11 December 2017

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Korkoya near exit door, Source: New DEMOCRAT

The New Democrat reports that the performance of the chairman of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Jerome Korkoya during and after the first round of the presidential and legislative elections in October is sufficient reasons for him to quit the commission. In its ruling last week, the Supreme Court has stated that Mr. Korkoya was partial, prejudicial, and bias in the handling of elections-related dispute and instructed him to do a cleanup of its voters roll.

‘Judicial, political complications’ worries Weah, Source: New DEMOCRAT

The paper reported that the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) presidential candidate, George Weah’s overseas public relations operatives have issued a statement indicating that Senator Weah is happy with the Supreme Court decision to order the runoff presidential election. The statement also said the CDC presidential candidate was concerned about the judicial and political complications which rise uncertainty about the long-awaited democratic transition by the Liberian people.

UP Youth Congress Rebukes Call to Expel President Sirleaf, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The ruling Unity Party (UP) Montserrado Youth Congress has denounced and distanced itself from the protest staged on Thursday, November 23 by some partisans at the UP national headquarters calling on the UP Executive Committee to expel President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, standard bearer emeritus of the party. “We are of the strongest conviction that the protest at this crucial time when we are gearing up for a runoff is no remedy to resolving dissatisfaction or misunderstanding within the party,” said the youth congress chairman Lansana Fofana.

Speaking recently at a press conference in Monrovia, Mr. Fofana explained that with the party at a critical juncture, “we call on all aggrieved partisans to remain calm as we strive to achieve victory in the runoff elections. It is important to clarify that partisans of UP don’t subscribe to indiscipline, and they do the rule of law as well as the constitution of the party. Lest we forget, the world is watching us; we must endeavor to conduct ourselves accordingly,” he added. The protest was never carried out by the youth wing of the UP as was published in the media.

“We also condemn the personal attacks on two of our senior partisans, Senator Conmany Wesseh and Representative Worlea-Saywah Dunah, who are also members of our national executive committee. We believe that these lawmakers have the right to their opinions and should not be demeaned,” said Fofana. Read more

A Pair of Ex-Convicts; a Shady Mining Operation & a Swirling Ballots’ Saga, Source: FrontPage Africa

FrontPage Africa reports that the resurfacing of former convict Leonard Wayne Kragness in Liberia is raising eyebrows, not because of what he did in his past but his alleged role in the controversy surrounding the alleged transport of ballot boxes and lingering issues casting dark clouds over this year’s presidential and legislative elections in Liberia. Kragness, an American was the subject of a major 2007 FrontPage Africa investigation after red flags were raised amid a report that he was in Liberia exploring for gold.

FrontPage Africa has also gathered that an air jet reportedly owned by Mr. Kragness was recently hired by the National Elections Commission (NEC) to air cargo ballots to Sinoe County. According to FrontPage Africa, some contentions are being raised that the serial batch set numbers for the ballots shipped to Sinoe are different as compared to the ones for the rest of the country. The operation was reportedly carried out by Kragness’s business partner, David Corey Tolle, who according to the US-based St. Louis Post Dispatch last year, was the co-owner of a mining investment company that swindled investors out of as much as USD1.7 million and sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to repay USD526,750. Tolle’s co-defendant, Christopher Cristea of St. Charles was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and ordered to repay USD1.7 million…..

FrontPage Africa notes that the resurfacing of Kragness presents a rather complicated dilemma for an electoral process already subject to suspect over how it was conducted. Questions also abound as to who authorized the shady American businessman access to ballots; who knew what and when?  Read more

Supreme Court’s opinion to be translated into local languages, Sources: New DEMOCRAT and The INQUIRER

The Women’s Situation Room (WSR) in collaboration with the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) has launched a program called, ‘Talking BUS’ to allow the public to analyze the Supreme Court’s opinion in the election dispute matter which lifted the hold on the runoff election. The program was launched at a local hotel in Monrovia on Friday with the theme: “Upholding the Rule of Law” and it is being supported by USAID’s Legal Professional Development and Anti-corruption Program.

Foreign Minister Kamara addresses the 4th World Internet Conference in China, Source: New DEMOCRAT

Liberia has called for a free, open, and safe cyberspace that will allow digital trade and other activities which enhances sustainable economic development and growth. Foreign Minister Marjon Kamara made the call at the 4th World Internet Conference (Wuzhen Summit) being co-hosted by the Cyberspace Administration of China and the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province in  Wuzhen, China. Minister Kamara, according to a Foreign Ministry release, asserted that cyberspace makes governments more effective and responsive to citizens needs and enables free exchanges of data and information.

Corruption was made private friend, Source: New DEMOCRAT

Stakeholders in Liberia have made corruption their private friends instead of a public enemy, said the keynote speaker of this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day, Mr. Gemance Getteh. Though President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had declared corruption public enemy number one, Getteh said she has failed to pay more attention in addressing the problem. He added that it was about time to change the way corruption has been fought in the past.

‘Criminals Rejected’ Overly Crowded Monrovia Central Prison Unable to Accept More Convicts, Pre-Trial Detainees, Source: FrontPage Africa

The media reports that suspected criminals could languish in overcrowded prisons for years without trial. A special court inside the prison walls is giving hundreds of pre-trial detainee’s access to lawyers. It can be recalled the over crowdedness led to prison break, that prompted the Justice Ministry and Judiciary to set up a temporary courtroom in the prison yard to determine whether prisoners have been held too long without due process.

Meanwhile, an officer of the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed to FrontPage Africa that the Monrovia Central Prison has begun rejecting suspects committed by the courts to the prison facility on ground that only suspects of certain crimes considered grave would be accepted and committed to the prison. Of recent, over 20 defendants were denied by the prison superintendent a decision the court has described as undermining the justice system. Read more

‘Liberian Cocoa Sector Non-Competitive’ -EU, Solidaridad on signing USD5.89M grant to boost cocoa sector, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and FrontPage Africa

Representatives of the EU Delegation in Liberia in the presence of Agriculture Ministry officials and Solidaridad West Africa have signed a €5 million (USD5.89 million) grant for the Liberia Cocoa Sector Improvement Program (LICSIP). Cocoa has the potential to improve the livelihoods of many smallholder cocoa farmers in the country, a joint EU and Solidaridad statement said.  However, the statement added that the Liberian cocoa sector is largely non-competitive compared to neighboring countries. The statement also explained that average yield in Liberia lags behind due to a number of reasons, including low-quality planting materials, aged and deteriorated farms, poor farm management and lack of post-harvest management skills. Read more

EU Ambassadors Review BRAC Livelihood Programs in Buchanan, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Four EU ambassadors who paid courtesy visits to the program intervention areas of BRAC, an international NGO, took the opportunity to review its food security and livelihood program in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. The delegation led by the head of the EU Delegation in Liberia, Ambassador Hélène Cave, Ambassador Hubert Jäger (Germany), Ambassador David Belgrove (UK), and Ambassador Terence Wills (France) visited BRAC’s poultry, hatchery, and feed mill at Neekrin Township.

According to a BRAC release, the feasibility, operation, business model, and future plan of the poultry hatchery and feed mill were presented and discussed at a briefing during the visit. Read more

3,000 health workers not on payroll, Source: New DEMOCRAT

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a program to address international health professionals on Friday in Monrovia, health minister Bernice Dahn said some 3,000 unpaid health workers have not been placed on the government payroll while saying that the current administration of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf inherited the problem which is yet to be addressed. “This is one big challenge that I will be leaving behind,” Minister Dahn told foreign partners at a meeting of over 150 international health partners in the country.

Strange disease hits Monrovia, Source: New DEMOCRAT

Reports say a strange skin disease has surfaced in Monrovia and could pose a challenge to the country’s weak health system, health workers have confirmed. “This morning alone, we have had 118 cases with patients ages ranging from six-month-old babies to 50-year. Yesterday, we treated more than 200 cases right in Chocolate City community alone, Fatee Johnson, a nurse aid said Friday.

 
  Disclaimer This media summary consists of selected local media articles for the information of UN personnel. The public distribution of this media summary is a courtesy service extended by UNMIL on the understanding that the choice of articles included is exclusive, and the contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership. The inclusion of articles in this summary does not imply endorsement by UNMIL.

 

 

Print Headlines