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DIASPORA County News
VOL 8 NO.630
MONDAY, JULY 7, 2014
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CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA
MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES
LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR
These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of
the foreign exchange market in Monrovia and its environs. The
rates are collected from the Forex Bureaux and the commercials
banks. The rates are not set by the Central Bank of Liberia.
Source:
Research, Policy and Planning Department,
Central Bank Liberia,
Monrovia, Liberia
THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2014 L$90.00/US$1 L$91.00/US$1
BUYING SELLING
L$90.00/US$1 L$91.00/US$1
L$91.00/US$1 L$90.00/US$1
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2014
THURSDAY, JULY3, 2014
EBOLA pg. 7
EDITORIAL Politics
Philadelphia Rowhouse
Fire Kills 4 Children
RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 5
IN BONG COUNTY PETITION
CU PROCUREMENT
DIRECTOR FOR 2017 RACE
TESTED AND
TRUSTED
VIOLENCE IS NOT
THE ANSWER
Pro-temp Findley Grateful for
ruling party endorsement
Liberians Must Learn to Control their anger even in
the wake of our darkest moments, the ballot box, not
violence should be our last option
THE ATTACK ON ARCELORMITTAL
WAS NOT NECESSARY
TRAGEDY

WIFE OF FALLEN UGANDAN DOCTOR WHO FELL PREY TO EBOLA, WANTS HIS
BODY EXHUMED AND FLOWN HOME, SHE MAY NOT GET HER WISH


EBOLA DEFIES
BURIAL TRADITIONS
We have got information that after 21 days of the body being in the soil, it
becomes Ebola free. If that is true we shall not bother to fy to Liberia but fy
UPS CHOICE FOR
GRAND BASSA
Page 2 |
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014
Rodney D. Sieh, Rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com
SEE page 3
Yekepa, Nimba County -
T
he United Nations repeated assertions that Liberia
remains fragile despite immense post-war progress
received perhaps its clearest doze of reality last
weekend when armed vandals raided the compound
of one of the post-war nations major investors, Arcelor Mittal,
holding employees hostage, embarking on a looting spree,
burning down the key Sanniquellie to Yekepa makeshift
bridge, exchanging gunfre with the Emergency Response Unit
of the Liberia National Police, damaging company cars and
vandalizing offce spaces.
Earlier this year, a leaked US-Backed Liberia Governance
Stakeholder Survey on the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf-led
government obtained by FrontPageAfrica warned that many
of the issues that drove the country into violence remain
just below the surface, waiting to bubble up when the right
combination of factors align.
Sirleaf alluded to similar trends in her Address to the Nation,
titled, Indiscipline and Lifting the Gag Order on December
2, 2013, during which she highlighted what she called the
wave of lawlessness which is creeping upon the State as she
urged Liberians to fully commit to the maintenance of law and
order, and peace in our beloved country. We cannot allow our
fragile peace to slip from our grasp, the President declared.
This requires all Liberians to change their attitude for the good
of the nation. The Presidents Address to the Nation comes
amid concerns regarding instances of lawlessness, where
individuals or groups that are aggrieved or are in disagreement
for whatever reason, would resort to threats or use of violence
as recourse to redress
In its 2013 report to the UN Secretary General, the UN Security
Council alarmed that while signifcant progress has been made
in Liberia since the end of the civil war, the situation in the post-
war nation Liberia remains fragile and continues to constitute a
threat to international peace and security in the region.
The assault on Arcellor Mittal in the mining town of Yekepa
last weekend ricochet a violent tone and a constant reminder
about the vulnerability of Liberias post-war peace.
So much so that the governments chief spokesman,
Information Minister Lewis Brown, who represented the
administration on an inspection of the post-riot scene, pleaded
with Arcellor Mittal not to leave Liberia because of the actions
of a few vandals.
The protesters have been identifed as the Tokadeh Progressive
Youths for Peace and Development. They were protesting in
the town of Zolowee in Nimba County over the operations
of Arcelor Mittal, triggering fears, tension and drawing
condemnation from members of the countys caucus in the
national legislature.
Teeko Tozay Yorlay, assistant County Superintendent for
development, explained to FrontPageAfrica shortly after the
incident that compensation has been paid over the years to
locals for use of their land for roads and other mining activities
by Mittal with over US$4.2 million already paid to the locals.
The offcial said it has been suspected that some individuals
who are not from the communities are masterminding the
current protest using the situation to extort money.
We learnt that some people who do not even hail from the
communities are holding rubber seedlings and taking part in
the protest using the situation to get money from the company
by causing trouble but we are working with local chiefs to
know the real land owners and solve the problem, Assistant
Superintendent Yorlay said.
Protestors want crops recount
Assistant Superintendent Yorlay said the protestors are
claiming that some of their crops were not counted during
the counting process in 2010 and are therefore demanding a
recount.
They are saying that some of their crops were not counted
in 2010, and they want a recount, so on tomorrow we will be
having a joint security meeting to solve the problem Yorlay
said.
He indicated that they are calling on the protestors to engage
the process through dialogue rather than using violence.
The government through Brown assured the management of
Arcelor Mittal and its partners including workers at the entity
of improved security in their concession vicinity following
massive destruction of their facilities by protesters.
A FrontPageAfrica reporter who toured the scene in the
aftermath of the riots said protesters vandalized the company
facilities by destroying offce working equipment, records,
including the million dollars investment iron ore plant and also
looted several materials being used by the company. Some of
the materials include , cement, shovels, vehicle tires, drilling
and mining equipment, vehicles, computers, vehicles batteries,
amongst others essential materials.
Our reporter also said the protestors damaged over fve Isuzu,
Hilux vehicles, jeeps, buses, earth moving equipment and also
burned a truck and other earth moving equipment and several
hundred bags of cement at the companys operations area in
Yekepa, Nimba County.
Brown insisted after the tour that the government will not
compromise what happened. Anyone whos responsible for
this level of damage on the companys facilities and are caught
will be prosecuted in accordance with the laws of Liberia.
At a meeting with employees of the company most of whom
are foreign nationals, Brown expressed President Sirleafs
deepest regret over the incident which most of them were held
hostage for several days and hours.
Assuring Arcelor Mittal that it remains a major partner to
Liberia in improving the lives of thousands of Liberians,
mainly people in rural areas, Brown described the riots
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014 Page 3
Yekepa as a scary act which has cast a negative image on the
country as he appealed to Mittal not to abandon Liberia by
pulling out its operations as has been speculated over the last
two days following the destructive incident at the company
facilities. The president has commissioned me and the team
here to inform the management that she is deeply sorry for
the incident Minister Brown told the management team of
ArcelorMittal .
The action by the rioters, Brown explained has the propensity
to scare investors from investing in the country which is now
trying to attract investors to improve the living condition of
Liberians following years of unrest and total destruction in the
county.
R. Matonakay Tingbean, Representative (Nimba County
District 9) described the action of his kinsmen as a total
disrespect to the countys leadership as he condemned the act
carryout by the citizens and said the Nimba Legislative caucus
is taking the issue seriously and will not compromise the issue
based on tribal line, but take the issue as a national concern
which affected the company, county and its people.
We have been negotiating with our people and told them that
we were making efforts to settle their concern, but to come
behind us why we are negotiating and carryout this acts is
a complete disrespect for elected offcials of our county,
Tingbean said.
The lawmaker said ArcellorMittal is doing well by providing
basic social services for Liberians in their concession areas
and it was only reasonable that once people have issues with
the company to properly channel their concerns in a more
responsible way.
Not Deterred, Mittal Remains in Operation
ArcelorMittal management in response, lauded the government
for their efforts taken so far and assured that they will resume
operation and at exactly 6pm Saturday, the company turned
on its iron ore mill and begun operating in the presence of the
government delegation.
The company also lauded the government for the rapid
response of the Police who were able to remove most of their
expatriates from in hostage and has been working to retrieve
some of the looted properties of the company.
Police authorities said most of the properties of the company
were looted by protesters. Most of the items we are retrieving
are taken from in the forest, these people most of them hid the
items when they heard that we were coming.
By Sunday, full calm appeared to have returned to Yekepa with
the government declaring the riot offcially over.
According to an Executive Mansion release, a number of
the ringleaders, including those who shot at the police, have
been arrested and are being brought to Monrovia for further
investigation and prosecution.
The full extent of the damage, which is still being assessed,
includes destruction to private properties, as well as injuries
to at least six police offcers and damage to public roads and
bridges.
Speaking for the Liberian Government, Information Minister
Lewis Brown said, There is no tolerance in this society for
those who act outside the law by expressing grievances through
violence, destroying properties, assaulting law enforcement
offcers, and violating the rights of others. All such individuals
will face the full weight of the law, the Minister concluded.
The Government of Liberia has assured the management of
Arcelor Mittal, and all private and foreign investors that no
action will be spared to protect lives and properties as well as
the general wellbeing of their staffs and employees.
The Government has also expressed appreciation to the peaceful
and law-abiding citizens within the Yekepa Community
who refused to be a part of such destructive activity, and has
reassured all Liberians of the full protection of their rights to
live in peace and safety in their communities.
Protesters Appeared Drunk, Disjointed
Jerry Mwagbe, Resident Communications Manager at
ArcelorMittal Liberia posted on his Facebook page Friday
that the protesters resisted attempts by the company to resolve
the matter and claimed that many of the protesters were
intoxicated. Attempts by the company's managers to engage
with the demonstrators, many of whom appeared to be drunk,
were unsuccessful. Police arrived at the scene but did not
engage with the crowd at this point. At about 11am the County
Attorney arrived and tried to disperse the crowd, but he was
booed and jeered and he left.
Mwagbe wrote that the group's leaders identifed themselves
as the Tokadeh Progressive Youths for Peace and Development
and were protesting against the Ganta-Yekepa Highway, the
County Development Fund and other issues that were recently
dealt with in a tripartite meeting held between government
offcials, advocacy groups from the county and management
representatives from the company.
Mwagbe said by 12:30, demonstrators who had been standing
at the entrance to the mines, moved into the operational areas
and started to attack employees of AFCONS, a sub-contractor
working on Phase II of construction in the mines. At about
1pm reinforcements from the Public Safety Unity of the Police
arrived on the scene, and by 1:30 started to disperse the crowd.
Tear gas was fred and the crowd, which had seemed poised for
a confrontation, scattered only to return within a few minutes.
Some of the rioters were armed and opened fre on the police.
Employees Held Against Their Will
Mwagbe also said that rioters had entered the mines and had
started to loot equipment and construction materials. The Mittal
spokesman said the company had engaged the government,
who has been working along with Mittal to resolve the matter.
Mwagbe however noted that employees of the company were
being held against their will in warehouse at the mine. They
have been held up for the last 20 hours with no access to food.
Confned in workshop and cannot come because of fear of
hostile protestors. We are awaiting police intervention. In the
meantime, the employees have been calm and are holding up
well, he added.
Senator Thomas Grupee(NUDP, Nimba), head of the Nimba
County legislative caucus condemned the situation but has
at the same time cautioned the police mainly the Emergency
response Unit (ERU) to refrain from using force against the
people. Senator Grupee told FrontPageAfrica Friday morning
that eyewitnesses on the ground informed that protestors
blocked the main entrance leading to the Mittal Steel operated
mine and damaged some properties belonging to the company.
Ironically, Charles Taylors National Patriotic Front of Liberia
launched the civil war using the Nimba County towns of
Bhutuo and Karnplay as a launching pad for the war, recruiting
mostly ethnic Gios and Manos who felt persecuted by Doe.
Does troops retaliated against the whole population of the
region, attacking unarmed civilians and burning villages.
ArcellorMittal signed a 25 year mineral development
agreement with the government of Liberia to mine iron ore in
the country. As part of its social corporate responsibility the
company has paid millions of dollars to three counties- Nimba,
Bong and Grand Bassa for its operations with Nimba getting
the lion share.
Last weekends protest is not the frst as in the past there has
been protest against the operations of the company with some
locals demanding compensation for use of their land which
has made them to be unable to make farms.
After a recent protest, Mittal displayed photographs of
development it has carried out since it began operations in the
county including the construction of clinics, schools and other
undertakings.
Even amid the calmness of the storm are lingering, unanswered
questions. How did things deteriorate to a point where one of key
investment partners is now forced to endure a loss of probably
millions in damages? What steps would the government of
Liberia take now to ensure that disgruntled contractors and
youths do not resort to violence, probably much worse than
what took place last Weekend. More importantly, where did
protesters fnd the guns used in gunfre exchange with ERU
offcers?
The answers for now appear to be engulfed in the Liberian
governments pledge to look into the matter and get to the
bottom of the saga which political observers say boils deep
into the root causes of Liberias concession dilemma, one
which has stalled developments in major concession areas
around Liberia, pitting investors and against villagers in a
recurring theme rocking not only development but progress
of a post-war nation on the mend struggling to restore its
economic sanity.
Page 4 |
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014
Ivor S. Moore, mooreivor@gmail.com, 0770139026, Contributing Writer
O
ne cannot question the relevancy of
providing objective criticism in a free
society as we live in. Under this canopy of
objectivism, the public can be made to see
many things that would otherwise have been behind
the scene. On the contrary, when one schemes as an
objective critics, one forfeits this cause; hence, even
the truth of one's perfidy will be glaring, concealed
whatever. This has the propensity to interpret people
out of context and disgorge gibberish for public
consumption. Thus, when Eugene Ricks attempts to
criticize, disingenuously, Hon. Christopher Zeohn
Neyor's open letter to President Sirleaf, I find it
fitting and dutiful as a conscious Liberian, to bring
him at checkmate so as to protect the precious art of
criticism from wrongful use.
At the beginning of his Front Page Africa July 2,
2014 "'BASED ON HEARSY'": OPEN LETTER TO
DR. CHRISTOPHER ZEOHN NEYOR", our critics
Ricks avers to have written the letter to appreciate
Mr. Neyor for providing sensitive information to
the public as well as blink him for not doing "the
honorable thing at the time, expose the ills and
honorably depart the National Oil Company of
Liberia (NOCAL), not at a time when the damage
is done, if your revelation is something anything to
go by." He mutilates his argument by quoting the
maxim that 'it is better late than never'. To suggest
this withdraws his right to scrutinize the merits of
the letter. However, he continues that " it is against
this background that I also write to scrutinize
some points that you stressed in your letter to the
president." What kind of background does he speak
about? The only answer as depicted by the paragraph
can be attributed to the quoted maxim rather than the
other backgrounds that were already satisfied. what
a contradiction!
The public relations officer of Rep. Adolph Lawrence
lashed at Hon Neyor for claiming to be reliably
threaten by the president because he cannot be
bought out of the senatorial race for her son Robert
Sirleaf to Have a smooth ride. He would rather that
Hon. Neyor site instances to justify his claim. With
this I think that Ricks did not read the letter with
comprehension or choose to play blind to reality. That
complaint was carried to the Methodist Bishop who is
the spiritual leader of both persons is sufficient prove
that something was wrong. For the character that he
is, Hon. Neyor would not go to his church Leader
without being truly threaten. This however exposes
the fact that this critics does not understand political
conspiracy and covert activities. What about the anti-
American accusation and the 24 hours surveillance
on him by Robert Sirleaf because he had called for
the need to give out some oil blocks to other countries
to insure competition in the oil and gas sector? It is
an open secret that many African leaders are capable
of using power to vent evil on people who distort
their selfish deeds, and Madam Sirleaf cannot be an
exception giving her track records of giving support
to NPFL for emergency purposes when Red Cross
was in existence. The support contributed to the
mayhem unleashed by cocaine infested rebels.
In a further paragraph, Hon. Neyor is likened to a
witchcraft who sits and watches the witch queen
murders her neighbor's child but choose to keep shut
for fear of losing relationship with the witch queen,
and comes out confessing years later. This is only
worthy of scorn. By logic, it does not follow that
Mr. Neyor is similar to Madam Sirleaf as the story
attempts to portray given the reality. Does he not
know Man he scolds was credited in Global Witness
2011 Report as the only reformer in the government?
Perhaps he can go back to '80s when Hon. Neyor
as LEC Managing Director built the iron poles and
electrified Somalia Drive at a cost of US$ 900,000
as opposed to the 3 million that was budgeted in
1917 when it should otherwise have been cheaper.
Does this has a parallel in our country's history?
Let this critics get to know that it was because of
upholding the principles rather than bowing down
to the golden image of our president and her son
Robert that a REFORMER was removed overnight.
Critics Ricks writes that Hon. Neyor should have
exposed his alleged surveillance against him when it
was ongoing; hence, condemns him for doing so now.
All over the world, negotiation is the first remedy to
solving a problem. Even the American Declaration
of Independence talks about long supplications and
prostration before the outburst evolutionary outburst
for independence. A little reading and understanding
of history is a dangerous thing for anyone to do.
Hon. Neyor is accused to have sat supinely as NOCAL
President and watch the president and her son
allegedly taking millions out of state coffers. I think
this critics has been lost in his quest to fathom proper
argument against Hon. Neyor. To assert such broad
allegations in the midst of transient information that
Hon. Neyor, unlike other NOCAL presidents, refused
to sign any oil contract before the laws are reformed
is an indication that something went wrong with this
fellow- of-a-critics.
The conclusion that Hon. Neyor wanted to buy
sentiment from the public is assuming than admitting.
When our only reformer's life is threatened by an
imperial president, he has every right to expose it to
the public at any time if he deems it necessary and
that "his happiness so required".
My judgment is that this critics does not know Hon.
Neyor well. He does not know the Neyor whose
dedication to his country and zero tolerance for any
bad practice is rare in our countries.
If this country can have many of his type, the yearning
of the masses for change would be fully realized.
I cannot but sit and allow a prophet of false criticism
spew his garbage in the public with the anticipation
of blinding the masses of people from following
the truth, Such person cannot go with impunity.
Therefore, I shall not linger to draw scratch through
any piece emanating from the likes of Eugene Ricks.
I await to face the other writings.
THE TWADDLE OF A CRITIQUE:
CHECKMATING EUGENE RICKS'
OPEN LETTER TO HON. NEYOR
FrontPage
v
Commentary
EDITORIAL
LIBERIANS MUST LEARN to Control their anger even
in the wake of our darkest moments, the ballot box, not
violence should be our last option as violence has led the
country nowhere but total destruction.
FOR NEARLY ONE and half decade, Liberians held the
country hostage with acts of violence and vandalism while
other countries were moving forward.
WHEN THE COUNTRY GDP was comparable to
powerful nations like Japan and others, in the 1970s,
there was a good moment to seize and take the country
to nobler destiny but as a nation and people, we opted for
the opposite.
AFTER THE 1979 rice riot, which served as one of the
basis for the senseless violence that engulfed the county,
the aftermath of the riot, which was complete breakdown
of law and order and destruction of lives and properties,
Liberians still did not know that violence could not solve
any problem.
AGAIN A MILITARY coup occurred further degenerating
what was now a volatile situation created by the memory
of the rice riot. The coup witnessed the brutal execution of
13 Liberians and other acts of barbarism and inhumanity.
IN THE 1980S, the emerging economy and country
growing at as fast pace declined tremendously with
anarchy and dictatorship taking over the nation.
AS THOUGH THE stagnant speed of development
beginning with the 1979 rice riot was not enough in 1989,
the country was plunged into a full scale civil war and the
ramifcations of the civil war is what Liberia is today, a
country categorized amongst failed state with the young
generation not knowing what is electricity, par borne
water and other basic social services.
BEGINNING 2006, THE country experienced huge infux
of investors who all came in to help Liberia rebuild the
broken pieces.
IN NEARLY 10 years from 2006, things have changed
dramatically with semblance of development visible
showing up with the construction roads and other
infrastructure.
ARCELOR MITTAL, ONE of the largest investors in
post war Liberia has been operating in Nimba County,
operating the Nimba Mountain with benefts accruing to
the people of mainly three counties, Nimba, Bong and
Grand Bassa and overall beneft to the entire country as
taxes paid by the company are part of the national budget.
LIFE HAS RETURNED to Yekepa and surrounding
villages in Nimba County with the construction media
and educational facilities and restoration of commercial
activities.
THESE ARE GOOD news for every well meaning
Liberians to cherish and celebrate as it is a sign that there
is more development insight with peace prevailing.
THE RECENT ATTACK on Mittal facilities by angry
residents is a bad omen for the prevailing development
Nimba County and Liberia at large is experiencing. No
matter the concerns of these protestors, violence is not the
answer, as it has never helped in any given situation.
NO ONE LIBERIAN can point to a solution derived from
violence but there are countless instances where violence
has led to wanton destruction of lives and properties.
VIOLENCE IS NOT the answer and we condemn the
recent protest at Arcelor Mittals facilities and call on
the protestors never to revert to violence as a means of
expressing whatever grievances they have.
NO MATTER HOW much anger people have, they must
fnd a responsible and civilized way of expressing such
anger rather than using violence.
COMMENTARY
VIOLENCE IS NOT
THE ANSWER
THE ATTACK ON ARCELORMITTAL
WAS NOT NECESSARY
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014 Page 5
PRESIDENT SIRLEAFS
UNITY PARTY VIOLATES
CODE OF CONDUCT....
FrontPage
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DISCLAIMER
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bloggers and do no represent the views of FrontPageAfrica
Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666;
077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com
Wade C. L. Williams, News Desk Chief, wade.
williams@frontpageafricaonline.com; 0880664793
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com
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The Reader's Page
EMMANUEL BOONE WAYDON STUDIES AT WUHAN
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Its unfortunate, ERU approach to this issue. Our people are right
to fnally consider protest as a means to attract the attention of
the government and Mittal Steel. Their discomfort over the deal
that fnally preferred Mittal Steel has long been expressed but the
government seems to have hearing impaired. If the locals could
ever pinpoint source of income, its their land. Annually, they farm
on their land and proceeds from there are used for commercial
and consumption purposes. Majority of our people can not read
and write and as such, A/C offce is not their area but farming. If
the government cannot help develop their capacity to improve the
technology of farming, they rather be left alone at the mercy of God
instead of disturbing their peace. What nonsense compensation is
the assistant Superintendent talking about? US$4.2 Million? this is
very unfortunate and does not guarantee sustainability. Remember
that if these people stop farming they are already out of jobs. So, if
both government and Mittal Steel are serious, the provision of an
annual rent will mean well for the well-being of our people. Please
understand that our MOUNTAIN IS A BLESSING NOT CURSE.
Respect our people and stop beating on them.
ROOTS SOULJAH LAMCO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Accelor Mittal are there to make big money, why else, ooh, but
also to build some infrastructure and stability by bringing jobs,
money etc to the region, Its a small start, Remember Lamco, was
it such a bad thing, when there was peace, it was a start, seems
like Liberia never gets off the start line, Corruption aside, Is war a
better option, some people here seem to think so.......pretty naive
i think
JOHN WILLIAMS TOP COMMENTER EASTERN
UNIVERSITY, ST. DAVIDS, PA
Altering concession agreements at the Mansion/Foreign Ministry
seems to be a norm of this government. Both Chambers and
Biney complained that the contract for the rubber plantation in
Pleebo was altered in favor of an Ivorian company against the
people of Maryland/Liberia. Unfortunately nobody, including the
Legislature and civil society groups, paid any attention. Ellen is
leaving offce soon but the trouble that those bogus agreements
they signed will bring to Liberia haven't even started yet. The
Liberian people were robbed before and so their patience is thin
and they don't trust the government. LAMCO operated in that
area before and even the road from Yekepa to Ganta wasn't paved
while pollution of creeks was a common concern. I suspect this is
a delicate issue and it must be treated with extreme caution.
ROOTS SOULJAH LAMCO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
While the plagarism, corruption and mismanagement is obvious
and wrong, its not limited to Liberia alone, its everywhere, so
resorting to violence and unrest will only make things worse,
this has been proven again and again and who always suffers the
most......
JOHN WILLIAMS TOP COMMENTER EASTERN
UNIVERSITY, ST. DAVIDS, PA
Roots Souljah , the average Liberian doesn't want war and they
detest war. If you followed the Liberian confict you will discover
that people that sponsored the war or benefted from the war
the most, suffered the least from the consequences of the war.
However, other Liberians were not so lucky. Some lost practically
everything, including the foundation of their families. And that is
why they keep warning opportunists and selfsh and greedy people
not to resort to those ugly ways that caused the confict in the frst
place. This is because it is common knowledge that any confict
could destroy the country and kill countless numbers of innocent
people again. That is why the practice of harming our people
intentionally and then reminding them of their past losses is not
helpful. It is like saying "you saw what happened the last time- we
robbed you and then killed you. And if we want we will rob you
and kill you again". It is provoking, to say the least! The people of
Liberia just want a fair deal. Mittal, Ellen and anyone can make
their billions and millions but please give our people a chance to
hope for a better tomorrow. It is in everyone's interest because a
hopeless people are a dangerous people!
The Editor,
"Tyranny is defned as that which is legal for the government, but
illegal for the citizenry (Thomas Jefferson)."
Liberias 1986 Constitution, Article 90 (c) clearly mandated the
National Legislature to prescribe a Code of Conduct for all public
offcials and employees. Particularly, the Constitution emphasized
the purpose for the Code of Conduct- to defne acts which
constitute confict of interest or [acts which] are against public
policy. Thanks to the 53rd National Legislature, for passing a Code
of Conduct earlier in 2014, which was signed into law by President
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, pledging her full commitment to uphold and
enforce the law. Question: Why is President Ellen Johnson-Sirleafs
ruling Unity Party disrespecting and recklessly violating the Code
of Conduct?
The Code of Conduct intentionally reinforces the moral principles
and legal obligations of our Constitution, and to create good
governing environs, where public offcials must display acceptable
and responsible behavior; and be held accountable for unethical or
unlawful behavior. Section 5.1 of the Code of Conduct expressly
prohibits All Offcials appointed by the President of the Republic
of Liberia from engaging in political activities, canvass or contest
for elected offces, use government facilities, equipment or resources
in support of partisan or political activities, and serve on a campaign
team of any political party, or campaign team of any independent
candidate. The Code of Conduct could not be any clearer than what
was written.
Despite its soundness and transparency, President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf and her ruling Unity Party continue to disrespect and violate
the law of the land. Executive Committee members of the ruling
Unity Party continue to hold presidential appointments, serve in
partisans executive positions, and actively leading the organization
and promotion of Unity Partys activities, like the recent Unity Party
primary across the country. I am sure using government facilities
and properties like vehicles, gas slips, scratch cards, work hours etc.
So what is the purpose for the Code of Conduct while Unity Party
leaders continue to hold presidential appointments, in clear violation
of the law? Just to name a few of UP leaders holding Presidential
appointments: UP National Youth Chairman Amos Tweh serves as
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs; UP Deputy Secretary-General
Neto Zarzar Leighe serves as Deputy Minister of Labour; UP Vice
Chairman Rixck Barsigiah serves as Assistant Minister of Youth and
Sports; UP Vice Chairman Julia Duncan Cassell serves as Minister
of Gender; Senior Partisans J. Milton Teahjay and Wellington
Geevon Smith both serves as Superintendents of Rivercess and
Sinoe respectively; Executive Committee member Commany
Wisseh serves as Minister of State; Executive Committee member
Rannie Jackson serves as Deputy Minister, Internal Affairs among
others.
If Liberia must make progress in democratic governance, it is
signifcant that President Sirleaf and her Unity Party must respect
the law of the land. Violating the Code of Conduct, by President
Sirleaf, as Chief Executive Offcer of the nation, does not only
undermine our collective democratic aspirations but threatens
democratic stability and peaceful coexistence. The novelty for the
Code of Conduct has become a ghost, in the mockery of Unity
Partys unethical dilemma, which self-evidence that the 2014 mid-
term election would epitomize sheer fraud and election violations.
SHOOTINGS, AMBUSH &
RIOTS: ECHOES OF VIOLENCE
RESURRECTS IN NIMBA

EBOLA HOTLINE
PLEASE CALL THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS
IF YOU, A FAMILY MEMBER, FRIEND OR
LOVED ONES ARE EXPERIENCING ANY
OF THE SYMPTONS OF THE DEADLY
OUTBREAK: SYMPTOMS OF EBOLA
HF TYPICALLY INCLUDE: FEVER,
HEADACHE, JOINT AND MUSCLE ACHES,
WEAKNESS, DIARRHEA, VOMITING,
STOMACH PAIN, LACK OF APPETITE.
0886229641; 0886397381; 0776547437
The desperation of President Sirleaf, to impose her choice of
senators, upon the nation, is already showing from the crooked
results coming from Unity Party primary. Why should we expect a
fair, transparent, and credible 2014 mid-term election?
Resolution: Holding presidential appointments and political party
executive positions at the same time are acts which constitute
confict of interest or [acts which] are against public policy,
according to the Code of Conduct. Therefore, Unity Partys
executives holding presidential appointments must make a choice:
resign from their party leadership or resign from presidential
appointment. But the bucks stop at President Sirleafs doorstep: fre
your partisans presidential appointees, Madam President!
On the altar of Jehovah, I pledge undying resistance to political
tyranny. Above all else, the people's struggles must continue.
Excuse me, while I throw out-gosh!
Chorphie Charlie
gbanapekin@hotmail.com
Page 6 |
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014 Page 7
Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com and PHOTO/Fred Turyakir
EBOLA DEFIES BURIAL TRADITIONS
F
RONT
PAGE
EBOLA
Monrovia -
D
ianah Mutooro, the
widow of Ugandan
doctor Sam Mutooro
who died of Ebola
fever in Liberia is requesting that
the Uganda government do all it
can to have her fallen husbands
body returned to Uganda
for a decent burial. Against
insurmountable odds and the
unconventional manner in which
Ebola strikes its victims, getting
the body back to Uganda could
prove diffcult for Dianah,
meaning she would never get
to visit her husbands burial site
unless she fies to Liberia.
The widows request to have her
husbands body exhumed and
returned to Uganda is renewing
debate over one of the major
problems Liberia and other
countries where the outbreak
has hit are having convincing
families that it is very dangerous
to be exposed to Ebola corpses.
In Dr. Mutooros case, the
family appears hopeful: Rev.
Jehoida Baluku Mutoro, the
deceaseds elder brother, is
quoted in the Ugandan Vision
newspaper as saying that the
family looks forward to bringing
back Mutoros body for burial
in Uganda. He said they have
been told the body will be Ebola-
free after 21 days. We have got
information that after 21 days
of the body being in the soil, it
becomes Ebola free. If that is
true we shall not bother to fy to
Liberia but fy his body back to
his ancestral home if government
helps us.
Muhindo Moris, a resident from
Dr. Mutooros village alluded to
similar possibility in an email
to FrontPageAfrica: We fnally
fnished the funeral rites for Dr.
Sam yesterday. However, the
government promised that they
are working hand in hand with
Liberia and Dr. Sam is going to
be exhumed and brought back
to Ugandan in two months from
now.
Scientifcally, We Cannot Do
That
We have got information that after 21 days of the body being in the soil, it becomes Ebola free. If that is true we shall not bother to
fy to Liberia but fy his body back to his ancestral home if government helps us. - Rev. Baluku Mutoro, Brother of the deceased
WIFE OF FALLEN UGANDAN DOCTOR WHO FELL PREY TO EBOLA, WANTS
HIS BODY EXHUMED AND FLOWN HOME, SHE MAY NOT GET HER WISH


Mr. Tolbert Nyensuah Assistant
Minister of Health for Preventive
Services disagrees. The
Liberian government cannot send
the body back. The body was
buried with high level of respect
and ceremony was conducted
under care and supervision.
Scientifcally, we cannot do that.
Uganda dealt with Ebola before,
they know.
Uganda last suffered an Ebola
outbreak in 2012 and at least
four people died of the disease at
the time.
At least 467 people have died
of Ebola in the three countries,
out of the 759 reported cases,
according to the World Health
Organization(WHO).
Dr. Olimpia de la Rosa, MSF
Emergency Coordinator
explained in 2012 that the frst
case in Uganda was a three-
month-old girl whose mother
was also sick. When the girl
passed away, her family tried to
fnd out what she had died from
but couldnt fnd the answer
though there were rumors of
witchcraft and magic. Sixty-fve
people attended the little girls
funeral, 15 of whom became
sick, and 11 of whom have since
died.
Dr. De La Rosa added: Ebola
is so contagious, and spreads
through contact with bodily
fuids, funerals are a real
cause for concern, especially
if protective measures are not
taken when handling the body.
The majority of deaths in
this(Uganda) outbreak are of
people who attended the little
girls funeral.
Assistant Minister Tolbert
explained that unless the WHO or
appropriate international health
agencies gives the green light,
it could be nearly impossible
to have Dr. Mutooros body
exhumed and extradited.
Widow Required Quarantine to
Attend Funeral
Nyensuah said health authorities
in Liberia did all it could to get
the fallen doctors widow to
attend his funeral to no avail
because of the complications
of the way he died. She(Mrs.
Mutooro) was told by the
Ugandan government that if she
came to Liberia for the funearl,
she would have to be quarantined
for 21 days. Thats why she
couldnt come. She was told
that she would be quarantined.
I havent read anywhere where
you can exhume body after 21
days and return body back, It
would be impossible.
According to the WHO, there
is a high risk of transmission in
a health facility when an Ebola
patient dies because the bodies
and body fuids of deceased VHF
patients remain contagious for
several days after death. Family
and community members are
also at risk if burial practices
involve touching and washing
the body.
The Ugandan government has
advised Ugandans to limit their
travel to Liberia, Guinea and
Sierra Leone, which have been
hit by the Ebola epidemic, but
has not issued a travel ban to the
three countries,
the Ugandan Monitor newspaper
reported. Ugandans with
relatives in the affected countries
were advised to keep on the
alert in case their relatives return
to the country during this period.
Disease surveillance checks have
been put up at border points,
especially for people coming
from the affected countries,
Rugunda disclosed.
The WHO warns that families of
victims must be aware of cultural
practices and religious beliefs
because when Ebola strikes,

some practices cannot be done
because they place the family or
others at risk for exposure.
Burial sites for Ebola victims
requires that the grave should be
at least 2 meters deep, according
to the WHO.
Died Helping Neglected Patient
At Mutooros funeral Friday,
the Ugandan government paid
tribute to the fallen specialist
who succumbed to Ebola last
Tuesday.
Mutooro, 44, a senior surgeon
based in Liberia, died at the
John F. Kennedy Medical Centre
Monrovia, where he was being
treated. He had been working
in Liberia for three years as a
specialist at the Redemption
Hospital in New Krul town on
a contract with the Liberian
government and the World
Health Organisation (WHO).
Ugandas Health minister Dr.
Ruhakana Rugunda, according to
the Ugandan Vision Newspaper,
described Muhumuzas death as
a big loss to Uganda and Africa.
John Baptist Mujuni, the master
of ceremonies for Mutooros
memorial said the family would
have loved to see his remains
in the casket before mourners,
but due to the circumstances
under which he died, we are
unable to. He has been a diligent
and committed health worker,
our ambassador and died in a
country where they lack medical
workers.
Mutooros widow, Diana said
her husband contracted the virus
as he tried to attend to a patient
who had been neglected by
other medical personnel. On
Friday, I called him and he told
me that he was putting onto
oxygen a patient who had been
neglected. After some days, he
told me that he developed high
fever and was waiting for the
test results, she narrated at her
husbands memorial, according
to the Monitor.
Before his passing on,
Muhumuza called his wife again
and told her that he had been put
indoors and the hospital had been
closed for two weeks, following
the outbreak. Mrs. Muhumuza
said after receiving the news of
his death, they booked a ticket to
go and see where he was buried,
but were advised against the
trip.
Dr. Mutooro is the third Ugandan
doctor to die from Ebola.
The others were Dr. Matthew
Lukwiya and Dr. John Kule, who
died of Ebola as they tried to save
patients in Gulu and Bundibugyo
hospitals respectively in Uganda.
Dr. Mutooro is survived by a wife
and three children. He was born
a day after the death of his father,
the late Samuel Bagheni Mutoro,
in an accident. He was raised
by Constantine Bwambale,
the former prime minister of
Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu, the
Monitor reported.
Diana Muhumuza with her three children and other mourners arriving for a requiem service for her late
husband at St. James Cathedral Ruharo in Mbarara on Thursday. PHOTO/Fred Turyakira
Guinean women washing their hands at the entrance of the Sino-Guinean
hospital of Kipe in the Ratoma municipality, where the frst person infected
with the Ebola virus was treated in Conakry. PHOTO/AFP
Page 8 |
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014
REPORTING LIBERIAS OIL INDUSTRY
PRESS RELEASE
Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable organisation of Thomson
Reuters, is working with New Narratives, a non-governmental organisation
that has been driving improvements in Liberias media sector for 4 years,
to run a project that supports Liberian journalists and news organisations
to cover the countrys oil industry.
The project will run from 2014-16 and will feature training, mentoring
and capacity building for Liberian journalists and news organisations.
The project will focus on a range of oil sector issues including contracts,
the management of revenues, the implications for Liberias economy, and
the environmental impact of the industry. It will encourage journalism that
relates these issues to the lives of citizens through engaging storytelling.
The project in Liberia is part of a larger programme taking place across
Africa, which aims to support journalists and media organisations to cover
fnancial and extractives issues which are central to development.
Oil reporting scheme call for applications
Journalists working in Liberia are invited to apply to the oil reporting
scheme being run by Thomson Reuters Foundation and New Narratives.
The scheme will involve a series of training courses over approximately
two years, combined with ongoing mentoring and opportunities to produce
stories and investigations.
Journalists taking part in the scheme will learn how to produce accurate,
impartial and independent coverage of the oil sector in Liberia. The
ultimate aim will be for journalists to report to the internationally
recognised standards of Reuters.
The scheme is a major commitment but it will also be a rewarding one.
We are looking for journalists who:
- Report for a national media outlet in Liberia print, online, radio
or television journalists are eligible
- Have at least 2 years of professional experience as a journalist
- Have experience of, or can demonstrate a genuine interest in,
business and fnancial journalism
- Are motivated to cover the oil industry and how it relates to other
aspects of life in Liberia
Please note: journalists taking part in the programme must report the
oil industry in an independent manner and must not take payment from
any sources in the course of their reporting. The project will not tolerate
the acceptance of such payment. Participants will be required to sign an
agreement to this effect.
Funding will be available within the project to help journalists cover
stories on the oil industry.
Application process
To apply send a cover letter detailing any experience in business and
fnancial reporting and why you want to take part in this scheme, as well
as a CV and two writing samples to contact@newnarratives.org.
Deadline: July 14th 2014
About the partner organisations
Thomson Reuters Foundation has been supporting excellence in journalism
worldwide since 1982. It draws on the global expertise of Reuters and its
network of nearly 200 bureaus to run pioneering journalism development
projects. More than 12,000 journalists from 170 countries have been
involved in its projects and training courses. Responding to world events,
it has created news platforms to provide accurate, objective news to
populations in countries such as Iraq, Egypt and Zimbabwe.
New Narratives provides resources, editorial and business support to
help leading African media houses deliver independent, honest news
that Africans use to drive change. Working in Liberia since 2010, New
Narratives reporters have repeatedly broken stories that have prompted
action on major societal issues such as teen prostitution, child labor and the
growing drug trade. Reporting has won major national and international
awards and appeared in media around the world.

(Monrovia, Liberia July 6, 2014)-Police in Monrovia have
charged Liberian journalist Octavin Williams with multiple
charges following attack on Deputy Inspector General of Police
for Operations, Col. Abraham S. Kromah.
Mr. Williams who was investigated by the Crime Services
Division of the LNP has been charged with Assault Section.
14.21 and Disorderly Conduct Section. 17.3, of the Penal Law
of Liberia.
Other charges include improper parking Sec.10.80, failure
to yield to police lawful instruction Section .10.3, operating
unregistered vehicle Section. 3.1, and a non-insured vehicle
Section.4.4 and operating a vehicle without a drivers license.
His action contravened the Criminal procedure and vehicle and
traffc laws of the Republic of Liberia.
Facts: on Wednesday, July 2, 2014, at approximately 1820hrs a
traffc offcer, while on a routine police patrol within the Gurley
Street perimeters, came across an operator, later identifed as
Octavin Williams, who was stopped for plying the streets with
an unregistered vehicle carrying a foreign Minnesota plate,
but refused to yield to police instruction, but rather chose to
challenge the authority and absconded the scene, leaving his
vehicle unattended in a non-parking position, thus obstructing
the free fow of traffc.
Following the arrival of the Police Deputy Chief Abraham
Kromah, on the scene Mr. Williams than reappeared and was
requested to park properly. Mr. Williams refused and started to
use sarcastic remarks against the Deputy Police Boss insinuating
that he `was a damn Mandingo Man and while reigning insults
at the Deputy Director, he further assaulted him in the process.
The LNP will like to encourage all Liberians and foreign national
residing within our borders to remain law abiding as no one,
regardless of status; will be allow to take the laws in their own
hands.
The LNP is therefore repeating its warning to the general driving
public, that irrespective of your status in the society, be sure
to have your drivers licenses, vehicle registration, insurance,
license plates and all other relevant documents on your person
and or vehicle at all times, while operating a motor vehicle.
Sam Collins
Chief of Press and Public Affairs/LNP
Republic of Liberia
The Charles B. Alfonso Caine Building
Headquarters of the Liberia National Police
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
Monrovia, Liberia
Offce of the Chief of Press and Public Affairs 0770800122
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014 Page 9
Public Service Announcement
This is to inform the general public that the deadline
for payment of Real Estate taxes is July 1st LRA says
please pay your real estate tax (es) to avoid penalties and
interest that under the Revenue Code of Liberia (RCL)
will be added to your account if you do not pay on time.
Also the law says property owners should fle a schedule
of their properties along with their payment.
The Revenue Code of Liberia also says that the LRA
must add the following penalties if you do not pay on
time...
Revenue Code Liberia SECTION 2002
The real property tax covers the period from
January 1 to and including December 31 of each year
and shall become due on July 1st of the year in which
it is levied. It may be paid without the imposition of
interest or penalty at any time prior thereto from January
1.
INTEREST at market, in accordance with Section
11 shall be charged thereon if the tax is not paid on or
before July 1st of the year in which it is levied.
If it is not paid on or before July 31st of the
year in which it is levied, the Minister now (LRA
Commissioner General), in addition, shall assess and
add to the amount due, or to any underpayment thereof,
an ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY of 5 percent per
month for each month or part of a month elapsing after
July 31st that it remains unpaid, but not to exceed 25
percent in total.
Signed: A. Trokon Tarr
Communications Consultant
Collecting the lawful taxes due the Liberian people and
facilitating legitimate trade.
Public Service Announcement
The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) in keeping
with its mandate as enshrined in the LRA Act of
2013 announces to all taxpayers and the general
public that the Central Bank of Liberia has opened
two (2) new accounts for Fiscal Year 2014/2015 at
the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) for the payment
of Government of Liberia (GOL) Revenues.
The LRA wishes to inform all taxpayers and the
general public that GOL taxes should be paid into these
accounts at the Central Bank of Liberia beginning
Tuesday July 1, 2014.
CBL Account Title Account Number
GOL Revenue Account USD 02-205-300002-11
GOL Revenue Account LRD 01-205-300002-11
Additionally, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA)
recognizing the need for continuity for stability
in operations and revenue collections, further
announces that Government of Liberia taxes and fees
will continue to be paid at existing points across the
country.
All taxpayers and the general public are urged to
please take note and act accordingly.

Signed: Elfrieda Stewart Tamba
Commissioner General

Collecting the lawful taxes due the Liberian
people and facilitating legitimate trade.
NASSCORP HOUSE
ELWA Junction
Paynesville, Liberia
+231.880.874.339 +231.776.874.339
info@lra.gov.lr
NASSCORP HOUSE
ELWA Junction
Paynesville, Liberia
+231.880.874.339 +231.776.874.339
info@lra.gov.lr
FAIR, TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE TAX ADMINISTRATOR FAIR, TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE TAX ADMINISTRATOR
Page 10 |
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014
FPA SNAPSHOTS: SCENES FROM YEKEPA RIOTS
The Liberian government assured Arcelor Mittal of government's protection after rioters raided the company's compound,
held some employees hostages and burned down a key bridge linking Sanniquellie to Yekepa. Here's a glimpse of the aftermath.
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014 Page 11
Page 12 |
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014
Monrovia-
S
enate Pro-Tempore,
Grand Bassa County
Senator Gbezhongar
Findley says he is
gratifed by the endorsement
of his candidacy by the ruling
Unity Party to contest on the
Partys ticket in Grand Bassa
County in the upcoming special
senatorial election.
He also expressed his hope
that other political parties who
are not putting up a candidate
in Grand Bassa County will
endorse his candidacy.
Findley said: The fght in
2014 is right around the corner
but any endorsement I can
pick up is a great endorsement
especially from the ruling
party. I am not going to say
to anybody that is something
that I am not happy about, I
am happy about it and I was
hoping that I would have gotten
Liberty Partys endorsement
in Bassa unfortunately for
me I was disappointed by the
Liberty Party not endorsing
me.
On the rival in Grand Bassa
County in the upcoming
election, Senator Findley failed
to name but promised to fght
anyone who comes out against
him and said he has no fear of
anyone. This campaign you
must be prepare for it when it
comes to Grand Bassa County
F
RONT
PAGE
POLITICS
F
RONT
PAGE
DIASPORA
UPS CHOICE FOR GRAND BASSA

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo47@gmail.com
because I will fght anyone who
comes whether you are David
or Goliath I am not going to be
concern about that.
I am going to the Bassa
people and tell them to give
me a second term, I will tell
them what I have done in the
last nine years, I am going to
exhibit my achievements and
allow them to compare it to
others, Findley said.
Corkrum has nothing.
Pro-temp Findley has
challenged the former Director
of the Liberia Airport Authority
Ellen Corkrum to release
whatever secret recordings she
has on the President or any
government offcial.
His challenge was in
response to a question asked
by a journalist that Madam
Corkrum has threatened to
release a secret recording she
has on president Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf admitting to corruption
something she said, according
Pro-temp Findley Grateful for ruling party endorsement
to the reporter could lead to a
legislative impeachment.
She should release it if she
has it, the issues here is that
Corkrum needs to understand
that she is being accused of
taking public money she has
never deny of confrm the
allegation but all she doing is
releasing secret recordings, that
is not the issue the issue here is
lets get to the allegation, he
stated.
Senate predicted hike in the US
rate
When we started to discuss
the issue about the rate we
were under fre. We predicted
that it will be this high there
are issues that are affecting
the economy that we need to
address very quickly but once
we start everybody jumps on
our back but we will like to
see the Central Bank and the
Finance Ministry do what they
have to do to control the rate,
he said.
He also said, the senate will
setup an ad hoc committee that
will invite the two fnancial
agencies of government to
establish what is happening and
if there is a need for legislation
to address the problem the
senate will do so.
The New York Times
PHILADELPHIA
N
eighbors gathered
outside several fre-
ravaged rowhouses
here on Saturday,
crying and hugging as they
mourned the deaths of four
children in an early morning
fre that ripped through the
block.
Four homes were ablaze
when frefghters arrived
about 2:45 a.m. at the street in
Southwest Philadelphia, said
Derrick Sawyer, the citys fre
commissioner. The fre spread
to eight homes before it was
brought under control about 90
minutes later.
The four children the only
fatalities in the blaze were
in one home and appeared to be
related, Commissioner Sawyer
said. Fire offcials identifed
them as Marie and Mariah
Bowah, twin 4-year-old girls;
Patrick Sanyee, 4; and a baby,
Taj Jacque, who was nearly 2
months old. Five other relatives
were taken to a hospital with
minor injuries. The mother of
the twin girls, Dwen Bowah,
removed three of her children
from the house, but she was
unable to save the four other
children, said Michael Bonner,
a battalion chief. The mother
of the two boys who died was
not in the house at the time of

TRAGEDY
Philadelphia Rowhouse Fire Kills
4 Children
the fre.
At a news conference on
Saturday afternoon, Mayor
Michael A. Nutter said the
entire city was grieving and
praying for the victims.
We lost four precious lives,
four little, innocent children,
in a horrifc tragedy on this
street, the mayor said.
Dozens of residents were
displaced by the fre. A shelter
set up at a local high school
by the American Red Cross of
Southeastern Pennsylvania had
received at least 28 people who
were affected by the fre, Red
Cross offcials said.
At the scene of the fre, on
Gesner Street, blackened
debris from the two-story
rowhouses lay in the street as
residents watched workers
clear away charred timbers
and broken glass. Plastic trim
that had melted in the heat of
the blaze hung on cars parked
across the street.
When the frefghters had
completed their work, a group
of neighbors holding hands
and with their heads bowed
formed a prayer circle in the
street just outside the cluster of
burned homes. A dozen white
and blue balloons were tied to
a pillar on the front porch of
one of the homes, and red and
white teddy bears were placed
on the stoop.
The fre marshals offce was
investigating the cause of the
fre, Commissioner Sawyer
said. The authorities were
examining whether it might
have started on the porch of one
of the rowhouses and spread to
other porches. Investigators
were also trying to determine
whether residents initially tried
to fght the fre themselves
instead of calling 911, the fre
commissioner said.
Since the fre took place
during Fourth of July
festivities, rumors spread
in the neighborhood that
freworks could have been to
blame. Mr. Nutter, the mayor,
acknowledged hearing reports
from residents that the fre
had been caused by a live
frecracker falling onto a couch
on a porch, but said it was too
early to reach any conclusion.
He said he would not speculate
on the cause of the fre, and that
the fre marshals offce would
determine what had happened.
Continue reading the main
storyContinue reading the
main story
Continue reading the main
story
The mayor urged the
neighborhoods many Liberian
residents some of whom
held impromptu prayer
meetings for the victims to
support one another in what he
said was already a close-knit
community.
We thank them for their
support and for keeping their
arms wrapped around these
family members, Mr. Nutter
said.
One neighbor, Teenamarie
Shaw, said her brother-in-
law woke her about 3:10 a.m.
Saturday and told her that
there was a fre on the street.
She said she looked out of her
front window and saw a couch
on fre on the front porch of
the house next door. Fearing
that the fre would spread to
her porch, she gathered her
sons, who are 14 and 6, and
her 7-year-old nephew and fed
through the back of the house
into an overgrown vacant lot,
along with her husband, her
brother-in-law and his infant
son.
Alarmed by the fres rapid
spread, Ms. Shaw said, she
fed the house dressed only in a
T-shirt and underwear, and did
not stop to collect her purse or
any other possessions.
It was the craziest thing that I
ever experienced in my whole
life, said Ms. Shaw, who was
dressed in clothes supplied
by the Red Cross, which was
providing food, cots, clothing
and counseling for residents at
the high school.
Ms. Shaw, 32, who is
unemployed and disabled, said
her house, a rental property
where she and her family
had lived for four years, was
destroyed and that she did not
know what she was going to do
or where she would live next.
Patrice Robinson, who also
lives in a rented house on
Gesner Street, said that as the
fre took hold on one side of
the street, she heard children
screaming and a man shouting
that he would never see his
children again.
They couldnt get them out,
and they ended up passing,
said a tearful Ms. Robinson,
whose house was damaged by
smoke and water.
Ms. Robinson, 40, a nursing
assistant, said she believed
freworks landing on an
outdoor couch might have
caused the fre. Two residents
told me that freworks were
being set off on the street, she
said.
Commissioner Sawyer said
that offcials from the fre
department had visited the
home where the children died
last year and installed two
smoke detectors. More than
two dozen smoke detectors
were installed in other homes
in the neighborhood.
The fre station is just around
the corner from the home,
and frefghters arrived there
in about three minutes, the
commissioner said. They did
their best to contain the fre, but
it spread quickly and gave off
intense heat. The fre fghters
were heartbroken, he said, that
they were not able to save the
children. Every time we lose a
citizen, its tough. Its personal,
especially when its a child,
Tony Hudgins, a battalion
chief, told The Philadelphia
Inquirer. And its particularly
tough when you dont have a
shot to get in there.
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014 Page 13
REGULATOR STILL IN LACC DRAGNET
Commission on Higher Education Director General long Corruption tale
Yellequelleh District, Bong
County -
W
hen the former
lawmaker
of District
#5 Samuel
Bondo recently warned of the
emergence of a political force
that may rout the popular
political gladiators out of the
way 2017, many people did
not understand the parable,
especially when the former
lawmaker said that the force is
a person that is going to uproot
those who have betrayed or are
betraying the trust giving to
them by the people in the past.
However, as the 2017 general
and presidential election draws
nearer, many aspirants are
emerging both in the opposition
Liberty Party (LP), Unity Party
(UP) and the Congress for
Democratic Change (CDC)
vowing to wrest power from
the incumbent lawmaker,
Edward W. Karfah. The
present political scenario in
District #5 is very interesting.
Already, there are signs of
political implosions capable
of breeding three parties in the
district, the ruling New Deal
Movement (NDC), the LP and
CDC.
The ruling party in the district,
NDC, has not fared better
either, according to political
observers. There is a sharp
schism within the district
such that the lawmaker views
and behaves as if he is to be
merely tolerated and it will
be foolhardy for anyone to
envisage a truce just because of
Karfahs absence
An emerging picture in District
#5 politics is that of complete
realignment with Blyden
Kennedy re-running as an
Independent candidate.
But apart from the scores
of familiar faces in UP, LP
and CDC in the district, a
formidable force is James
Dorbor Sao, an administrator
and journalist who is gradually
making headways having been
identifed by the professionals,
youths and the women groups
F
RONT
PAGE
POLITICS
TESTED AND TRUSTED

Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com
Stephen D. Kollie, stephenkollie13@gmail.com 0776329124
in the district as a credible
person who could be trusted
to fulfll the aspiration of the
people of District #5 towards
a better life in a nearer future.
The reason is not farfetched,
is because the people of the
district are already losing
confdence in the ability of
the known political gladiators
in the district to offer them
anything good again having
failed them in the past. And
yet they are the same people
seeking to be Representatives
for the district in 2017.
Besides, the two dominant
political parties in the district,
CDC and UP may be consumed
by internal convulsions over
who will be the partys fag
bearer in 2017. Therefore, the
scenario may throw up the
force as represented by Sao.
Both the CDC and the UP
are not immune to growing
schisms occasioned by power
struggles and competition for
top space within the political
setup.
Many topnotch members in
both parties may exit one way
or another if the subsisting
structures fail to offer them a
platform for political contest.
Although, Sao, the Procurement
Director of Cuttington
University, is yet to hold any
political offce in the past, he
is not a neophyte in politics.
FrontPageAfrica can reveal
that Sao has endeared himself
to the youth and according to
many of his admirers, is very
accessible and a free giver who
has impacted many lives in the
district.
His accessibility, open
handedness and of course,
fnancial status were said to
be asset towards realizing his
political aspiration. But for
now, he is still keeping his
ambition to himself. In other
words, his plan is still at the
level of media speculation.
Even at a recent event where
he donated fve bags of rice to
Lepers at the Suakoko Leprosy
Center and was petitioned
by residents to contest the
Representative race 2017, Sao
refused to make any political
statement about his political
ambition but said that he
donated the items for the use
of mankind and the glory of
God.
Investigation by
FrontPageAfrica revealed
that the elites in the district
are looking at Saos direction
ahead of the 2017general and
presidential elections because
of his intelligence, exposure,
achievement and his status as
Residents of District 5 in Bong County Petition CU Procurement Director for 2017 Race
a force to reckon with and his
success at Cuttington.
As a result of Saos noble
mind and contributions to
human and infrastructural
developments in the district,
he was honoredrecently by
the students of the Suakoko
Central High School in
Suakoko District, at an event
commemorating the schools
gala anniversary.
Sao, who was honored
alongside the president of
Cuttington University Dr.
Henrique Flomo Tokpa at
the schools auditorium,
promised not to rest on his
oars in contributing to the
development of the people.
Political observers are of the
view that with his experience as
an administrator and journalist,
he would have been thoroughly
exposed managerially to give
a good account of himself at
the Capitol Building, and such
deserves to be given either
the CDC or UP ticket in the
district come 2017 to pursue
the peoples agenda.
Sao who has often reiterated
passion to serve the people
of the district, aside from his
philanthropic gestures said that
the district did not need half-
baked developmental projects
as presently being established
by current leadership.
According to him, most of the
ideas on the surface look good
but there is the need for the
lawmaker to do more research
and planning. He added that
no society can move forward
without proper planning and
research.
F
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PAGE
NEWS EXTRA
G
raduates of the
Susan Brooks
A.M.E. Elementary
and Junior High
School have been urged to
make maximum use of their
time in order to achieve their
goal.
Serving as keynote speaker
at the 24th graduation and
closing exercise of the Susan
Brooks Elem, and Junior
High School, Friday July 4,
2014, Mr. Augustus B. Vogar,
Deputy Director for Internal
Audit at the Ministry of Health
and Social Welfare noted that
breakthrough in life is not for
lazy, but hardworking students.
Said Mr. Vogar: Time is very
short, make use of it. So sit up
and work hard to achieve your
goal. And to do so, you must
make sacrifces, deny yourself
of so many pleasures in life.
The pleasures of playing too
much football, kickball, no
football, play station, drinking
alcohol, gambling with
winners etc.
Mr. Vogar told the graduates
that one major pitfall of
modern civilized society is
an abounding generation of
untrained children which
USE YOUR TIME
Vogar urges Susan Brooks Graduates


he said results to untrained
children of few years back
becoming parents themselves.
He said some children have cut
their lives short for being rude
to people who are old enough
to be their parents, hence time
and energy must be invested by
parents into their children for
good education and job in the
society.
Continued Vogar: These days
even the children of pastors
are not exempted from the
degenerating into bad youths,
parents, you are expected to
train up your children in the
world of God. Some Pastors,
Principal, Teacher, offcials
of Government could say one
thing in society or at work
place and another thing at
home, no consistency in their
thought of belief, their children
become confused leading
to their rebellion attitude in
society.
Page 14 |
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014
Monrovia
W
hen President
Ellen
Johnson-
Sirleaf paid
a recent visit to the facilities
of the Liberia Electricity
Corporation, LEC she could
not contain her delight at the
sight of the vast improvement
and development, taking place.
At the end of the tour, she gave
the energy company a thumbs-
up.
President Sirleaf said with the
high level of progress being
made by the management in
overseeing various projects
such as the construction of
three Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO)
plants that will generate
sustainable electricity to the
country, shes hopeful that the
slogan small lights today, big
lights tomorrow will soon be
a reality.
The Acting Chairman of the
Board of Directors of LEC,
Cllr. Benedict Sannoh, Lands,
Mines and Energy Minister,
Patrick Sendolo, LECs Deputy
CEO for Planning Joseph
T. Mayah and the Executive
Director for Administration/
HR, Vamunyah F. Sherif
provided the president with
details of the projects and the
audacious efforts being made
to provide electricity to the
country.
The President said she was
also delighted that the projects
are creating job opportunities
for Liberians and the three
HFO plants in particular when
completed will reduce the
tariffs for customers, who are
currently paying around 50
cents per kilowatt hour.
Mr. Sherif relished an
opportunity to share LECs
business plan with the
President and the cabinet. The
LEC plan provides a roadmap
for the future success of the
company. It outlines goals and
details of how the plan can be
achieved through strategies,
target market and fnancial
forecasts.
Since the end of the civil war,
the LEC has been feverishly
working to provide electricity
to the country in spite of
the many challenges it faces
occasioned by the destruction
of its facilities. Nearly all of
its infrastructures including
substations have been damaged
and the company is making
frantic efforts to build the
networks that will provide
sustainable electricity.
This effort means powering
the country to sustainable
growth and development
which ultimately translates
F
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PAGE
PERSPECTIVE
LEC RISING FROM THE ASHES


Civil works including columns and beans completed awaiting start of mechanical work.
By: Hassan Kiawu, Consultant-Information & Public Affairs
Linewoman, Jemila Massaquoi ready to connect customers to the grid.
into capital investments that will create jobs
in manufacturing, agriculture and turning the
wheels of other industries to scale the standard
of living of our people.
Currently, the LEC generates 22 megawatts
of installed generation capacity, with 26,000
customers already connected to the grid. Of
this number 1,438 customers were connected
in June, 2014. At least 25,574
are pre-paid customers while
340 are post-paid customers
(conventional meters). By the
end of 2014, it is expected that
7,296 additional customers will
be connected to the system.
This will boost customer base
to 33,296.
To ease some problems
confronting customers,
the LEC management
during the frst half of 2014
commissioned a Customer
Call Center to address queries
through in-bound calls. And
several phone numbers were
established for that purpose:
Call Center-(020.777.8889),
Customer Service
(077.444.156), Emergency
numbers (020.777.7779 and
0776.085.238).
In the same token, the
management has teamed
up with the cellphone
giant, Lone Star MTN to
launch mobile money. The
technology provides a wide
range of opportunities and a
convenient means of buying
or making payments for LEC
units and other services from
a customers mobile phone.
Unlike the vending locations,
which accept payment in US
dollars, LEC bill payment
through mobile money accepts
payments in Liberian dollars.
The LEC has also undertaken
several projects to step up
governments efforts to shift
from expensive diesel-based
generation to more cost
effective heavy fuel based
generation. The current high
speed diesel engines cost a
customer $0.51 per kilowatts
hour.
The use of Heavy Fuel Oil,
HFO engines will signifcantly
reduce this cost. In this pursuit
at least four projects, totaling
48MW of HFO generation
plants are currently under
various stages of construction
and procurement and are
expected to be operational by
2016.
Already, the construction of
two 10MW HFO plants is well
on course. The frst 10MW of
HFO plant is being constructed
through a grant from the
Japanese Government. Many
of the project phases have
been completed including
the foundation for the two
fve megawatt generators.
Construction of steel structures
for the new power houses as
well as columns and beans
are also nearing completion.
Attention is now focused on
the mechanical work which
includes the installation of the
generators followed by testing
of equipment in November.
see pg 15
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014 Page 15
The plant is expected to be
commissioned by December
2014.
To ensure that all these come
to fruition within the specifed
timeframe, a pump house is
currently under construction
that will pump fuel from the
massive storage tank into the
HFO plants.
Just recently, LEC broke
grounds for the construction
of another 10MW HFO project
funded by the World Bank.
Already, the foundations for
the four 2.5MW engines have
been constructed. Work will be
completed in March, 2015.
This, adding to the 18MW
HFO being undertaken by
the Government of Liberia
and additional 10MW HFO
plant to be constructed by the
Arab Bank for Development,
BADEA will boost LEC
capacity to expand electricity
to Liberia.
At the same time, two 40MVA
transformers and another
20MVA have arrived in the
country for installation at
Bushrod Island, site of the
HFO and the Waterside site
respectively that will step up
power from all generation
plants (22MW) to the 66KV
box for transmission to
distribution locations.
With sustained government
efforts, the Mt. Coffee
Hydropower plant is now on
the road to recovery. Since
its commemorative launch by
President Sirleaf on January
25, 2014, marked progress has
been recorded. The 80MW
(wet season peak) plant is
expected to become fully
operational by June 2016 with
the frst commercial power
unit capable of producing up
to 22 MW of power restored in
December, 2015.
In readiness to transmit power
from Mt. Coffee Hydro power
plant to the city of Monrovia,
the LEC plans to build power
lines to Monrovia through
Paynesville and Bushrod
Island. The LEC further intends
to transmit and distribute
power to Du-Port Road North,
Omega, Soul Clinic Road,
Mt. Barclay, Fendell and
Careysburg.
Additionally, three corridors
have been designed for the
expansion of electricity supply.
They are the RIA, Kakata and
Bomi Corridors. There will be
an extension of electric supply
from Paynesville through
Scheiffin to the Roberts
International Airport, Smell-
No- Taste and surrounding
areas.
A 66KV line with the necessary
expansion at the Paynesville
substation will extend power
supply to Kakata (with the
necessary substation in Kakata)
and the power distribution
system for the City of Kakata
and along the highway going
in and out of Kakata to Weala
in Margibi County. The Bomi
corridor will extend electricity
supply from Bushrod Island
through Brewerville to Clay for
distribution to Tubmanburg in
Bomi County and Robertsports
in Grand Cape Mount County.
Under the West Africa Power
Pool, WAPP, two projects are
being offoaded.
A cross border project which
transmits electricity supply
from the Ivory Coast into
Liberia is intended to beneft
18 com-munities in Nimba,
Grand Gedeh and Maryland
Counties. In Nimba County,
384 customers in Ganta,
Sanniquellie, Saclepea
and other major towns are
receiving 24-hour low cost
electricity supply while work
including erection of poles and
connection of transmission
lines is progressing rapidly in
the other counties. In readiness
for connections, street lights
have been connected in
Maryland County. The project
ends this year and it follows an
agreement signed between the
governments of Ivory Coast
and Liberia and the European
Union.
Under the CLSG project
(Cote Divoire, Liberia, Sierra
Leone and Guinea), Ivory
Coast will transmit an 80MW
of electricity into Liberia for
onward distribution to the
other countries.
The lines will frst be connected
from Ivory Coast into Yekepa
(Nimba County) from where
electricity will be distributed to
Guinea on one hand, and on the
other to Sierra Leone through
Buchanan (Grand Bassa
County) to Mount Coffee
(Harrisburg-Montserrado
County) to Mano River in
Grand Cape Mount before
making the journey to its fnal
destination-Sierra Leone.
On another front, the LEC
has also introduced the
Enterprise Resource Planning,
ERP. The central feature of
the ERP systems is a shared
database that supports multiple
functions used by different
business units. In practice,
this means that employees
in different divisionsfor
example, accounting and
customer service can rely on
the same information for their
specifc needs.
At its core, ERP helps
employees do their jobs more
effciently by breaking down
barriers between business
units. The ERP solution gives
a global, real-time view of data
that can enable companies to
address concerns proactively
and drive improvements,
improves fnancial compliance
with regulatory standards
and reduces risk as well as
automates core business
operations such as lead-to-
cash, order-to-fulfllment, and
procure-to-pay processes
Liberia has long been a
landlocked economy with no
productive sectors working.
However, the country can
accrue immeasurable dividend
from the multiplier effect of
making electricity available-
capable of bringing sustainable
growth and development to the
economy. As well as serving
as a catalyst for economic
growth, it will also serve as a
magnet to attract direct foreign
investments, enable local
manufacturing companies
to produce fnished goods
at affordable prices as well
as provide job opportunities
for the countrys jobless
population.
Despite all these ambitious
undertakings, the LEC is
overwhelmed with some
drawbacks-POWER THEFT.
It accounts for 15-20 percent
or more which represents
US$200,000 (two hundred
thousand United States
Dollars) monthly in revenue
loss to the company. Unless
something drastically is done,
the LEC, customers and the
economy will continue to see
reduced growth as a result of
theft.
Page 16 |
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014
Monrovia -
N
ine years after
their ascension
at the National
Legislature,
its just three months ahead
of Liberias 2014 midterm
election when Liberians
will exercise their political
franchise that will decide the
fate of ffteen lawmakers in the
Liberian Senate.
A couple of developments
are gradually unfolding in
the county as according to a
FrontPageAfrica observation
there are troubling situations
and some positive signals for
lead contenders in the coming
election, as primaries for the
leading political parties in the
country reaches concluding
stages. FrontPageAfrica has
been monitoring the various
political parties primaries in
recent weeks in the county and
now analyzes the troubles the
primaries would pose to some
lead contenders in the race.
Senator Sumo Kupee
Sen. Kupee is the incumbent
senator of the county whose
post is being put up for grab.
After nine years of service in
the senate, the coupe is still
maneuvering all efforts to hold
onto power. His struggle at
the moment has turned out to
be a one man combat with his
inability to secure a spot on
the ticket of the ruling Unity
Party which he campaigned for
massively in the past general
elections.
At a recent primary in the
county, Unity Party voters
choose former NASSCORP
Boss Francis Carbah over
Kupee to contest on the party
ticket, a situation that is
likely to dampen his quest for
reelection. It is not clear which
political institution Kupee is
heading to but sources say
behind the scene meetings with
the Liberia Transformation
Party of Rev. Kennedy G.
Sandy is in the making. Should
Kupee depart the UP, much of
his support from the UP will
diminish as many Lofans,
especially the illiterates Unity
Party partisans and often vote
on party.
There is one way we campaign
in Lofa especially when dealing
with our illiterate people, we
tell them vote anywhere you
see the chicken head, one UP
partisan told FPA recently.
Sources have reliably informed
FPA that Vice President Boakai
has in recent time being actively
pushing for the senatorial
bid of Carbah who is also a
member of Boakais purported
presidential bid. Despite his
defeat at the primary Kupee is
fnancially strong and can do
anything fnancially possible
to manage his own campaign
should he go independent.
Cllr. Joseph K. Jallah
Cllr. Joseph K. Jallah is a
legal Counsel at the Central
Bank of Liberia and has been
active in Lofa politics. He
GAME CHANGER
unsuccessfully contested the
2011 senatorial race, fnishing
fourth, but has since intensifed
further efforts to again contest
the pending race. Jallah is
expected to stay on the ticket
of the Alliance for Peace and
Democracy as sources have
informed FPA that no candidate
has applied to contest on the
ticket rather than Cllr. Jallah.
He is a lead challenger in the
pending race with much of his
activity centering on capacity
building in the county. Many
Lofans see him as perhaps the
only candidate that has paid
much attention to education
as evidenced by his over 100
scholarships at the University
of Liberia and the Lofa County
community college and
support to various educational
programs. Cllr. Jallah has so far
emerged as the lone candidate
from the Kolahun district
region and enjoys the support
of many Lofans, especially in
Kolahun, Vahum, Foya and the
Muslim based Quardu Gboni
District.
In a recent chat with FPA one
Lofan recalls Jallahs passion
for education: This is why
he constantly ensures that his
management of the CBL has
incorporated his corporate
social responsibility paying
signifcant attention at the
UL and the Lofa County
Community College. At the UL
the CBL outreach program has
marked about 2 million LD and
close to one million at the Lofa
Community College. He is
involved in the establishment
of cultural and institutional
values as evidenced by his
participation in the graduation
ceremony of the Poro society in
Lawalazu, Daziba in Voinjama
District and Ngorkorhun in
Kolahun District .
In the past times, Jallah has
boosted his relationship with
the religious community,
including the Muslims and
Christians and has further
been engaged in humanitarian
assistance for victims of food
and fre accidents. He aided
several natural disaster victims
recently with relief items such
as 15 bundles of zinc and other
non-food items in the county.
Jallah appears to be fnancially
strong as he has spent lots of
time with the Central Bank
of Liberia providing legal
services for the bank, a job
that is bringing more fnancial
reward to him at the moment
Francis ssCarbah
Francis Carbah is the
former head of the National
Social Security and Welfare
Corporation (NASCORP)
and has now emerged as the
winner of the UP primary in
Lofa County. Hes reportedly
been supported by the Vice
President of Liberia and has
since been in the Lofa terrain
to make his presence felt.
Carbah is new to the race and
still struggling for popularity in
the county. His win on the UP
ticket would help him to get
some popularity at the expense
of the party.
Stephen Zargo
Zargo is a prosecutor at the
10th judicial circuit court and
former CID director of police.
He unsuccessfully contested
the senatorial race, fnishing
second and has since resided
in the county awaiting the
midterm election. Zargo comes
from a terrain in the county
that is crowded with multiple
candidates and his quest for
the senate seems quite rocky.
Zargo is contesting on the
ticket of the Liberty Party that
is the third most popular party
in the county. Hes expected
to sweep more votes from the
Voinjama region, especially the
Lorma dominant areas.
Galakpai Kortimai
Can Political Parties Primaries Shift 2014 Senatorial Duel in Lofa County?





Kortimai is the former
Superintendent of Lofa County
who was quickly dismissed as
Deputy Director General of
the GSA when he crossed over
from the Unity Party to the
CDC and has since received
the support of his opponents
at the primary. A win game for
Kortimai is rocky as he and the
incumbent senator hails from
the same district with another
candidate from the Salayea
terrain that could sweep much
of the vote too.
Galakpai is known across the
county owing to the fact that he
served for several years as the
countys Superintendent and
still has ties with some offcials
of the county including
the Junior Senator George
Tengbeh. His association with
the CDC could also create some
doubt among voters, especially
the elderly who see the party
as a childish political party.
Kortimai few months at the
GSA and his former job at
Lofa County brought some
fnancial relief to him, which
could make him much stronger
to campaign vigorously as the
CDC might not do much in
fnances to support him.
Stanley Kparkillen
Kparkelen was the former
head of the National Housing
Authority but later left the
post due to some internal
wrangling with board members
of the Authority. He is the lone
candidate from the Salayea
belt and has a lot of support in
the Salayea and Zorzor region.
Many of his activities have
been anonymous, as he visits
the county frequently too. He
has many ties with the women
in the county and some youths
as well. He and Jallah should
work harder to grab Foya, the
most populous District in the
county. He fnished third in
the 2011 senatorial race and
has since been persistent too
to win the race. Kparkillen
has secured a slot on the ticket
of the Alternative National
Congress (ANC), as evident
by his primary victory recently.
The party has new and might
not do much to sell him to
voters.
Alhaji G. V. Kromah
Kromah is the former Director
General of the Liberia
Broadcasting System (LBS)
and now an Ambassador at
Large. His engagement has
been mostly with the Muslims
community. But not many
Muslims see him as the right
choice as some has accused
him of turning his back to
the county. Some Muslims
have noted that Kromah only
comes around during political
season and later disappears. If
he manages to succeed with
the Muslim solidarity politics
a portion of the Muslim
community could be up for
him. Kromah is running on the
ticket of All Liberian Coalition
Party (ALCOP), a political
party he formed some years
ago.
Popularity and possible
winning strength
Should an election be held
today, Cllr. Jallah could take
the lead in Kolahun, Foya and
Vahun districts while Zargo
sweeps the Voinjama region,
with Carbah and Jallah coming
second. In Zorzor, a vote split
could see Kupee in the lead
with Kortimai, Kparkelen and
Carbah following. Salayea
could see a clear victory for
Kparkelen with Kupee and
Kortimai coming closer.
Quardu Gboni would see a
split vote between Kromah
and Jallah who are vigorously
campaigning in the region for
the Muslims vote.
Stephen D. Kollie, stephenkollie13@gmail.com 0776329124
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014 Page 17
IN BRIEF
CLASHES BETWEEN
NIGERIA ARMY,
ISLAMISTS KILL 59
UKRAINE'S FIRST BIG WIN OVER
REBELS DIMS TRUCE HOPES
IRANIAN PILOT 'KILLED FIGHTING
IN IRAQ': STATE MEDIA

Abuja (AFP) -
C
lashes between
Nigerian armed
forces and Islamists
after a daring
attack on the military in the
country's restive northeast left
53 insurgents and six troops
dead, a spokesman announced
Saturday.
The rebels attacked barracks
and a police station in the town
of Damboa, in Borno state,
late Friday while most of the
troops were out on patrol in
surrounding villages, drawing
an army response, defence
spokesman General Chris
Olukolade said in a statement.
Five soldiers and a senior
offcer were killed while
repelling the attack.
The area was cordoned off
and searched, while the
bodies of the fallen soldiers
were recovered and taken to a
military morgue.
Tehran (AFP) -
A
n Iranian pilot has
been killed while
fghting in Iraq,
state media reported
Saturday, in what is thought to
be Tehran's frst military casualty
during battles against Islamic
State jihadists.
Iran's offcial IRNA news agency
did not say whether the pilot died
while fying sorties or fghting on
the ground.
It said Colonel Shoja'at Alamdari
Mourjani was killed while
"defending" Shiite Muslim holy
sites in the city of Samarra, north
of Baghdad.
His death comes after Iran's
declarations that it will provide its
western neighbour with whatever
it needs to counter the Sunni
militants who are laying siege
to the Shiite-led government of
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
Kiev (AFP) -
R
esurgent Ukrainian
forces on Sunday
pursued retreating pro-
Russian rebels after
seizing their symbolic bastion in a
morale-boosting win that appeared
to dim hopes for a ceasefre in the
bloody separatist insurgency.
Western-backed President Petro
Poroshenko called the moment
when his troops hoisted the
Ukrainian fag over the militias'
seat of power in Slavyansk "a
turning point" in a campaign that
has killed nearly 500 people and
infamed East-West ties.
The rebels admitted suffering
heavy losses while abandoning the
strategic city nearly three months
to the day after its capture marked
the onset of a new and even more
bloody chapter in Ukraine's worst
crisis since independence in 1991.

MOMBASA Kenya (Reuters) -
G
unmen killed at
least 29 people
in raids on two
coastal areas of
Kenya, the latest in a series
of attacks claimed by Somali
Islamists who have vowed to
drive Kenyan forces out of
Somalia, although police cast
doubt on their role.
The Interior Ministry said
one attack killed nine in the
trading town of Hindi in Lamu
County, the same district where
about 65 people were killed by
gunmen last month. Another
was further south in the Gamba
area, where 20 died.
"They went around shooting
at people and villages
indiscriminately," said
Abdallah Shahasi, a senior
offcial for the Hindi area,
which lies near the old trading
port of Lamu and Mpeketoni
town, where gunmen launched
raids in mid-June.
Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al
Shabaab's military operations
spokesman, told Reuters in
Mogadishu that the Somali
group was behind both attacks
on Saturday night. It had also
said it was responsible for the
June raids in Lamu County,
around Mpeketoni.
But President Uhuru Kenyatta
dismissed al Shabaab's claim
last month and blamed local
politicians, stoking an already
ferce row with the opposition,
which denied any role.
Regardless of who is blamed
this time, Saturday's raids will
hammer an already beleaguered
tourist industry that has been
hit by a wave of militant
attacks and will deepen public
frustrations about poor security
in Kenya a day before a big
opposition rally is planned for
the capital.
At a news conference, police
deputy inspector general Grace
Kaindi said a blackboard,
ripped out of a school, was
found at a junction near Hindi
with scrawling that could
ISRAEL ARRESTS SUSPECTS IN PALESTINIAN TEEN'S KILLING
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -
I
srael has arrested
Jewish suspects in the
abduction and killing
of a Palestinian teen
whose death touched off
violent protests in Jerusalem
and in Israeli Arab towns,
a security source said on
Sunday.
Six suspects were in custody,
the source said, but added the
number may change as the
investigation into the killing
of Mohammed Abu Khudair,
16, progressed.
The source gave no other
details about the suspects

other than to say they were
Jews. There was no offcial
comment from the police.
Investigators believe
Mohammed Abu Khudair
was slain out of "nationalist
motives", the source said,
in comments that appeared
to confrm Palestinian
suspicions that far-right
Jews were involved and that
his death was a vengeance
killing.
Abu Khudair's burnt body
was discovered in a Jerusalem
forest on Wednesday, a
day after the burial of three
Jewish teens who were
abducted while hitchhiking
in the occupied West Bank
on June 12.
Their bodies were found on
Monday, near the road where
they had gone missing,
and Israel blames Hamas
militants for their kidnapping
and killing. The Islamist
group has neither confrmed
nor denied involvement.
Palestinians have clashed
with Israeli police in
Jerusalem over the past
several days. The violence
spread on Saturday to Arab
towns and villages in central
and northern Israel.
The areas were largely
quiet on Sunday, but police
remained on high alert.
RAID ON COASTAL TOWNS
Gunmen kill at least 29 in latest raids on Kenyan coast


implicate the coastal separatist
group, the Mombasa Republic
Movement (MRC).
"At frst we thought it was al
Shabaab, but now it is turning
out that it is MRC as they have
put it there clearly, she said,
adding other scribbled phrases
seemed to back opposition
leader Raila Odinga.
Slogans included "MRC -
You are sleeping," "Muslims
your land is being grabbed",
"Raila is adequate" and "Uhuru
down".
FREEING DETAINEES
The MRC swiftly denied any
role. "The government should
stop using us as a scapegoat,"
Randu Nzai Ruwa, the MRC
Secretary General, told Reuters
by telephone.
Al Shabaab, which attacked
Westgate shopping mall in
Nairobi last year killing 67
people, said it had broken into
the police station at Gamba and
freed suspects from detention
cells.
A police source corroborated
that Gamba account, saying the
numbers for those released was
still being checked. Gamba lies
in Tana River County, which
neighbours Lamu County.
"They killed some of our
colleagues and freed Muslim
detainees," the source told
Reuters. "Some of those freed
were linked to the Mpeketoni
attacks two weeks ago."
Police said attackers hit
government offces and burnt a
church in Hindi. Lamu County
police chief Ephantus Kariuki
said victims were shot in the
head with their hands bound.
"It seems the attacks are more
associated with land disputes
and resources," he told Reuters,
speaking of a region where
rival ethnic groups have long
rowed over land ownership.
In a separate criminal incident
in the port city of Mombasa,
a Russian woman tourist who
was with two companions was
killed by a gang, which robbed
them, police said.
Militant attacks on the coast
have fanned an already tense
political atmosphere in Kenya,
which has sent troops to
join African troops battling
al Shabaab in neighbouring
Somalia.
Veteran opposition leader
Odinga, defeated by Kenyatta
in last year's election, has held
rallies over the past month
criticising the government over
frequent militant attacks.
Kenyatta stepped into an
already heated debate by
accusing local politicians
of being behind strikes on
Mpeketoni. Opponents saw his
statement as fngering Odinga,
who has promised a major rally
on Monday in Nairobi.
Religious leaders have urged
Kenyans to avoid rallies that
could deepen divisions in a
nation scarred by political
violence in the recent past.
Political allegiances in Kenya
tend to follow ethnic lines.
The nation is haunted by the
2007 presidential election,
when 1,200 died in weeks of
ethnic blood-letting - over
which Kenyatta still faces
trial at The Hague this year
for crimes against humanity.
However, last year's vote went
off calmly.
Page 18 |
Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014
Belgium put out to pasture World Cup dream comes to abrupt end
BRAZIL WORLD CUP 2014
WORLD CUP


All the action in Brazil
DARK HORSES EXIT

D
espite failing to
qualify for both the
2006 and 2010 World
Cups, Belgium was
tipped by so many as the dark
horse for this summers edition.
The Red Devils could easily be
described as one of the most
heavily-backed teams in Brazil.
And looking at the quality
available to head coach Marc
Wilmots, Belgium fully deserved
its dangerous tag.
Center back Vincent Kompany
is widely regarded as one of the
best defenders in the world, Eden
Hazardis one of the undisputed
stars of the Premier League and
players such as Romelu Lukaku
and Adnan Januzaj are among
the biggest talents around in
the game. Throw in seasoned
professionals like Dries Mertens,
Marouane Fellaini and Daniel
Van Buytenand you have a
serious contender.
Yet regardless of all their
individual class, the Red Devils
never really got going in Brazil.
A comeback win over Algeria
was followed up by a hard-
fought late victory over Russia,
before they putSouth Korea
to the sword in a game that
effectively meant little as they
had already booked their ticket
for the knockout stages.
Wilmots men then showed
what they are capable of in the
round of 16 clash with USA as
they created numerous chances
and impressed with their free-
fowing attacking football, even
if they needed extra-time to see
off the Americans following
Tim Howards goalkeeping
masterclass.
Yet when it was really tested for
the frst time in the quarterfnals
against Argentina, Belgium
came up short.
Alejandro Sabellas men
dominated from the start and it
took them only eight minutes to
beat Thibaut Courtois.
The fact that it was Gonzalo
Higuain who broke the deadlock
will only have been more painful
for the Belgians. The Napoli
man had failed to impress in
the opening three weeks of the
tournament and many had called
for Sabella to drop the striker.
Higuain kept on doing what he
does best, however, and silenced
his critics with a predatory fnish
from just inside the area.
Higuain continued to cause the
Belgian defense all kinds of
trouble throughout the game
and came close to doubling
his personal tally when he hit
the crossbar, before he was
eventually replaced byFernando
Gago.
Belgium, meanwhile, never
really recovered from the former
Real Madrid mans opener.
Hazard once more fattered to
deceive as he created next to
nothing and Kevin De Bruyne
was unable to bail out his former
Chelsea teammate this time
around. The Wolfsburg man
put in a virtuoso performance
against USA, but was unable to
deliver the goods once more.
With its two main creative
outlets both kept silent, Belgium
never really looked like getting
back in the game. Only when
it started playing long balls for
Lukaku and Fellaini in the fnal
20 minutes did it occasionally
look dangerous, but to no avail.
Belgiums golden generation can
travel back home with a feeling
of pride, however, after winning
four out of fve games and
reaching the quarterfnals for the
frst time since 1986.
Saturdays match at the Mane
Garrincha showed that Belgium
still has room for improvement,
but this is not the end for this
group of players. Theres a
European Championship coming
up in Francein two years time,
before the 2018 World Cup will
be played in Russia. Expect
Belgium to be ready for them.

HIGUAIN FIRES ARGENTINA INTO WORLD CUP SEMIS
Braslia (AFP) -
G
onzalo Higuain
smashed home
an early goal as
Argentina dashed
the World Cup dreams of
Belgium with a 1-0 win in the
quarter-fnals in Brasilia on
Saturday.
Higuain struck in the eighth
minute at the Mane Garrincha
National Stadium to send
Argentina into the last four
for the frst time since 1990
and thwart Belgian hopes of
avenging their defeat in the
1986 semi-fnals.
Alejandro Sabella's side will
now play either theNetherlands
or Costa Rica, who face off in
the fourth and fnal quarter-fnal
later on Saturday.
"It was our best game of the
World Cup," said Sabella.
"It is a great joy for this team,
for the people, for my family
and for everyone. This was the
best game for Argentina in terms
of balance and all aspects of our
game."
The only black mark for
Argentina was an injury to
infuential midfelder Angel Di
Maria that forced him off in the
frst half and may yet deny him a
chance to play in the semi-fnal.
"The injury to Di Maria is a big
blow," Sabella admitted.
Hours after Neymar was ruled
out of the tournament due to
injury and James Rodriguez
was eliminated with Colombia,
Lionel Messi gave further
evidence to suggest the World
Cup may yet belong to him.
He illuminated Argentina's play
with his trickery and incisive
passing and although he failed
to score, Higuain's goal was
enough to see off Belgium's
'golden generation', for whom
the occasion proved a step too
far.
A symbol of Belgium's travails,
star player Eden Hazard was
booked for a crude challenge on
Lucas Biglia and then replaced
by Nacer Chadli with 15
minutes remaining.
Belgium coach Marc Wilmots
could not disguise his frustration
at his side's exit, branding
Argentina "a very ordinary team
with one extraordinary player".
He added: "We saw Argentina's
experience. They break the
rhythm, they take 40 seconds to
take a throw-in, and they're never
brought to order by the referee.
"We're very disappointed,
everyone is very down, but I'm
very proud of the boys."
- Di Maria trudges off -
Showing three changes to the
team that had laboured to beat
Switzerland in the last 16 --
Jose Maria Basanta, Martin
Demichelis and Biglia coming
in -- Argentina were quick to put
Belgium on the back foot.
Messi was at the forefront,
freeing Ezequiel Lavezzi for a
low cross that Vincent Kompany
hacked clear and then playing a
central role in Argentina's opener
with a pirouette and pass to Di
Maria.
Di Maria's subsequent pass was
intended for the overlapping
Pablo Zabaleta, but it ficked off
Jan Vertonghen's right foot and
into the path of Higuain, who
lashed in his frst goal of the
tournament.
Messi then produced a cleverly
weighted pass to Di Maria, who
shifted the ball onto his left foot,
only for Kompany to block.
Though seemingly anodyne,
it was a moment that could
have lasting repercussions for
Argentina.
Di Maria injured himself while
shooting and had to trudge
off in the 33rd minute, with
Benfca's Enzo Perez coming
on.
Belgium seemed slightly
inhibited, but after Kevin De
Bruyne saw a 25-yard shot
boxed away by Argentina
goalkeeper Sergio Romero,
Kevin Mirallas headed narrowly
wide from a Vertonghen cross.
Wilmots pushed Marouane
Fellaini further forward in the
second half, but Argentina
continued to threaten.
Higuain twice came close to
claiming a second goal, frst
seeing a shot defected wide
by Daniel Van Buyten and then
neatly nutmegging Kompany,
only for his shot to clip the bar.
Wilmots reacted by introducing
Romelu Lukaku and Dries
Mertens, before hooking the
ineffective Hazard.

Frontpage
Monday, July 7, 2014 Page 19
LIBERIAN LEAGUE NEARS COLLAPSE
BRAZIL WORLD CUP 2014
Sports
SPORTS
SOURCES: LAKERS MOVE
INTO CONTENTION TO
SIGN CARMELO ANTHONY
RONALDO: CHALLENGE
ON NEYMAR WAS
INTENTIONAL
FULHAM MANAGER FELIX MAGATH
BLASTS 'MEDIOCRE' LANDON
DONOVAN FOR COMMENTS
T
he Los Angeles
Lakers have
ascended into serious
contention to sign
New York free agent Carmelo
Anthony, league sources told
Yahoo Sports.
The Lakers moved into strong
consideration with the front-
running New York Knicks
and Chicago Bulls over this
weekend, sources told Yahoo
Sports.
No one with direct knowledge
of the process would declare
the Lakers had overtaken New
York and Chicago in Anthony's
mind, but one source close to
Anthony said of the Lakers,
"They're in the game now."
The Lakers met with Anthony
on Friday, offering him a four-
year, $97 million contract.
Lakers star Kobe Bryant has
been in constant contact with
Anthony, and the Lakers could
re-sign Pau Gasol to pair with
Anthony on the frontline.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)
B
razil great Ronaldo
believes there was
intention and violence
in the challenge on
Neymar that left the star forward
with a fractured vertebra and ruled
him out of the World Cup.
Neymar was carried off the feld
in severe pain late in Brazil's 2-1
quarterfnal win over Colombia on
Friday night after being kneed in
the back in a collision with Juan
Camilo Zuniga. Medical tests later
confrmed Neymar had fractured
a bone at the base of his back and
would be on the sidelines for four
weeks, news that sent the World
Cup host nation into a somber
mood.
F
ulham boss Felix Magath
has come to the defense
of his compatriot Jurgen
Klinsmann in the form
of an offensive attack on Landon
Donovan.
Donovan has been in the news for
criticizing some of Klinsmann's
selections and tactics in Team
USA's round-of-16 defeat to
Belgium, sentiments which were
relayed by Scott French of MLS.
com. Donovan, as we all know,
was controversially omitted from
Klinsmann's fnal 23-man roster for
the World Cup.
Magath, who was capped 43 times
for then-West Germany, wasn't
impressed by Donovan's comments.
He praised the Americans' efforts
but was highly critical of Donovan
on his Facebook page.
Highlights include: reminding that
Donovan couldn't cut it on Bayern
Munich's second team and calling
him a "mediocre player."


V
lendy "Eric" Slueue does a
lot of his work in a crowd.
If he's free from the masses,
and a soccer ball is at the
Junior Lone Star midfelder's feet, his
opponent may be in trouble.
"People can't stop me one-on-one,"
Slueue said. "They can't."
In practice or in a game, the anticipation
level rises when the ball fnds Slueue.
His turns and feints keep defenders off
balance, setting up the next move.
His best attribute?
"I'm good with my left foot," Slueue
said.
A recent graduate of Bartram High,
the 18-year-old native of Liberia drew
a lot of Division I college interest but
recently decided to play professional
soccer. His Junior Lone Star coach,
Thomas George, said Slueue recently
told him about playing in college, "I can
go there and pretend I want to be there."
Instead, he has signed an agreement
with an agency out of Bulgaria, and
he's looking for the right European
opportunity.
George has no doubt that Slueue will
make it. Last year, he led the club's
U-19 team to state and regional titles.
"He's one of those players that grows
with the game," George said. "The
harder the game, the better he is."
His life, Slueue said, is soccer: "We
don't do nothing out of school. Just go
to practice, go home, study. That's it."
He was 11 years old, he said, when he
came to Philadelphia from Ghana, after
leaving Liberia when civil war broke
out. He followed his mother here by
two years. He can't remember much
about life in Monrovia, Liberia.
"I watched on TV," Slueue said. "I
saw some bad things. I saw killing the
president on national TV. That was
pretty sad."
Once in Philadelphia, he followed his
older brother to Junior Lone Star. The
coach saw this little boy. You know how
to play? Bring your cleats tomorrow.
Right now, they are looking for the
right professional opportunity for
Slueue because he is too old for a youth
team but needs to make sure he gets
a full chance with a senior team. He
has a tryout trip planned with stops in
Belgium, Ireland, and Italy.
"If you go to the wrong club, you can
disappear faster than you realize,"
George said.
T
he Secretary General
of the Liberia Football
Association (LFA)
has confrmed to
FrontPageAfrica that every frst
and second division clubs under
the association will have to meet
all the requirements set by the
World football governing body
FIFA before registration for
the 2014/2015 national league
season.
Alphanso Armah clarifed that
some of the requirements given
by FIFA include a complete
structured fnancial system, well
furnished offce space, a list of
youth team from the age of 10 to
14, every team must have a youth
program and should name the
type of youth program they are
going to use to prepare the future
players of each team, every team
should show the LFA guarantee
that the players salaries will be to
standard and on time.
Armah explained that every
registered club under the LFA
will have to meet this requirement
in order to avoid any punishment
from FIFA and to also avoid
misunderstanding between
players and club offcials and that
the LFA has given every club up
to the 15 of July to summit their
requirements .
Failure on the part of any of the
frst and second division clubs to
meet these requirements, we will
give chance to any of the lower
clubs that has the capability
to meet such requirements to
register as second division club,
said Armah.
The Secretary General assured
club offcials that his association
will not be in the position to work
along with any club offcials who
has failed to pay their players on
time but threatening to expel the
same players for requesting for
their salaries.
The only way there can be
total discipline among every
club players is for their needs
to be given on time and if this
is done they themselves will
be scared to go contrary to the
rules governing the association
and I think this is one of the key
reasons FIFA is requesting every
member nations to meet these
requirements.



NO ONE CAN
STOP ME ONE-
ON-ONE
Liberian soccer star will take talents to Europe
Armah emphasized that failure
on the part of the LFA or any
other football nation to put into
place these requirements, there
will be a serious punishment
against that country and that
Liberia two representatives
in the coming Confederation
of African Football (CAF)
champions league BYC and 01
FC Fassell will be denied the
right to participate in that 4111
competition if LFA fails to meet
the dead line the essence 41of the
entire league will vanish.
He described the responds from
club offcials as very fruitful and
urged them to take advantage of
the opportunity because is there
to standardize the league not
only for today generation but
also for generation to come.
The Secretary General also
confrmed that the LFA
2014/2015 national league
season will start in October
2014 and that he is urging all of
the interested clubs to complete
their registration before the
commencement of the season.
Stringent FIFA Requirement Likely to See Football League in Downturn
A. Macaulay Sombai, sombai121@gmail.com

www.frontpageafricaonline.com
Sports
FrontPage
PRICE L$40 VOL 8 NO.630 MONDAY, JULY 7, 2014
WORLD CUP


All the action in Brazil

NO ONE CAN
STOP ME
ONE-ON-ONE
Liberian soccer star will
take talents to Europe