• Liberian President Weah Contemplating Withdrawal of Controversial AG Nominee, Source: FrontPage Africa
• Liberia secures USD24.7M World Bank grant, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and The New Dawn
• World Bank Delegation Holds Talks with Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, Sources: FrontPage Africa and The New Dawn
• Government to review taxes, Source: The New Dawn
• Importers drop prices on rice, Sources: FrontPage Africa and The New Dawn
• “Deeply Reflect on Dual Citizenship, Land Ownership” -LCC Urges President Weah, Citizens, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Liberian President Weah Contemplating Withdrawal of Controversial AG Nominee, Source: FrontPage Africa

FrontPage Africa has been reliably informed that President George Weah is expected to withdraw the nomination of his attorney general Cllr. Charles Gibson following the reported revelation that the nominee had some ethical and behavioral issues at an international organization he previously worked for. Multiple sources confirmed to FrontPage Africa Saturday that the Liberian presidency has been bombarded with concerns from international stakeholders over the controversy surrounding Cllr. Gibson’s nomination as well as the quality of some of the appointments so far.

The justice minister-designate, according to sources reportedly had ethical and behavioral issues when he worked as a national legal advisor with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Liberia regarding an issue over the purchase of land. Read more

Liberia secures USD24.7M World Bank grant, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and The New Dawn

President George Weah's government has secured its first World Bank grant of USD24.7 million, with further assurances from the bank that more support will continue to flow in. World Bank country manager for Liberia, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, Dr. Henry Kerali said Friday at President Weah's residence in Paynesville during the signing ceremony that the grant amount of USD24.7m was the first being signed for Liberia. Dr. Kerali said the grant is meant to support the government in its development activities and emphasized that it will not be repaid. According to the World Bank official, it is the government that will decide about the utilizing of the grant. Read more

World Bank Delegation Holds Talks with Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, Sources: FrontPage Africa and The New Dawn

A delegation of the World Bank has held fruitful discussions with Vice president Jewel Howard Taylor at her Capitol Hill office. The delegation headed by the country director of Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, Dr. Henry Kerali, discussed a number of key issues including identifying new priorities of the Bank's partnership for the coming five to six years, which will be reflected in its new Country Partnership Framework. During the meeting, Vice President Taylor raised several queries specifically bordering on youth empowerment, jobs creation, and infrastructure developments.

The new government as part of its development agenda has committed to introduce new legislations and policies intended to achieve sustainable economic growth, develop and expand agriculture. It also planned to address very large infrastructure deficit, with particular emphasis on road construction and the provision of affordable and adequate electricity for all our peoples which was captured in President George Weah’s State of the Nation Address. Read more

Government to review taxes, Source: The New Dawn

President George Weah's nominees for senior-level positions at the Finance Ministry say the government will review tax regimes here to meet current realities to ease difficulties faced by the business community. The two nominees, deputy minister-designate for fiscal affairs, Samora Wolokollie, and Janga Kowo, comptroller general-designate made the pledge Friday when they appeared for a joint confirmation hearing before the Liberian Senate on Capitol Hill in Monrovia. Mr. Wolokollie suggested that the government must not over tax the business community, with an expectation that the business community will in return pay its fair share of any legitimate tax that has been assessed in consonance with the Revenue Code of Liberia.

Wolokollie and Kowo said they will work with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that Liberia's tax regime is reviewed with the hope of eliminating those taxes and practices that place hindrances to the business community and economic growth. Read more

Importers drop prices on rice, Sources: FrontPage Africa and The New Dawn

The media reports that following a negotiation process led by President George Weah, rice importers here have dropped prices on small and big rice bags, removing USD2.00 from the half bag measured 25 kilograms, and USD4.00 from the full bag measured 50 kilograms. The decision was reached at a final negotiation meeting on Friday with the rice importers by President Weah at his residence in Paynesville. Meanwhile, presidential press secretary Sam Mannah has clarified that the meeting with the rice importers involved local importers, represented by their president John Bestman. Read more

“Deeply Reflect on Dual Citizenship, Land Ownership” -LCC Urges President Weah, Citizens, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The leadership of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) has called for deep and critical national reflection and exhaustive research on issues concerning land ownership and dual nationality. The LCC’s call comes in the wake of President George Weah’s State of the Nation address calling for the scrapping of provisions in the Constitution barring dual citizenship and restricting citizenship to individuals of Negro descent. The LCC statement noted that over the years, the conversations about citizenship and land ownership have surfaced in the country’s national debate, but to date, they have yielded no definitive position apart from the provisions offered by the Constitution of the Republic.

The LCC, therefore, commended President Weah for reintroducing the conversation at the dawn of his presidency but noted it welcomes the divergence of views on these matters. Read more