• AFL Wives Protest at EBK Military Barracks, Demanding Husbands’ Benefits, Sources: Daily OBSERVER, FrontPage Africa, and The New Dawn
• Will CDC-Led Government Provide Money for Tyler’s Prosecution?, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• EJS ‘Holds’ Lawmakers’ Benefits As Precondition For Passing 13 Bills, Source: FrontPage Africa
• Chambers becomes next Speaker?, Sources: FrontPage Africa and The New Dawn
• Representative Chambers Unveils Platform …For Speaker Post, Source: The NEWS
• Representative Fallah Drops House Speakership Ambition, Source: FrontPage Africa
• House Shelves AFREXIM Bank, Maritime Bills in Committee Rooms, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• LIBA Urges President-elect Weah to Rekindle Hope in Private Sector, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• ‘All is Not Lost,’ Vice President Boakai Assures Lofaians, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• EU Donates Office Equipment to Local, International Organizations, Source: FrontPage Africa
• Zambian Writer’s Insults Against Liberia’s President-elect, Vice President-elect Irritates US-Based Liberian Rights Advocate, Sources: GNN Liberia and Rocket News Network
• Liberian clerics blast TB Joshua for ‘inviting’ Weah to Nigeria for victory service, Source: Daily Post
• Liberian Currency Faces Struggles Against U.S. Dollar, Source: Daily Forex Report

AFL Wives Protest at EBK Military Barracks, Demanding Husbands’ Benefits, Sources: Daily OBSERVER, FrontPage Africa, and The New Dawn

A group of women said to be wives of personnel of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) residing at the Edward Beyan Kesselly Military Barracks (EBK) Tuesday staged a protest before the barracks in demand of their husbands’ benefits before President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf leaves office on January 22 this year. The women blocked the Robertsfield highway and prevented vehicles from plying the thoroughfare for nearly three hours. Their action, which caused some travelers to miss their flights, prompted the swift intervention of the Police Inspector General and his deputy for operations as well as the AFL Chief of Staff.

One of the women said her husband is one of the AFL personnel who sustained major injuries in Mali on a peacekeeping mission but has since been abandoned by the Defense Ministry. The protesting women are said to be seeking tens of thousands of United States dollars deducted from their husbands’ monthly income allegedly with the provision that the money will be refunded before President Sirleaf leaves office.

Responding to the women’s action, AFL Chief of Staff Daniel Ziankahn said the government is looking into their concerns but it requires time. ”They just have to be patient as we consult amicably with all stakeholders concerned. We are aware of the challenges and wish the right thing is done to take care of each of them,” Ziankahn said.

Earlier on Monday, Defense Minister Brownie Samukai told the Daily Observer that the Ministry established what he referred to as a Welfare Fund intended to cater to the needs of soldiers. He said the fund was established because soldiers are not covered under the National Social Security pension and welfare benefit scheme, and more importantly because the government does not have the money to take care of soldiers’ welfare as is the case with civil servants. Minister Samukai added that to date, the fund has a total of USD700,000 in its current account. Read more

Will CDC-Led Government Provide Money for Tyler’s Prosecution?, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Daily Observer reports that with less than 12 days to the moment when George Weah takes oath as President of Liberia, there is much debate about how serious Mr. Weah is about the pro-poor and pro-justice promises he has made since he was announced the winner of the December 26 runoff presidential election. In his acceptance speech, Mr. Weah vowed to fight corruption in his government, saying there will be no room for corruption under his administration, and “that those wishing to cheat the Liberian people will have no space” in his government.

His anti-corruption statement, no doubt a strong point in his favor for his supporters, is tested by whether the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led government is willing to provide money for the prosecution of the USD950,000 bribery case that Global Witness alleged involved former House Speaker Alex Tyler, who has already been indicted by the government on multiple crimes including economic sabotage, bribery, criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation, and facilitation. Tyler’s Liberian People Democratic Party (LPDP) was part of the coalition that gave Mr. Weah his electoral victory during the just-ended runoff presidential election. Read more

EJS ‘Holds’ Lawmakers’ Benefits As Precondition For Passing 13 Bills, Source: FrontPage Africa

Multiple sources within the Legislature have hinted FrontPage Africa that the Executive has frozen the Liberian dollar component of lawmakers’ benefits for the past six months until they can pass 13 bills submitted by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The benefit, according to lawmakers, is the equivalent of USD500.00 in Liberian dollars. According to our source, the President made her last push for the passage of the bills by the extension of the 6th Session of the 53rd Legislature by nine days which is supposed to end by next week. Read more

Chambers becomes next Speaker?, Sources: FrontPage Africa and The New Dawn

Newly elected and incumbent lawmakers from the governing Unity Party (UP) and the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) have united to unanimously elect CDC Representative Bhofal Chambers from Maryland Country as Speaker of the House of Representatives. At a news conference on Tuesday, the UP and CDC collaboration saw 42 of the 73-membership of the lower House declaring open support for Representative Chambers. According to the current rule of the House, to get elected speaker, a candidate needs 37 votes of the 73 members. Read more

Representative Chambers Unveils Platform …For Speaker Post, Source: The NEWS

Re-elected Maryland Representative Bhofal Chambers, who is eyeing the Speaker position at the House of Representatives, has unveiled his platform, disclosing that the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) agenda will be promoted under his leadership. Representative Chambers said reconciliation, tolerance, mutual cooperation, and spirit of pragmatism, among others, will be major on his agenda when elected as Speaker of the 54th Legislature. He said his quest to see Liberia improve is not an overnight exercise, saying “it is something that I have been well thoughtful of; I am part of the new guys to transform this country politically, socially and economically.” The Maryland lawmaker spoke Tuesday when he was honored by the Progressive Alliance Movement of Liberia, a local civil society organization. Read more

Representative Fallah Drops House Speakership Ambition, Source: FrontPage Africa

Re-elected Montserrado Representative Thomas Fallah has announced that he is dropping his ambition to contest the pending speakership election at the House of Representatives. Mr. Fallah told FrontPage Africa Tuesday that it was important to leave something for a bigger one in the future. He promised to adhere to any decision that would be taken by the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) for the speakership but expressed the need for consultation to be carried out. “Definitely you know that I am an institutional person, we need further consultations, I remain an institutional person and as Honorable Fallah, I believe in the CDC,” he stated. The re-elected Montserrado lawmaker said the need to move beyond personal interests and put the party first is important in order for them to win the Speaker post, noting that the party remains supreme. Read more

House Shelves AFREXIM Bank, Maritime Bills in Committee Rooms, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The House’s Plenary Tuesday voted unanimously to effectively shelve two of the prioritized bills submitted by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, by deferring them to Joint Committee Rooms. The Act Ratifying the Agreement for the Establishment of the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIM BANK) was sent to the Joint Committee on Banking and Currency and the Ways, Means, and Finance which is expected to report the next session, which would be likely today Wednesday or Thursday. The Act to Amend Title 21 of the Liberian Code of Law Revised, amending certain sections of the Liberia Maritime Law was referred to a Joint Committee on Maritime and Judiciary with a report expected in one week, meaning — the Maritime law has been postponed to the 54th Legislature. Read more

LIBA Urges President-elect Weah to Rekindle Hope in Private Sector, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Liberian Business Association (LIBA) in Liberia and the Liberian Business Association in the Diaspora (LIBA-USA) have urged President-elect George Weah to rekindle hope in the private sector and allow players in the industry to lead the agenda for growth. In a joint statement signed Tuesday, LIBA and LIBA-USA want Mr. Weah to make efforts for Liberians to play leading roles in the country’s economic activities as well as create measures that will protect the interest of the business community. “We are of the strongest convection that in order for Liberia to make significant progress in its economic development efforts it must continuously seek serious public-private sector partnership engagement to discuss and address real issues confronting the growth or expansion of Liberian-owned businesses. This is because no country can boast of total economic success without a strong middle class and full participation of its private sector,” LIBA and LIBA-USA said. Read more

‘All is Not Lost,’ Vice President Boakai Assures Lofaians, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The political leader of the defeated ruling Unity Party (UP), Vice President Joseph Boakai has told citizens of his home county Lofa that all is not lost for the county and its people though he lost the December 26 presidential runoff election. Vice President Boakai vowed to work in the interest of his county to attract investments to improve the livelihood of the citizenry as well as for the betterment of the country. “I have come to tell you that though we were not preferred by all the Liberian people, I’m prepared to fulfill my promises to you,” he said during his appreciation tour of the county. Read more

EU Donates Office Equipment to Local, International Organizations, Source: FrontPage Africa

The EU Delegation to Liberia has donated several pieces of office equipment to some local and international NGOs operating in the country. The beneficiaries include the National Teachers Association of Liberia, Me and My People Charity, Kids’ Education Engagement Project (KEEP), and Liberia Translation and Literacy Organization (LIBTRALO). Others include KRITERION Monrovia, ICRC, Handicap International, and Sight Savers. The equipment donated are executive, managerial, senior, and junior office desks, computers, printers, office chairs, water dispensers, first aid toolkits, 32-inch television sets, among others. The donation was supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Read more

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

Zambian Writer’s Insults Against Liberia’s President-elect, Vice President-elect Irritates US-Based Liberian Rights Advocate, Sources: GNN Liberia and Rocket News Network

A US-based Liberian rights advocate, J. Nhinson Williams has written a ‘Protest Letter’ to Ambassador Lazarous Kapambwe, Zambia Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, making reference of recent publication by Mainda Simataa entitled: “Liberia Has Gone To The Dogs: Footballer George Weah Will Be The Ultimate American Puppet President.” In his letter of protest dated on January 9, 2018 addressed to the Zambian UN official, the US-based Liberians said his protest is due to the unruly attitude of Mainda Simataa, a Zambian citizen towards the leaders of Liberia. Read more

Liberian clerics blast TB Joshua for ‘inviting’ Weah to Nigeria for victory service, Source: Daily Post

Rev. Philip Blamo, a cleric in Liberia, has condemned the “invitation” by Prophet TB Joshua of Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) to President-elect, George Weah, urging him to hold his Thanksgiving Service in Nigeria. Joshua, after Weah’s triumph, reportedly spoke to the latter on phone and also dispatched a letter asking him to hold his victory service in his church. Weah, Vice President-elect, Jewel Howard Taylor, and the newly elected members of the House of Representatives will be sworn in on January 22. Speaking on behalf of the Liberian clergy, Blamo, in a statement on Tuesday, advised Joshua to travel to Liberia and join others in the ministry for the service. Blamo heads the New Creation International Ministries in Liberia. Read more

Liberian Currency Faces Struggles Against U.S. Dollar, Source: Daily Forex Report

There are not too many currencies that really could stand the test of time against the U.S Dollar. It is considered the world’s reserve currency. In other words, it is the currency against which much of global trade is based. With Liberia currently facing some very serious economic struggles, the local currency there is being traded away in mass for more U.S. Dollars. One Forex trader in Liberia says that the devaluation of the currency of his country is directly related to the strength of the U.S. Dollar in the area. He says that when you go to the market, you have to either pay up in dollars or pay a higher rate in the local currency.

He personally believes that his government needs to step in and try to control the rate at which the local currency has been falling. He wants them to stabilize the rate so that the local currency does not become so devalued that it becomes basically worthless. At the moment, that is something of a serious concern. Other African nations have seen it happen to their money supply before, and Liberia does not want to join that list. Read more