Visit our

website
at

www.

liberianobserver.
com

VOL. 16. NO. 115

INSIDE THIS
EDITION
EDITORIAL

A Prayer for Divine

Intervention
See Pg. 4

COMMENTARY
Better Safe than
Sorry
A Few Lessons to
Learn from the
Emerging Ebola
Virus Threat
See Pg. 4

LOCAL NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014

www.liberianobserver.com

today!

PRICE: LD 40

Ellen Pays Homage to

Ebola Victims
-Commends Ministry of Healths Task Force,
Partners, Health Workers for Efforts Thus Far

By William Q. Harmon

resident
Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf
has paid homage
to Liberians who
have lost their
lives as a result of
the Ebola virus disease (EVD)
that was recently confirmed in

the country. She expressed condolences to the bereaved families and those affected by the
Ebola virus while at the same
time showed appreciation to all
who continue to address this serious health problem.
On behalf of the Liberian
people, we want to say to the
task force, thank you so much

for all that you have done, she

said, urging all Liberians and
foreigners within our borders
to work together to contain the
situation.
President Sirleaf made the
comments when she visited the
Ministry of Health and Social

Contd on pg. 10

4 Liberians Shot in Turkey

-As Shooter Allegedly Said I Do not Want to See Americans!
By Joaquin Sendolo,
Observer Diplomatic
Correspondent

Nigerians Want
Ambassador Out

he
Liberian
Government,
through
the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is
seeking explanation from the Turkish Government, following the shooting
of four Liberians in Istanbul,
Turkey on April 4, 2014.
The four Liberians were reportedly shot by an unknown

See Pg. 3

FARMER
USAID/FED, Partners
to Boost Livestock
Production
See Pg. 8

Contd on pg. 10

BUSINESS

President Sirleaf extended her condolences to families who

have lost loved ones to the Ebola virus

GOL Seeks
US$300M from
World Bank
-To Pave Ganta-Zwedru Road
See Pg. 10

New Insurance
Company to Invest
US$1M Here
See Pg. 9

SPORTS

From Brazil with

Love: Team Liberia
Arrives Today
See Pg. 11

April 10, 2014-edition.indd 3

Severe gunshot wounds on one of four Liberians, who

were shot in Istanbul, Turkey (Photo By Lawrence
Jackson, a Liberian in Turkey)

Womens Political
Forum Launched
-Ellen Calls for Concerted Effort to see More
Women in Leadership
See Pg. 10

4/9/14 11:53 PM

Daily Observer Wednesday,

April 09,
2014
Thursday,
April
10, 2014

LA Police Station Gunman

Had AK-47 in His Car

World News
Toyota to eRcall
6.4 Million
Vehicles

Toyota is recalling 6.4

million vehicles globally,
including 35,124 in the
UK, over five separate
issues.
(BBC) - Some 3.5 million
vehicles are being recalled to
replace a spiral cable attached to
the drivers side airbag.
It may be damaged when the
steering wheel is turned and
result in the airbag not being
deployed in a crash.
Other issues include problems
with seat rails, steering columns,
windscreen wipers and a glitch
with the engine starters that
poses a fire risk.
Toyota said it was not aware
of any vehicle crashes, injuries
or fatalities caused by these
conditions.
However, it said it had
received two reports of fires
in connection with the engine
starter problem.
The carmaker said that due
to inefficiencies in the design of
the starter motor relays, metallic
particles might accumulate on
the contacts within the relay.
It said that if the relays
continued to be used, the
particles could come off and
enter the relays circuitry and in
the worst case, this could lead
to the starter relays catching
fire.
Approximately
20,000
vehicles involving six Toyota
models and the Subaru Trezia
are being recalled to replace
both engine starter relays and
the engine starter motor.
The latest recall, which affects
27 different models, is the fifth
major one that the company has
issued in recent months.
In February, it called back
1.9 million of its top-selling
Prius hybrid cars because of
a software fault that might
cause the vehicle to slow down
suddenly.
In the latter half of last year, it
issued separate recalls affecting
more than 2.2 million vehicles.
Overall, the company has
recalled more than 25 million
vehicles over the past two-anda-half years.
That is far more than the
number it called back in 2009
and 2010 - widely seen as the
worst years in terms of damage
to its reputation.
Toyotas sales had suffered
in the aftermath of those
recalls, which were prompted
by problems with accelerator
pedals becoming trapped under
floor mats.
The recalls had also triggered
a criminal investigation against
the carmaker in the US.
Earlier this year, the firm
agreed a $1.2bn (720m)
settlement with US regulators
after a four-year inquiry into its
reporting of safety issues.
Recalls are not uncommon
in the industry. For example,
General Motors is in the middle
of recalling millions of vehicles
as well.
However, there are concerns
that Toyotas current troubles
may hurt its efforts to rebuild its
reputation, which was damaged
by the 2010 recall fiasco.

(BBC) - Daniel Yealu, 29,

entered the lobby on Monday
night, said he had a complaint,
and then began shooting, police
said.
He hit one officer several
times before he was wounded
in the ensuing shootout, police
said.
The suspected gunman is in
critical condition in hospital
while the wounded officer is
expected to recover.
Los Angeles Police Chief
Charlie Beck said Mr. Yealu had
left an AK-47 rifle in his vehicle
parked outside the station.
By the grace of God, the
suspect did not come in with
the assault weapons that he has
had access to, one of which I

A gunman who opened fire inside a Los Angeles police

station, wounding an officer, left a powerful assault
rifle in his car outside, police have said.
believe was in his vehicle, Mr
Beck said, according to the Los
Angeles Times.
Officials
also
found
ammunition
and
several

weapons including two assaultstyle rifles, a shotgun and two

handguns at Mr Yealus home.
Records showed he had been
licensed to work as a security

guard since 2005 and to carry a

firearm since 2007.
Police say the shooting began
shortly after 20:00 local time on
Monday (03:00 GMT Tuesday),
when a gunman entered the
stations small lobby and
approached its front desk.
The gunman said I have a
complaint, before he began
shooting at the officers, Cdr
Andrew Smith said.
Despite one of them being
wounded, both were able to
return fire, hitting the suspect
several times.
No-one else was injured in the
shooting and police say they
know of no motive yet for the
attack.

Oscar Pistorius: Reeva Died

While I was Holding Her

(BBC) - During his emotional

testimony he said Ms Steenkamp
died before the ambulance
arrived while he was holding
her.
He said he tried to help her
breathe and stem the bleeding
from her hip.
The athlete denies deliberately
shooting dead Ms Steenkamp
on Valentines Day last year,
arguing he mistook her for an
intruder.
Prosecutors
contend
he
intentionally killed her in the
toilet of his bathroom after a
row.
The 27-year-old Olympic
and Paralympic sprinter, who
is a double amputee, faces life
imprisonment if convicted of
murder.
On Tuesday, he broke down
in tears whilst describing the
events leading up to the shooting
and the actual event.
If acquitted, South African law
stipulates that the court must
consider the separate, lesser
charge of culpable homicide,
or manslaughter, for which he
could receive between six and
15 years in prison.
Mr Pistorius also faces charges

of illegally firing a gun in public

and of illegally possessing
ammunition, both of which he
denies.
There are no juries at trials in
South Africa, and his fate will
ultimately be decided by the
judge, assisted by two assessors.
On his third day on the stand,
Mr Pistorius described the
moments after paramedics had
arrived at the scene.
They asked for some space
to work so I stood up. Reeva
had already died whilst I
was holding her before the
ambulance arrived. So, I knew
there was nothing they could do
for her, he told the court.
He also described his distress
as police and other officials
arrived at the house.
I asked a policeman if I could
wash my hands because the
smell of the blood was making
me throw up, he said.
His lawyer Barry Roux also
asked him to demonstrate how
he would swing a cricket bat.
Mr Pistorius said he was on
his prosthetic legs when he used
the cricket bat to break down the
toilet door.
He said the three sounds heard

by witnesses at 03:17 local time

was the cricket bat hitting the
door - about five minutes after
he shot at the toilet door.
He said he was on his stumps,
when he shot at the door.
I can barely stand on my
stumps, he said.
During his questioning, Mr
Roux also mentioned statements
from close neighbours who were
listed by the state but not called
by the prosecution.
He said the statement from
Kenny Motshoanes house
described hearing crying and

not a woman screaming, as

mentioned by other witnesses.
Another woman living nearby
also says she heard loud crying
and not a woman screaming, Mr
Roux said.
Before Mr Roux ended
his questioning he asked Mr
Pistorius if he had intentionally
killed Ms Steenkamp.
I did not intend to kill Reeva
for that matter,
or anybody else
he replied.
On Tuesday, the athlete
described how the couple had
spent a quiet evening together
on 13 February, Ms Steenkamp
doing some yoga as he spoke to
his cousin on the phone.
He had then watched TV in
bed with his head resting on
her stomach and she would
occasionally show him photos
of cars she was looking at on her
phone, he said. He said that they
had bought Valentines Day gifts
for each other.
Ms Steenkamp, a 29-year-old
model, reality TV celebrity and
law graduate, was hit by at least
three bullets while in the toilet
cubicle of Mr Pistoriuss home
in Pretoria.

legislation in the US Senate,

said his chamber is not going
to just ignore this most recent
insult.
This nomination is part
of Irans clear and consistent
pattern of virulent antiAmericanism that has defined
their foreign policy since 1979,
he said.
The 52 Americans were held
for 444 days during the crisis.
Sources familiar with Mr
Aboutalebi tell the BBC that he
is one of the closest diplomats to
Mr Rouhani.
In an interview with an Iranian
news site, Mr Aboutalebi said
he was not part of the group that
took over US embassy and was
only later asked to translate for
the students.
BBC
Persians
Bahman
Kalbasi
says
Ebrahim
Asgharzadeh,
a
known
member of the core group of
hostage-takers,
corroborated
Mr Aboutalebis account in an
interview.

Occupying the embassy

was the idea of five people,
then expanded to 15, Mr
Asgharzadeh said.
After the embassy takeover,
we invited close to 150 to 200
students to help us with different
tasks of running the place. Some
of the students would only
commit to a few hours.
I dont remember Mr
Aboutalebi from those days but
if he was, must have been one
of those guys who was asked
to help translate for reporter
or a delegation. Calling him a
hostage-taker is simply wrong.
The son of another member of
the group of five students who
took over the embassy also told
the BBC: The names of the first
five and the 10 that joined to
execute the takeover are public
and there is no doubt that Mr
Aboutalebi was not in any way
a major player in planning or
execution of the hostage taking
of US embassy staff in Tehran.

South African athlete

Oscar Pistorius is back in
court in Pretoria describing events after shooting
his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home.

US: Iran UN Envoy Hamid Aboutalebi Not Viable

The Obama administration has told the Iranian

government its choice of a one-time student
revolutionary to be UN ambassador is not viable.
(BBC) - White House
spokesman Jay Carney called
the potential nomination of
Hamid Aboutalebi extremely
troubling.
Mr Aboutalebi was a part
of the Muslim student group
that seized the US embassy in
Tehran in 1979.
On Monday, the US Senate
unanimously passed a bill that
would bar him from entering the
country.
The legislation passed by
the Senate underscores just

how troubling this potential

nomination would be, Mr
Carney told reporters.
The House of Representatives
is also expected to pass the
measure barring him from
entering the US. It would
then require President Barack
Obamas signature to become
law.
Mr Carney declined to
comment on whether Mr Obama
would sign it.
Senator Ted Cruz, the Texas
Republican who introduced the

Page 2
Foreign Briefs

Iran

(BBC) - Iran has begun a

new round of talks with world
powers in Vienna as they seek
to reach a comprehensive deal
on Tehrans nuclear programme.
The international community
wants Iran to scale back its
enrichment of uranium, which
they fear could be used to make
a nuclear bomb.
Iran says its nuclear work
is purely peaceful and hopes
to agree a deal in return for a
lifting of sanctions.
An interim agreement that
came into effect in January ends
in July.
Iran and the six powers
involved - the US, Russia,
China, Britain, France and
Germany - are keen to start
drafting the terms of a new deal
by May, but correspondents say
they are still some way apart.

Syria

(BBC) - A Dutch priest well

known for refusing to leave the
besieged Syrian city of Homs
has been shot dead by a gunman.
Frans van der Lugt, who was in
his 70s, had become a renowned
figure in the rebel-held area
that has been blockaded by
government forces for nearly
two years.
He had refused to be evacuated,
saying he would not leave Homs
while there were still Christians
in the city.
The motive behind Fr van der
Lugts killing is unclear.
The Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights, a UK-based
activist group, said he was shot
twice in the head.
Jan Stuyt, secretary of the
Dutch Jesuit Order, confirmed
to AFP news agency that Fr van
der Lugt had been killed.

Venezuela

(BBC) - The Venezuelan

government and a coalition of
opposition parties have agreed
to enter into formal talks to
end weeks of anti-government
protests.
At least 39 people, both
opponents and supporters of
the government, have died in
protest-related violence.
Venezuelan
Vice-President
Jorge Arreaza said the two sides
had agreed to hold talks in
public.
The opposition coalition had
demanded that any negotiations
be broadcast live on television
and radio.
Following preliminary talks
on Tuesday, the opposition
Democratic Unity coalition
(MUD) and the government
said they would meet more
formally under the mediation of
representatives from the Vatican
and regional body Unasur.

Argentina

(BBC) - A court in Argentina

has sentenced 10 people
to up to 22 years in jail for
the kidnapping and sexual
exploitation of a young woman,
Marita Veron.
The defendants were all
cleared of abducting her in 2012,
but a new trial was ordered after
her mother, Susana Trimarco,
appealed.
She said justice has been
done.
The case shone a light on sex
trafficking in Argentina after Ms
Trimarco rescued many women
in the search for her daughter.

Daily Observer
Thursday, April 10, 2014

Page 3

Nigerians Want Ambassador Out

-Observed Week-long Fast and Prayer for Her Recall; After
Blockade Embassy Entrance, as Police Arrest one

By William Q. Harmon

hile Nigerians
throughout
the world may
have been rejoicing over the news that
their country now has the biggest economy in Africa, the
situation in Liberia was totally
different, as local Nigerians
were staging a demonstration
calling on President Goodluck
Jonathan to have Ambassador
Chigozie F-Obi Nnadozie recalled.
The Nigerians, who allegedly came from every part
of Liberia for the protest instigated by the leadership of
the Nigerian Community and
Descendants Union of Liberia (NCDUL), on Wednesday,
April 8, converged on the
Nigerian Embassy in a protest intended to prevail on the
government of Nigeria to have
Ambassador Obi Nnadozie
recalled for what they termed
as a lack of respect and outright disdain for the welfare of
NCDUL members.
The protesters said Ambassador Nnadozies continued
stay in Liberia is not only unfavorable to the welfare, safety
and security of all people of
Nigeria and their descendants
in Liberia, but harmful to the

supreme interest of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria as a sovereign state.
The Liberian National Police, upon getting hints of the
situation, barricaded the Nigerian Embassy to ensure the
Ambassadors protection. The
LNP arrested the organizers of
the protest upon noticing the
situation was beginning to get
out of hand. They pushed the
crowd away from the Embassy
entrance until they had moved
across the street.
The Secretary General of
the Nigerian association, Rev.
Vincent Abuka, catalogued
several grievances that the organization has against Ambassador Nnadozie.
Rev. Abuka said the Ambassador has shown a clear lack of
respect, if not outright disdain,
for their organization, which
was founded in 1948-a time
when she was not yet born.
He said she seeks to destroy
the organization by forming a
rival organization made predominantly of a handful person from her state of origin.
According to him, this has
caused her to sideline the majority of Nigerians and their
descendants.
The NCDUL stalwart said,
The Ambassador has on several occasions expelled from

One of the protesters carrying a casket, while other

display placards
the premises of the Embassy,
the NCDULs president and
other prominent elders she invited to the Embassy for meetings.
She also reported NCDULs
President to the Justice Ministry accusing him of obstructing
her functions as Ambassador.
She instigated the detention
of NCDUL president Elder
Felix U. Ebeku. This is totally
against the fraternity that we
share as Nigerians.
He accused the Ambassador
of denying and obstructing the
return of corpses of deceased
Nigerians back home for burial as custom demands, saying,
Her actions often compound
the sorrows of relatives. Before her arrival this behavior
was unheard of in Liberia.
He alleged that Ambassador
Nnadozie is extorting money

from her compatriots as registration fees at the Embassy;

something they used to do free
of charge.
The NCDUL Secretary
said: Without any evidence,
our Ambassador collectively
branded Nigerians and their
descendants in Liberia as terrorists and Boko-Haram insurgents, thereby threatening our
security in the country. This
is unacceptable; her newest
statement against us supports
recent claims by a top Liberian
security operative that Nigerian businessmen in the country
are Boko-Haram operatives.
When contacted for comments or reactions to the
claims of the NCDUL leaders,
Ambassador Nnadozie after
answering unceremoniously,
cut-off her phone. When this
reporter called back a male

more remote locations. This is

why we are advocating strongly for greater support to the
LNP and BIN. However, for
that to be effective, these security agencies also need well
functioning internal systems,
the SRSG explained.
She said UNMIL has been
sharing their expertise on how
to manage budgets and human
resources. They have taught
members of the LNP and BIN
how to better maintain vehicles and their facilities so
they dont fall apart immediately, since these are some of
the systems that need to be
strengthened.
Madam Landgren mentioned
Ghana has been supporting
this by bringing groups of
LNP officers for training at the
Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration. She said strengthening
how these actors manage their
own resources is a big part of
making them more effective.
Let me turn to the Security Sector--- in particular, the
Police. As you know, some
important steps were agreed
upon at a security sector reform retreat last September.
These steps included professionalizing the police by appointing senior officials from
within their ranks and increasing transparency in tenure and
promotion systems.
The LNP and BIN have been
working to become more effective institutions. So it has
been frustrating to see the facilities vacated by UNMIL in

Foya standing empty for over

a year, waiting to become a
BIN training center; and to
see a new LNP training centre in Harper, inaugurated last
September, still standing idle.
Over the past few months, the
Government has made significant commitments to strengthening the security sector,
Madam Landgren said.
In efforts to have the LNP
and BIN equipped to take over
the country she said, the Minister of Finance has been personally involved in trying to
make it easier for funds related
to UNMIL security transition
to be disbursed to the police,
the immigration service and
other agencies.
I am not sure this has had
measurable success yet, but
we look forward to good
news. The police training
academy has over a thousand
recruits waiting to start training and over 250 people ready
to graduate.
The President herself has
committed to activating more
training resources and promised better use of facilities for
training. President Sirleaf has
committed to having a better
balance in the 2014-15 national budgets between investments in infrastructure, and
investments in national security, she concluded.
Madam Landgren assured
Liberia of UNMILs continued
support and promised to work
with their many partners by
contributing to the LNP and
BIN.

Security Situation Remains Generally Stable

Says SRSG Karin Landgren

By Gloria T.Tamba

he Special Representative of the UN

Secretary General,
Madam Karin Landgren, has said that the security
situation in Liberia remains
generally stable.
When I say we welcome
the news, this means that since
the last report to the Secretary General, security within
the country has been generally stable without any major
outbreaks of violence. We are
not saying the situation is rosy
in terms of the types of violence that I have mentioned.
UNMIL works with the government to monitor what is
happening around the country
in terms of security. Both in
terms of incidence of violence
in concessionaire areas, in
demonstrations and issues like
sexual and gender based violence, where we work to maintain statistics of cases that are
reported.
The SRSG made the disclosure recently when she addressed the 72nd summit of
the United Nations.
According to Madam Landgren, during her visits to
various bases of the Liberia
National Police (LNP) and Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN) throughout
the country, she noticed one of
the challenges which UNMIL
has raised many times is that

SRSG Karin Landgren

a vast majority of the LNP is
in the capital. As a result, there
is not an even spread of police
covering the rest of the country.
When I visited them in the
county capitals, I always find
they have inadequate logistics.
A majority of their cars are
broken, they have difficulty
getting fuel, they have no
communications equipment
and sometimes they dont
have furniture or uniforms.
Their numbers are usually far
below the numbers they are
supposed to have officially.
I heard about how little they
earned and how difficult it is to
be stationed in some of these

voice answered the phone and

started insulting him.
Why you people are not interested in promoting a good
image of Nigeria and only
choose to publish negative
things about this country. The
man, who was speaking for the
Ambassador, said that she had,
at the time of the protest, gone
to the launch of a new Nigerian business; something he
said would promote better relations between the two countries rather than giving heed to
something unnecessary.
The NCDUL leadership told
journalists that its members
have begun to observe a week
of fasting and prayer to seek
divine intervention for the recall of the Ambassador, who
they said has been very in-

sensitive to the plights of the

larger Nigerian community in
Liberia.
It is alleged that the protesters are all naturalized Liberians that should, thus, have
nothing to do with Nigeria. It
is rumored the protesters have
yet to denounce their Nigerian
nationality officially or legally. Rev. Vincent Abuka denied
the claims saying they had no
substance.
When issues like this come
up, you become aware all
kinds of people are willing
to use propaganda. I can tell
you that 99 percent of us here
at the Embassy today are not
naturalized and will continue
to be Nigerians, Rev. Abuka
concluded.

Ureys Support
Swells
By Keith Morris

upport for Benoni

Ureys quest for the
presidency has begun
rising; with several
prominent personalities joining
the struggle.
Mr. Urey, former commissioner of the Bureau of Maritime Affairs in the government
of former President Charles
Taylor, announced his intent
to stand in the race to replace
President Sirleaf after her tenure expires in 2017.
Since that pronouncement
was made, there has been
mixed reactions from the Liberian public. Some expressed
support for his bid, while others
believe Urey is similar to his
former employer, Charles Taylor, and as such electing him
(Urey) means a return to the
regime of Charles Taylor.
The latest of Ureys supporters is Constitutional lawyer
Cllr. Pearl Brown-Bull. In her
assertion on a local radio talk
show Wednesday, April 9, in
Monrovia, Cllr. Bull declared
her support for Urey, stating
that Urey seems to be the right
person for the job.
The intent of her statement is
based on a recent war of words
between Mr. Urey and a member of President Ellen Johnson
Sirleafs government, Press
Secretary Jerolinmek Piah.
Urey had earlier criticized
Madam Sirleaf for leaving the
country without addressing the
problem of the Ebola Virus affecting Liberia.
Reacting to said comment,
Presidential Press Secretary
Piah was quick to condemn Mr.
Ureys assertion.
Mr. Ureys comments reflect
a serious lack of governance,
political ineptitude and naivety on the part of a political
nobody, who has allowed his
quest for the presidency to render him mischievous and disingenuous, Piah said.
Piah continued: Mr. Urey argues that President Sirleaf has
no interest in Liberia and its
people simply because she de-

Mr. Benoni Urey

parted the country to participate
in the 4th EU-Africa Summit at
the time an outbreak of Ebola
was reported in the country.
If this statement came from
just anybody, we would not
have been surprised at all; but
coming from a man who says
he has his eyes on the Presidency, we are not only surprised
but ashamed of him.
Urey angrily reacted to Piah
and the President, saying:
when substantial issues are
raised against the presidency,
they unleash their dogs to come
after you.
Based on these exchanges,
Cllr. Bull intoned those responses from the Presidents
office are immature and unnecessary.
Judging from comments
made by these people the President has around her, Cllr. Bull
said, Makes me strongly support Mr. Urey for the presidency.
I never wanted to do so before, but the people the President has around her have forced
me to support Mr. Urey, she
asserted.
Cllr. Bull is a signatory to the
1986 Liberian Constitution and
a former commissioner of the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Though she
may not be as well known or
influential as many politicians
in the country, such a statement
from a seasoned lawyer could
serve as a political plus for Mr.
Ureys ambition for the presidency, a political analyst told
the Daily Observer.

Daily Observer Wednesday,

April 09,
2014
Thursday,
April
10, 2014

Published by Liberian Observer Corporation

P.O. Box 1858, Monrovia

Liberias First Independent Daily

Page 4

BEHOLD! AS WE RUB SHOULDERS

AND ELBOWS IN BROTHERHOOD,
WE PRAY THAT EBOLA WILL NOT
ROB US OF OUR LIVES. AMEN!

0886812888, 0886472772
www.liberianobserver.com

A Prayer for Divine

Intervention

This weeks Proclamation by the President calls on all the

people of Liberia to assemble in their places of worship, their
homes or wherever they may be tomorrow, the second Friday
in April, which for over a century has been designated as Fast
and Prayer Day. It is a time to petition our common Creator in
thanksgiving, fast and prayer, for the wellbeing of the Liberian
nation and people.
This is a timely call, which the President makes once a year, to
remind our people of their utter dependence on God.
We would like to remind our people that, as Jesus did
whenever He faced a serious challenge, such as feeding the
5000 and raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus first gave thanks
to His Father, God.
The nation today is saddled with many, many challenges,
some of our own making, some by the making of our leaders
in all branches of government.
Those of our own making include our lack of patriotismwe
seldom show in our daily interactions and activities, that we
truly love our country and people.
This lack of patriotism is often manifested in the way we
work. We lack work ethic. Few of us realize why Japan is so
successful as an agricultural and industrial power. The Japanese
workers have for a very long time worked with the mindset that
they are working, not for themselves, but for Japan, so that
it may become the worlds number one nation. Too many of
us Liberians spend our timeor so we thinkworking for
ourselveswhether it is doing a carpentry or plumbing job, or
collecting government taxes, or undertaking an inspection on
behalf of the government. We often forget about country and
put ourselves first, ready and willing to accept anything we are
offered to compromise our official functiononly to end up
being laughed at and scorned by the very foreign businesspeople
who bribe us.
In many government offices we hear the workers say, The
thing that J.J. Roberts started in 1847 is what you want me to
finish today?
Then there are our leadersin all branches of government,
who have failed to curb corruption and its twin sister, nepotism,
and these have caused the people, sadly, to heap scorn and even
rebellion upon them.
The public is still crying for justice, even though the Chief
Justice is striving to improve the situation.
Look how our elected officials in the Legislature behaveso
selfishly as though that is why the people elected themNO!
They were elected to SERVE THE PEOPLEnot themselves.
Our educational system is in decline, from primary to
university, including the highest, the University of Liberia.
Our productive sectors, especially Agriculture, are found
seriously wanting. The farmers are not being helped and
we continue to import most of what we eat, including meat,
vegetables and our staple, rice.
There are serious financial problems, and everybody
particularly the students and workersis feeling the pinch
through the diminishing purchasing power of our Liberian
dollar.
Then there is the Ebola crisis, which the World Health
Organization says is the most serious problem it has ever
faced. Thankfully, only 10 Liberians have so far died from
it. But the Health Ministry is monitoring it very closely and
informing the public of preventive measures.
All of the problems, unfortunately, rest on the head of our
President. As the old poem says in joyful escape: Im glad Im
not a president; and very glad Im not a king. Theres something
grand about them, but theyre blamed for everything.
Yet, in spite of problems, we do have some things for which to
Thank God tomorrow. The road construction is moving ahead
and the Mount Coffee Hydro-electric Plant is on stream. The
coffer dams, to protect the building from rainwater, are almost
complete. The turbines and generators are being purchased and
will be installed on schedule in the first three quarters of 2015;
and by December will be ready for test runs, to go full blast.
On this Fast and Pray Day tomorrow, let us approach the
thrown of grace with Thanksgiving for our peace and stability,
and fervent Prayer that the Almighty will grant us His divine
intervention, continuing to steer our ship of state in peace, and
bring us good governance and prosperity.

OBSERVER CARTOON WITH A. Leslie Lumeh E-mail: leslie@leslielumeh.com www.leslielumeh.com

Better Safe than Sorry

A Few Lessons to Learn from the Emerging
Ebola Virus Threat
By Magdalene Matthews

In the past weeks, the deadly

Ebola virus which was practically
unknown and unheard of by the
average Liberian has rapidly become
a national issue of dread, discussion
and debate.
Everywhere you turn, from
supermarkets to commercial banks,
customer-care service providers
who literally interact with nearly
a hundred people each day, are
encouraging their staff to take
necessary
precautions
toward
prevention and self-protection. With
stories ranging from initial rumors to
confirmed reports of cases and lives
lost by the Ministry of Health and
Social Welfare, one thing is evident:
the Ebola virus is one nightmare our
recovering nation is not ready to
grapple with.
With enough hearsay circulating
on the issue and enough fingers
being pointed here and there, the
aim of this article is not to contribute
to the ongoing elusive blame-game
but rather to take a retrospective
and prospective look from an
environmental health standpoint
and identify a few pertinent lessons
that can be learnt from the current
situation as it unfolds.
LESSON
1:
INCREASED
NATIONAL FOCUS ON PUBLIC
HEALTH
&
PREVENTIVE
MEDICINE
To us as a NATION, the emerging
threat of the Ebola virus within
domestic boundaries is a resounding
reminder of the age-old adage that
prevention is better than cure and
to be safe as a people, is always better
than to be sorry. It is a magnifier
the multiple underlying challenges

being faced by of our emerging

health sector.
More forward looking, the fact
that Ebola walked out of our public
health text books and into our daily
lives is a call for a more balanced
and increasingly holistic approach to
the health care delivery in Liberia. It
is an appeal for the tilt of the scale
slightly more in favor of preventive
medicine as opposed to the current
focus on curative. Dont get me
wrong, while curative medicine tends
to be capital intensive indeveloping
nations such as ours, research has
proven time and again that increased
focus on public health and preventive
medicine always lessens the national
burden of disease and enhances the
effectiveness of the broader health
care delivery system in the long run.
LESSON 2: PUBLIC HEALTH

AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE

CONTROL AS AN INDIVIDUAL
RESPONSIBILITY
To us as INDIVIDUALS, the
greatest lesson we learn from the
emerging Ebola threat is that of
RESPONSIBILITY. Responsibility
not just for our lives and health
but that of those we love. With
the possibility of contracting and
sharing the disease with our loved
ones through the basic exchanges
of everyday life such as an amicable
handshake, a warm hug, by sharing
spoons during mealsor anything
and everything involving some
exchange of body fluidscomes the
increased consciousness that in the
fragile national public health puzzle,
we too play major roles by the things
we do or fail to. Its time we begin
taking responsibility for our lives,
health and future and that of those
we love. Remember to wash your
hands. Take personal precaution.
Practice good personal hygiene,
knowing that what you do or fail to
have far-reaching effects on your
personal health and well-being and
that of those dear to you.
Lastly, as the nation approaches
yet another National Fast and Prayer
Day on Friday, April 11, 2014, now
would also be a good time to pray for
our nation Liberia and the safety of
its people. God bless us all.
Magdalene Matthews holds a MSc
Environmental Health from the
Harvard School of Public Health
Cyprus International Institute
and is a Member, Society for Risk
Analysis

Daily Observer Wednesday,

April 09,
2014
Thursday,
April
10, 2014

Ebola Where is your

stain?

By Charles G. Tiah-LAW
charlestiah@yahoo.com/0880-677551

Oh you deadly Hemorrhagic, Ebola!

Voyaged from way Central Africa,
Pour quoi tous est la?
So early 10 lives your strange death had escorted
For what job done are you now hailing yourself?
No matter how resolved with your plot you are
against us,
Very soon you no more again will toil this death
bell
Ebola, do you even think you can quit our
handshakes?
Or away take our communal friendship as their
myth say?
Firmly our fists are fixed against you.
If our medicine fails our prayer wont do
Until no longer will your stain a soul hate
For in Him secured is our fate---Pour quoi tous est la: In French means why are
you here?

My Transformation
By Kenny Best Jr.

This is the story of my transformation:

Ive been transformed from normal to newborn
to new man, its my emancipation.
From slave to liberator, the blood of the Savior
pressed upon me and paved a new path to freedom
- I shook The Mans plantation.
I gave it all up for a just cause just because, just
as Christ gave His life and paid the price for a
chosen nation,
He chose me to be a soldier in this war against
the flesh and the spirit - until its over Ill give my
best, not for merit or standing ovation.
See, I was wrong for going off and on, weak and
torn, full of sin,
Wavering to and fro in the wind, raging like an
ocean;
Now uplifted from the lowly, marching slowly
to glory - Im telling you a true story but no, this
isnt my promotion.
Its the Most High working thru Messiah,
working thru me.
Im being tried in the fiery furnace of adversity;
The wicked may persecute, but that which I
seek is my Fathers will, love, law, wisdom and
intimate mercy.
With His Hands, He formed me from clay to
gold to an eternally living soul, to perfectly fit in
His mold before His oven turns cold.
I look on as He holds in His power the globe,
and measures the deeds of all the righteous and the
noise of His foes;
He holds in His balance all the woes of the
meek and the commotion in the streets as tares are
severed from wheat.
He doesnt cultivate fear - this road is a
challenge for those who truly seek a companion or
advocacy, but many seeds get entangled in thorns
or dry up in the heat.
But Im embalmed by the earth thats under my
feet; His Word is the pasture where I can rest and
freely graze like a sheep.
I extend from the roots of this powerful tree;
in my palms are the fruits of His knowledge and
peace.
And that warm bread of life is what I live on; its
my food, fire and sword, a handy shield that I slip
on to stop wicked darts.
Yes, it consumes, quenches, and pours salvation
upon sickened hearts and hordes of dry bones in
the valley of Kidron that lie among rocks...
Our people call themselves following God, but
follow doctrines that got them stuck in boxes, not
knowing who they are, or were, and will be in the
end when Messiah again calls Jacob His friend;
They will be the recompense if they truly repent
and put off the filthy garments that were given to
them.
But first they must go before Him and atone for
their sins, make amends, and return to His holy
laws and commandments.
And now its time for new robes, new minds,
and new roles;
We all play a different part, but have the ultimate
goal.
Seeing all the signs and waking up from
your doze requires willingness and patience to
transform as a whole.
So...how do we go, and where do we stand? Is
there map in the sand to guide us back to our land?
No...but theres a light in our hearts to shine
bright in our inner parts so we can project it
outwardly and be lamps in the dark.
Though this light is transparent, it needs to

cleave through the evil and cant be hid under

bushel as to not reach all of our people.
This way of life is inherent as is our conscience
and bearing, or like the fog that disperses when
you come into a clearing,
Where the lion is sleeping but hes not in a
jungle - and though its not night time, instead of
roaring, he mumbles
But when it is game time, he better hope he
dont stumble, or that the crown which he runs for
is not solely corruptible.
We run a race for that which is truly eternal, and
will guide us to light;
So with temperance, subjection and humility, we
do fight, avoiding with all prudence the infinite
grip of inferno.
And as always, we give the Father all praise for
His salvation immortal, and heed His righteous
ways cause angels write our journals;
They take our thoughts, prayers, and all
conceptions internal, and He intercepts and
discerns if we are worthy and faithful.
So when the Master returns, well have a place
at His table and a seat at His feast!
We must invest as were able, with all the gifts
we are given:
So that through faith, were patient and grateful,
because Hes made His petition for us to be sealed
in His book of life,
Where our names are forever written, because,
before being revealed in this earthly cradle, He
knew us; for by Him, we were already labeled.

State of our Union

By Marcus Abayomi Flemister

As planets orbiting the sun

Our solar systems come undone
Weve deviated from the path
Forgotten logic, ignored the math
Our egos blind us to the facts
Weve broken all of our contracts
There is no I in the word team
Weve lost all hope, refuse to dream
We talk but dont communicate
We just make noise and act irate
We judge our friends before they speak
We see the thoughtful as the weak
Weve replaced merit with our greed
We lack the passion to succeed
Will the futures foundation ever be built?
Will I turn away and hide from guilt?
I know that I must share the blame
Carry my part of our joint shame
Our sins are not always apparent
Whats in our minds is not transparent
We dodge, we jump, and we deviate
We avoid the truth and embrace hate
My vision reaches as far as my nose
My foolish pride leaves me exposed
We contribute to the degradation
We mock ourselves and hurt the nation
We are people of words who do not act
The time has passed to display tact

Ebola As Others
By David K. Nyuma, Sr.

Ebola are you here to terrorize us

Ebola are you worst than the civil war
Ebola are you worst than yellow fever that killed
our settlers
Ebola are you worst than AIDS.
Ebola you can not be worst than the Black Death
of Empire
Ebola you can not be worst than malaria
Ebola you can not be worst than cholera
Ebola you can not be worst than tuberculosis.
Ebola you can not rob Liberia of all her
population
You can not do it to Guinea
You can not do it to Uganda
You can not do it to D.R. Congo
All you colleagues in the strive to eliminate
mankind has failed
As yellow fever, Aids,
Ask the Liberia Civil War
Ask Malaria, Tuberculosis or Black Death of
Europe
Ebola you are declared a terrorist among us
You will flatter us but not succeed
In all of this we are winners
Ebola leave us alone because you are defeated

Mother Take A Stand

By Matenneh-Rose L. Dunbar
Sadly she does the greatest harm
Without a heart of care for another
Once her dirty pot is boiling it is ok
If her kin gets bruise it means not

Page 5

MESSENGERS OF PEACE

Volunteering For Peace

By Gwendolyn S. Myers,
Executive Director-Messengers of Peace-Liberia
(MOP)

hen in 2012,
during a women
cohort
group
discussion session
at the Wulki Farm, outside
Monrovia, I mentioned to my
Eastern Mennonites University
colleagues that there is no heart
stronger than that of a volunteer,
it generated lots of discussions.
While most of my colleagues
from Fiji, Solomon Islands, USA,
Kenya, Somalia and Liberia tend
to agree with this assertion, some
from other countries needed more
information to be convinced. I
anticipate that this weeks topic
on volunteering for peace and
development would do the same.
In simple terms, volunteerism
can be defined as doing work
without the expectation of
remuneration. According to
Marjorie Moore,
Volunteering is the ultimate
exercise in democracy. You vote
in elections once a year, but when
you volunteer, you vote everyday
about the kind of community you
want to live in. In the opinion of
Candice Witzkoske, Volunteers
are somebody! Somebody who
cares, somebody who devotes
time without pay
In the words of Ban Ki-Moon,
United
Nations
Secretary
General,
Volunteerism
is a fundamental source of
community strength, resilience,
solidarity and social cohesion.
It can help effect positive social
change by fostering inclusive
societies that respect diversity,
equality and the participation of
all.
While the words of important
leaders might hold true on
the definitions and benefits of
volunteering for peace, we have
come to notice in Africa and
other conflict zones of the world
that people, especially young
people, are quick to volunteer
for mob violence and most often
mob justice. In most instances,
young persons have been coopted into wars as child soldiers
but never as volunteers for peace.
As you are aware, Messengers
of Peace-Liberia is a local nongovernmental organization that
promotes volunteerism to support
peace throughout the country.

With over 20 peace clubs in

schools and communities and
over a thousand youth volunteers,
MOP-Liberia firmly believes
that volunteerism can transform
the pace of and nature of peace
consolidation. We contribute to
peace advocacy in Liberia by
advocating for volunteer peace
advocates, encouraging partners
to support as well as integrate
volunteerism into their programs.
As peace volunteers, we have
extraordinary opportunity to
create beneficial change and have
a positive impact on peoples
lives. Volunteering is not merely
about providing human resources
or filling gaps but assisting and
uplifting communities so that
people can aspire for a better
tomorrow.
Data generated by the Johns
Hopkins Center for Civil Society
Studies in 37 countries (Liberia
not included) revealed that at
least 12 percent of the adult
populations in those countries
are volunteers. They presented
the equivalent of 20.8 million
full-time workers, and made a
US400 billion contribution to the
economy.
We, young Liberians, can
overcome conflict and consolidate
peace in Liberia through
empowerment for change in the
nations big challenges related to
the use of our natural resources,
environment, education, health,
gender equality, governance and
corruption.
We applaud the fact that some
young Liberians are working in
volunteer roles in development
programs in the counties, through
the National Youth Volunteer
Program and the Liberia Youth
Employment Program (LYEP).
MOP-Liberia will like to
welcome more volunteers to
peace building and consolidation
initiatives in Liberia. The role

By the way her girl and pretty and hot

Openly you break up a woman life
To traffic your child right in your face
Mothers Take A Stand
Somedays the act will trail the girl
The seeds we sow must be reaped
Then her own tears will fill buckets
Sorrow shall be her pillow at night
Pictures of the past would flashback
Pains mixed with regrets make shades
Discourage the path of sugar daddy
Mothers Take A. Stand
Dismiss the thrill of listening to news
Break her family seal your girl doom
Build happy homes with a locked jaw
Keep your soul by keeping your mouth
Be a positive role model to a daughter
Teacher her good moves to win in chess
He only needs her for a few hours
Mothers Take A Stand

of volunteers will be critical to

the implementation of the peace
hubs in Liberia. A volunteer
action can have a long term
impact and achieve a ripple
effect that extends far beyond
the immediate beneficiaries of
our efforts. Besides the added
value of volunteerism, voluntary
actions can also inspire others
to volunteer and to believe they,
too, can make a difference that
contributes to peace.
In the words of Douglas Pagels,
The more youre bothered by
something thats wrong, the more
youre empowered to change
things and make them right. The
more we follow that philosophy
as individuals, the easier it will
be to brighten our horizons
outward from there, taking in
our communities, our cultures,
our countries and the common
ground we stand on. The crucible
of peace and good will is far too
empty, and each of us must- in
some way-help to fill it.
As a young person growing
up in mama Liberia, where do
you stand? What do you take
responsibility for?
And what
do you not take responsibility
for? Let us read from you. We
encourage you to note that
intergenerational initiatives also
address national development
priorities.
They
counteract
inequality
and
exclusion,
encourage active citizenship
and even improve public
infrastructure
development
through
community-based
projects.
Our MOP-Liberia Facebook
page provides an opportunity for
all those individuals and likeminded organizations, which
are already doing something
about peace consolidation to
share their experiences and
encourage each other inspire to
a broader community to follow
our footprint. Contribute your
thoughts-as well as your photos.
I will like to end this article
with an inspiring quote from
Martin Luther King, Jr. when he
said: Everybody can be great...
because anybody can serve. You
dont have to have a college
degree to serve. You dont have
to make your subject and verb
agree to serve. You only need
a heart full of grace. A soul
generated by love
Until next week, Peace, above
all, Peace First, Let Peace Prevail.

House Of Giants
By Edward Boakai

For the greed of power,

Or the selfish benefits thereof;
Men oft disguise themselves
As good shepherds to be!
Be it under rain or shine,
They relentlessly go from door to door;
Bowing down and carving for votes,
With falsehood and empty promises in disguise!
At length, they use rhetorics,
Even persuasive languages to win your votes;
And when they shall have won your votes,
They laugh at you and treat you with scorn!
For greed and selfish motives though,
They do come down to earth;
And when their dreams do come true,
They tend to treat you as lesser beings!
For once in the House,
They become giants and bureaucrats;
For all their focus and immediate concern will
be:
I, me and myself!

DAILY OBSERVER

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Page 6

Daily Observer

Thursday, April 10, 2014

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
) IN THE DEBT COURT FOR
MONTSERRADO COUNTY ) MONTSERRADO COUNTY SITTING IN
ITS APRIL TERM A.D. 2014
BEFORE HIS HONOUR: JAMES E. JONES, JUDGE, DEBT COURT,
MO. CO.
Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) also
)
of the City of Monrovia, Liberia............PLAINTIFF )

) ACTION
VERSUS
) OF DEBT


)
Imako business Center represented by its Proprietor or
)
Ms. Kolu Kiah, also of the city of Monrovia, Liberia
)
.....................DEFENDANT )

WRIIT OF RE-SUMMONS
Republic of Liberia
Capt. Roberts B. Toe, Esquire
SHERIFF, DEBT COURT, MO. CO. R.L.
G R E E T I N G S:
YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED AS YOU WERE to Summons:
Imazko Business Center represented by its Proprietor, Ms. Kolu Kiah,
Defendant to appear before the debt Court for Montserrado County, sitting in its April Term, A.D. 2014, to meet on the Second Tuesday in April,
A.D. 2014 same being the 8th day of April A.D. 2014, at the hour of 10:
Oclock A.M., at the Debt Court House, Temple of Justice Building, City
of Monrovia Liberia, to answer the Complaint of the plaintiff in the above
entitled cause of action and to Notify the same defendant that upon its
failure to appear, Judgment shall be rendered against him by default.
YOU ARE HERERBY FURTHER COMMANDED to notify the said
Defendant to file its FORMAL APPEARANCE/ANSWER in my office
on or before the 20th of March, A.D. 2014, Meanwhile; you returnsthis
Writ of Summons in my office on or before the 20th day of March, A.D.
2014, with your office returns endorsed on the back hereof as to the form
and manner of service.
AND HAVE YOU THERE THIS WRIT OF SUMMONS:

Page 6a
8

businesses.
2.
That in October 2009, the Defendant borrowed certain sums of
monies constituting US$12,500.00 and L$750.000.00 from Plaintiff. To
ensure payment of the loan the Defendant signed a loan agreement with
Plaintiff, issued a promissory note and also posted a collateral mortgage
deed for property containing 1.59 lots of land with a building thereon. Attacked are copies of the mortgage deed, the loan agreement and the promissory note marked as P/1 in bulk to form a part of this Complaint.
3.
That out of the total amounts indicate in count two of this Complaint, the Defendant paid the Liberian dollars portion and US$200.00
against the principal with further promise to pay the balance later. However, the Defendant defaulted and refused to pay despite several appeals
and demands. Thereafter, the Plaintiffs Lawyer then wrote the Defendant
represented by its proprietress, Ms. Kolu Kiah who appeared and appealed
for additional time, but has since failed, neglected, and refused to pay
the amount, that has now accumulating to US$31,560.34 as at August 26,
2013. Attached hereto is a copy of Plaintiff Lawyers letter of demand
marked as P/2 and made a part of this Complaint.
4.
Plaintiff submits that the action of debt will lie against the Defendant for its failure, neglect and refusal to pay the amount due and therefore
this court is called upon to collect the debt owed by the Defendant and
upon its failure, order a foreclosure of the mortgage.
WHEREFORE and in view of the foregoing, Plaintiff prays this Court to
render judgment against the Defendant after a hearing in the amount of
US$31,560.34 along with commercial interest, charges and other fees and
if the amount cannot be collected, your Honor should order foreclosure of
the mortgage posted by the Defendant, auction the property to raise the
judgment amount, and grant unto the Plaintiff such and grant unto Plaintiff
such and other relief this Court may deem just and equitable.
Respectfully submitted:

The above named Petitioner thru its Legal Counsel

YONAH OBEY & ASSOCIATES

________________________
Yancy F. Cole
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA ) IN THE OFFICE OF THE JUSTICE OF
MONTSERRADO COUNTY) THE PEACE FOR MONTSERRADO

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA.

$5.00 Revenue Stamp Affixed on the Original copy

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
) IN THE DEBT COURT FOR
MONTSERRADO COUNTY) MONTSERRADO COUNTYSITTING

IN ITS OCTOBER TERM A.D. 2013
BEFORE HIS HONOUR: JAMES E. JONES, JUDGE, DEBT COURT
Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) )
by and thru its President/Geneal Manager of the City )
of Monrovia, Liberia..........PLAINTIFF )

)

VERSUS
)


)
IGNAKO Business Center represented by its
)
Proprietress,Ms. Kolu Kiah of the city of Monrovia, )
Liberia....DEFENDANT )

ACTION
OF DEBT

PLAINTIFFS COMPLAINT
PLAINTIFF complains of the within named Defendant in the form and
manner as follows:
1.
Plaintiff is a financial institution engaged in the business of banking and as part of its duty in contributing it quota to the Liberian economic
recovery program, it grants loans to various customers to improve their

PLAINTIFFS AFFIDAVIT
PERSONALLY APPEARED BEFORE ME, the undersigned duly commissioner and qualified Justice of the Peace for Montserrado County at my
office in the City of Monrovia, Roland F. Dahn, Counsellor-At-Law who
deposed under Oath according to law that all and singular the allegation of
law and facts contained in the annexed Plaintiffs Complaint are true and
correct to the best of his knowledge and belief and as to those matters of
information received, he verily believes them to be true and correct.

SWORNAND SUBSCRIBED TO BEFORE ME, THIS

________DAY OF OCTOBER A.D. 2013

_________________________________________

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, MO. CO. R.L.

Daily Observer

Page 6b
9

Thursday, April 10, 2014

GVL, Sinoe Land Conflict

on the Rise Again

As Citizens Reject Voluntary Land Turnover

By Gloria T.Tamba

group named the

Kulu United Development Association (KUDA)
in Sinoe County has rejected
claims that the people of Trajuowon have willingly given
Golden Veroleum their land
for the companys oil palm
plantation.
The rebuttal of the claim
contained in a press release
over the weekend from the
group alleges that Golden
Veroleum Liberia is using
their influence on local government officials, state security and its financial power
to grab community land
in Kulu and Tarjuowon in
Sinoe County.
As the lead organization in the effort protecting
community rights in the
Tarjuowon area, we wish to
categorically dispute misinformation being spread that
the people of Tarjuowon
have willingly given GVL
their land to add to the Indonesian companys 65 yearold-plus oil palm plantation.
This information is false
and deceptive. It is intended
to mislead the public. In
actual fact, GVL has not
obtained the free, prior and
informed consent of some
of the key communities in
Tarjuowon. Especially those
conditions.
communities that have the
The SRC management aslarger portion of land and
sured inhabitants within the
who would be most affected
companys operational area
of their continued support by GVL Oil Palm, said Mr.
Brown P. Nyenfueh, national
chairman of KUDA.
Nyenfueh said GVL is impinging on the rights of the
citizens and called for immediate intervention by the

Gibi Residents Commend

SRC
By C.Y. Kwanue

of safe drinking water, which

could pose a possible sanitation threat.
In a dispatch, the Commissioner of Borlorla Township

government of Liberia and agreement that is not in the

other partners.
interest of the land owning
To show that GVL has not communities. He demanded
obtained the free, prior and that the agreement therefore
informed consent of the be reviewed and amended to
people, the company and accommodate the interests
its supporters are perpetrat- and concerns of the people
ing the following oppressive and to remove from the
acts: arresting and detain- concession agreement these
ing without charge citizens clauses and provisions that
of the area who go to their are anti-community intervarious towns and lands to est. Including granting GVL
verify claims of land clear- unwanted power over their
ing by GVL; preventing lo- land.
cal and international organiMr. Sampson Toby joined
zations from going to verify his colleagues to call on the
complaints of KUDA and af- Government of Liberia and
fected communities that the its local and international
company is using force and partners to prevail on GVL
undue influence to take land to stop all operations in the
they have always depended area until the legal,socioupon from ancient times for economic and environmental
livelihood; deploying arbi- concerns of the people have
trary measures to suppress peacefully, fully and conthe free movement of com- structively discussed and remunity-dwellers, thus pre- solved; removing the blanket
venting free assembly, free of insecurity, terror and fear
association and free expres- in the affected communities.
sion of the people concernHe also requested that the
ing their right to their an- Government and other partcestral land and towns, Mr. ners prevail on GVL to withNyenfueh explained.
draw from the area and allow
He said they are working the owners of the various
behind the scenes to prevent communities to move freely
the Roundtable on Sustain- to and from their respective
able Palm Oil (RSPO). This communities and farms in
is the regulatory and super- pursuit of their normal acvisory body that holds palm tivities.
oil companies to mutually
When contacted, Virgil
agreed standards and prin- Magee,
Communications
ciples worldwide. KUDA Director of GVL, stated
wants to stop them (RSPO) The allegations are false
from coming to Liberia and and the group giving this
have them investigate com- misleading information is
plaints of violations and just made up of a few people
breach of RSPO principles in Monrovia.
and other national and interMr. Magee said there is no
nationally recognized laws, RSPO sanction on GVL and
policies, principles and regu- that the Memorandum of
lations, by GVL.
understanding (MOU) was
He said that KUDA argued signed by over 600 persons
that there are provisions and within the district.
clauses in the concession

MOL Wants Safety Gear for Employees

-As Fear of Ebola Virus Rises

The newly constructed four-room latrine built by the SRC

esidents of Baypolu Town in Borlorla

Township,
Gibi District upper
Margibi County, have commended the management of
the Salala Rubber Corporation
(SRC) for the construction of
a four-room latrine which cost
over US$2,000.
According to the residents,
the construction of the latrine
by the SRC was a clear manifestation of the Companys
willingness to render assistance to help withstand challenges faced by them. One of
these challenges is the lack

James Weetor, is quoted as

saying the construction of the
latrine came as a result of a
meeting held in January of
this year between the residents
and the management of the
SRC. During this meeting the
residents expressed their need
for development projects such
as the construction of modern
latrines and bore-hole wells in
the area.
Commissioner Weetor said
the construction of the latrine in Baypolu would help
the residents refrain from attending to natures call in the
open-bush or in town, thereby
improving the areas sanitary

towards the development of

their various communities.
The management also
pledged to the residents its
commitment to remain positively engaged with the locals
to bring some level of relief to
them. They, however, made it
clear that any project undertaken would be done on the
basis of priority.
The SRC management then
used the occasion to dispel
rumors that they were only
interested in extracting the resources from the communities
they operate in without giving
back to them.

employees on the importance and usage of the safety

the country.
gears
and provide a list of
By David A. Yates
preventative
measures at
Henceforth, the Ministry
visible locations within their
places of business. The purpose of this list would be
to inform workers how to
avoid exposure to dangerous and harmful substances.
At the same time, the
Ministry is appealing to
all workers to utilize the
personal protective gears
that would be provided
by their employers to help
prevent job-related hazards,
especially in the face of the
Cllr. F. Juah Lawson
Ebola virus outbreak in the
he Minister of La- has called on all employers to country.
bor, Cllr. F. Juah provide personal protective
It is important for employLawson, has called gears, such as gloves for their ers and employees to adhere
on employers in workers, in keeping with the to the call of the MOL. Esthe country to design and Labour Law of the country pecially with the high level
implement
occupational and International Labor Stan- of labor migration across
safety and health measures dards.
the country, Minister Lawfor their employees at their
The Ministry has also asked son concluded.
respective places of work in all employers to educate their

Daily Observer

Page 7

Thursday, April 10, 2014

USAID/ Liberia Municipal Water Project

he US Agency for International Development

(USAID)/Liberia is seeking qualified construction companies to construct two (2) mini water
systems in the city of Voinjama and Sanniquelle.
USAID/Liberia will award two separate contracts for work
in each city.
USAID/Liberia is soliciting companies to compete for these
contracts in accordance with United States Government
acquisition regulations. Companies will be selected based
on demonstrated competence and qualifications for the required work. A company can submit a bid for both contracts,
but can only be awarded one of the contracts. The period of
performance will be 18 months (6 months construction period and 12 months defects liability period) from the notice
to proceed. USAID/Liberia estimates giving the notice to
proceed in early May 2014.

National AIDS Commission of Liberia

Terms of Reference and Job Description
Monitoring and Evaluation and surveillance
Assistant
POSITON TITLE

Monitoring and Evaluation and Surveillance Assistant

DEPARTMENT

Monitoring and Evaluation Unit

RESPONSIBLE TO

Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator

Staff:

RESPONSIBLE FOR

Physical assets (furniture, computers, printers, materials and

supplies, etc.) allocated to the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit
Financial Assets:
JOB
PURPOSE/SUMMARY
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND

Assist in the execution of a system of monitoring and evaluation

for
sectors
national levelof a standardized system for
allAssist
in at
thethedevelopment

INTERNAL
RELATIONSHIPS

Liaise and coordinate with the M&E Coordinator, Database

data,and
based
on standardized
paper-based
forms
and
Manager
managers
in other departments
of the
Commission

EXTERNAL
RELATIONSHIPS

RESPONSIBILITIES

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND

RESPONSIBILITIES

A firm that wishes to respond to this request must, at a minimum:

Be a local Liberian entity
Have all licenses and permits required by the law of
Republic Of Liberia to legally transact business and
perform the work;
Have an established business with a permanent address and telephone listing; and
Have no political or business affiliations which could
be considered contrary to the interest of the United
States.

In addition to the pre-bid meeting, USAID will organize an

optional site visit for each site as follows:
Voinjama on 18, April, 2014 starting at 9:00am local
Liberia time. Participants will meet at: the Social
Security Guest House in Voinjama at 9:00am local time.
Sanniquelle on 16, April starting at 9:00am local Liberian
time meet at: Jackies Guest House in Sanniquelle at
9:00am local time.
Bidder will be responsible for covering all his/her costs and
transportation required to and from the site visits.

collecting, recording, tabulating, analyzing and reporting

An interested construction company can obtain a copy of the

solicitations and drawings for free electronically via www.
fbo.gov, or in hard copy for a fee of $50 USD at LMWP
Office 19th Street and Payne Avenue Sinkor, Monrovia,
Liberia LMWP contact information is provided in the
solicitation on www.fbo.gov. Please direct questions about
this process to USAID/Liberias Office of Acquisition and
Assistance (OAA) via email at oaaliberia@usaid.gov or
telephone number 077-677-7000 ext: 7042 or 7076.
USAID/Liberia will have a pre-bid meeting at the Liberia
Municipal Water Project office on 19th Street and Payne
Avenue in Sinkor, Monrovia, Liberia on 14, April, 2014
from 10:00 am 12:00 pm local Liberia time. Interested
companies must submit the names of no more than two (2)
employees who will attend the pre-bid meeting via email
oaaliberia@usaid.gov by 10:00 am local time, 11 April,
2014.

Physical Assets:

OUTPUTS

MINIMUM
QUALIFICATIONS &
EXPERIENCE

OTHER QUALITIES OR
REQUIREMENTS

computerized tools

Focal
Persons
of programs/units
partner
and
Work with
partner
organizations towithin
builddonor,
capacity
of subgovernment entities that are involved in the national response
recipients
to
HIV and(SRs)
AIDS to respond to GFATM requirements
Monitoring
Evaluation of
Departments/Units/Programs
Assist in theand
development
protocols and provide technical
Assist
in the
of aand
standardized
guidance
for development
implementation
conduct of system
studies for
and
collecting, recording, tabulating, analyzing and reporting data,
surveys
financed
under
Global
Fund
Grants
to
ensure
that
based on standardized paper-based forms and computerized
international
standards
are
adhered
to
tools
Work
partner
organizations
to build capacity
of subAssistwith
in the
strengthening
of partnership
to update
recipients
to respond
to GFATM
requirements
monitoring(SRs)
and reporting
guidelines,
standards
and manuals
Assist in the development of protocols and provide technical
to ensure for
consistency,
user-friendliness
guidance
implementation
and conductbyofimplementers,
studies and at
the samefinanced
adheringunder
to theGlobal
latestFund
international
guidelines
surveys
Grants to
ensure that
international
adhered
to
Assist in the standards
evaluation are
of results
achieved
by Implementing
Assist in the strengthening of partnership to update
Partners against their targets and track overall progress in
monitoring and reporting guidelines, standards and manuals
achieving
the Global Fund
and National objectives
as outlined
to
ensure consistency,
user-friendliness
by implementers,
at
the
same
adhering
to theFramework
latest international
guidelines
in the
National
Strategic
2010-2014
Assist
evaluation
of results
by Implementing
Assist in
in the
ensuring
the quality
and achieved
timely submission
of
Partners against their targets and track overall progress in
Implementing
Partners
reports
and
use
of
standard
achieving the Global Fund and National objectives asdata
outlined
collecting
toolsStrategic Framework 2010-2014
in
the National
Assist
qualityUpdate
and timely
submission
of and
Assist in
in ensuring
preparingthe
Projects
Reports,
quarterly
Implementing Partners reports and use of standard data
annual
reports
collecting tools
Assist in
in preparing
providing guidance
on the M&E
Budget
of theand
NSF
Assist
Projects Update
Reports,
quarterly
annual
and GFreports
HIV and AIDS grant to affect overall program
Assist
in providing
guidance
on the
Budget
the NSF
sustainability,
capacity
building,
andM&E
linking
of theofprograms
and GF HIV and AIDS grant to affect overall program
implementationcapacity
to the result
framework
sustainability,
building,
and linking of the programs
Assist in providing
leadership
and technical direction to all
implementation
to the
result framework
Assist
in providing
leadership
andinvolved
technicalindirection
to all
sub-recipients
(SRs)
M&E teams
the
sub-recipients (SRs) M&E teams involved in the
implementation
of
Global
implementation of Global
Fund-funded HIV
HIV and
and AIDS
AIDS grant
grant and
and the
the NSF
NSF to
to ensure
ensure that
that
Fund-funded
quality
quality data
data isis generated,
generated, and
and that
that monthly
monthly and
and quarterly
quarterly

reports produced are used for program planning, policy

development, advocacy, and program evaluations
Assist in the development of sub-national Community Based
Information Management Systems (CBIMS) which include
assessments, development of conceptual frameworks,
development of indicators and information needs, data
collection plans, and data processing and analysis plans
Assist in the design of the M&E system for the NSF and GF
grants and ensure it is implemented efficiently and effectively
Coordinate with staff in establishing and monitoring program
implementation plan
Producing GIS maps using ARC view for interventions
Perform all other duties as may be required
Monthly and Quarterly summary of Implementing Partners
reports received
Standardized data collecting system developed
Standardized reporting tools and formats developed
Bachelors Degree in any of the social or natural
sciences, Economics, Public Health, or related area.
Minimum six two (2) to three(3) years of proven experience in
a similar role within government or non-governmental sector
Experience and training in Monitoring and Evaluation would
be an advantage
Excellent public and private reputation
Excellent interpersonal skills
Good oral and written communication skills
Ability to make reasoned decisions based on the information
available, procedures and regulations
Observant, analytical and pays particular attention to detail
Advanced working knowledge of MS Word, Excel and Power
Point, Access, etc.

Dareline
for application is April 30, 2014 @ 4:00PM, on the 3rd Floor of the Ministry of health
& Social welfare Building, Capital by- pass, Monrovia, Liberia. Please address all application
to the office of the Executive Director, National AIDS Commission. Females are encouraged
to apply.

Daily Observer

Page 10
8

Thursday, April 10, 2014

USAID/FED, Partners to Boost Livestock Production

As U.S Ambassador, Malac Dedicates Quarantine Facility at CARI

By Judoemue Mohmoh
Kollie

Wiles, and the Chief of Party

for USAID/FED, Agnes Luz
and among other dignitaries.

restock the nations goat population.

The document further ex-

Ambassador Malac cutting the ribbon off the quarantine facility in photo with MoAs
deputy minister, Mrs. Wiles and others

n bid to enhance livestock production in Liberia, the United States

Agencies for International
Development/Food
and Enterprise Development
Program (USAID/FED) has
rehabilitated the Central Agricultural Research Institutes
(CARI) livestock quarantine
facility in Suakoko, Bong
County.
The facility was dedicated
last Friday by the United
States Ambassador to Liberia,
Ms. Deborah Malac.
The program was attended
by the Deputy Minister for
Administration of the Ministry
of Agriculture (MoA), Seklau

The CARIs livestock house

was destroyed during Liberias fourteen year civil crisis.
Thanks to USAID/FEDs partnership with the government
of Liberia, the facility was
revamped to meet the needs
of livestock farmers in the
country.
According to the project document, about 500 improved
varieties of goats are initially
expected to occupy the new
facility.
USAID/FED will focus on
improving goats husbandry
techniques to increase production, while USDA and Land
O Lakes (USDA/LOL) are to

plained that goat farmers under

the FED program are going to
benefit from an imported herd
of genetically proven goats to
upgrade their existing herd,
adding that the facility would
be used as a home for nucleus
breeding.
Cutting the ribbon off the
animals house last Friday in
CARI, Ambassador Malac
stated the United States government was gratified to support Liberias agricultural programs to reduce poverty and
help the country become food
secured.
The U.S government has
made and will continue to

make major investments to

support agriculture and agribusiness in Liberia through its
close partnership with government institutions and agencies. Through projects such
as the quarantine facility and
the establishment of a thriving
goat sector in Liberia, the U.S.
government reaffirms its long
standing commitment to help
reduce poverty and achieve
food security, she said.
She emphasized that the facility was critical to the overall process of increasing the
national goat herd and represented how her government
coordinates investment among
different government agencies.
Goats are primary asset of
rural village households and
farms in Liberia. Considering
that nearly 80 percent of all
the goat meat consumed in the
country is imported from surrounding countries, we intend
to reverse that trend, she explained.
The U.S Ambassador mentioned that FED has not only
partnered with CARI to increase livestock production,
but was also into rice seed
multiplication and certification as well as the multiplication of improved varieties of
cassava cuttings.
For her part, Mrs. Wiles said
the government of Liberia
was thankful to the people and
government of America for
helping to revamp the agricul-

tural sector of Liberia.

The MoAs deputy minister,
who once served as the national livestock coordinator
for her ministry prior to her
appointment, said that Liberia
had been very productive in
livestock production prior to
the civil crisis.
Before the war, this facility served as our dairy cattles bond that hosted exotic
(foreign) breed used for the
crossing. We firmly believe

program that his institution

(CARI) has partnered with
USAID/FED and USDA/LOL
to enhance animal farming in
Liberia.
Speaking exclusively with
the Daily Observer newspaper,
after the program, the Acting
Chief of Party for USDA/LOL,
Madam Allison Williams, disclosed that by June of this year
her institution is expected to
restock the facility at CARI
with goats.

CARIs livestock manager explains the usage of the

animals house to the U.S ambassador
that its revamping begins the
intention to increase livestock
production. This is why we
are thankful for the assistance
of the U.S government, she
stated joyfully.
Dr. Arthur Kanua is the director for livestock research at
CARI.
He earlier confirmed at the

We will be able to bring high

quality of animals perhaps by
June, she said.
According to her, they are
working with fifty-nine goat
farming groups in the country
to increase animal production,
adding that farmers are taught
to breed livestock as a business.

USAID/FED Certificates 30 Seed Inspectors LAC Conduct Training for

By Judoemue Mohmoh
Kollie

he United States
Agencies for International Development/
Food and Enterprise
Development Program in Liberia (USAID/FED) on Thursday,
April 3, certificated 30 persons,
after completing 10 days of

ing good seed, which include,

land preparation, fertilization
application, seed processing,
and seed germination among
others topics.
The USAID FED Program for
Liberia aims to reduce hunger
and promote food security for
Liberians by increasing agricultural productivity and profitability across food based value

important to enhancing his institutions work with farmers in

the country.
This training is a very important milestone, moving Liberia
forward for the accessibility of
seed for local farmers. It has
been a dream for FED to enter
in to partnership with CARI to
help build the human resource
capacities of the countrys

Trained seed inspectors of USAID/FED showcasing certificates, at the end of a recent

workshop in CARI
training on quality seed assurance and certification at the
Central Agricultural Research
Institution (CARI) in Suakoko,
Bong County.
The training was intended to
produce qualified seed certifiers for Liberia to work with
local farmers in processing
quality seed.USAID/FED conducted the training in collaboration with CARI.
The participants were drawn
from four counties, including
Bong, Nimba, Lofa and Bassa.
They were taught the necessary
procedures required in produc-

chains, stimulating enterprise

development and building the
agriculture workforce. The
program is implemented in six
counties, namely Bong, Nimba,
Lofa, Grand Bassa, Margibi
and Montserrado.
CARI and USAID/FED have
entered into a partnership for
the development of Liberia
seed certification and to stimulate rice seed multiplication.
Speaking during the close
of the workshop on Thursday,
April 03, 2014 in CARI, the
Bong County Manager for the
USAID/FED project, Gala
Toto, said that the training was

agricultural sector. Therefore,

we considered the training as
a great achievement, he declared.
He expressed the need for
continued collaboration between USAID/FED and CARI
in training more technicians for
the sector.
The Bong County USAID/
FED Manager then questioned
the participants to make every effort to make use of the
knowledge acquired.
Representing CARIs manager, Aaron Marshall, at the
close of the training workshop
was the agriculture engineer of

CARI Samuel V. Morris Sr.

Mr. Morris said the workshop
was impressive in making sure
that local farmers get access
to better seed to improve crop
production.
For his part, the seed
specialist for Africa Rice,
Adetumbi Johnson Adedayo,
said the workshop was one
of the indications that Liberia
is beginning to compete
with other African countries,
particularly those in the sub
region.
With this set of people trained,
we believe that farmers in Liberia will now understand the
importance of producing improved seed to increase production, he said.
He asked the participants to
take their responsibilities as a
form of team work, adding it
would require tireless effort to
reach more farmers.
Randolf R. Kolleh, a participant of the workshop who
spoke on behalf of his colleagues, described the training
as a first step in the right direction.
The issue of seed industry in
Liberia is just beginning and
we are convinced that such
training is very helpful. As participants we are so appreciative
to the organizers for the opportunity created to go out there
and work with farmers, he
concluded.

Local Rubber Farmers

By David A. Yates

he Liberian Agriculture
Company
(LAC) on Monday,
April 7, began a two
week intensive training program on Quality Tapping for
Local Rubber Farmers from
Grand Bassa and River Cess
County.
The training is under the auspices of Grand Bassa County
District 4 Representative,
Robertson Siaway, and it
brought together 80 participants, including male and female from the counties.
Speaking at the program,
Representative Siaway said
the training is intended to provide quality education for local rubber famers in the areas.
Mr. Siaway said that rubber
has value in the market sector, and as such, local farmers
need to be educated on how to
take care of their rubber farms.
He also added that the facilitators would be teaching local
farmers rules on how to do
quality tapping of their trees.
According to him, it is good
to make rice farms, but for
now, we need to substitute it
with rubber; in doing so, we
have to teach you.
He further explained to the
participants that most of them
do not know how to tap rub-

ber well; as a result, the rubber

trees are dying.
However, Grand Bassa
County District 4 Representative urged them to make use of
the acquire knowledge from
the training there be receiving.
For his part, Alfred H. Flomo, Superintendent of Liberia Rubber Processing (LRP),
gave the welcoming remarks
acknowledging participants
for taking part in the program.
He told them that they are
not there to observe but to put
into practice what there are
going to be learning with in
the course of the two weeks.
What you are going to be
learning here today will become part of your life skills,
he promised.
Superintended Flomo reiterated that the program is
intended to help local farmers know how to take care of
rubber.
Later on, one of the participants expressed their gratitude
to the management of LAC
and Representative Siaway
for organizing the program for
them.
The participants representative hoped that at the end of
the program they would put
into practice the knowledge
they acquired.
The program is expected to
end next Thursday, April 17.

Daily Observer Wednesday,

April 09,
2014
Thursday,
April
10, 2014

Page 9

New Insurance Company to Invest US$1M Here

Board Chairman Promises Aggressive Approach in Sector
By Edwin M. Fayia III

quity Assurance
Liberia Limited,
a
Nigerianbased insurance
company, has pledged
to invest US$1 million
in Liberia. The latest
investment, according to
insurance experts, will
help boost the countrys
struggling
insurance
industry because of its
financial strength.
The Liberian insurance
sector is undercapitalized
and largely divided and
so with the coming in of
stronger foreign insurance
companies, many people
here believe that most of
the Liberian-own insurance
companies will see reasons
to form merger in order to
compete. The coming of
Equity Assurance Company
Liberia brings the number
of insurance companies in
the country to 19.
The coming of Equity
Assurance Company to
Liberia was planned for
many months with the direct
involvement of prominent
Liberians including, former
Liberian Ambassador to the
US, Dr. Milton Nathaniel

Barnes, who now chairs the

Board of the company.
Officially launched on
24th Street on Tuesday,
April 8, Equity Assurance
is set to provide insurance
coverage for fire, business
interruption, motor, and
accident, marine, amongst
many others.
Business
executives
including bank officials
and
insurance
sector
stakeholders as well as
foreign diplomats and other
guests graced the ceremony.
Speaking at the program,
Equity
Assurance
Liberia Board Chair, Dr.
Milton Nathaniel Barnes
reminded Liberians and
the business community
that the insurance entity
would be aggressive in its
professional approaches.
Barnes assured the public
that his company has the
expertise to offer and render
professional services in
Liberia and at the regional
level in West Africa.
Ambassador
Barnes
pointed out that the business
outfit would also concentrate
its outreach strategies in all
parts of the country in terms
of coverage and settlement
of claims.

We are here to stay and do

business with all Liberians
and the business community
in the country, he assured.
He also pledged that that
Equity Assurance Company
Liberia would strive to
make a big difference in its
operations in the country.
In a special statement,
Nigeria envoy to Liberia
Madam Chigozie F-obi
Nnadozie,
reminded
Liberians that her Nigeria
and Liberia have done
a lot of professional
collaborations over years.
Ambassador
Nnadozie
urged Liberians and the
business community in the
country to take advantage
of the new insurance
companys
offers
for
development, growth and
progress of their respective
entities in Liberia.
The
Nigerian
envoy
thanked
the
planners
and organizers of Equity
Assurance
Company
Liberia for engaging the
insurance industry in a bid
to assist Liberians, foreign
business entities and others
in the country.
For his part, the Managing
Director and CEO of
Equity Assurance Company

Executives of Equity Assurance Company Liberia, Nigerian Ambassador Nnadozie &

Guests at launching Program in Monrovia
Liberia Ishola Akintunde
said the insurance entity
was entering the market
to deliver professional
and reliable services to all
Liberians and businesses in
the country.
We have entered the
insurance market to make a
difference in the settlement
of claims, services and
business
engagements
that would be of immense
benefits to all Liberian
businesses and foreign
business entities in the
country, CEO Akintunde
maintained.
He
also
admonished
Liberian small business
owners, private business

Trade in Services is Untapped

-World Bank Economists Speak of Africa, Want More Investments in the Service Sector

By William Q. Harmon

he World Bank
Groups Analysts
on
African
economies have
observed that African
governments and private
investors are yet to take
advantage of or invest
meaningfully
in
the
provision of traditional
and
modern
services.
The Africa Pulse report
indicates that Africas trade
in services is still untapped.
In
its
twice-yearly
published report, Africas
Pulse, which came out
recently,
the
World
Bank experts noted that
globalization of services
is a potentially important
source of growth for
developing countries, but
Africans investors are yet
to venture into the sector
in order to realize its full
potentials.
World
Bank
Lead
Economist in the African
region, Ms. Punam Chuhan-

Pole, said technology

and outsourcing, which
are considered as modern
services, are enabling
traditional services such as
transportation and travel
to overcome their old
constraints such as physical
and geographic proximity.
The World Bank Lead
Economist was providing
analytical views on the
report at a discussion on
Africas recent economic
progress
and
future
challenges in sustaining
the continents economic
growth in a changing
global
environment,
in Washington D.C. the
event was webcast live at
the World Bank Groups
Country office in Monrovia.
It was also viewed in
several
other
African
countries
including
Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra
Leone, Ethiopia, amongst
others. Journalists from
the continent had the
opportunity to interact with
the two discussants, Ms.

Chuhan-Pole, and World

Bank Chief Economist
for the region, Franscisco
Ferreira through questions
and answers.
The
bank
Lead
Economist
said
that
modern services, such as
software development, call
centers, and outsourced
business processes, can be
traded like value-added,
manufactured
products,
enabling
developing
countries that focus on
such services, innovation,
and technology to leverage
services as an important
driver of growth.
Has Sub-Saharan Africa
tapped this potential?
At over $50 billion, the
regions services exports
trail all other developing
regions; however, it is
expanding annually at about
12 percent, on average.
Traditional services such
as transportation and travel
have declined from 73
percent of total services
exports in 2005 to less than

64 percent in 2012, while

modern services exports in
the region have increased
their share by nearly 10
percentage points from just
over 26 percent of total
services exports to about
36 percent over the same
period, the Africas Pulse
reported records.
It said in some countries
such as Mauritius, Rwanda,
and Tanzania, modern
services exports recorded
annual growth rates of over
10 percent between 2005
and 2012, with Rwanda
starting from a low base
of less than $40 million in
services exported in 2005
to over twice that amount
at almost $85 million by
2012.
In both Mauritius and
Rwanda, rapid expansion
in modern services is a
result of increased activity
in
tradable
business
and financial services.
Over 60 percent of
those employed in large
companies in Mauritius

entities and Liberians in

general to take advantage
of the services being offered
by the newly established
insurance company for
development in the country.
In remarks, the Director
of Banking and Supervision
Services at the Central
Bank of Liberia (CBL)
Marcus Ogun welcomed
Equity Assurance Company
Liberia to the insurance
industry in the country.
Director Ogun also urged
the managers of the newly
established
insurance
company to offer products
that would reasonably
respond to the socioeconomic conditions of

Liberians and businesses in

the country.
He added that he was
delighted to represent the
CBL at the auspicious
ceremony of the launch
of the Equity Assurance
Company Liberia that
has entered the insurance
industry at such a crucial
period in post-war Liberia.
Director Ogun revealed
that the CBL has been
working assiduously to
bring the necessary reforms
in the insurance industry
in the country over the
years. Equity Assurance has
several branches in Nigeria
and Ghana.

work in the service

sector, which offers more
employment opportunities
than either agriculture or
manufacturing.
While
Mauritius,
Rwanda, and Tanzania
have
experienced
a
rapid increase in modern
services, others like Kenya
are also emerging as places
where modern services
are becoming drivers of
growth and development.
This is exciting news for
other African countries
looking to expand into
the globalized services
business. says Punam
Chuhan-Pole, who is also
the author of Africas Pulse.
In a special analysis of
the regions growth and
trade patterns in Africa,
the report says that export
diversification
remains
a tough challenge for
many African countries,
especially amongst the oil
producers.
Although Sub-Saharan
Africas exports remain
concentrated in a few
strategic
commodities,
the regions countries
have made substantial
progress in diversifying
their trading partners,

says Francisco Ferreira,

Chief Economist, World
Bank Africa Region. Over
the last decade, exports to
emerging markets such as
the BRICsBrazil, Russia,
India, Chinahave grown
robustly, primarily due
to the prolonged boom
in commodities demand.
The BRICs received only
9 percent of Sub-Saharan
Africas exports in 2000 but
accounted for 34 percent
of total exports a decade
later.
Ferreira says total exports
to the BRICs surpassed
the regions exports to
the
European
Union
(EU) market in 2010
and continue to grow. In
2012, the regions exports
to the BRICs reached
$145 billion. China alone
accounted for about a
quarter (23.3 percent)
of the regions total
merchandise exports. Of
course, this shift in trading
partners also underscores
the regions vulnerability
to any slowdown in the
BRICs, particularly China.

Daily Observer
Thursday, April 10, 2014

Ellen Pays

Welfare Wednesday, April 9, to

show appreciation to the leadership of the Ministry, its international partners, and health
workers who are fighting to
contain the spread of the Ebola
virus in Liberia.
President Sirleaf stressed that
since the virus was announced in
Liberia, the Minister of Health,
Dr. Walter Traub Gwenigale
and the task force, have kept her
and the country fully informed
about the situation and how it is
being addressed.
The Liberian leader praised
the international community,
including the World Health Organization (WHO), Center for
Disease Control (CDC), Medicines Sans Frontier (MSF),
and the United States Embassy

among others, all of whom have

made a big difference since the
outbreak.
To those who have helped to
contain the situation in Liberia,
we want to say thank you, she
stressed, emphasizing that all of
them have been timely and effective in their response which
has halted the spread of the virus.
She urged the population to
follow the advice of the Ministry of Healths technical team,
task force and its partners as cooperation is necessary to ensure
that the virus is contained.
President Sirleaf welcomed
the sub-regional health ministers to Liberia, in advance of
their meeting on Friday, April
11. She hoped that as they meet,

4 Liberians
gunman. They are Bemore N.
Toe, Patience Roberts, Deddeh
Simmonds and Blessing Vinton.
Turkey does not have a diplomatic mission representative
or an Honorary Consul here in
Liberia for now; however, for
the Liberian Government to
move ahead with the inquiry,
it has sent a diplomatic note
to Turkish Embassy in Accra,
Ghana seeking explanation into
the shooting of Liberian citizens
there.
Report says the Liberians
were shot at a coffee shop located in Sisli Mecediyeko around
the Trump Tower in Istanbul.
Information from the Ministry

of Foreign Affairs says it has

been informed by its diplomatic
representative in Turkey, Ambassador-at-Large Dr. Anacleto
Salciccia that two of the victims
have been discharged from hospital while one of the victims,
Deddeh Simmonds completed
a minor surgery early Tuesday
morning.
Mr. Bemore Toe is also expected to undergo surgery hopefully on Wednesday morning at
a local hospital in Istanbul. The
Ambassador-at-Large said the
Turkish Police has begun an investigation, an attempt to bring
the shooter to justice.
Regardless of the absence of

GOL Seeks

By George D. Kennedy

he government
of
Liberias
(GOL) delegation attending
the
ongoing
Spring Meetings
of the World Bank Group and
International Monetary Fund
(IMF) in the US has requested
the Bank to make available
around US$300 million for the
construction of the road leading
from Ganta to Zwedru, Grand
Gedeh County in the Southeast
of Liberia. Finance Minister
Amara Mohammed Konneh, as
head of the Liberian delegation,
made the request Wednesday,
April 9, in a meeting with the
World Bank Groups vice president for Africa, Maktar Diop.
Konneh also made a specific
request for the Bank to use its
convening to assist Liberia and
raise an additional and alternative financing model for the
Ganta-Tappita to Zwedru highway, estimated to cost about
US$386 million.
This corridor, he said has
key economic and political importance for our country, and it
is critical that we direct investments and accelerate engagement with other actors to have
those projects finalized.
So far, Liberia has landed
US$80 million dollars in the
Banks International Development Association (IDA) committed to funding for the Ganta
to Zwedru road, but would need
over US$300 million to complete the financing requirement
for this project, a dispatch
from the US said.
Minister Konneh also briefed
the Banks officials on other

road financing initiatives including possible Arab financing

for Lot one of the Gbarnga to
Mendikorma Highway and the
Millennium Challenge Corporations (MCC) potential financing of Lot two of this project
and possible European Union
(EU) financing of the Duala to
Bo-Waterside road project.
The meeting with Mr. Diop, a
former Finance and Economy
Minister of Senegal, centered on
addressing bottlenecks affecting
Liberias portfolio performance
and disbursement rate under the
IDA financing arrangement on
key projects, including support
to the health sector, direct budget support and financing of the
Red-light to Gbarnga to Guinea
border road project. The IDA is
the World Banks fund for the
worlds poorest countries.
Konneh used the platform
to heap praises at the World
Bank Groups country team for
considerable progress in accelerating Liberias portfolio and
acknowledged challenges faced
by the government (legislature)
in speeding up ratification of
funding agreements which has
adversely affected the rate of
disbursement on Liberias IDA
portfolio.
We as a government and a
country are concerned about
these delays, but we are at a critical intersection of democratic
maturation, where our legislature has grown independent and
are reviewing most of these instruments in ways and manners
never seen in our history. These
kinds of scrutiny take time and
result in delays, so we will work
with our colleagues to find the
requisite balance so that our
growth agenda is not affected,

Page 10

they will be able to share with

Liberia their own experiences
that addressed deadly diseases
like Ebola. She pointed out that
their presence here and carrying out their business as usual
has given a lot of confidence to
everybody that the situation is
being managed.
Speaking earlier, the WHO
Country Representative, Dr.
Nestor Ndayimirje, on behalf
of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Luis Gomes
Sambo, expressed the organizations commitment to provide
full support to the countries affected by the Ebola virus and to
make sure that this disease is
defeated.
He said the WHO Regional
Office is supporting this regional effort because all the
countries within the region are
committed to fighting health

emergencies.
Dr. Ndayimirje disclosed that
a number of technical advisors
and consultants have arrived
in the country and are working
with the Ministry of Healths
technical team, task force and
partners to support the countrys
efforts.
He commended the Government of Liberia for the leadership provided in timely responding to the problem when
it was first detected. He reiterated that though this disease is
deadly and known especially in
the African region, no country
has closed its borders. Though
it was challenging, they manage
the epidemic and stopped it. So
there is no doubt that like other
countries in the region, Liberia
will be able to stop Ebola quickly, he predicted.
The WHO Country Represen-

tative emphasized that Ebola

can be prevented; however, the
problem is to fight fear, panic
and denial which if done, will
contain the disease. Stay away
from a patient who has died or
his/her body fluids and avoid
eating meat from dead animals, he warned.
United States Ambassador,
Deborah Malac, expressed
thanks and appreciation to the
Ministry of Healths technical
team, task force and partners
who have been working so
diligently over the past several
weeks to contain the epidemic.
She added that fighting fear,
panic and denial is extremely
important in efforts to contain
the disease. The U.S. Government, through its Embassy
continues to put out messaging
that provides accurate medical
information about the disease to

the public that will combat fear,

panic and denial.
We are continuing with business as usual at our Embassy
and are encouraging others to
do so as well, she said, adding that the Embassy is pleased
to contribute to the efforts by
bringing to the country experts
from the Center for Disease
Control, laboratory technicians
funded by the U.S. Department
of Defense, and other experts
expected to be funded by the
U.S. Agency for International
Development.
Ambassador Malac expressed
confidence in the ability of
Health Minister, Dr. Gwenigale
and his team, which she admitted has been challenging; but
noted that working together,
we can all put this outbreak behind us by putting out accurate
information to people.

Turkish representative to Liberia, the two countries continue

to enjoy some level of mutual
relationship as manifested by
Turkish business establishments
and school in Liberia.
Some Turkish entrepreneurs
early this year opened a furniture store on 23rd Street in Sinkor. It can also be recalled that
based on the kind gesture of the
Turkish Government some Liberian business tycoons including Liberian Business Association president Dee Maxwell
Kemayah and renowned Liberian banker and president of the
Liberia Chamber of Commerce,
Francis A. Dennis, travelled to
Turkey last year with others to
attend a business meeting there.
From the meeting, some

Turkish business entrepreneurs

assured their Liberian counterparts of relating to them in business venture especially in the
area of Transportation.
The Turkish Light International School is also located in
Sinkor, Monrovia and is catering to the education need of Liberians here. A few years back
the school took some Liberian
students attending the Light International School to Turkey for
visit to gain some experience in
that country.
Also there are many Liberian
students in Turkey, benefiting
from bilateral scholarship learning to return to Liberia to help
develop the country.
The shooting incident in Turkey brings fear not only to Libe-

ria as a victim of shooting of its

citizens by unknown gunman,
but to any other countries which
nationals live in that country,
considering that it is located in
the middle-eastern region characterized by war and violence.
In an update provided to the
Observer by F. Momolu Dorley, a former Daily Observer
employee, now living in Istanbul, Turkey, he said when he
and others visited the hospitals
where the victims are receiving
treatment, they (victims) narrated that they have been sitting in a coffee shop - sipping
coffee and entertaining themselves with tales just to pass off
the day when this one Turkish
man entered and engaged the
proprietor of the coffee shop

in a debate. The Liberians who

cannot speak Turkish heard
American multiple times in
the Turkish mens discussion. In
a blink of an eye , the Turkish
guy retreated and soon returned
with a gun and shot his innocent
victims.
According to Momolu, It
is very palpable that Liberia
shares many traits with America, especially the flag. The four
victims never had anything on
them that had to do with Liberia
or America.
Momolu, who speaks and
writes Turkish, claimed: It is
now established that the shooter
had said Amerikali gormek
istemiyor, which translates: I
do not want to see Americans!

he explained.
Meanwhile, Minister Konneh
and delegation has enjoined
the Bank to increase Liberias
portfolio under the 17th IDA
allocation, with approximately
80% of this support directed to
the investments in energy and
transport.
He also emphasized support
for the agriculture and youth
sectors, underscoring their critical linkage to economic growth
and job creation.
Receiving the Minister and
delegation, the World Bank
Group vice president Maktar
Diop praised the Liberian treasury chief for his impressive
leadership support for IDA 17

and serving as a voice for Africa.

Diop added: Mr. Minister, I
must stress you have articulated
a lot about the need for more
resources for Africa, especially
fragile states and you have been
a key voice for Africa in discussions with the G7 +, something
we have taken note of and we
have made progress in this direction.
On Liberia, Diop said, modalities for support under the
IDA 17 was being finalized,
but stressed the need for a more
regional approach to the energy issues and needs in West
Africa, within the framework
of the West Africa Power Pool

(WAPP) and the sub-regional

Cte dIvoire, Liberia, Sierra
Leone and Guinea Interconnection project.
He said the Bank was committed to supporting Liberias
development strategy and encouraged Minister Konneh to
keep pushing for Liberias priority projects.
Minister Konneh, who is also
National Coordinator of the
Liberia Development Alliance
(LDA), is expected to hold
discussions with the IMF, and
other multinational and bilateral
institutions with view of securing additional financing for the
Agenda for Transformation.
Officials traveling with Minis-

ter Konneh include Dr. Florence

Chenoweth, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Antoinette Weeks,
Minister of Public Works, Dr. J.
Mills Jones, Executive Governor, Central Bank of Liberia and
Mr. Lewis G. Brown, Minister
of Information and Tourism.
Others are Mr. L. Eugene
Nagbe, Minister of Youth &
Sports, Mr. Boima Kamara,
Deputy Governor, Central Bank
of Liberia and Mr. Tolbert G.
Nyenswah, Assistant Minister
for Preventive Services, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

This move to have the forum

re-launched comes after women
were unable to build on their
successes in the 2005 general
and presidential elections and
lost most of their seats in the
legislature to their male counterparts in 2011.
President Sirleaf said Liberian
women have come a long way
in making their presence on the
political scene felt, and it is now
time that they consolidate all of
their efforts they have made so
their objectives can be achieved.
Now is the time for us to
begin seeking the equality and
fairness we have been yearning
for so long. It is time to empower ourselves and begin to
see more women in leadership,
She said that women would
never take to the streets, holding
up placards and demonstrating,
but would rather use the proper
channels to have their plans carried out.
LWNPF Chairperson, Madam
Ruth Caesar, said that the organization is a strategy that is to
ensure that more female political candidates are successful in
up-coming elections.

She said though women represent 49 percent of the Liberian

population, they have been kept
in the background for so long
and only been given kitchens as
offices and the rearing of children as their major job.
Gender and Development
Minister Julia Duncan Cassell,
said that women coming together to have their voices heard is
the best thing they can do for
themselves and their children.
She expressed her disappointment over the lack of support by
other prominent women to the
process, especially her female
cabinet colleagues; none of
whom was at the event.
The membership of the Forum
has expanded under the legal
framework of its Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) to a
considerable number.
Some of the success of the
LWNPF has been the production of the Liberian womens
political manifesto, which is
considered as Liberian womens
most important political document.

Womens Political

forum intended to
seek the welfare
of and galvanize
support for Liberian women with
political ambitions, has been
launched by President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf. She called on
women to rally amongst themselves and support each other
to ensure, through every positive means, that their voices are
heard in the larger society.
President
Sirleaf,
who
launched the forum, said Liberian women and Liberians in
general should see the need to
support female candidates in
elections in order to provide equity and fairness that has been
denied them since the independence of the Liberian state.
The forum, known as Liberia
Women National Political Forum (LWNPF), was established
since 2005, but was officially
re-launched Thursday, April
9, at the Monrovia City Hall
to rejuvenate the spirit and regalvanize support for womens

political activities.
LWNPF aims to serve as an
umbrella for women in politics
and active female members of
political parties; women organizations that are involved in the
advocacy of womens rights to
equal opportunities and participation in political processes.
LWNPF was organized in
2005 by the Women Legislative Caucus of the National
Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA), the Women
NGOs Secretariat of Liberia
(WONGOSOL), the Coalition
of Political Parties Women in
Liberia (COPPWIL), the Liberian Women Initiative (LWI) and
the Liberia Rural Women Association of Liberia (LIRWA).
The establishment of the forum was in collaboration with
the Ministry of Gender and Development. Its aim is to have
more women in politics and
influential positions, especially
in the national legislature where
laws that affect the live of the
people are made

Page 11

Fo
r
ad qu
ve ick
rt
ise bu
in sine
th ss
is re
sp su
ac lts
e
,

Fo
r
ad qu
ve ick
rt
ise bu
in sine
th ss
is re
sp su
ac lts
e
,

Daily Observer Wednesday,

April 09,
2014
Thursday,
April
10, 2014

Read more sports articles on the Daily Observer website @ www.liberianobserver.com/sports

From Brazil with Love: Team Liberia Arrives Today

he
eleven-man
representative to the
just ended Street Child
World Cup in Brazil
is expected to arrive in Liberia
today.
Team Liberia joined 19 other
countries in the second SCWC
tournament to draw attention to
the plight of street children.
Among several sites visited
by Team Liberia in the Street
Child World Cup, were the
Christ Cristo Redentor (Christ
the Redeemer) statue and the
Maracana stadium in Brazil.
The visits were meant to
inspire the team and their two
officials, (coach Sam Burnette,
lll and program manager
Michael John Bull.)
Team Liberia members were in
complete awe as they visited the
spectacular tourist attractions

The smiling Team Liberia members and their two officials, with Maracana Stadium in
the background in Brazil
of Rio de Janeiro and felt so
fortunate to have such amazing

opportunities.
Along with the other 19

countries in the SCWC, the team

travelled up the mountain to the

spiritual home of the Christ

the Redeemer statue, which is
one of Brazils most famous
landmarks.
The worlds media focused
their attention upon the hundreds
of street children, as they stood
at the base of the monument to
Jesus Christ, and provided the
platform to address their issues,
offered prayers and encouraged
positive change.
Next all of the players and
staff made their way across the
city to the Maracana Stadium,
which will host the final of the
FIFA World Cup in the summer,
where they enjoyed a tour
around the ground and posed
for photos next to memorabilia
signed by Brazilian superstars
such as Pele and Zico.
Team Liberia, expected to
arrive back home today, left a

lasting impression on everyone

around them as they danced and
cheered all day in celebration of
such a wonderful experience.
Defender
Fallah
Bellah
Patricks is delighted to be part of
such a brilliant event, and said:
I am so grateful to be in Brazil,
I am one of the lucky ones to
visit these places.
He added, I know that people
in Liberia are suffering and
many street children need help,
that is why I am so thankful to
God, to my coach and to Street
Child for bringing me to Brazil
for the Street Child World Cup.
Liberias
participation
was possible through the
generous financial support of
NASSCORP, Putu Iron Ore,
NOCAL, AquaLife and Street
Child UK.

Saah in Sectional The SWAL-LFA Blackout Controversy

Q-Finals
By Omari Jackson

Saah and a friend after practice

By Leroy M. Sonpon, III

iberias 13-year-old
tennis gem, Saah
Kandakai has reached
the
quarterfinals
in his first Sectional Tennis
Tournament in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, in the United
States.
Saahs participation in the
Sectional Tournament is owing
to his ability level.
Prior to his sectional tennis
debut, New Jersey.com said in
March-2014, Saah participated
in the National Junior Tennis &
Learning of Trenton (NJTLT),
sponsored by Noah Lilienthal,
a 14-year-old nationally ranked
tennis player.
According to the website,
Lilienthal
expressed
his
elation of helping Saah who he
described as his friend.
I
realize
how
much
opportunity I have, because my
parents help me around to play
tournaments, Lilienthal said.
Some kids dont have that
opportunity. The goal was to
take him to tournaments with
my mom and I, so he could have
opportunities that he would
otherwise not have.
The NJ.com said: With

the help of NJTLT staff, he

(Saah) is driven to a Princeton
University clinic twice a week
with Lilienthal and supplements
that with the NJTLTs Ashe
program.
Saah, an eighth-grader at
the St. Michael Catholic High
School, left for the USA on June
26, 2013 for tennis training at
the Sanchez-Casal Academy in
Naples, Florida through the help
of the Mamba Point Hotel and
the Oceano Casino.
In 2012, Saah was also sent
to Sanchez-Casal Academy in
Barcelona, Spain.
Mamba Point Hotel manager,
Bsaibes Thawty said his support
to Saah is aimed to help him
become a professional player.
Mrs. Anna Bsaibes, of Mamba
Point Hotel, also said: We are
going to develop this young
and talented tennis stars skills
at one of the worlds best
tennis academies where such
great stars like Roger Federar,
Rafael Nadah and Andy Murray
attended.
Saars father is International
Tennis federation, ITF Level
2 coach. He introduced his
son to the sport at age 5, at the
Buduburam Refugee Center in
Ghana.

he news that the

Liberia
Football
Association
has
decided to quench
fire with fire against a recent
decision by the Sports Writers
Association of Liberia on its
blackout on the FA sounds
readiness for war.
According to the LFAs Liberia
Football Today newspaper,
in the last four years of Mr.
Bilitys administration, SWAL
had carried out three blackouts,
including the latest which
culminated from the incident at
its Congress on March 22.
Communications
Director
Henry B. Flomo admitted
in a phone call that he has
severed his relations with the
Sports Writers Association of
Liberia, and would live with the
consequences.
President Musa Bility, has
been quoted, affirming that

Security Committee member

Police Commissioner Victor
Gboyah, at the center of the
crisis, remained vigilant in
doing his job for the upkeep of
the football association.
(He) did not do wrong in
Buchanan, President Bility
was quoted as saying. I was in
Buchanan on the fateful day
and director Flomo showed a
reasonable cooperation.
At the recent installation
of officers of SWAL, reelected vice president for
administration, Musa Shannon,
re-elected EC member Maxwell
Dee Kemaya, SG B. Aphonso
Armah, and many important
dignitaries honored SWAL with
their presence.
And I can bet my pen that
LFA Chief Musa Bility wants
the best for SWAL.
I have had an unfavorable
experience
with
Police
Commissioner
Victor
Gboyah, and I know he can

President Musa Bility

be unreasonable, and would
threaten physical force. The
LFA cannot promise cooperation
when a security official shows
an amount of disrespect to one
of its partners.
The LFA does not need
any more distraction. The
construction of its headquarters
and the technical training center
should be supported by all.

And at the same time LFA

needs SWAL and SWAL equally
needs the LFA and it is therefore
important that LFA pays some
attention on the performance of
Commissioner Gboyah and find
a way forward, for without LFA,
what will SWAL do, since we
now copy stories on European
games from the internet.

PUL Urged to Mediate in LFA, SWAL Crisis

arbitrarily decision by SWAL.

The LFA, on the other hand,
condemned the blackout on
grounds that it was not officially
informed and threatened to
reciprocate, to deny those who
imposed the blackout access
to their games, according to
its newspaper Liberia Football
Today.
The Writers Club said
resolving the current crisis will
ensure that football, which
has played a major role in the
promotion of peace, will once
again be taken to the Liberian
people through the media.
The release, signed by its
Secretary General and President,
Augustus Doe and Macpherson
Marbiah, respectively also
called on both aggrieved parties
to reason and resolve the crisis.

By Leroy M. Sonpon, lll

n auxiliary group of
the Sports Writers
Association
of
Liberia (SWAL) is
appealing to the Press Union of
Liberia (PUL) to intervene in
what it termed an undermining
crisis between the Liberia
Football Association (LFA) and
SWAL.
The Writers Club, in a press
release dated April 8, 2014 said
PUL must intervene to resolve
the crisis.
It said the crisis was ignited
on Sunday, March 22, 2014
owing to an abrupt media
blackout on all activities of the
LFA. The action was due to the
LFAs alleged refusal to allow

PUL President Kamara A. Kamara

all sports journalists to enter the
hall cover the last Congress in
Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.

The blackout has not been

effective due to, what other
sports writers considered an

Advertise
Here
Today.
Call
0886472772

What Did Dr. Owl Say?

God drives the flies

away from a tailless
cow.
Dr. Owls African Guest

VOL. 16. NO. 115

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014

PRICE: LD 40

Senate Repeals JFK, Gender Ministry

Acts

By J. Burgess Carter

n the eve of
their twoweek Easter break;
members
of the 53rd
Senate at their plenary sitting
Tuesday, April 8, repealed two
Acts affecting the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, and the
Ministry of Gender & Development.
Reacting on the report from
the Joint Senate Committee on
Health, Social Welfare, Women and Childrens Affairs, the
Judiciary, Claims, Petition

and Human Rights, the Senate

unanimously passed a yea vote
to firstly repeal Chapter 60 of
the Executive Law creating
the John F. Kennedy Memorial
Center and replaced it with a
New Chapter 60 entitled: The
John F. Kennedy Medical
Center Act (2013).
The Senates decision according to its secretariat is
in furtherance of that august
bodys desire to ensure that
most if not all autonomous
institutions like the John F.
Kennedy Medical Center is
depoliticized.
The purpose of the center,
according to the new repealed
law, would be to provide specialist care for persons suffering from illnesses, disorders
and disabilities and provide
the specialized services and

The John F. Kennedy Medical Center

facilities of a specialized hospital; it should conduct educational activities for the purpose
of training health professionals and cover the needs of the
various areas of discipline and
proffer to the teaching hospital

of the University of Liberia; it

should promote health-related
scientific research and participate in so far as circumstances
may warrant in assisting the
Ministry of Health & Social
Welfare (MoSHW) to promote

Witness Becomes Temporarily

Speechless in Belgians Murder Trial

rama
unfolded
at
the murder
trial of Michel Bruno,
a Belgian
national, at the Criminal Court
A when a prosecution witness became temporarily confused.
Moses H. Kermue, prosecutions third witness stood
speechless in the box for a
few minutes before denying
having knowledge that the
defendants shot Bruno, then
Plantation Manager of Liberia
Agriculture Company (LAC).
Kermue is a senior officer of
LACs Plant Protection Division (PPD).
He was the only person cross
examined by defense counsel.
The defendants are charged
with murder for allegedly
shooting and killing Bruno on
November 17, 2010 at LACs
3.3 extension site in District
#3 Grand Bassa County. They

have since denied the allegation levied against them.

Testifying on Tuesday, April
8, the third witness caused
a stir when he consistently
denied that he did not know
whether the defendants murdered Bruno, alleging he heard
the information from reliable
sources in the employ of LAC.
The witness could not disclose the name of his reliable
source.
Kermue denied a suggestion from prosecution lawyers
asking him to point at the defendants in the box that were
arrested in connection to Bru-

nos death, As I said previously, on November 17, 2010,

I was not on the scene and I
cant identify any of the defendants in the box who were
arrested in connection with the
murder of Bruno.
Attempting to inquire from
him, if he was aware that the
defendants upon their arrest
were investigated at the PPDs
headquarters in LAC, Kermue
answered: I was not there
when they (defendants) were
investigated at the headquarters. What I can say is I only
heard that information, but I
have no knowledge about it.

Earlier, Kermue explained

the day before Bruno was shot
and killed, the chief of PPD,
Major Garfe E. Mason, drove
to his house and took him to
LACs extension site to protect the companys workers
that had gone there to survey
the land.
When we got there, we saw
the surveying team headed by
the late Bruno along with Alexander Peterson, Price Tawo,
Matthew Daigar, Saye Yeasie
and two PPD officers and we
all moved to the bush together, he added, When we got
into the bush the Surveyor be-

community outreach.
Based on the urgent need to
enhance the health care delivery system and an immediate
impact, the Act will benefit ordinary Liberians, the committee therefore recommend that
the Act be enacted into law.
The Senate also on Tuesday amended Chapter 38 of
the New Executive Law that
established the Ministry of
Gender and Development and
replaced it with Chapter 38
entitled: the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
The Joint Committees report
to the plenary stated that during its meetings and consultations with experts and citizens,
it learnt that the Act seeks to
repeal those provisions affecting social welfare of the

Ministry of Health and Social

Welfare with functions and
powers to be transferred to the
proposed Ministry of Gender,
Children and Social Protection. The executive law, which
created the Ministry of Gender
and Development, will also be
amended to have its functions
and powers transferred to the
proposed Ministry of Gender,
Children and Social Protection.
The purpose of the proposed Ministry according to
the report, is to help promote
development, empowerment
and protection of women,
childrenas well as the welfare and integration of persons
with disability and vulnerable
and extremely poor, the excluded and disadvantaged.

gan to clear the road and they

started to plant their pegs.
According to him, while the
survey was in process, they
saw a group of men under the
control of one of the defendants, Arthur Crusoe.
Crusoe asked us where we
were coming from and we answered that we are from LAC
Plantation.
Crusoe then told us that he
learnt LAC was above to conduct a survey in the district.
He said this was the reason,
we have declared this day as
a holiday in our area. LAC
has been fooling us this time
around, LAC is not going to
fool us, in fact, I am going to
let the government to know
about this, witness Kermue
quoted defendant Crusoe.

It was at this time, the

witness alleged that a lady
I couldnt recognize in the
group turned to one of the
surveyors, the late James Myers, and said, James, I know
you very well, dont be part of
these people again.
After that statement, we immediately left the area, the
prosecution witness further
alleged.
In an hour-long cross-examination, which was not different from the questions and
suggestions posed to previous
prosecution witnesses, Kermues response to most of them
were negative. The prosecution declined to continue with
his examination.
The case continues.

WONDERFULNEW
NEWENERGY
ENERGYINDUSTRY
INDUSTRY(LIBERIA)
(LIBERIA)INC.
INC.
WONDERFUL
Wonderful Generators

Add: Randall Street, Monrovia

UN Drive, Buzzy Quarter, Monrovia,
Tel : 00231-886255288/ 886447017
Main brand:
http: //www.dpwonderful.com

Weichai generator, Shangchai generaOur company specialized in selling and installing solar power
tor,
Our
generators
provide same electricity with the least fuel
products such as Solar power tracking system which
can
inVolvo generator, Cummins generator.
long
using life.
crease power output more than 40% than the fixedand
type,
solar
street lights, solar courtyard lights, solar power refrigerators
and preparing large quantity of spare parts with the
We always
Main Size:
vaccine refrigerator system, etc. We can also undertake
solar and price.
6KVA-2400KVA
best quality
Add: Randall Street, Montserrado
power system projects for offices, clinics, schools and other
pubWe have specialized engineers team in charge of maintainCounty,
lic places.
ing and after-services, providing 24-hour all-weather mainMonrovia, Liberia
Tel: 00231- 0886258288 0886447017
tenance services.
Three Cylinder
Add: Randall Street, Montserrado County, Monrovia, Liberia
Web: www.dpwonderful.com
Four Cylinder
Set
Solar power systems
Solar courtyard
lights Set Solar Spare
parts for
generator
SolarGenerator
power tracking
Single Cylinder
Generator
street lights
Solar
& wind street light
Solar refrigerator
Set systems
Tel: 00231-0886258288
Generator
Web: www.dpwonderful.com

Published by the Liberian Observer Corporation (LOC), 23 McDonald Street, P.O. Box 1858, Monrovia, Liberia; Tel: 06 812-888; 06 578476; and 06 472772;
Printed by the Observer Printing Press;
Bai S. Best, Marketing Manager; Lindiw Khumalo Yasiah, Business Strategist;
Publisher & Managing Director, Kenneth Y. Best.

April 10, 2014-edition.indd 2

4/9/14 11:53 PM