• Airport Authority Retracts ‘Shoot to Kill’ Order, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and New DEMOCRAT
• Youth Empowerment Will Ensure Sustained Peace -LIBA Secretary-General urges, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• Internal Audit Agency Discovers 750 Ghost Names on Health Ministry’s Payroll, Source: New DEMOCRAT

Airport Authority Retracts ‘Shoot to Kill’ Order, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and New DEMOCRAT

The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) says its aim is to simply deter interference with the aerodrome at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) in Margibi County, which sometimes leads to the theft of very valuable navigational equipment. The LAA clarified Thursday that portion of its recently issued Public Service Announcement on new security measures at the airport is actually not intended to harm or kill anyone as it has been misconstrued.

According to the release, anyone found trespassing within the Security Restricted Areas (SRA) of the Airport will be arrested and dealt with in keeping with the Laws of Liberia, but not to shoot them. These new security measures are only intended to deter interference with the aerodrome, which sometimes leads to the theft of very valuable navigational equipment. Read more

Youth Empowerment Will Ensure Sustained Peace -LIBA Secretary-General urges, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The secretary-general of the Liberia Business Association (LIBA) has said that the country’s peace can remain stable when the youth are given opportunities to better their lives. Ms. Leelai Kpukuyou speaking at a day-long Post Election Peace, Reconciliation and Youth Engagement in Paynesville said: “If we must have a strong and vibrant society, the youth who constitute 65 percent of the population must be considered as a priority for national reconciliation and social unity.” Ms. Kpukuyou added that “young people are the backbone of every nation, and therefore, they must be properly nurtured and mentored with responsibilities of societal values.” Read more

Internal Audit Agency Discovers 750 Ghost Names on Health Ministry’s Payroll, Source: New DEMOCRAT

The Internal Audit Agency (IAA) has identified 750 names on the payroll of the Health Ministry and the government is expected to save about USD1.7 million from the exercise. IAA director-general Emmanuel Barthen Nyeswa said the discovery of the ghost names follows a robust audit of the ministry’s payroll, which affected every health facility throughout the country and about 2,495 purported health workers were neither seen nor accounted for by health authorities in the 15 counties. According to Mr. Nyeswa, the IAA and Health Ministry authorities have agreed to delete from the government’s payroll 750 of the 2,495 names unaccounted for, beginning this March, while the remaining I,745 will be subjected to further probe and review to ensure their authenticity. Read more