22 November 2017

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

‘Beneficiary of Frauds’ …Weah Descends on Boakai, Source: The NEWS

The standard bearer of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)) has described the standard bearer of the ruling Unity Party (UP), Vice President Joseph Boakai as a ‘beneficiary of frauds’ in the last past two presidential and legislative elections. Senator George Weah said it is unfortunate for the ruling party to align with the opposition Liberty Party (LP) and others to cry foul after he has benefited from the ‘fraudulent’ 2005 and 2011 elections.

Senator Weah claimed that he won the elections in 2005 and 2011 but was allegedly robbed through fraudulent means. The CDC standard bearer bragged that if the runoff election is rescheduled for more than one time, he will defeat Mr. Boakai and his ‘failed’ UP.

Weah made the statement in an exclusive interview with the VOA on Monday in Monrovia. He said Liberians voted for him in the first round because they believed he can develop the country and reconcile Liberians. Read more

Mo Ibrahim Hopeful Peaceful Elections Will Turn Tide in Liberia, Source: FrontPage Africa

The chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation says he hopes that at the end of the ongoing elections process, post-war Liberia will turn the tide. Speaking during a conference call with journalists across the globe Tuesday, Mr. Mo Ibrahim said Liberia has done remarkably well despite a wave of negative events including a civil war and the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus outbreak.

“We are awaiting for the fresh government to come aboard, but Liberia has challenges, including the civil war and the deadly Ebola outbreak but education has been a problem in Liberia and we all remember the exams where only a few students passed the exams. So, there are some issues there. Of course, the outgoing president did a reasonable job but more needs to be done,” Mr. Ibrahim said.

According to the chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Liberia has managed a peaceful election so far which is important. If that is any sign of things to come, the country will move forward. Read more

Liberia Crusader for Peace, Partners Holds Joint Peace Mediation, Source: FrontPage Africa

The head of National Christian Council of Liberia (NCCL) says there is no interference but rather a mediation taken by religious leaders in the ongoing legal action on the results of the October 10 election. Pastor Jasper Ndaborlor said it is unbelievable that some Liberians who wish to see Liberia go back to war will consider mediation as interference.

 “Liberians experienced the war but are quick to forget and because we are quick to forget so we do things repeatedly, and even if something is wrong we should continue to do it. We all must do the right thing, peace is justice, and peace is the truth,” Pastor Ndaborlor said.

Recalling the Farmington peace accord, the NCCL head said all political parties committed themselves to maintain the peace either by mediation or through the judicial system. Read more

ANC’s Fate Lies in Recount for Seat in 54th Legislature, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) will not hold a single seat in the 54th Legislature if incumbent lawmaker Lester Paye of Bong County Electoral District #4 fails again in the recount of votes cast during the October 10 elections. The recount is expected to be conducted today. None of the 71 ANC candidates secured a win during the October polls making the party the only one among the seven top parties to tally zero in the 2017 representatives’ elections despite being the party with the highest contestants. The ANC fielded 56 males and 15 female aspirants. Read more

Pro-Tempore Jallah faces USD320,000 probe, Source: The New Dawn

Senate President Pro-Tempore Armah Jallah is being investigated by the auditors of the General Auditing Commission (GAC) for alleged misappropriation of USD320,000 intended for construction of the Chief Jallah Lone Memorial High School in Gbarpolu County.

Investigation reveals that based on a request from Senator Jallah, the government allotted USD80,000 in the 2014 National Budget and that such amount has been annually allotted for the school project. But the GAC subsequently learned thru complaint from the county that such structure does not exist there. Currently, the auditing commission has deployed auditors to conduct a thorough investigation. Read more

Women Situation Room calls for calm, Source: The New Dawn

The Women Situation Room (WSR) is calling on all political parties and politicians to continue to display maturity by keeping their supporters calm while awaiting the constitutional process to unfold. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Monrovia, WSR Initiator Cllr. Yvette Chasson Wureh says aggrieved parties have made their way through the process by starting with the magistrate at the National Elections Commission (NEC) and then instituting internal appeal process before the NEC Board of Commissioners.

Cllr. Wureh notes that if parties are not still satisfied, they will access the Supreme Court which is the final arbiter of electoral disputes under the Liberian Constitution. She said the WSR is cognizant of the mounting tensions and unease in the country with the declaration of the Writ of Prohibition but notes that the WSR is in an advocacy with political parties and others stakeholders including successful mediation between youths of opposition political parties and the security forces. Read more

Business group wants US issues travel ban on politicians, Source: The New Dawn

The Liberian Entrepreneurs and Vendors United for Economic Stability, a local business group is calling on the US government through its embassy here to place a travel ban on politicians that are calling for an interim government.

The group in a press statement submitted to the US Embassy in Monrovia Tuesday says the decision comes as a result of the ongoing economic situation that Liberians are facing. They blame the current situation on the results of the October 10 elections.

The group notes that its members are from different political parties including the ruling Unity Party (UP), the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), and the Liberty Party (LP) among others. The group said prior to coming together, they have had different views about the outcome of the October polls.

“However, after following the election activities, we have come together in one accord to tell the political stakeholders that enough is enough," the group says. They say Liberia's progress is far more important than the personal interest being pursued under the shadow of seeking redress to electoral frauds. Read more  

Police dismiss gunfire against Costa's vehicle, Source: The New Dawn

The Liberia National Police (LNP) and its UNMIL Chinese counterparts have completed an investigation with respect to the alleged shooting incident involving the vehicle of talk show host Henry Costa, ruling out any possibility of a gunshot being fired at Mr. Costa's vehicle.

The final investigative report released Tuesday says the investigation established that the impact on the windshield of the vehicle was caused by a round –shaped or arc-shape small object in a vertical direction, or a small stone splashed from another vehicle.

On 15 November, Mr. Costa reported to the LNP that his vehicle operated by him was shot at on the Tubman Boulevard. Read more

LNP denies brutalizing students, Source: The New Dawn

The Liberia National Police (LNP) has denied claims of brutalizing protesting students at the University of Liberia (UL) on Monday at its  Capitol Hill Campus. Police spokesman Sam Collins told the Truth 96.1 FM Tuesday that the police did not brutalize anyone as claimed by student leader Jerome Bernard.

LNP riot officers raided protesting students at the UL on Monday during a protest over the closure of registration process for the ongoing academic semester, arresting both prospective graduates and non-graduating students. The campus has seen days of unrest of closure of registration process, while prospective graduates also oppose high graduation fees. Read more

Surveyors, Courts, Blamed for Illegal Land Sales, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The president of the Association of Professional Surveyors of Liberia (APLSUL) Tuesday claimed that the courts are also responsible for the illegal sale of land in the country. Josephus Burgess’ statement comes against allegations that surveyors are the main culprits in the illegal sale of land in Liberia.

Speaking at the opening of a three-day symposium on the Land Tenure System of Liberia, Mr. Burgess said, “There is an allegation that surveyors are the principal cause of all land conflict in the country,” a statement he argued “is far from the reality.” The symposium was organized by the USAID-Land Governance Support Activity (LGSA). Read more

Haddad USD10M Debt Case Re-assigned for December 2017, Source: FrontPage Africa

Judge Eva Morgan of the Commercial Court at the Temple of Justice has re-assigned hearing into the USD10.7 million debt case for Friday, 1 December amid plea by state lawyers of government’s un-readiness to proceed with the trial. The case was filed by Lebanese businessman George Haddad against the Liberian government.

State lawyer Joseph Fayiah at the call of the case Tuesday pleaded with the court for a continuance in order to enable state lawyers to review the case files and consult the relevant government authorities including the finance minister.

But the presiding judge rejected the plea, however, following consultations with the parties in chamber, she reassigned the case to next Friday, December 1. Read more

‘Support For Sanitation Urgently Needed’ –Dr. Fallah, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The deputy director-general for technical services at the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) says worldwide reports indicate that over 4.5 billion people live without “safely managed sanitation,” particularly toilet facilities.

In the local context, Dr. Mosoka Fallah said about 7,000 people who live in West Point, one of the slum communities of Monrovia, have access to only four toilet facilities, which he described as worrisome when it comes to curtailing some of the diseases associated with lack of toilets. Addressing a program in observance of World Toilet Day, Dr. Fallah said lack of toilets is a violation of the peoples’ rights. Read more

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

Liberian crisis will be resolved constitutionally – Buhari, Source: The Nation

President Muhammadu Buhari says the current political challenges in Liberia will be resolved through constitutional means. He also urged all parties in the crisis to exercise patience while waiting for the verdict of the Supreme Court. Buhari gave the assurance when he received the President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, who is the current Chairman of ECOWAS, at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday. He expressed hope that the outcome of the country’s Supreme Court verdict would be acceptable to all in order to ensure a peaceful transfer of power. Read more

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.

 

 

 

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