other political
parties the Liberia Unification party (LUP) and the Liberia Action
Party (LAP) forming the new Unity Party which propelled the
party to a second victory.
After 10 years in power and with fresh elections expected in
two years, the incumbent party has been predicted as the force
to reckon with giving that it has a firm hold on power as it is
administering the affairs of the state fully in charge of resources
but the party seems to be heading for big crack with the
resignation of Tyler.
The UP looks to be nearing the old ugly past of the political history
of Liberia when political parties do not survive beyond their time
in state power.
Liberias recent political history has seen ruling political
institutions disintegrate immediately after the demise of a
political leader. The 1980 coup dtat which ended decades of
Americo-Liberian rule saw the fall from grace of the True Whig
Party; Samuel Doe, who ended the TWP reign had his National
Democratic Party of Liberia collapse after his death while Charles
Taylors National Patriotic Party(NPP) has become only a shell of
what it was during Taylors reign.
For the foreseeable future, the party risks joining its predecessors,
TWP, NDPL and NPP on a has-been listing of parties which
collapsed after losing state power. But it is the trend and speed
at which the current establishment is falling that is generating
concerns for both sympathizers and detractors.
In 2012, Cllr. Varney Sherman, Chairman of the party, now
Senator of Grand Cape Mount County dismissed suggestions that
the party could fall apart when FPA pressed the issue in the when
he said: One, it is very highly probable that the Unity Party will
win a third term. In a worse-case scenario we will finish second.
So our party is not dying, forget it, it is not happening. It is not
happening under my watch, it is not going to happen under the
watch of several other people.
But the resignation of Tyler and the reported plans by Vice
President Boakai to look for another option to fulfill his political
dream it is becoming increasingly likely that the outcome of the
UP is not far from its predecessors. It is also unique that the ruling
party, political observers say, is disintegrating during their tenure
of rule, with two years left in power, and not after.

Monday, October 12, 2015

Frontpage

Page 3

FrontPage COMMENTARY
EDITORIAL OVER BOAKAIS PRESIDENCYv

LIBERIA FAR FROM

GENDER-SENSITIVITY

Its Time To Put The Brakes On

Abuse, Neglect & Trafficking
THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY on December
19, 2011 adopted Resolution 66/170, declaring October
11 each year as the International Day of the Girl Child, to
recognize girls rights and the unique challenges girls face
around the world.
IN LIBERIA LAST WEEK, a highlighted incident suggest that
the post-war nation is still lagging behind when it comes
to putting in place the right mechanisms to curb violent
trends and issues of neglect toward girls.
A SIXTEEN YEAR-OLD school girl was allegedly raped in
a house in the Old Road Community, which neighbors say
belongs to Nigerian businessman, Austin Okafor, head of
the International Insurance Company.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA REPORTED last Friday that a medical
report from Hope for Women Clinic on AB Tolbert Road in
Paynesville showed that the child was tempered with. The
girl was on her way from school on last Monday when she
encountered the driver. The young girl, in a hurry to get
home and complete her days assignment and seeing other
school children in the vehicle, said she had no fear that
something terrible would happen to her. Interestingly, the
taxicab, was marked Dwadifo Adanfo, with tinted glasses
and windshields.
DWADIFO ADANFO is a Ghanaian microfinance company
that is involved with loaning cars and other businesses.
Their vehicles are brand new and in good working
conditions, thereby enabling the taxi driver, only identified
so far as Prince, to lock the young girl in the vehicle when
all the other school kids had been dropped off.
THE SUSPECT denied the young girls request to open the
car door so that she could leave. Instead, he turned around
from the front seat, pretended that he was opening the door
for her but he did not. Instead he covered her face with a
white handkerchief before she knew it she was tied to a bed
in one room in Dr. Okafors compound, with her legs and
hands apart and he was wearing his clothes, according to
Comfort David, the girls mother. She was so weak when
he dropped her off. She could hardly walk. She called her
sister to go and get her. They called me and said there was
a family emergency. Only to go see my baby couldnt even
walk.
LIKE MOST CASES of such nature in Liberia these days,
authorities appear either ill-prepared or unwilling to deal
with the issue and continue to drag their feet when those
responsible should be brought to justice for inflicting lifelong pain to our young girls.
SEXUAL VIOLENCE WAS widespread during Liberias long
years of war. Sex was used as a weapon to create fear in
both civilian population and enemies. By the time the war
ended 75% of women had experience some kind of sexual
abuse, according to the United Nations. Doctors Without
Borders (DWB) reported in 2011 that 92% of females
treated for rape in its Liberia facilities were under 18. A
DWB study published in November said that of about 1,500
females treated in Monrovia clinics in 2008 and 2009 after
rape, four out of 10 were younger than 12. One in 10 was
younger than 5. Half of the survivors were children aged
13 years or younger and included infants and toddlers,
according to the report.
IRONICALLLY, THIS years theme is The Power of the
Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030. But as every incident,
like the one involving this little girl unfolds, it becomes
increasingly clear that achieving this 2030 goal may be
impossible.
ACCORDING TO THE UNITED NATIONS, Adolescent girls
have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not
only during these critical formative years, but also as they
mature into women.
IN LIBERIA, girls have experienced numerous difficulties
and are up against a system that has so far failed to give them
the protection they need from sexual predators, thereby
denying them the opportunity of fulfilling their potential
to change the world both as the empowered girls of
today and as tomorrows workers, mothers, entrepreneurs,
mentors, household heads, and political leaders.
THE UNITED NATIONS has called on Member States, civil
society organizations, and private sector stakeholders, to

LOFA IS RESOLVED
I
By: Robert W. Kpadeh , Contributing writer

have read and heard with consternationall sorts of

stories here in Monrovia regarding the presidential
bid of Vice president Joseph N. Boakai (the wise) on
the one hand and the resolve of the great people of
Lofa County to lend their full support on the other hand.
However notwithstanding, it doesnt come as a surprise
anywayas the Monrovian society is one that is
accustomed to cynicism, rumors, gossip, doubts and sheer
falsehood.
Besides, we are reliably aware that lazy and unproductive
politicians who have vested interest in the 2017 presidential
race but lack the intellectual ability and the political knowhow to commandeer the support of the Liberian people,
are bankrolling misfits, degenerates and renegades to
spew out verbiages and outright lies about the county and
its resolve to stand behind Boakai. But I can understand
their problemthey are fiercely strike by the Boakai
fever that erupted since his earth-moving petitioning in
Lofa, Voinjama city.
Some are heralding the view that because one or two sons
of Lofa similarly have presidential ambition comes 2017
ultimately suggest that the county is divided and Veep
Boakai does not enjoy the overwhelming support of his
countyand that Lofa is currently dogged by segmented
loyalty. This is sheer misrepresentation of the facts
obtaining in Lofa County!
So I pen this little piece to rubbish these filthy innuendoes,
infertile rumors and concocted fairytales circulated by
so called advocates for hire. As a matter of fact, such
characterization is in clear contrast to the traditional values
of Lofa and its unique citizenry as well as the enviable
customary doctrines of our great county.
Lofa remains proud of all of its great sons including the
writer of this little piece and will continue to acknowledge
and wish them well in all that they expire for in life, but the
traditional values and norms of the county take precedence
over all its citizens and no one Lofian can defy that. In
Lofa, we do not circumvent the doctrine of our tradition for
any reasonin fact, it is an abomination to do soand sons
and daughters of Lofa County know this and live it as part
of their values.
commit to putting adolescent girls at the centre of sustainable
development efforts by invest in high quality education,
skills, training, access to technology and other learning
initiatives that prepare girls for life, jobs, and leadership;
investing in health and nutrition suitable to the adolescent
years, including puberty education, menstrual hygiene
management, and sexual and reproductive health education
and services; Promoting zero tolerance against physical,
mental, and sexual violence; Enacting and consistently
implementing social, economic, and policy mechanisms to
combat early marriage and female genital mutilation;
Investing in the creation and maintenance of social and public
spaces for civic and political engagement, creativity and talent
enhancement and promoting gender-responsive legislation
and policies across all areas especially for adolescent girls
who are disabled, vulnerable and marginalized, and victims
of trafficking and sexual exploitation.
WE AGREE with the UN that the commitment by the global
community to realizing the potential of adolescent girls will
directly translate into the girls as powerful and positive
change agents for their own empowerment, for advancing
gender equality and for the sustainable advancement of their
nations.
LIBERIA CAN take a big step toward fulfilling its part of
the bargain by ensuring that predators against young girls
are prosecuted swiftly, that our girls are protected against
trafficking, that our girls can begin to feel safe going and
returning from school and that the justice system is swift in

What was witnessed during the historic and colossal

petitioning of Vice President Joseph N. Boakai clearly
represents the true value of the Lofa people. Every
segment of the county was fully represented indicating the
generality and diversity of the Lofa people rallying behind
their Son and Uncle as he contests the 2017 presidential
poll. It was not the usual stage game you see around here
because in Lofa, we do not play and settle for deceit and
machination.
The incredible and heroic turnout of Lofians that day meant
Lofa is resolved, ready and prepared to stand by their son
and Uncle and any one doubting such resolve is certainly a
sad, JOKER and I should add a big time LOSER.
The May,22,2015 momentous and massive petitioning
ceremony that the nation witnessed in Voinjama city was not
one of the regular dollarized petitioning exercises we see
around here every now and then, No, it was the expressed
will, vigor, courage, collective spirit and unbending desire
of the Lofa people shielded by rich traditional values and
dictates, hence, every Lofa citizen who is committed to the
county tradition is under obligation to respect and uphold
this decisionand that anything to the contrary, is deemed
abominable and certainly has a daring and proportional
repercussions, my father Robert Woiyee Kpadeh, a
traditionalist told me the other day.
I repeat, in Lofa, we have no place for deceit, machination,
scheming and disrespect when it comes to upholding our
sacred traditional norms and values. We are a people of
strong traditional discipline, moral decency and culturally
regimented.
So Lofa has spoken decisively and Lofa is rallied behind
Hon. Joseph Nyumah Boakai for president comes 2017
and this is a concession Lofians do not take lightly and even
the ones with different political opinions know in their
hearts that the county is wholly and surely behind Uncle
Joe. Ours now is to reach out to the other great counties
and hold a conversation with them on the need to give
Boakai, a man of peace, integrity and humility the torch in
2017so that Liberians can once more own their country.
Long live Liberia and may bless the dynamic people of
Liberia and sustain the peace of our Land!!

disseminating justice and careful in how it allows those who

abuse our young girls to escape the claws of justice.
WE MUST not allow a failed justice system to tarnish the
memories of several young girls whose lives were snatched
away before their reached the age of adolescence. Girls
like young rape survivor Olivia Zinnah who later died in
December 2012 after suffering years of pain and surgeries
following a rape.
Just last year, a 12-year-old girl was raped by an intoxicated
man in the Brewervillle community. He, like many others,
had done similar acts during the civil war as a rebel for one
of the warring factions.
THE GIRL, like many before her, was denied admission to two
nearby health centers because she was bleeding profusely
and local staff feared she had Ebola. Her family then tried
to drive her to the capital to JFK Memorial Hospital, but was
stopped at a police checkpoint because it was after curfew.
They were detained for several hours. The child died there,
roadside, in a red pickup truck.
ALL THIS IN A NATION which not so long ago celebrated
the election of its first female head of state, a nation, which
more than a century ago, celebrated becoming the first
independent African nation and a nation which so much
promise but very little to show in terms of protecting the
rights of women, particularly our young women who remain
vulnerable to hardships and neglect in a recurring nightmare
of repeated sexual attacks.

Monday, October 12, 2015

Page 4 | Frontpage

FrontPage

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB

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

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YOU WRITE; WE PUBLISH; THEY READ!

DOES EJS HAVE ULTERIOR

MOTIVES IN PUSHING FOR TRC

RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENTATION?

The Editor,

FROZEN in their tracks! With her quaint urging

that the recommendations be implemented in consideration are we going to retroactively
apply her punishment as recommended by
the TRC? Can this imply that the record of her
presidency will be nullified since she VIOLATED
the TRC's recommendations with respect to
her 30 years ban?

eports making the rounds in

the Liberian media speak of
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
encouraging our legislators
via a letter to implement the Liberian Truth
and Reconciliation Commission's (TRC)
recommendations. One can only wonder what
are the president's true intentions with this Most Liberians, like MYSELF, initially embraced
obvious politically motivated stunt.
Madame Johnson-Sirleaf because her public
relations team did a good job of deceptively
I have always held the opinion that the TRC portraying her as an educated no-nonsense
framework was wrong. The first misstep was bureaucrat who was hell-bent on transforming
the idea of the ratification of the commission's Liberia for the better. Regrettably after
report. It is my view that the commission's almost ten years of her stewardship - the truth
recommendations should have been final and regarding her competence is far stranger than
BINDING! Because of the flawed nature of the fiction! She has turned out to be woefully
TRC we are now literally compelled to cohabit INEPT, corrupt and nepotistic beyond our
with vicious murderers - men and women who imagination. Maybe as her tenure nears its end
caused irreplaceable losses in terms of lives and the palpable fear of looming prosecution
and properties to their fellow citizens
setting in, Madame Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
reckons she is still capable of pulling one last
Is the president's plea to the legislature hurrah to gloss over the colossal failure her
meant to stifle the political ambitions of presidency has been...
her perceived enemies or the president has
suddenly woken up to the stark realities of the Madame President, with a LOUD voice we are
TRC recommendations? Just what else is left in pleased to inform you that this time Liberians
Madame Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf 's bag of political will
tricks?
NOT be fooled! Your ulterior motive for
I am sure that most readers of this piece are seeking the implementation of the TRC's
aware of the fact that the TRC recommended recommendations are as CLEAR as the daylight!
that Madam Johnson-Sirleaf be banned for 30
years from politics for the role she played in Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
the Liberian civil war (one of the PRINCIPAL <bfyneah@hotmail.com>
actors). As expected, using her clout and largess,
she has been able to keep the recommendations

EDITORIAL TEAM

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

077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
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541, samwar.fallah@frontpageafricaonline.com
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gboko.stewart@frontpageafricaonline.con
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marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528
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Henry Karmo, Reporter, henry.karmo@
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frontpageafricaonline.com/0886971922

Al-varney Rogers, Reporter, al.rogers@

frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-304498
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Monday, October 12, 2015

Frontpage

Page 5

NOT FOR POOR

NOCAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING OUT OF REACH FOR ALL BUT THE RICH

Buchanan, Grand Bassaousing

units
paid
for
by
international oil
companies
and
promoted by the National Oil
Company (NOCAL) as giving
decent, affordable housing
for low income people have
ended up in the hands of
richer people. Some are even
being used as government
offices.
Front Page Africa made
the discovery as part of
an ongoing investigation
into the Corporate Social
Responsibility
projects
undertaken by NOCAL with
money made from the sale
of oil exploration rights
to major international oil
companies.
Corporate
Social
Responsibility projects are
supposed to be a means
of giving back to the local
communities
in
which
these companies operate.
But FPAs investigation has
found problems in many
of the projects. Some have
closed
after
becoming
unsustainable. In other cases,
there has been confusion
over how much money was
allotted for the project and
from where the funds would
be coming. None has been
able to provide financial
statements
detailing
expenditure to FPA, despite
governments commitment
to make oil income spending
transparent.
Grand Bassa, one of three
counties alongside Lofa and
Nimba, was to receive low
income housing. According to
the NOCAL website, in 2011
an MOU was signed between
the
National
Housing
Authority (NHA) and NOCAL
for the construction of 10
Low Cost Housing Units in
(each of) the three counties.
(Projects in Lofa and Nimba
will be visited in following
reports in this investigative
series.)
Four years later, FPA has
found the units in Buchanan
are far from being affordable.
Constructed in 2011 with
funding from NOCAL and
oversight from the NHA,
the 10 units are now being
mortgaged at US$12,000
for three bedroom units
and US$9,000 for each of
the two bedrooms units,
according to Lewis Free,
the Senior Mortgage Officer
at the NHA. (Both the NHA
and NOCAL have refused to
provide the actual amount
used for the construction of
the 10 housing units despite
repeated inquires by FPA to
officials of the two entities.)
In order to afford one of the
houses, a buyer would need
an income of US$500 and
above every month, said
Free. The most recent World
Bank report on Liberia found
that more than 9 out of every
10 Liberians live on less than
$2 a day or $60 a month.
That makes these houses out
of reach for all but the very
highest income earners in the
country.

I dont believe the houses are for the poor people, because if you make more than
US$500 in this country, you are not a poor man, Peter Twehway, tenant
Samwar S. Fallah; samwar.fallah@frontpageafricaonline.com

Look at the
walls and floors
everything
cracking. I hope in
the future they will
spend money on
a worthy cause.
Peter Twehway,
tenant
Originally, the units were
targeted at even higher
income people, said Free. At
first the units were priced
at US$14,000 for each of
the three bed rooms and
US$12,000 for the two bed
rooms but due to the low
interest from the public,
the amounts were reduced
to US$12,000 and $9,000
respectively.
To acquire a unit, a buyer
must satisfy a strict set of
requirements. You can get
any one of the units through
a mortgage arrangement
with the Liberian Bank
for
Development
and
Investment; where you have
to pay 20 percent of the total
cost upfront before entering
the payment arrangement,

Free explains.

A 20 per cent payment of
the current price means, one
wishing to acquire one of
the two bedrooms will have
to pay US$1,800 upfront
representing 20 percent of
US$9,000 while the three
bedrooms
will
require
US$2,400, representing 20
per cent of US$12,000.
Before acquiring any one of
the units, Freeman says, an
individual has to be in the
position to earn a monthly
net income of US$500 and
above before entering the
mortgage payment which
will be done through salary
deduction.
He declined to comment
on how proceeds from the
mortgage payments will be
spent or whether the money
goes to NOCAL that provided
the funding for construction.
Peter Twehway is the head
of one family that has been
able to stretch to pay for two
of the two-bedroom unit. His
family with 10 children is
living in the house but they
are struggling to keep up
with the payments.
I dont believe the houses
are for the poor people,
because if you make more
than US$500 in this country,
you are not a poor man, he

says.
Twehway, a Logistics Officer
with the National Elections
Commission of Liberia, says
it took him a long time to
raise the 20 percent upfront
payment for the two units he
and his family are currently
occupying.
It was not easy to get that 20
percent payment, it took me
long time to get it, so people
who are not working cannot
live here, he says.
With his mortgage payment
on the two units now
ongoing, Twehway says he is
facing financial constraints
and finding it difficult to
meet up with the terms of the
payment.
It is very hard. I took the
houses because my family
size is large but the monthly
deduction is causing me
serious problem, but what to
do? he added.
Twehway
says
two
individuals
who
were
occupying two of the housing
units could not live up to the
terms of the payments and
have since abandoned them.
With ordinary Liberians
unable to secure the housing
units, what was meant
for low income earners
according to NOCAL as
part of its Corporate Social

Responsibility to the people

of Grand Bassa County, has
now turned a commercial
business with government
entities now pushing to
occupy some of these units.
NHA mortgage Officer Free
says
three
government
entities are in the process
of securing three of the
units for use as their local
county offices. He named
the Forestry Development
Authority,
Ministry
of
Agriculture as agencies of
government who are almost
done with the requirement to
use the units.
After paying so much money
the Twehway family is
disappointed that there are
already problems with the
construction of the house.
Twehway points to cracks
that are running down the
walls and the floors. He says
the units were constructed
with substandard materials
including dirt, which has a
short lifespan, rather than
cement or concrete.
Cracks were obvious from the
outside of some of the other
units. The windows to some
of the units are on the verge
of falling off. Look at the
walls and floors everything
cracking, says Twehway. I
hope in the future they will

spend money on a worthy

cause.
The construction of the
housing units was funded
by NOCAL and TGS NOPEC,
according to a signboard
outside the units. TGS NOPEC
is the entity that manages the
sale of data on the oil sector
of Liberia to international oil
companies.
On why the units are now
falling apart after they were
constructed less than four
years ago, NHA Mortgage
officer Free referred FPA
to the head of the technical
Department at NHA, Mr.
Gyude Allison. Mr. Allison
refused to speak on the
matter but one NHA official
says it was a local contractor
who did the work but did
not call the name of the
contractor.
This story was produced
in
collaboration
with
the
Thomson
Reuters
Foundation/New
Narratives
Liberia
Oil
Reporting Project, which
is part of the Foundations
pan-African
programme
Wealth of Nations (wealthof-nations.org)
(http://
www.newnarratives.org)

Monday, October 12, 2015

Page 6 | Frontpage

GAME OF ALLEGATIONS
Lawmaker, Businesswoman Trade Claims
Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, alpha.senkpeni@frontpageafricaonline.com

District Four, Grand Bassa

Countyollowing a recent
accusation
by
a
business woman in
Grand Bassa that
District Three Lawmaker, Hon.
Jeh Byron Browne might have
been behind an attempted
arm robbery on her life, the
lawmaker has reacted by also
accusing the business woman.
Etta Nasser, a popular business
woman who has had stints of
political career in the county
in recent elections is again

Monroviaugustine Ngafuans
decision to resign
seem to have affected
others at the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs as President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, over
the weekend, embarked on
the dismissal of several other
government officials including
long serving Morris Dukuly.
I have had a frank and cordial
discussion with President
Johnson-Sirleaf
on
the
rationale of my decision; and
she has gracefully accepted my
resignation, Ngafuan said after
news of his resignation hit the
media; but the president who
has just returned from abroad
is firing with a double barrel
riffle with the most high profile
victim being the Minister of
Internal Affairs according to
an Executive Mansion release,
theres no reason for Dukuly
dismissal.
All cabinet ministers, deputy
and assistant cabinet ministers,
ambassadors, Ministers and
Consuls, Superintendents of
counties and other government
officials, both military and
civilian, appointed by the
President pursuant to this
Constitution shall hold their
offices at the pleasure of the
President, states Article 56 (a)
of Liberias constitution.
The departure of Ngafuan has
left widespread speculations
as the Foreign Affairs faces
audit and investigation over
the alleged mishandling of
funding provided by the
Japanese Government for
capacity building project at
the Ministry. But the former
Finance Minister in the Sirleaf
government argues that his
resignation will allow him prep
for 2017.
However, two others at the
Foreign Ministry have been
dismissed including a long
time ally of Nganfuan, Assistant
Minister for Public Affairs
Horatio Bobby Wiilie who had
also worked with the outgoing

considering a run in 2017

for the District Three seat - a
seat Hon. Browne has been
occupying since 2007.
Madam Nasser claims she and
her family narrowly escaped
an arm robbery attacked on
September 26 while en route
to Buchanan from District
#3, where she owns several
businesses.
We saw two armed men,
one jump from the left; one
jump from the right and they
got in the center of the road
and started shooting, Nasser

explained to a community
radio station couple of days
after the incident. (They
were) telling us to stop the
car you know we were not
to ourselves but we were just
driving towards them while
they were shooting.
Madam Nasser refused to
openly accused the lawmaker
but said it appears strange
that she was attacked having
plied the same route for over
four decades and had never
encountered danger while
describing the attack as the

work of her enemy.

To me I dont have problem
with my citizens; they love me
and I love them , but one and
a half month ago the honorable
of this district (Hon. Browne)
made a remark that I want
his position and if I want his
position he will put me in my
place, she said.
She continued: Im not
accusing him (Hon. Browne)
and Im not saying he was the
one that sent them but you
know to my belief, he is the
only enemy I have because my

life was threatened and after

one and a half month, armed
robbers tried to attack me, I
leave it with the district people
to decide who was behind the
whole thing.
The pair enjoyed cordial and
open friendship over the last
couple of years until Nasser
political ambition glint the
rivalry and Brownes recent
response to the allegation
against him will now further
fuel the row ahead of the
critical political year of 2017.
If she wants to gain political
sentiment from people in
the district, I think she can
use other means but not to
drag me into a political mud,
the Lawmaker said when
he recently responded via
cellular phone on a radio
station in his district which
was getting response from
him. Hon. Browne earlier told
the station that the security of
every citizen is governments
responsibility and denied
having any link with the
suspected arm robbers.
The Liberty Party lawmaker
who
has
elevated
to
prominence at the House of
Representatives in recent
years now Chair on Rules,
Order and Administration
admits that the 2017 election
will be a competition for all
political stakeholders and
those who will be aspiring for
the districts seat.

If I decide to go back to the

poll, I will have to go back to the
electorate for reelection, he
said. So nobody is threatening
my job (because) at that time
the job will only be for the
person that will be elected.
He further mentioned that the
list of aspirants/candidates is
often loaded, therefore; he said
going after a single aspirant/
candidate is baseless. So If I
kill her I will have to kill 10 to
15 persons; is that what shes
saying?
Hon.
Browne
described
the business woman-cumpoliticians
accusation
as
weak argument and called
on the Liberia National Police
to thoroughly investigate
the reported incident while
asserting that if Madam Nasser
claimed she was ambushed,
he wants the LNP to establish
evidence by accessing all the
facts.
He then expressed fear that it
might be Madam Nasser who
might be plotting against him,
Im afraid if shes not the one
who is planning evil against
me; so I hope she is not
planning against me because
when something happens to
me tomorrow, her people will
say Mrs. Nasser was missed by
armed robbers and so Byron
Browne fell in the arm bush,
he said.

EXODUS AT FOREIGN AFFAIRS

AFTER MINISTER NGFAFUANS EXIT

Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, alpha.senkpeni@frontpageafricaonline.com

May 2014. But his expression

quickly
raised
eyebrows
with several Grand Gedeans
criticizing him including Grand
Gedeh County Lawmaker Zoe
Pennue.
We are not Chicken rogue, if
Minister Dukuly as Minister of
Internal Affairs and the fifth
person in the Cabinet can stand
here and refer to the people of
Grand Gedeh as Chicken rogues
only to appease the people of
Nimba, I am disappointed,
said Representative Pennue
last year.
Accepting
Resignation

minister at the Ministry of

Finance.
Also affected are former
Lawmaker turned Chief of
Protocol, Rufus Neufville; Abu
Kamara, Assistant Minister for
Land & Rail Transport, Ministry
of Transport, Asst. Minister
for Administration, Ministry
of Post & Telecommunication,
Ms.
Margretta
GeneralSmith, Member of the Board
of Directors at the Liberia
Maritime Authority, Mr. Willard
Russell and Mr. Emmanuel
Bowier, Member of the Board
of Directors, National Port
Authority.
On-and-Of Dukuly

Mr. Dukuly, an ever-present

government
official
with
prominence in the Samuel

Doe regime, resigned from

the Sirleaf administration
as Minister for State and
Presidential Affairs in the
aftermath of a fire incident
at the Executive Mansion in
July 2006. The President was
hosting the leaders of Ghana,
Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone
when the fire broke out, but
all escaped unharmed and Mr.
Dukuly assumed responsibility
for the incident and resigned.
He resurfaced in the Sirleaf
administration
after
the
2011 election as Internal
Affair
Minister
after
reportedly serving as liaison
and media consultant for
several multimillion dollars
concession
companies
including Equatorial Palm Oil
and the Liberian Agricultural
Company (LAC).

During his second stint serving

as Internal Affair Minster,
Mr. Dukuly was drawn into
contention for his alleged role
in the controversy that led
to the suspension of Matilda
Parker, the former Managing
Director of the National
Port Authority, for allegedly
defrauding government of over
US$800,000.00.
Dukuly also came under
increasing fire for referring
to Grand Gedeans as Chicken
Rogues in an anecdote at a
peace meeting held for Grand
Gedeh and Nimba Counties in
Monrovia.
I told them that once you
are known by town members
of being a chicken rogue in a
community, you will always be
accused whenever a chicken
gets missing, Dukuly said in

Ngafuans

Meanwhile, the resignation

of one of President Sirleafs
trusted allies have sparked
mix views within the political
land scape of Liberia with
observers insinuating that
Ngafuans resignation was
wrongly timed being away
on official diplomatic duties
and resigns. But there were
counter-argument that he had
to come clear since the news
had already leaked to the press
and generating rumors. But
clearly, the speculations about
a bigger political ambition for
the former student leader was
confirmed when he released a
statement to the press.
Consistent
with
the
outcome of my reflection
and consultations, I made it
unequivocally clear about
two years ago that I did
not intend to be inactive in
the 2017 Presidential and
General
Elections,
which
depending on how it pans
out, will determine whether

our country will progress or

retrogress, the statement
said. Additionally, I have taken
keen note of provisions of an
Act of Legislature Prescribing
a National Code of Conduct
for All Public Officials and
Employees, especially Part V
on Political Participation.
Ngafuans resignation has open
debates about his successor
especially with the resignation
of several top government
officials in recent years.
Some say, the President has
limited option in appointing
the next Foreign Minister - a
high profile post also known
to be the Dean of the Liberian
Cabinet because of its vital role
in establishing diplomatic ties
internationally.
On the other hand, President
Sirleafs dismissal of two
others at the Foreign Ministry
following the acceptance of
the ministers resignation
will ignite political debate
in the coming weeks as the
ministry also faces audit and
investigation of allegedly
misappropriating a special
Japan fund. Thomas Kaydor
and Jeddi Armah were
both dismissed while the
investigation was ongoing.
It is unclear why Mr. Horatio
Booby Willie was dismissed
but speculations are mounting
that Sirleaf has fired Willie
because of his association with
the outgoing minster. Sources
say Mr. Willie is still out of
the country with Minister
Ngafuan as his dismissal was
announced.

Monday, October 12, 2015

FOCUS ON

Frontpage

Page 7

SUBSTANCE
Barnes tell Students Community
Edwin G. Genoway, Jr

(231886458910)-edwin.genoway@frontpageonline.com

I FELT PRIVILEGED

Monroviaiberias
former
Ambassador to the
United States and
the United Nations,
Nathaniel Barnes, has called
on the students community to
focus on substantive issues that
will benefit the larger Liberian
society with the student body
being no exception.
Ambassador Barnes called on
Liberian students to serve as a
light that will lead the way for
other young people in society.
Speaking at program marking
the opening of new offices of
the Liberia National Student
Union (LINSU), Ambassador
Barnes, who also served as
former
Finance
Minister
of Liberia, disclosed that
all Liberians including the
students community have
understood the dynamics of
politics in the Liberian society,
saying Liberians understand
the struggle that they are faced
with.
He called on Liberians to
be focused and change their
mentality in making decisions
for leadership and the good
of all Liberians. We must be
focused and change our nation
positively through electing
the right leadership, I know
that Liberians understand the
dynamics of politics and the
hardship they are going through
from the current leadership of
president Sirleaf, he noted.
Ambassador Barnes wonders
why Liberians keep electing
what he calls the wrong people
in offices when Liberians
themselves are in the know
of the hardship they are faced
with. Why Liberians always
make the wrong choices during
elections by electing the wrong
people in public offices? he
asked.
He said the student community
has power, urging them to
use their power to make
sound decision come 2017.
Ambassador Barnes who
served as key launcher for the
opening of the new offices
of LINSU also pledged
two laptops to the student
movement to enable enhance
its work.
Speaking earlier, the proxy
of the keynote speaker
commended the authorities

of LINSU for their efforts in

getting a new office space for
the student movement.
Stephen Johnson speaking in
place of his boss Dr. James
Kollie described the student
movement as a representative
of the ordinary Liberian that do
not have the voice to speak.
Johnson wants the student
community to come together
and play a pivotal role come
2017. He said politicians know
that the student community is
a shopping center for votes.
They will come in 2017 to
shopping, they know that
the student community is a
shopping center and they will
come with their shopping
baskets in 2017 to shopping
for votes so please shine your
eyes, he advised.
He however urged the student
community to be vigilant as
Liberia goes for election in
2017.
For his part, the President
of LINSU, Varney Jarsey
described the obtaining of the
new office as a success story
for LINSU, saying, critics
thought LINSU has been
dissolved since being out of
office for over eight months.
Those who felt that the Union
would never have office were
in error, since they took from
us our old offices on Camp
Johnson Road, we have been
out of office space for over
eight months, he said.
Jarsey noted that LINSU is
ready for action, saying, the
student movement will not
sit on the fence and see its
members struggle in their
endeavors.
He noted that LINSU is still
concern over the plights of its
members, saying it is time that
the students come together as a
unit to form a united force that
will engage the plights of all
students in Liberia. It is time
to come together and build
a fence ourselves, LINSU is
prepare to decentralize the
activities of the union, there
are so many programs we
have on our books including
our scholarship program, he
noted.
Jarsey said LINSU new office
should serve as sign to critics
that the union is still strong and
moving forward.

Journalist Decry MSF Over Ebola Treatment

Lillehammer, Norway shoka Mukpo, The

American journalist
who survived Ebola
after contracting the
deadly virus in Liberia last year
has taken the medical group
Medecins Sans Frontiers to task
over the manner in which they
handled African patients during
the deadly crisis.
Speaking at the 9th Global
Investigative
Conference
Saturday, the journalist frowned
on the Doctors Without Border
policy of not using blood
transfusion procedure in which
blood from survivors proven to
be an effective Ebola treatment.
Mukpo was on assignment
in Liberia as a freelance
photographer for NBC when
he himself contracted Ebola
in October 2014. He survived
thanks to fast treatment at

hospitals in Liberia and the US.

Mukpo paid homage to Dr. Jerry
Brown who he says had a higher
rate of curing people afflicted
with the virus by using the
transfusion, than MSF but did
not get the attention the western
medical staff like MSF received.
As a western journalist I felt
privileged, Mukpo told the
session on Investigating Health:
Ebola at the GCIJ 2015.
The journalist lamented that the
MSF treatment center was not
there to keep alive but to isolate
people.
Journalist Rosemary Nwaebuni
from
Nigerias
Pointer
Newspaper focused on her
coverage of Nigeria and Ebola:
The Success Story detailing
how Nigeria, Liberias regional
neighbors put in place alert and
tracking system which proved
pivotal in keeping the virus from

spreading after Patrick Sawyer,

a Liberian-American took the
virus to Lagos.
In contrast, FrontPageAfrica
Editor-in-Chief Rodney Sieh
said although Liberia eventually
went on to defeat the virus, it
was not without challenges.
Doctors initially did not know
how to handle the disease and
the challenges of reporting Ebola
at the peak of the crisis was
enormous for local journalists
who had to brave the storm
without PPEs, gloves and other
protection to bring the stories to
readers eager for updates on the
epidemic.
Mr. Sieh also said denial,
doubts, uncertainty and the
lack of ambulances to transport
suspected cases to hospital and
treatment centers was a major
reason why the virus spread
initially.

He slammed authorities for not

putting in place a system to
keep track of items donated by
the international community
and funding made available
by both the government and
international stakeholders to
bring the epidemic to a halt. "One
lawmaker said Ebola was a made
up thing for the government to
eat money but when the money
came in, no one was willing to
make account.
The epidemic started in West
Africa in December 2013 and
the mortality rate among infected
patient groups was as high as 70
percent in countries like Liberia,
Sierra Leone and Guinea. Almost
two years later more than 11.000
people has succumbed to the
virus, and the epidemic has had
severe consequences in countries
affected.

ELECTION
IS
LIFE
AND
DEATH
Liberian Opposition Figure, Freeman Cautions
Edwin G. Genoway, Jr (231886458910)-edwin.genoway@fronpageonline.com

Buchanan Grand Bassa Countyne of Liberias top

politicians, Simeon
Freeman of the
Movement
for
Progressive Change (MPC), has
described the electoral process
in Liberia as a matter of life and
death.
He said the people of Liberia
take risk and elect people who
do not have love for the country
and at the end result, leaders use
the power given by the people
against the very people who
elected them in office.
Freeman said Liberia is at a
crossroad that needs a critical
person to deliver the country
from
currently
divesting

economy.
He said politicians in Liberia
have a life span. And so you
notice one politician serves
in one government and a new
government comes up and he or
she is not successful in getting
a slot in the first part of that
government, he or she becomes
liability of the state, he said.
He added Sometimes you
wonder when you see former
government officials getting
in taxi or fighting for car, it is
because that official or officials
no longer get free gas coupons,
no free car for transportation, no
free generator to their houses,
what you get from such exofficials is the constant visitation

to the home of the president, sing

praises to the power that be and
at the end of the day you see
them reappearing in government
like a mineral water plastics. And
so you see the same group of
politicians are being recycled in
government and then you called
them the big people; they are not
the big people, they are the group
of exploiters you have enabled
by your silence, he noted.
Freeman said in Liberia the locals
are noted for enabling crooks to
take state power to exploit from
the Liberian economy.
He said Liberians usually set
criteria that crook politicians use
to pass through to exploit the
nation resources. If a person is
a political leader of a political
party, that political leader is
expected to provide food and
clothing for the people; we set
the criteria that let crooks to
pass through. So if that man
was government official and full
upright criminal, you make the
person a president, forgetting
to know that the money the
person brought to you, he stole
it from you. In essence, you
have forgone development. In
other words, you tell politicians
give me now when you get there

tomorrow you will eat yours, he

explained.
He said leadership in Liberia
should not be decided by
politicians, saying, civil society
groupings should investigate
politicians and political parties
and decide who take leadership
by informing the people properly.
What I want the civil society
to do is to tell the US Embassy,
USAID and other international
groupings that you want conduct
a civic education for electorates
as to who Liberians want after
their evaluation of politicians,
he noted.
He urged Liberians not to give
ears to lying politicians who
normally say America does not
want Liberia to be developed.
How can a country like America
who does not want Liberia to be
developed provide millions of
dollars for our development?
Our corrupt leaders have their
own corrupt system that need
to be solved and stop blaming
America, he noted.
The MPC political leader spoke
at program marking the induction
ceremony of officers elect of the
Bassa Youth Caucus (BYC) held
at the Fair Ground in Buchanan
Grand Bassa County.

Page 8 | Frontpage

Monday, October 12, 2015

Monday, October 12, 2015

Frontpage

Page 9

Page 10 | Frontpage

Monday, October 12, 2015

Republic of Liberia
Civil Service Agency
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (REOI)
Testing Consultant Firm
EOI NO: CSA/SG/TC/10/15
IDA GRANT ID: TF 010792
REQUEST OF EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
The government of Liberia (GOL) through the Civil Service Agency (CSA) has
received a grant from the International Development Association (IDA) for
Strengthening Governance-Civil Service Reform Capacity Building Project
(CSRCBP). The Civil Service Agency intends to apply part of the proceeds
of this grant to eligible payments under the contract for hiring a Testing
Consultant Firm to develop new Civil Service Tests that will reflect Regional
and international Standards and meet the requirement of the CSA.

The CSA administers sixty-nine qualifying tests to individuals desirous of

entering the service. Most of these tests have been administered for more
than twenty years and need urgent revision to reflect the changing realities of
the social, economic and technological environment which the public service
has undergone since the development of these tests.
OBJECTIVES OF THIS CONSULTANCY, to:
Under take the revision of existing Civil Service Entrance Test that are
currently administered by the CSA,
Develop new test as necessary and,
Develop and execute a capacity building plan to train staff of the CSA to
undertake similar tasks in the future.

This assignment is estimated to cover approximately 100-staff day over 150

calendar days. The start date of the assignment will be no later than seven (7)
days upon the signing of the contract.

The Civil Service Agency now invites eligible Consulting Firms to indicate
their interest in providing this service. Interested Consultants must provide
information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services by
submitting their detailed information (brochures, past performance records,
references of similar assignments executed in the recent past). They must also
provide description of work both general and on similar assignment. Specific
experience on World Bank founded projects will be an added advantage.
The short listing criteria are:

Experience in undertaking similar assignments and number of years in

business;
Experience in working with the World Bank and/or Donor-funded Projects;
Technical and Managerial Organization of the firm;
Availability of competent staff with relevant qualification and experience to
undertake the assignment;
Experience developing civil service tests in the Sub-Sahara Africa Region.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the
World Banks Guidelines: Selection and employment of Consultants under
IBRD loans and IDA credits and grants by World Bank Borrowers (January
2011). (Consultant Guidelines), setting from the World Banks policy on
conflict of interest. Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of
a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications.
A Consultant firm will be selected with the procedures set out in the World
Banks Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank
Borrowers. Selection is based on the Consultants Qualification (CQS) as set
out in Consultant Guidelines (May 2014, Revised October 1, 2006, May 1,
2010 & January 2011).
Interested Consultants may obtain further information at the address below
during office hours from 09:00 and 17:00hours, Mondays to Fridays.

Expression of interest must be delivered in a written form clearly marked:

Ref: Testing Consultant of the CSRCBP, at the address below in person or
by mail or by email on or before 16 Friday, October at 17:00hours.
The Project Coordinator
Civil Service Reform and Capacity Building Project
Civil Service Agency
63 Carey Street, Monrovia, Liberia
Email:publicsectormodernizationcsa@gmail.com
Attention: The Project Coordinator-CSRCBP

PREQUALIFICATION OF SUPPLIERS
FOR GOODS AND SERVICES FOR
YEAR 2015 TO 2017
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Liberia
National Red Cross Society invites applicants from interested firms (including current
suppliers) for prequalification for the supply of goods and services to the organisation
for the year 2015 to 2017 as follows:

RC/001/15-17 Category 1: - Provision of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors.

RC/002/15-17 Category 2: - Provision of Building & Civil Consultancy services.
RC/003/15-17 Category 3: - Borehole Drilling, equipping & electromechanical works.
RC/004/15-17 Category 4: - Provision of Refined Petroleum , gasoline and Diesel
RC/005/15-17 Category 5: - Supply of Water & Sanitation Equipment.
RC/006/15-17 Category 6: - Supply of Relief Food Items.
RC/007/15-17 Category 7: - Supply of Agricultural Inputs.
RC/008/15-17 Category 8: - Supply of Agricultural Tools & Equipment.
RC/009/15-17 Category 9: - Supply of Relief Non-food Items.
RC/010/15-17 Category 10: - Supply of General Hardware Supplies.
RC/011/15-17 Category 11: - Supply and Hire of Audio & Audio Visual Equipment.
RC/012/15-17 Category 12: - Supply & Maintenance of Communication Equipment.
RC/013/15-17 Category 13: - Supply and Maintenance of Refrigeration Equipment.
RC/014/15-17 Category 14: - Supply, Installation and Maintenance of Alternative
Energy.
RC/015/15-17 Category 15: - Supply, Installation & Maintenance of Generators.
RC/016/15-17 Category 16: - Supply of Computers, Printers & Accessories.
RC/017/15-17 Category 17: - Supply of General Office Stationery.
RC/018/15-17 Category 18: - Supply of Office Furniture, Equipment and Accessories.
RC/019/15-17 Category 19: - Supply of Uniforms and Jerseys.
RC/020/15-17 Category 20: - Supply of Printed Office Stationery.
RC/021/15-17 Category 21:- Hotel, accommodation, catering and conference facilities
Provision
RC/022/15-17 Category 22: - Provision of fully furnished apartments
RC/023/15-17 Category 23: - Supply and production of Printed Promotional Materials.
RC/024/15-17 Category 24: - Supply of Pharmaceutical Products.
RC/025/15-17 Category 25: - Supply of Medical Equipment & Surgical Supplies (Non
Pharmaceuticals).

RC/026/15-17 Category 26: - Provision of Car Rental, Lease and Taxi Services.
RC/027/15-17 Category 27: - Supply of Transportation Services
RC/028/15-17 Category 28: - Supply of Lubricants, Oils, Batteries & Consumables for

Motor Vehicles and Motor Cycles.
RC/029/15-17 Category 29: - Waste Collection, treatment and disposal activities for

hazardous and non-hazardous items.
RC/030/15-17 Category 30: - Motor Vehicle and Motor Cycle Service and Maintenance
(GARAGE).
RC/031/15-17 Category 31: - Provision of Travel Agency Services.
RC/032/15-17 Category 32: - Provision of Insurance and Brokerage Services.
RC/033/15-17 Category 33: - Provision of Clearing and Forwarding Services.
RC/034/15-17 Category 34: - Provision of Security Services.
RC/035/15-17 Category 35: - Provision of Multi Media Services.

Interested and eligible firms can obtain a complete set of documents containing detailed
information on the Prequalification criteria from the physical address hereunder during
office hours from 9.00am to 4.00pm between Monday and Friday except during lunch
time 1.00PM to 2.00PM.
A complete set of the Pre-Qualification document under each category may be purchased
upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Twenty Dollars per set (USD 20/=) in cash.
Complete set of documents sealed in a plain envelope and clearly marked
Prequalification of Suppliers for the Year 2015/17 and indicating Serial No..,
Category Description. , Category No. should be submitted to the address below
or deposited into procurement department at the LNRCS Headquarters on 107 Lynch
Street.

The Tender Committee

IFRC and LNRCS
107 Lynch Street, Monrovia, Liberia

The closing date for submission is 23rdOctober, 2015 by 10:00 am. Documents
submitted after the closing date and time may be rejected.

READY TO SERVE
Monday, October 12, 2015

Frontpage

Uncle Zeh Laundry and Dry Cleaning Services Relocated With pledge for better services
By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr (231886458910)-edwin.genoway@frontpageonline.com

Monroviahe management of
one Liberias best
laundry, Uncle Zeh
Laundry and Dry
Cleaning Services has informed
the Liberian public that the
laundry has been relocated
from its old Crown Hill Broad

street office to the intersection

of UN Drive and Center Street
at back of the Ministry of Public
Works.
The Management team headed
by the Laundry Supervisor,
Madam Joyce Harding told
FrontPageAfrica
interview
Sunday that the relocation of

their office has changed nothing

from the company, saying all of
her customers will be notified
about their relocation.
She noted that the company
still provides better services
to its customers as it has been
doing since the opening of the
laundry in September 2014.

She however encouraged her

customers to not go to the old
office as the laundry is being
relocated and accessible like
the old place.
I love for my customers to
know that Uncle Zeh laundry
and Dry Cleaning has been
relocated from Broad Street to

and
technical
services
performed on behalf of these
companies, as well as royalty
payments for the use of the
MTN brand. In Ghana, these
payments accounted for more
than 9% of the turnover of the
company.
African journalists in Ghana,
Nigeria and Uganda working
with
Finance
Uncovered
discovered that 55% of
management and technical
fee payments are directed
towards MTN International, a
company based in Mauritius.
The Mauritius company has no
staff and is little more than a
post box. The remaining 45%
was routed to MTN Dubai,
where the company employs
115 staff who provide shared
services to the group.
MTN told reporters that MTN
International
remunerates
companies in South Africa
for management services
performed on behalf of the
company. They were unable
to answer why the payments
were made to Mauritius first.
Company
documents
published by MTN said that
money in MTN Mauritius
was used to repay external
debts of the MTN group and
dividends, rather than pay for
management services.
But after further questions
were put to MTN, the company
was forced to admit that not all
of the revenue was passed onto
South Africa. The company
refused to disclose how much
it kept in Mauritius.
The company said that MTN I

is resident in South Africa for

tax purposes and the Mauritian
entity gives no tax benefit to
the company.
MTN in Africa
Our revelations are particularly
sensitive given the sheer size
of MTN. The South African
listed firm is the largest cell
phone company in Africa
with 227,503,000 subscribers
worldwide. Almost one in four
mobile phones in Africa are
part of the MTN network a
total of 161m.
This means MTN is the
largest company in many
of the countries in which it
operates. It is also frequently
one of the largest taxpayers
in African countries so they
are particularly vulnerable to
profit shifting by the company.

An
agreement
between
the Ghanaian Investment
Promotion Centre and the
company that allowed the
management fees to be paid
expired in 2013 and payments
have been frozen. MTN is
currently negotiating a new
agreement with GIPC.

MTN FINANCE UNCOVERED: CELL PHONE

GIANT SHIFTS BILLIONS OFFSHORE

rom
Finance
Uncovered, a TJNfounded project, a
press release about
a story that is (among other
things) front page of South
Africas influential Mail &
Guardian newspaper.
Finance Uncovered reveals
how Africas biggest cell phone
firm shifts billions offshore
The Finance Uncovered global
network
of
investigative
reporters have today published
a cross-border investigation
into South African telecoms
giant MTN exposing how
billions of rand from its
subsidiaries in Ghana, Nigeria
and Uganda have been shifted
to a shell company in the small
island tax haven of Mauritius.
The two year investigation
spanning five countries was
published today in South
Africas Mail and Guardian, the
Ugandan Observer and Ghana
Business News.
A report in Nigeria will follow
shortly.
MTNs Offshore Payments
The reporting team discovered
MTN
revenue
producing
companies operating in Ghana,
Nigeria, Uganda and Cote
dIvoire made substantial
payments
to
offshore
companies in Dubai and
Mauritius. These payments
were counted as a cost of
business for the operating
companies, lowering their
profits and potential tax bill.
The enormous sums were
purportedly for management

Game over?
Our
investigation
has
established that a number
of African countries have
now challenged the offshore
payments made by MTN.
Authorities in Nigeria and
Ghana have frozen payments
and the Ugandan Revenue
Authority have placed a large
tax bill on the company for
management fees paid over a 6
year period.

Ghana
Scancom, MTNs subsidiary in
Ghana, paid 758m Cedi (Rand
3.7bn, $401m) in management
and technical fees to MTN
Dubai between 2008 and 2013
equivalent to 9.64% of the
companys revenue.

Uganda
MTN Uganda paid 3% of
turnover in management fees
between 2003 and 2009 to
MTNI in Mauritius. The Uganda
Revenue Authority issued MTN
with a notice of assessment
in 2011. This was for a number
of tax issues between 2003
and 2009, but a large portion
was to do with a dispute over
management fees. The total tax
bill from the URA was R467m
($69m).

Nigeria
In 2013 the company disclosed
that it had paid R2.5bn
($562m) in fees to MTN Dubai
between 2010 and 2013. The
company made this disclosure
because the fee payments
had been reversed following
a failure to come to a new
agreement on management
fees with Nigerian regulators.
Despite these fees being paid
to MTN Dubai, MTN confirmed
to us that these fees are then
on-paid to MTNI in Mauritius
and that MTNI Mauritius is the
ultimate beneficiary of the
fees.
Cote dIvoire
MTN has confirmed to us that

the intersection of UN Drive

and Center Street, effectively
Monday October 12, 2015 at
7:30AM we will begin operation
at our new office, we encourage
our customers to still come
as usual, they shouldnt say
because we relocated and
they want to wait, no let them

the company paid 12bn West

African Francs in 2012 and
14bn West African Francs
(Rand 512.9m, $55.53m) in
2013 in management fees to
MTNI. The figure for 2013
is equivalent to 5% of the
revenue made by MTN in Cote
dIvoire.
The reporting team
Finance Uncovered is a global
network of journalists from
over 55 countries across the
globe. This investigation was
undertaken by Craig Mckune
of ama Bhungane in South
Africa, George Turner and
Nick Mathiason from Finance
Uncovered in London, Francis
Koktuse in Ghana, Emmanuel
Mayah in Nigeria and Jeff
Mbanga in Uganda.
Finance Uncovered is a

Page 11

come we are still operating

without delay, we are still on
time, we still provide better
services than any laundry and
dry cleaning entity in Liberia,
our equipment are the best in
Liberia and we are here to make
Liberia proud by providing
services up to international
standard, she explained.
The 'Uncle Zeh Laundry and
Dry Cleaning Services, the best
cleaner in town is now opened
in two locations in town to
provide the best services
using up-to-date machines for
laundry.
Uncle Zeh is located in
Kebbah, Bardnersville and the
intersection of UN Drive and
Center Street with a minivan to
facilitate its services of picking
up and delivering to customers
regardless of distances.
Management said all charges
are at the level of the Liberians
and are affordable. According
to supervisor Joyce Harding
all machines are world classed
which were imported from
the United States of America
and are used at every laundry
worldwide.
Visiting the facility at the
washing
plant
yesterday
Sunday October 11, 2015, it
was observed that Uncle Zeh
has washers, dry cleaning
machines, trousers pressers,
spot removers, boiler which
provides steam in the entire
facility, two big vans for
pickups and delivery services,
among others.
It was also observed that the
majority of the employees at
Uncle Zeh are females and
accommodating.

reporting and training project

equipping journalists and
campaigners
around
the
world with practical skills
to investigate illicit financial
flows. In two years we have
trained
122
journalists,
campaigners and academics
from 54 countries. Find our
website here.
Dollar
calculations
were
made by using the Rand/
Dollar conversion rate on
31st March 2013 for the
figures from Nigeria, Ghana
and Cote dIvoire. For Uganda
the conversion date was
31st March 2011. The Rand
conversions
from
local
currencies were made using
the relevant conversion rate
for each year that payments
were made.

Monday, October 12, 2015

Page 12 | Frontpage

RURAL GRAND BASSA COMMUNITY

GETS NEW CLINIC

Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, alpha.senkpeni@frontpageafriconline.com

Zondo Town, Grand Bassa

County
he people of Zondo,
District
Four,
applauded
when
outgoing Grand Bassa
Superintendent,
Etweeda
Cooper cut the ribbon to
officially dedicate a newly
built clinic in their area. Health
practitioners in the county
say the clinic will help eased
maternal and child death in the
very remote area.
International
NGO,
AmeriCares, is credited for
completing the project which
began in 2012 with over
US$122,000.00 spent from the
County Development Funds,
even though the project was far
from completion. AmeriCares
later modified the facility for
special health services like
child and maternal care.

New YorkSAID
Senior
Coordinator
for
Gender
Equality
and
Women's
Empowerment
Susan
Markham says targeting
women
in
violence
extremism must be prioritize
by the world.
She recommended that The
U.S. National Action Plan on
Women, Peace and Security
(NAP) is one of the most
critical policies in supporting
womens leadership and
participation in efforts to
combat, reduce and prevent
terrorism
and
violent
extremism.

Speaking over the weekend

at the dedication of the clinic,
the head of Grand Bassa Health
Team (BaCHT), Dr. Joseph
Kerkula said the clinic is a little
bit of what the community has
been yearning for. He described
AmeriCares partnership with
BaCHT as a unique partnership
and promised that the facility
will be managed properly.
AmeriCares is one of our
partners doing so well and
we want to appreciate them
for that, he said, adding that
the NGO is working with three
health care centers including
the Liberian Government
Hospital in Buchanan. The
main focus is that we dont
want the big belly and the
small children to be dying
without attention.
AmeriCares Grand Bassa
Program
Manager,
Servit

Said Markham: Not only was

it reflective of UNSCR 1325s
focus on agency by involving
women in all areas of relief
and recovery, prevention
and protection but it is
also meant to incorporate
the terms of other critical
resolutions
on
women
peace and security including
UNSCR 1820, addressing
rape as a weapon of war.
The
USAID
Gender
Coordinator added that
women have a unique
and, until recently, largely
untapped role to play in CVE,
mothers play an important
role in their childrens early
education, so they must be

Kassa said the NGO focuses

on improving access to
maternal and child health care
services and will continue to
support the clinic in providing
quality services for mothers
and children. He praised
the community leaders and
women for their partnership
and promised to continue
working to strength the county
health system.
Also, the Liberian Agriculture
Company Hospital which is in
close proximity with the Zondo
community has promised to
work closely with the clinic
staff as the first line of advice
for the delivery of health
services.
Dr. Jean Macheyo said BaCHT
approached the hospital to
help provide the supervisory
role. We will try to be the first
line of advice before they can

organize to go to Buchanan
because part of our corporate
social responsibility is to help
the communities, Dr. Macheyo
said.
Zondo, remotely located in
Gianda Chiefdom in District
#4, has over the last couple
of years experienced series of
maternal deaths due to lack of
hospital in the area.
With this clinic, at least we
will be able to carry pregnant

women who are ready to give

birth when we are not able to
deliver them, a traditional
midwife, Watchine Kwannah,
said through an interpreter.
And a paramount chief,
Stephen Barlingar said the
clinic is a victory for their
community, while another
chief, William Grabo called on
his people to be cooperative
and work to help maintain the
clinic.

US ACTION PLAN FOCUSED ON

WOMEN IN VIOLENT EXTREMISM
Interest and awareness have grown regarding the non-traditional role women play in perpetuating
violent extremism- including as fighter, recruiter, perpetrator and facilitator. Susan Markham

Bettie K. Johnson/ betty.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

Vacancy
eHealth Systems Africa is a non-governmental organization
(NGO) dedicated to improving health care in developing
countries through strengthening health workers and the
systems that support them. eHealth Africa Liberia work
towards this goal by creating sustainable eHealth and mHealth
systems, providing technology infrastructure, performing
training and capacity building workshops, publishing
research on our work in Africa, and by providing consulting
and support for other organizations working on health care
in Africa.

eHealth Africa Liberia is now seeking to recruit qualify,

competent, hard working and committed Liberians and
Expats with integrity for the positions below:
1. Finance Manager
2. Procurement Officer
3. Program Manager
4. Project Manager
5. Procurement Specialist
6. Deputy Country Director
7. Drivers (3 positions)

Please apply through the below link:

http://ehealthafrica.theresumator.com/apply

Applications Deadline: COB, October 14, 2015

eHealth Africa Liberia seriously encourages qualified females

applicants.
Sign:
Aaron Taylor,
Communications & Media Officer

We hope other communities

in this Grand Bassa County will
also benefit from this same
clinic project, he said.
The
district
lawmaker,
Robertson Siaway emphasized
the need for the community to
take ownership of the health
facility and promise to award
portion of his scholarships
at the countys community
college to students who are
studying nursing.

engaged to help build and

sustain resilience outside of
formal schooling.
Beyond their roles in a
family, women are members
and often leaders of their
communities, their influence
as communicators, educators,
entrepreneurs,
members
of the security sector, faith
leaders and practitioners
gives them unique access and
nuanced perspectives about
local vulnerabilities, she
said.
Markham continued: Weve
seen women develop early
warning
and
response
networks, build relationships
with law enforcement or
serve as police, and bridge
divisions
across
their
communities as a tool to
prevent violence.
The
USAID
Gender
coordinator further disclosed

that women have a number

of other complex roles to play
around violent extremism,
many of which they are yet to
understand.
She added that USAID is
mindful of the existing gap
in research on gender and
CVE and the United States
is taking concrete steps to
address it by investing in
research geared toward
developing and refining the
inclusive tools that make the
world safer.
In addition to academic
research, community-wide
engagement through civil
society, religion, and other
methods is critical for better
understanding the diverse
push and pull factors that
radicalize women and men
to violence, and the diverse
ways women and men are
working together to counter

violent
extremism
said
Susan.
She added that the Security
Council resolutions have
strengthened
several
tools, including Resolution
2178, which focuses on the
emerging threat posed by
foreign terrorist fighters and
calls directly for the need
to empower women as a
prevention response to the
spread of violent conflict.
One of the biggest challenges
we face today are the silos
that we have created around
different women, peace and
security related activities, the
US Government staff in one
area focus on humanitarian
assistance to address the
immediate
crisis,
while
others focus on short or
medium-term security sector
interventions, and still others
work on political transition,

governance, and the longerterm development needs

we hope will help build
resilience to fragility, conflict,
and extremism in the future.
While these silos are clear,
how to move beyond them
is not always obvious, she
stated.
The USAID Coordinator
added that the U.S. NAP
and the subsequent USAID
Implementation Plan (2012)
are an integral part of the
Agencys architecture for
advancing gender equality
and female empowerment.
They both serve as USAIDs
roadmap
for
advancing
the
empowerment
and
protection of women and
girls in crisis and conflict
situations, including the full
spectrum of its prevention,
response, recovery, and
transition efforts. USAID is
one of three USG leading
agencies responsible for the
implementation of the NAP
along with our colleagues
at the Department of State,
Department of Defense, and
with close collaboration
with external stakeholders
and civil society, who
share our commitment in
implementing the core 1325
objectives.
She disclosed that 2015
marks the first review and
update to the U.S. National
Action Plan for Women,
Peace and Security and
the 15th Anniversary of
1325, It presents a unique
opportunity to evaluate and
build on our progress in
integrating WPS objectives
across the full spectrum of
crisis and conflict prevention,
response, recovery, and
transition efforts.

DRUGS SCANDAL
Monday, October 12, 2015

Frontpage

Twelve Suspended at National Drugs Service for 300K Missing Medical Supplies

Monroviahe health sector of

Liberia is one of the
highly
supported
by
international
institutions but the reality on
the ground looks different with
people dying from common
diseases due to the lack of
essential drugs at health
facilities across the country.
In early September, officers
of the Drugs Enforcement
Agency arrested a truck which
was alleged to be carrying
consignment of essential drugs
and supplies on its way across
the border allegedly to Guinea.
The National Drugs Service
(NDS) the entity that manages
drugs and other supplies was
accordingly alerted by the DEA
about the arrested consignment
of drugs but the entity Managing

Director Beyan Johnson is

said to have expressed lack of
knowledge about any drugs and
missing supplies.
According to an update on the
investigation surrounding the
impounded truck loaded with
essential supplies, the Managing
Director of NDS on September
3 informed the Ministry of
Health about an attempted theft
incident of essential drugs and
medical supplies after initially
declaring that he had no
knowledge of missing supplies.
Investigation
established
that ten (10) essential drugs
and medical supplies were
identified from the 146 cartoons
confiscated by the DEA valued
US$50,000.
Over US$300K drugs missing
Further investigation gathered

that there were missing essential

drugs at United National
Children
Education
Fund
(UNICEF) supported warehouse
valued at US$324,622.
There is also report of missing
items from the newly rented
UNICEF
warehouse
value
at:
US$72,833.
Additional
US$151,789 essential medicines
is also reported missing/not
registered in NDS Inventory
records. The total value is
US$324,622 stated the report.
As
the
investigation
continues in the missing huge
consignment of essential drugs,
the Ministry of Health has
acted by suspending several
individuals at the NDS including
the Managing Director.
In a letter dated October 2,
Deputy Health Minister for
Administration, Mr. Edward B.

Tolbert ordered the suspension

of Mr. Beyan Johnson, Managing
Director of the NDS as
investigation continues.
Stated the letter I present
my compliments and hasten
to,
through
this
letter,
communicate the decisions
of Ministry of Health, parent
institution of the National
Drugs Service (NDS) to suspend
your employment services with
the NDS/MOH with immediate
effect pending the outcome
of ongoing investigations into
disappearances of drugs and
other alleged improprieties at
the NDS.
According to the letter, Deputy
Minister Tolbert indicated that
the decision to suspend was
also based on complaints from
institutions including partners
about
disappearance
of

essential drugs donated to the

NDS or placed under the care of
the entity.
The letter continued The
Ministry has over the past
weeks
received
several
complaints from institutions
including partners alleging
disappearances of essential
drugs donated or procured
and placed under your care
at the NDS. As you are aware,
donors (partners) of those
drugs and the Ministry are
deeply concerned about these
negative developments at the
NDS. Accordingly, the Ministry
has commissioned an inventory
of all items at the NDSs
warehouses and is also working
with the Liberia National Police
to establish culpability for drugs
confiscated on a truck allegedly
headed for Guinea.

Page 13

Deputy
Minister
Tolbert
indicated that the Ministry is
exerting efforts to establish
culpabilities for the aforesaid
loss of government properties
under the watchful eye of the
NDS and is looking forward to
the fullest cooperation with the
suspended NDS MD.

Eleven more suspended

On October 7, Deputy Minister
Tolbert also ordered the
suspension of eleven more
employees of the NDS in line
with the investigation.
Deputy Minister Tolbert in a
memorandum to the eleven
employees stated This memo
communicates the decision
of Ministry of Health, parent
institution of the National Drugs
Service (NDS), to suspend your
employment services with the
NDS/MOH with immediate
effect pending the outcome
of ongoing investigations into
disappearances of drugs and
other alleged improprieties at
the NDS.
The eleven suspended are:
David E. Reeves, Procurement
Manager; Tomy Y. Nyenwapolu,
Logistics Coordinator; Wilfred
G. Peter, Acting Finance Officer;
Johnny Fayiah, Senior Logistics
Officer; William Farnga, Senior
Accountant, Abrose Fartomah,
Warehouse
Supervisor,
Jannie Seepo, Cyclical Clerk,
Dennis Williams, Warehouse
Supervisor;
Alfred
Tokpa,
Warehouse Supervisor; Rebina
S. Bono, Supervisor, Data
Analyst and Bryant Paymah,
Information Technologist.

EXHIBIT LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL

I
Salala, Bong Countyn commemoration of the
International Day of the
Girl child, the Country
Director of the Cummings
Foundation Fatu Gbendema
has urged girls of Salala District
in Bong County to exhibit some
leadership potentials and skills
in their various communities.
She said though the society
has placed cultural barriers
between men and women by
considering women to belong
at home and do chores and
take care of the siblings while
the boys go to school, it is time
girls stand up to the challenge
and break the barrier.
Notwithstanding,
she
acknowledged
that
even
being home to take care and
do chores is a responsibility
of managing the homes, the
economic and nutrition of
the homes which could even
help girls in shaping them for
tomorrows challenge of being
good leaders.
According to the Cummings
Foundation head, if a girl
can better manage her home
she stands a better chance of
becoming potential leader for
the nation.

- Cummings Foundation Country Director Urges Liberian Girls

Massa F. Kanneh-Dorley masskanneh@yahoo.com or 0886848625

Said
Director
Gbedema;
Liberia rising is about young
people, and the first thing
is about knowing one self.
Women are the ones who
uphold the law you are going
to be a mother to mold them so
that is being leader.
She added that the girls in
Bong County should not think
that excellence is with only
the people who live in the city
but those outside can even do

better.
Madam Gbedema told the girls
that it is good to be hardheaded
but in the most positive ways
that could change their life for
the good, adding that the skill
training the girls are benefiting
from BOSH BOSH today must
have been a difficult start
and some had to defy odds to
accomplish what they have
accomplished today.
There
are
so
much
possibilities in you, and I
want to say it is good to be
hardheaded, but in the right
way Madam Gbedema said.
Stating her own experience
Gebedema said at 8 years old
her mother taught her how to
bake cake and at fourteen she
was given a sewing machine
just to keep her busy and
to have some skills besides
formal education.
She said she had always
wanted to be like the other
girls at St. Theresa Convent

the School she attended, so her

mother reminded her that she
would give her the materials
she needed to make cakes and
generate her own money for
launch and other things she
wanted so much.
BOYS NEED ATTENTION

Madam Gbedema noted that

although she is promoting
the education of the girls but
equally so it is incumbent
upon the society to also pay
attention to the boys for if a girl
is educated highly, she would
not want to marry a man who
is at a low level in terms of
education.
Also speaking at the program
was 27-year old Liberian
woman Entrepreneur Pandora
Hodge the owner of Pandoras
Basket
in
Sinkor
who
encouraged the young ladies to
take education seriously.
Madam Hodge said Education

is not just about going to school

and getting the diploma is a
big question that she always
asked.
She said as young as 14 she
had to fend for herself most
especially to keep herself in
school when her parents could
not afford.
Madam Hodge said besides
education there are lots of
things that young girls can do
for their upkeep rather than
getting in the street.
She observed that most girls
think that they do not have
the confidence to achieve their
desire.
There are lots of opportunity
for women, the challenges
faced by girls is that lack
of self-identity and selfconfidence. As girls you have
to learn how to be yourselves
but not to imitate others, or if
you wants to be like someone
else it should always be in the
positive ways Hodges said.
BOSH BOSH is an American
founded Institution that has
existed since 2012 and is
involved with an after school
activities of providing skill
training to school going girls in
Salala Bong County.
The
program
manager
Victoria
Mountford
told
FrontPageAfrica that a Peace
Corps volunteer Charlene
Espinoza who had worked
with the Martha Tubman High
School in Salala for a number
of years realized that that
the girls were not attending
schools.
Program Manager Mountford
said at the early age of the

kindergarten
there
are
more girls attending but as
they advance the lesser the
enrollment of girls, therefore
the organization is financing to
keep their girls in school.
She said most of the girls in
that area would rather go to
sell in the markets or go with
their parents on the farms.
In a brief overview of the
program, she added that the
entity started up with a small
number of girls and with little
support, unlike today the
community now considers the
institution as their own, and
the girls are showing interest
in learning.
Mountford institution has 20
employees 70 percent of whom
are women and 22 female
scholars.
Mountford said the institution
stays with the girls until
graduation from high school.
Female empowerment is
needed because one it is a
global issue and the women in
Liberia problems exacerbate
by day, there are many
challenges the women facing
in Liberia so, some challenges
the women face are I like to say
economic, sexual exploitation
all of the different things,
access to education, access to
employment opportunity and
the list goes on, she noted
She continued The biggest
reason why BOSH BOSH is
here because we think that to
empower girls is to provide
skill training for them.
The products produced by the
girls are send to America to be
put on sales.

Page 14 | Frontpage

PAGE

RONT

WORLD NEWS

Monday, October 12, 2015

PARTISAN INVESTIGATION

NIGERIA MILITARY SAYS CLOSING

IN ON BOKO HARAM MILITANTS

Lagos (AFP) he Nigerian army said Sunday it was closing in on

Islamist Boko Haram militants and warned them of
serious consequences should they fail to "surrender".
"They should follow their colleagues who have so
far surrendered. Failure to surrender will result in serious
consequences as our troops are fast closing up on them," army
spokesman Colonel Sani Usman said in a statement.
"We wish to inform them that we are aware of all their hideouts,
camps and enclaves," said the statement sent to AFP.
The military has claimed that more than 200 members of
the militant group surrendered September 25 when troops
regained control of the northeastern town of Banki, a launching
point for attacks into Cameroon.
There was no independent verification of the military's
statement.
Boko Haram has denied its members surrendered and that 241
women and children were rescued when troops cleared what
the military said were "terrorist camps" near Banki.
The statement on Sunday appealed to all Nigerians to persuade
them to desist and renounce their membership of the group.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has set his military
commanders a three-month deadline to early November to
end Boko Haram violence, which has left at least 17,000 dead
since 2009, mostly in the three affected states in the northeast:
Borno, Adamawa and Yob.

ANKARA ATTACKS: TURKEY IN MOURNING

AFTER BLASTS KILL ALMOST 100

former investigator
with
the
congressional
Select Committee
on Benghazi says the probe
into the Sept. 11, 2012,
terror attacks that killed
four Americans including
Ambassador Chris Stevens
morphed into a politically
motivated mission targeting
Hillary Clinton after the
revelation that she used a
private email server during
her tenure as secretary of
state.
This has become a partisan
investigation, Maj. Bradley
Podliska, an intelligence
officer in the Air Force
Reserve, told CNN. I do
not know the reason for
the hyper-focus on Hillary
Clinton.
Podliska, who spent 10
months as an investigator

for the Republican-led panel,

says he was fired in June for
resisting pressure to focus
his efforts on Clinton.
I was fired for trying
to conduct an objective,
nonpartisan,
thorough
investigation, Podliska said
in an interview with Jake
Tapper that aired on State of
the Union Sunday.
Podliska said he is planning
to file a lawsuit against the
committee over the firing
next month.
In
a
statement,
a
spokesperson
for
the
committee refuted Podliskas
claims.
We are confident that the
facts and evidence give
no support to the wild
imagination fueling these and
any future allegations, and
the committee will vigorously
defend itself against such

allegations, the statement

reads. The committee will
not be blackmailed into a
monetary settlement for a
false allegation made by a
properly terminated former
employee.
Podliskas comments come
amid mounting calls from
Clinton and other Democrats
to shut down the committee.
This committee was set up,
as they have admitted, for the
purpose of making a partisan
political issue out of the
deaths of four Americans,
an angry Clinton said on the
Today show last week. I
would never have done that,
and if I were president and
there were Republicans or
Democrats thinking about
that, I would have done
everything to shut it down.
Clinton is scheduled to testify
before the committee on Oct.

22.
Last month, House Majority
Leader Kevin McCarthy
suggested that the committee
was summoned to derail the
former secretary of states
2016 presidential bid.
Everybody thought Hillary
Clinton was unbeatable,
right? McCarthy said on Fox
News. But we put together a
Benghazi special committee,
a select committee. What are
her numbers Friday? What
are her numbers today? Her
numbers are dropping. Why?
Because shes untrustable.
But no one would have known
any of that had happened had
we not fought.
But Podliska insists his
motivation to come forward
has nothing to do with
Clintons candidacy.
I do not support Hillary
Clinton
for
president,
Podliska, who describes
himself as a libertarianleaning Republican, said.
I am going to vote for the
Republican
nominee
in
2016.
He said he decided to speak
out because the families of
the Benghazi victims deserve
it.
I knew that we needed to
get the truth to the victims
families. And the victims
families, they deserve the
truth whether or not
Hillary Clinton was involved,
whether or not other
individuals were involved,
he said. The victims families
are not going to get the
truth, and thats the most
unfortunate thing about this.

GUINEANS VOTE IN PRESIDENTIAL POLL AMID TENSION

housands of people have gathered in the centre of

Turkey's capital, Ankara, to pay tribute to the victims
of bomb blasts which killed at least 95 people.
Brief scuffles broke out between the crowd and the
police after some mourners tried to lay flowers at the site of
the bombings.
The pro-Kurdish HDP party, which organised Saturday's rally,
said 128 people were killed in the attacks.
Protesters have blamed the government for security failures
around the rally.
The government has rejected suggestions that it was to blame
for the bombing.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said there was evidence that
two suicide bombers had carried out the attack.
Turkey declared three days of mourning after Saturday's attack,
the deadliest ever in Turkey.
No group has said it carried out the attack, but Mr Davutoglu
suggested that Kurdish rebels or the Islamic State (IS) group
were to blame.
The blasts took place near the city's central train station
as people gathered for a march organised by leftist groups
demanding an end to the violence between the Kurdish
separatist PKK militants and the Turkish government.
Amateur video footage showed a group of young people holding
hands and singing, as the first blast hits. The explosions left 245
people injured, with 48 of them in a serious condition.
On Sunday, thousands of people had gathered at the square in
central Ankara where a peace rally had been due to take place
before it was interrupted by violence.
There was a clear sense of anger towards the government, with
people blaming it for security failures.
The bombing comes at a very significant and tense time. Funerals
have become a routine event and even before Saturday's blasts,
emotions were running high across the country.
Now people are concerned about a further escalation in
violence and maintaining security at elections in three weeks'
time.

oters in Guinea are

electing a president
in the west African
country's
second
democratic
presidential
election since independence
in 1958.
Seven
candidates
are
competing against President
Alpha Conde, who is hoping
to win a second term.
His main challenger, Cellou
Dalein Diallo, has urged his
supporters to vote despite
the country's top court
rejecting his plea for a delay.

The 2010 election saw a

transition from military to
civilian rule.
Since then Guinea has
been badly hit by an Ebola
outbreak and seen prices
of key export bauxite - the
raw material in aluminium slump.
Deep ethnic, political and
religious tensions persist and
can quickly become violent,
especially around election
time, BBC World Service
Africa editor Mary Harper
reports.

At least three people were

killed
in
pre-election
violence.
Opposition
parties
had
wanted the vote postponed
due to alleged anomalies in
the country's electoral roll
but the election commission
rejected the call.

Will
Guinea's
election be free and fair?
Some of those trying to vote
early on Sunday complained
that voting materials were
not ready.
Mr Conde is favourite to win

the election but a second

round of voting is likely.
"I ask all Guineans, whatever
their party, to fulfil their
civic duty peacefully and
calmly," Mr Conde said after
casting his vote in the capital,
Conakry.
Aged 77, he is hoping to
capitalise on his victory in
the 2010 vote, held after he
returned from some three
decades in exile, but that
election was marred by
violence and accusations of
fraud.
He promises to consolidate
stability and social unity, and
promote development.
After voting elsewhere in the
capital, Mr Diallo, a former
prime minister, said: "We
must hope there will not be
[violence] after the elections
and that the people of Guinea
show maturity."
The 63-year-old pledges
to prioritise jobs for young
people and to give all
Guineans "access to health
care, decent housing, water,
electricity, safety, and justice".
African Union and European
Union
observers
are
monitoring the election. The
official result is not expected
until Monday or Tuesday.
Image copyright AFP

Monday, October 12, 2015

Sports

Frontpage

WORLD CUP QUALIFIER:

Page 15

SPORTS

WORLD CUP 2018:

TANZANIA, ETHIOPIA AND
KENYA GO THROUGH

LIBERIA OFF TO GUINEA BISSAU,

WITH A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB T
Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

34-man
Liberia
Football Association
(LFA)
delegation
Sunday left Monrovia
for Bissau to honor a second
leg 2018 World Cup qualifier
on Tuesday.
LFA president Musa Bility
heads the delegation, which
includes sports minister Lenn
Eugene Nagbe, Montserrado
County Representative Edwin
Melvin Snowe, Cellcom chief
executive officer Marziano
Avishai and sports reporter
Abraham Wheon of Truth FM
and Real TV.
Others are head coach James
Salinsa
Debbah,
deputy
coach Kelvin Sebwe, assistant
coach Thomas Kojo, trainer
Joe Nagbe, administrative
manager Washington Blaye,
logistician Sebastian Collins,
Patrick Konowa, Abu Boakai
Kamara and Ezekiel Hart Yokie.
Twenty-two (22) players,
including defender Raymond
Fanciah
and
midfielder
Murphy Oscar Dorley of

Monrovia Club Breweries;

defender Trokon Zeon and
goalie Tommy Songo of LISCR
FC; Alpha James of Barrack
Young Controllers and goalies
Sampson Giddings of FC Fassell
and Saylee
Swen
of
LPRC
Oilers
respectively are on the trip.
The foreign-based contingent
remains unchanged.
Liberia conceded a very cheap
goal in the 63rd minute to
draw 1-1 with Guinea Bissau
in the first leg at the Antoinette
Tubman Stadium (ATS) on
October 8.
Spain-based William Jerbo of
Ponferradina converted a 36th
minute penalty when Malaysiabased Patrick Gerhardt of
Sarawak was brought down
in the box after he tried to
expertly dribble through the
defense from a Zah Krangar
through ball.
But defender Malado Reld
Anido reacted well to head
home a Zezinho shot, which
was poorly blocked by goalie

Saylee Swen, after the rebound

fell kindly into his path.
Zezinho could have found the
equalizer in the 56th minute
when he easily drove through
the defense before defender
Solomon Grimes averted the
danger.
Swen, who was virtually on a
holiday, was only called into
action with the visitors first
real attempt on goal, fumbling
with the ball in what others
may describe as man against
nature.
With Zezinhos thumping shot
in a scorching sunlight, Swen
must have been caught pants
down but should have parried
the ball away to safety.
From that moment, the visitors
depicted the pace, which was
characterized by unnecessary
time wasting from the medics
and players before Bocundji Ca
was booked for unnecessarily
kicking the ball out of play in
the 67th minute.
Liberia should have put the
game to bed in the first half

but Francis Grandpa Doe and

Jerbo, who scored two superb
goals in a practice match on
Wednesday, were guilty of near
misses to the disbelief of the
spectators.
First, Jerbo miscued a Doe
cross on six minutes and Does
header, courtesy of a Krangar
cross, went agonizingly over
the goal line by the narrowest
of margin in the 15th minute.
On 43 minutes, Doe drove
home a ground shot against
the run of play but it was
easily saved by goalkeeper
Jonas Asvedo Mendes before
another missed chance, having
eliminated two markers with
only Mendes at his mercy on
the stroke of half time.
With a lion share of possession,
which amounted to few
chances and a happy half time
lead, coach James Debbah was
understandably frustrated at
the final whistle.
I am disappointed of the fact
that we didnt play the second
half up to expectation. We

RESTORING A LOST PRIDE

Barrolle Coach Visits President Ahead of Nigeria Trip

ighty Barrolle
Basketball Club
head
coach
Asaad R. Fadel
has paid a courtesy call on
President Julia DuncanCassell.
According to a press release
issued on October 10, the
visit was intended to update
the president on the club's
upcoming
international
engagement in Nigeria.
Fadel
briefed
Madam
Duncan-Cassell on the
prospect of the club's
basketball team and how
it intends to go about
arrangements
ahead of a

scheduled trip to Nigeria.

He also discussed the
financial challenges and
requested the rally of all
supporters so as to assist in
the preparation.
In
response,
DuncanCassell extolled Fadel for
lifting the team and assured
her leadership support in
raising the club's flag.
"We will do all in our power
to raise fund in support
of our basketball team.
You have done extremely
excellent and I must
commend you and your
technical staff for the hard
work," she said.

werent tactically disciplined

and the evitable happened.
This is a team; I am not going
to hold a particular player [for
the result].
Everybody is point finger to
Saylee Swen. Yes, Saylee Swen
made a mistake but then the
ball came back and nobody
was there. So it is the entire
team. I am not going to hold or
shift blame on one person. We
didnt really play good in the
second half, he said.
Coach Debbah, who was
appointed in November 2014
and has drawn two, won one
and lost two matches, believes
the return leg is still open.
In football, anything can
happen. We have to go to
Guinea Bissau and play as hard
as possible and scored an away
goal too. But I know it is going
to be difficult but, in football,
there is always a possibility,
Debbah added.
Following an impressive 1-0
win over Tunisia in a 2017
Africa Cup of Nations qualifier
at the ATS on September 5,
Liberia faltered under a cloud
of complacency to a side
ranked 52 places below it.
Cape Verde coach Paulo Torres
of Portugal, who has been
handed a four-match ban by
Caf for "offensive language
and insults toward the referee"
in Zambia four months ago,
is now looking forward to
meeting Ivory Coast.
Liberia is a good team; is a
very very good team. In Bissau,
Liberia will play well as she did
today but well still qualify [for
the next round], said Torres
in a minute as he boarded the
teams bus.
Liberia last won a 2002 World
Cup qualifier 1-0 in Freetown,
courtesy of George Weah 72nd
minute goal on July 14, 2001.

At least US$29,000 is
needed to prepare the
team,
including
travel
allowances, ticket fares and
accommodation
among
others.
Meanwhile, a best out of
three in-house basketball
tournament involving LPRC
Oilers and Mighty Barrolle
has been planned.
The tournament is expected
to take place at the Sports
Commission on Broad
Street.
Both teams have arranged
the three-day tourney
aimed at raising additional
financial support ahead of
their busy international
schedules slated for next
month.

anzania are through

to the next round
of 2018 World Cup
qualifiers, despite
losing the second leg of their
preliminary round tie 1-0 in
Malawi.
The Taifa stars went
to Blantyre with a 2-0
advantage from their home
leg on Wednesday to go
through 2-1 overall.
Malawi got back into the tie
with a goal from John Banda
in the 43rd minute of the
return leg on Sunday.
Sunday's 2nd leg fixtures
Malawi 1-0 Tanzania
( Tanzania win 2-1 on
aggregate)
Ethiopia 3-0 Sao Tome e
Principe ( Ethiopia win 3-1
on aggregate)
Kenya 0-0 Mauritius (
Kenya win 5-2 on aggregate )

MATIC AND KOLAROV SEE

RED MIST AMID NANI AND
MOUTINHO GOALS

oran Tosic got a goal

sandwiched between
the visitors' efforts,
but their hopes of
salvaging a point were lost
when they had two players
sent off in quick succession
Portugal made it seven
consecutive
wins
in
competitive
fixtures
under Fernando Santos as
they overcame nine-man
Serbia2-1 in their final Euro
2016 qualifier in Belgrade.

KLOPP: I CAN'T WALK

ON WATER LIKE JESUS

iverpool
manager
Jurgen Klopp has
called for patience
amid the wave of
hysteria sweeping through
Anfield, insisting he cannot
work miracles.
Klopp ended his four-month
sabbatical to replace Brendan
Rodgers as Reds boss on
Thursday and the charismatic
German has already been billed
as the man capable of finally
bringing the glory days back to
Liverpool.
The ex-Borussia Dortmund
coach is aware of the hype
surrounding him as well as
Liverpool's 25-year wait for
a league title, and while he
believes he can improve the
team, he has called for fans
and media to have realistic
expectations.

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com

VOL 9 NO.160

Sports

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

PRICE L$40

WORLD CUP QUALIFIER:

LIBERIA OFF TO GUINEA BISSAU,

WITH A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB

see page 15

VISIT UNCLE ZEH'S LAUNDRY

& DRY CLEANING SERVICE
Relocated at the intersection of UN
Drive and Center Street
WHERE THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST

Call: 0775-149-376, 0775-149-161