You are on page 1of 16

pg 7

ARBITRARY

TOP
STORIES

Aviation

HIKE

LAW & ORDER

pg 7

TRAFFICKING

HEADWAY
Jury finally empaneled
in Trafficked Girls trial

STILL STRIVING
GOVERNMENT NEWS

pg 5

TO DO MORE
Liberia Government
replies churches
Critique

FrontPage

Transport Probing Increases


in Air Ticket fares

www.frontpageafricaonline.com

VOL 9 NO.142

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015

PRICE L$40

VANISHING ACT
IN LIBERIA

SEVERAL VEHICLES DONATED TO FIGHT EBOLA GONE

We are meeting to figure out where we have the problem, we will be asking questions, we gave out 317 vehicles
but the audit report from the Internal Audit Agency shows a little over 200 vehicles are available, we are still
looking for the rest of the vehicles. - Mary T. Broh, Director General, General Services Agency

NEWS EXTRA - pg. 5

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES


LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

BUYING

SELLING

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2015

L$88.00/US$1

L$89.00/US$1

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015

L$87.00/US$1

L$87.00/US$1

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

L$87.00/US$1

L$87.00/US$1

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

Page 2 | Frontpage

FROM PAGE 1

Wednesday, September 16, 2015


disrepute. We have taken keen interest in the case and will
make regular checks to ensure that the alleged perpetrator is
turnover to the Justice Ministry for onward prosecution.
As a means of melting down on the chronic and alarming
GBVs statistical analysis of 2015 which shows Montserrado
recording the highest of 47.4% between the period of April
to June 2015, it is incumbent on every man to ensure the
protection of women and girls, the Gender Ministry said.
There were 386 GBV cases recorded for the months of April,
May and June 2015. The data shows that 186 were the highest
of the reported cases and it occurred in Montserrado County.
11% of the GBV incidents occurred in Margibi while Grand
Cape Mount and Grand Gedeh counties accounted for 7.5
and 6.7 percent respectively. The Ministry does not wish to
announce an increased in the number of cases every time.
At the same time, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social
Protection (MOGCSP) has assured that it will not relent in
making sure that would-be perpetrators of all forms of Sexual
and Gender Based Violence are prosecuted under the laws of
Liberia.
On the social media network, sentiments of support and
condemnation reign.
WHAT A JERK - JEERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

M
Monrovia-

ore revealing details are emerging about the


character of Mr. Darlington George, the dismissed
former Deputy Director for Operations at the
Executive Protection Services(EPS).
Several associates and professional peers speaking to
FrontPageAfrica Tuesday revealed that Mr. George has a
history of violent tendencies which some admitted had been
thrown under the carpet as behind-the-scenes negotiations
and pleadings helped George maintain his position.
A senior security official speaking to FrontPageAfrica on
condition of anonymity explained that Mr. George has been
cautioned on a number of occasions for verbal and physical
assaults on citizens and foreign nationals.
Mr. George, the source recalled once rammed his vehicle into
the back of a Chinese diplomats vehicle on the Robertsfield
highway and in another incident, rammed a car door on an
official of government who has since left the administration.
In both instances, Mr. George reportedly pleaded with his
victims and with the help of some of his peers in government
he was allowed to continue on the job. This is not the first
time Mr. George Has been involved in such an act. He had been
warned about similar incidents involving the ramming of a
Chinese Diplomat car and slamming a car door on a former
government official.
VICTIM PRESSING ISSUE

George was dismissed by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf


Tuesday for allegedly flogging a female in the Barnesville
Community.
The President in a statement late Tuesday, relieved George of
this duties and directed him to report to the Ministry of Justice
for investigation and if found wanting shall be sent to court
for prosecution in the case of assault on Ms. Varnester Maday
Kiatamba. FrontPageAfrica has gathered that the Executive
Mansion has mentioned the name used by the victim on her
social media page-Facebook instead of her real name Esther
Glain. The Executive Mansion said it has also strongly directed
that others involved in the fracas that are not EPS agents
should also report to the Ministry of Justice.
Glain told FrontPageAfrica Tuesday that she welcomed the
move by president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for dismissing him and
hopes that it sets a precedent for others who are involved in
gender base violence but said she will press the issue further.
While it is true that he has been dismissed, I will not just let
it go for free, I am going to court he must pay for the pains he
has caused me, many thanks to Madam Leyma Gbowee and
other well-meaning Liberians advocates for the role played in
bringing justice. I also call on government protection as I am
currently living in fear as I have started receiving calls making
me scare.
Ms. Glain, a resident of Barnesville Estate alleged that she was
severely beaten by the Deputy Director of Operations. She
explained that on Sunday September 13, 2015 while at the
Barnersville Sports Pitch, EPS Deputy Director for Operation,
Darlington George and his men terribly beat her for arguing
with him.
According to her, she and her friends were having a good time
watching a football match when an SUV jeep pulled up so

close to them almost to the point of ramming into them. They


bellowed out to the driver, Darlington George, out of fear to
stop. She noted that the EPS Deputy boss got out of his vehicle,
walked over to them and looked into their eyes and called
them prostitutes.

While the Government and its


partners have been engaged in
efforts at curtailing the incessant
violence against women and girls, it
would be totally unacceptable that
a member of an elite security service
could involve himself in such barbaric
act, The Ministry of Gender, Children
and Social Protection (MOGCSP).

Esther said she didn't take it kindly being called prostitute by


a Deputy presidential guard who nearly hit her with his car.
After he missed us with the car, I said his mother was the
prostitute, she explained. She furthered noted that George
grew furious and struck her hard in the face, kicked her to the
ground and then ordered his men to join in. When he was
beating me, one of his men used a Malta bottle and smashed
it on my head and later stab me on the jaw, she noted. Esther
said she was left unconscious while Darlington and his men
drove away, she later found herself in a local clinic where she
was treated.
The flogging of Esther Glain has dominated the social media
circuits over the past few days. Callers to the Costa Morning
Show Tuesday, where the victim appeared, also welcomed
the presidents decision to dismiss George but hoped that the
Justice Ministry will carry out the presidential mandate to
proceed with an investigation and prosecution.
TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE, GENDER MINISTRY SAYS

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection


(MOGCSP) joined the chorus of jeers toward George Tuesday,
saying it welcomes his immediate dismissal for the alleged
assault.
While the Government and its partners have been engaged
in efforts at curtailing the incessant violence against women
and girls, it would be totally unacceptable that a member of
an elite security service could involve himself in such barbaric
act, the Ministry declared.
The Ministry takes the protection, as well as violence against
women and girls very seriously and as such all forms of
Gender Based Violence including physical assault, domestic
violence, rape, sexual assault amongst others are condemned
in the highest term, the ministry said in a statement.
According to the Ministry, it seeks to ensure a safer environment
for Liberian women and girls; and at the same time frowns
at any attempt by whoever that will bring its efforts to public

Charles Edouard Goodridge recalled an unpleasant encounter


in which he says George prevented him from taking
photographs after he was invited by the Liberian Embassy in
Washington, D.C. during a Feb 26, 2015 visit of President Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf to the U.S.
Even after the Embassy staff informed him that I was the
designated photographer for the occasion, he wouldn't relent.
He was adamant and determined that I did not get back in the
room with the president to finish doing my job. I don't know
what his issue was with me, but he had this mean and steely
eyed no nonsense demeanor that will stay with me as long as
I can remember. I could see it seemed this was personal, and
the man had never even met me before. I later found out, by
someone who knows him very well that he was a jerk. I believe
that what he is alleged to have done to that lady is true,and I
hope he gets what's coming to him. No one should abuse their
authorities and be this mean, abusive and brutal to anyone,
much less a harmless female who stood up to him.
Goodridge says he recognized George from one of the
photographs he took at the event. When I saw his photo, I
immediately recognized him as the head of the president's
security apparatus that evening. I did not know his name,
but the other two security personnel, one Varfee Sirleaf (no
relations to the president) and a tall dark skinned lady were
very courteous and apologetic to me for his behavior, but
apparently he was their commander, and they were doing
their job.
Celia Cuffy Brown, writing on Facebook called for support for
the victim. Being our Sister/daughter's keeper should be our
priority! Not just on the social media, rather let us support in
person! We thank President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her bold
action taken in the case of Esther vs George! I visited Esther
last night and I promised to have gone back there this evening!
I am donating $100.00 (USD) towards Esther's medical bills!
I am doing so through the Costa Show!!! The power of social
media, if used positively, will yield outstanding results as in
the case of Esther!
Seltue R. Karweaye, Sr. marveled: If this Dude and others in
government want to beat people, why don't they come out at
night and beat the armed robberies roaming the streets of
Monrovia at night? Firing is the first step, I hope he face justice
because firing people and ignoring justice for the victim is
mockery to justice and the victim ordeal and the safeguard of
basic human rights as stipulated in the UN chapter.
Condemnation also came from Lawrence G. Moses who said it
is totally wrong to beat a peaceful citizen like that. I pray that
God punish him and his entire family.
While some like Abraham L. Sirleaf called George a complete
monster. Others like Beatrice Devine hoped that the fall of
George would sent a clear warning to woman beaters. If u
wanna beat on somebody find a Man Ur own size!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Frontpage

Page 3

FrontPage COMMENTARY
THE
CALDWELL
BRIDGE:
COULD
EDITORIAL IT HAVE BEEN BUILT BETTER
v

NO ROOM FOR THAN THAT? A BRIEF ANALYSIS.


SECURITY BRUTALITY AMID
DRAWDOWN OF UNMIL
Dismissal Not Enough State
Must Prosecute George

THE UNITED NATIONS Mission in Liberia, which has been


in the post war country for over a decade, is expected to
depart in 2016 i.e. if the United Nations Security Council
finally decide to end the operations of one of the largest
UN peace keeping missions ever.
ALREADY LIBERIA HAS been told that it will take charge
of its own security from UNMIL by June 2016 and the
country is preparing with a plan, dubbed the UNMIL
drawdown, finding out ways to fill the security gaps when
the UN mission is over.
WITH A LONG HISTORY of security agencies paying loyalty
to individuals instead of the state, coupled with abuse of
power by those in charge of security, many Liberians fear
that the UNMIL drawdown could threaten the peace of the
country.
TOP SECURITY OFFICIAls are all appointed by the
president. Rather than protecting the entire population,
these officials focus on protection of those at the helm
of power leaving the citizens at the peril of criminals,
resulting to what is commonly known in Liberia as no
Justice for the poor.
ADHERENCE TO THE rule of law is still a major problem in
the country as some individuals rely on their connections
and power to abuse the rights of ordinary Liberians and
these Liberians in most instances do not get redress.
ONE OF SUCH incidents of abuse of power and use of force
against innocent Liberians occurred on September 13
in the Barnesville Housing Estate, a suburb of Monrovia
where a top security personnel, Deputy Director for
Operation of the Executive Protection Service, Darlington
George is said to have severely beaten one Esther Glain
leaving bruises and spill of blood on the face of the female
victim.
ESTHER, EXPLAINED to FrontPageAfrica on Sunday that
while at the Barnersville Sports pitch, EPS Deputy Director
for Operation, George and his men terribly beat her for
arguing with him.
THE VICTIM SAID it all started while she and her friends
were having a good time watching a football match, an SUV
pulled up so close to them almost to the point of ramming
into them, prompting them to yell out of fear only to see
Deputy EPS boss walking over to call them prostitutes.
THE GROUP OF women were said to have reacted angrily
and, according to eyewitnesses, George grew furious and
struck Esther hard in the face, kicked her to the ground
and then ordered his men to join in. When he was beating
me, one of his men used a Malta bottle and smashed it on
my head and later stabbed me on the jaw, Esther narrated.
ESTHER SAID SHE was left unconscious while Darlington
and his men drove away. She later found herself in a local
clinic where she was treated.
THE SITUATION of Esther, who is currently feeling the
pain, is one of many taking place around the country
where security personnel use their power to abuse the
ordinary people and go free.
BESIDES PHYSICAL INJURIES caused Esther, the alleged
action of a member of the presidential elite security is
good reason for his dismissal by President Sirleaf.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE President Sirleaf has
dismissed an official of government for physically
assaulting a peaceful citizen.
ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR Sectorial Planning at the
Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Jeremiah

Muniru, Contributing writer

ew days I go I saw a photo of the newly


constructed Caldwell Bridge on Boakai
Jaleiba's facebook page; I promised to pass
on brief technical comments once I return
from holiday with access to my pc. Please read below
and see the graphic photo attached.
Again we sincerely commend all those who put in
their professional times to actualize the construction
of this new bridge. Appreciation goes to the president,
past ministers, the current and his team. Let it be
made clear that this comment and analysis is purely
based on technical grounds and have no bearing on
politics or just mere criticism.
From visual inspection, the vertical clearance (the
clear height from the surface of the water to the under
surface of the bridge deck) is not adequate enough to
allow for passage of boats. This distance should be
no less than 3 m for bridge structures crossing over
urban water ways where secondary corridors are
expected to accommodate the passage of yachts, boats,
systems for military and fire brigade operations in
terms of emergencies. Besides being required to cross
roadway or river, bridge must at all time accommodate
secondary corridors. In fact for road over a navigable
river, the span and shape of bridge is determined base
on the estimated size of vessels that require to pass
beneath it. My opinion is that elevating this bridge
vertically (increasing the piers) and horizontally
(deck length) would have resulted into just additional
use of cubic meters of concrete, rebars, manly hours;
which would take project overrun cost up at a very
minimum percent. Compare the minimum overrun
cost of this project to the huge negative impacts its
set to have on the environment and future. How is
it possible that this was not spotted from the prelim
design and EIA stages?
I am not sure of anywhere in the world where major
infrastructural project like this will pass without the
involvement and approval of engineering division of
the municipal government and EPA, where at every
stage major details are examined based on impacts
on environment, future growth and development of
the city. Through that negatives impacts or blackspots
are identified and corrective measures through
sustainable and economic solutions are taken before
final approval.
The designer, monitoring and supervising contractors
of this project are from china, Switzerland and
Israel, with the exception of Israel I have travelled
extensively in the remaining two countries. In
Krah was dismissed for assaulting a female police officer.
The assistant minister reportedly assaulted police officer
Beauty Mulbah at the intersections of Buchanan and Broad
Streets in central Monrovia when she stopped his vehicle
and asked him for his car documents and license.
IN THIS INSTANCE, the assaulted police officer, a female,
did not sustain bodily harm like the case of Esther and the
President took action.
A STATEMENT FROM the Executive Mansion quoted
President Sirleaf as describing the statement as
unacceptable the assault on a law enforcement officer,
particularly a female, by a member of her government.

Switzerland, for example, down town Zurich, Geneva,


Lausanne, lugano etc., have similar naturally beautiful
water front view with car traveling over the bridges
same time passenger boats ferrying commuters and
the affluents and tourists cruising over. For the same
reasons, in China, most cities are doing water diversion
projects and creating artificial lakes and river. How is
it possible that the rules get bent when it comes to
Liberia, Africa? Our water front corridors have huge
potential to become major urban transportation hub,
leisure and touristic spots like anywhere we have seen
around the world. Imagine riding passenger boat to
work from Sinkor or St. Pauls Bridge to central town
without worrying about congested traffic. With strong
national spirit, hard work and commitments, this can
be achieved in less than 3 years if we assemble the
right tools!
As a nation we cannot continue to rely on borrowed
knowledge. This project again exposes the
shortcomings in our infrastructural drive. Our hope is
that MPW and other Governmental institutions often
involved with highly technical and complex projects
will assemble the right national talents and skills or
borrow a few passages from John Morlus Innovative
capacity building strategy at GAC.
About the Author:

Muniru obtained his Bsc. in civil engineering in China


in 2013. He later on won an internationally competitive
scholarship to participate in the international master
course in civil engineering at Bologna University,
Italy. Under the European Union Student exchange
program, he moves to Germany this October for a
period of one year to do a graduate thesis project and
participate in additional semester of course work in
urban infrastructures
His thesis topic Improving Masonry Construction
in Liberia with Confined Masonry: Analysis, Design
and Code Provisions, seeks to do an in-depth study
in order to present suitable design Procedure that
would potentially improve the state of the practice in
Liberia. Upon completion of his thesis, hes expected
to obtain the equivalent of dual degree in structural
engineering and urban infrastructure planning. His
research interests are in the areas of concrete and
masonry Structures. He also has a strong professional
interest in helping to rebrand the infrastructural
outlook of his country.

SIRLEAF AT THE time declared that she hopes her action


will serve as a deterrent to others in government who
would want to use their positions to abuse and violate the
rights of others.
ASSISTANT MINISTER Krah at the time walked into the
offices of FrontPageAfrica where he declared that he did
not assault the police officer. Krah was never investigated
but summarily dismissed from his position.
SO TOO THE dismissal of George is laudable but based on
the gravity of the injuries sustained by Esther, the state
must draw charges against him for hurting a peaceful
citizen as his action is a crime against the state.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Page 4 | Frontpage

The Reader's Page

FrontPage

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING


ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB

COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE
AFRICAN CUP QUALIFIER
WIN: HOW LIBERIA CLIPPED
TUNISIA'S EAGLES
Sylvester Moses Works at Self-Employed
Great victory, congrats Team Lone Star, Coach Debbah, Grandpa
Doe, Youth and Sports Ministry, and the fans; we're proud, and
happy.
Garrison F. Togba Jr. Proprietor at Garto Financial
Thank you, Frontpage Africa, for this impressive report.
Although, I was not at the game, your description of the game
itself as well as the pre and post game analysis give me an
appreciative understanding of the game. Thanks a million as I
look forward to reading your next Lone Star story.

Boima Gbelly Works at Self-Employed


Thank you plenty Lone Star for giving us victory! If nothing
good is happening in Liberia now, Thanks for making us happy.
We love you all!!!!
James Kollie Works at United Cerebral Palsy of Greater
Dane County (UCP)
Bravo!!!!! Lone Star, u made my weekend complete
Moses Kollie University of Liberia
Congratulations, Lone Star on your victory over Tunisia, keep
on the good works as we are with you forever, bravo again.

E Herodotus Payne Jr. Economist at Ministry of Finance


and Development Planning
Thank you President Sirleaf and the MFDP family for ensuring
the support and timely discharge of the players' per diem and
other necessary finances that kept the preparations on and
spirits high.

Simeon Humanitarian Simeon Chief Executive Officer at


FaithBite
Give Coach Debbah time and support!!! I'm optimistic him
will bring success, Before let I said his approaches is working,
Thank to the player's and more especially the Liberian peoples
for their supports,
Pius Torbor University of Liberia
Congratulations boys. It only takes hard work and
determination. Keep the courage and focus, with the needed
support you will succeed.

Emmanuel Blimie Park Center Senior High


Kudos! Way to go guys. Y'all just keep bringing us the goodies.
Hey grandpa, hats out to you. Remembered those days playing
against you and Papi on buduburam refugee camp...the power
of focus and hard work can take you anywhere. Not to digress!
Its official. I am on the ballet for Florida State Senate in 2016
after running successful campaigns for Obama, VP Biden, and
Charlie Crist. About me: www.esblimie6.wix.com/senate or
www.amazon.com/author/blimie
Luther Tarpeh Oceanview Christian High school,
Rivercess, Liberia
Thank you Boys for your splendid performance against one of
Africa best teams. For a long time Liberians haven't had much
to laugh about. After the horror of Ebola and uncertainty we
can smile again. Thank you James Debah and your team of
coaches. We are with you. Let's unite and support the boys to
represent us at this coming nation cup. Congratulations! Lone
Star on the WAAAAY!

Festus Wongbay Student at Nimba County


I am glad to hear that my country won against Tunisia it is a
vision that Liberia will go for final.
Boima Williams Lincoln Technical Institute
Well. I must commend the Lone Star Team for a job well done
but I am not ready to celebrate yet, we have all seem this before,
first leg, we win by one or draw and on the return leg we are
eliminated, until we win away from home, I will only say Thank
You to the Players and Technical Staff for this much needed
victory and showing heart to defend our nation and making us
relevence and proud in African Football

DISCLAIMER: The comments expressed here are


those of our online readers and bloggers and do no
represent the views of FrontPageAfrica

Send your letters and comments to:


editor@frontpageafricaonline.com
YOU WRITE; WE PUBLISH; THEY READ!

A PLEA FOR HEARING INTO MISMANAGEMENT AT NOCAL

The Editor,

iberians for a New Democratic Order, an organization of


Liberians dedicated to ensuring pluralistic democracy, good
governance and accountability in Liberia, is calling on the
National Legislature to, without delay commence hearings
into circumstances that led to the collapse of the National Oil Company
(NOCAL), to determine if any laws were violated and crimes were
committed.
The group wants the investigation to look into how oil contracts
were awarded and to whom, as well as how NOCALs resources were
handled.
The group, in a statement issued over the weekend, is also asking
the National Legislature to place a hold on plans by President Sirleaf
to reward executives at NOCAL who oversaw the collapse of the
company with hefty financial benefits.
The group is also calling on the legislature to block the approval for the
disbursement of funds by the finance ministry, either from recurrent
funds coming into NOCAL coffers or from government reserves
towards any NOCAL restructuring and benefits payment until those
NOCAL executives are excluded from any restructuring program.
The Legislature must also bloc the NOCAL executives from further
obligating the company through any loan programs.
A credible restructuring will require new, respectable individuals, not
the same ones who mismanaged the agency into failure, the group
noted in its statement. We are also calling on President Sirleaf to fire
all those executives at NOCAL and to appoint a new management team
that will oversee the restructuring of the agency, the group noted.
The group is also calling for the commissioning of an audit to determine
how NOCAL funds were handled and how oil block contracts were
awarded; noting that there is little doubt that mismanagement,
corruption, bribery and a kick-back scheme are at the heart of the
failure of NOCAL.
The awarding of contracts on the basis of bribery and kick-backs and
not on the viability and track record of the companies seeking the
contracts, as well as mismanagement by NOCAL executives led to nonperformance and the massive collapse of NOCAL, the group noted;
wondering further, why would an organization as small as NOCAL
whose major source of funding is sale of exploration fields, have nine
vice presidents, each being paid thousands of dollars per month? Why
would members of the Board of Directors be paid millions of dollars in
board fees and bonuses?
And did statutory members of the board, such as the ministers of
Finance and Economic Planning and the Minister of Justice, who are
already on government payroll, also receive huge board fees, the
groups statement noted.
Liberians for a New Democratic Order is also calling on Liberian civil
society organizations, interest groups and the student movement to
rise up and insist on accountability and justice, as they, their families
are children are the direct victims of these acts of criminality and
abuse.
Labor and trade unions have a responsibility to stand up on behalf
of the poor workers who are being victimized through lay-offs
for the actions of NOCAL executives and all other workers whose
livelihoods are being threatened; students and young people must
rise up because it is their future and the future of their children that
are being mortgaged by the rampant acts of corruption, theft and
mismanagement that have driven NOCAL into the ground and that
have been a common-place in the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf administration
and that continue to undermine the countrys development; the public
needs to standup because they are the ones that are most affected
by the poverty and under-development that corruption imposes
on societies. The unemployed need to rise up because corruption
undermines a favorable business climate that is the engine of job
creation.
When a corrupt public official receives a bribe or kick-back to award
an inferior contract or when he or she steals from the public coffers,
he/she is essentially denying a student the opportunity for a better
school, a pregnant woman the chance for prenatal healthcare, or a
community the opportunity for a good road to bring their produce to
market or to reach a clinic or hospital. The recent Ebola epidemic was
a classic example of how it is the people who suffer when government
officials steal and mismanage national resources.
Accordingly we urge Liberias civil society organizations, groups and
movements, and the public, to take actions including letter writing
campaigns, visits to their members of legislature, demanding urgent
and immediate action on the NOCAL saga. These actions can also

include peaceful demonstrations, sit-ins, and other actions that


will force president Sirleaf and members of the Legislature to take
immediate action to address the NOCAL problem.
Our organization was founded against the backdrop of the pervasive
culture of crime, corruption and impunity that has taken hold in
Liberia. This culture has been largely responsible for our national
backwardness as well as the periods of violence and bloodshed to
which our nation has been subjected.
Ina scathing critique of President Sirleafs legacy on corruption and
accountability in Liberia, the group noted that the culture of corruption
and impunity has reached new heights under the leadership of President
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. President Sirleafs record on accountability is
at best dismal and this has been largely responsible for undermining
and delaying the recovery and development of the countrys broken
infrastructure. Since her ascendency to power, in 2005 and her reelection in 2011, President Sirleaf has consistently failed to prioritize
the fight against corruption and other forms of public crime and
malfeasance. In spite of her rhetoric describing corruption as public
enemy # one and as a vampire the Sirleaf administration has failed
to prosecute and to place any severe sanctions on individuals who
have been found by the various accountability and anti-corruption
agencies to have engaged in serious acts of corruption and other
serious economic crimes. Instead she has approached corruption
with empty rhetoric and lip-service, while doing everything to protect
her cronies from accountability and prosecution.
President Sirleafs legacy on war crimes and crimes against humanity,
corruption and other economic crimes has been to reward war
criminals and corrupt officials with powerful, lucrative positions in
government, rather than hold them accountable for their actions.
While the thousands of Liberian victims of war crimes and crimes
against humanity, and the international community was campaigning
for accountability and sanctions against perpetrators of the criminality
that characterized the Liberian civil war, President Sireaf chose the
path of appeasing war criminals by rewarding them with powerful and
lucrative positions in government where they can still lord over their
abuse. She refused to implement the recommendations of the Truth
and Reconciliation Commission calling for sanctions and reprimand
for the most serious crimes associated with the war.
Although the General Auditing Commission, the Liberia AntiCorruption Commission, and the Liberia Public Procurement
Corporation have variously indicted several government officials for
acts of corruption and massive theft and mismanagement of public
resources meant for addressing the dire needs facing the poor,
President Sirleaf has consistently failed to punish anyone for their
crimes, often defending them or simply giving them a slap on the wrist.
This latest decision by the President to terminate the employment
of hundreds of ordinary workers at the NOCAL while rewarding the
executives whose corrupt acts or mismanagement drove the agency
into the ground with huge retirement benefits and the opportunity
to keep their high paying jobs is just another act in her consistent
pattern of rewarding criminals and corrupt friends and cronies, while
neglecting the poor and powerless victims of crime, corruption and
mismanagement.
We call on all Liberians to reject this latest attempt by the President
to reward rather than punish corruption, and urge the public to
forcefully resist and demand accountability. NOCAL is a public entity,
a property of the Liberian people, funded by the peoples resources;
as such President Sirleaf and those who presided over its demise have
a responsibility to explain why and how the agency, which was so
a-washed in funds, has suddenly gone broke.
We praise Mr. Samuel K. Woods for his consistent fight on behalf of
downtrodden Liberians, his courage and bravery in fighting corruption
and crimes and commend his stance on the NOCAL, even as he is being
attacked and vilified by the President. We reject the unwarranted
attacks by the President and her surrogates on Mr. Woods as attempts
to intimidate and silence him but we take comfort in the fact that
Woods has never bowed to threats, attacks and intimidation, even
during the height of the civil war.
We urge you to contact your member of the National Legislature and
the Office of the President to demand hearings and other immediate
actions on the NOCAL issue. Contact information for members of
the National legislature can be found on the websites of the House
of Representatives and the Senate at: legislature.gov.lr/house and
legislature.gov.lr/senate.
Alphonso Nyenuh
anyenuh@yahoo.com

EDITORIAL TEAM

Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666;


077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com
Samwar S. Fallah, News Desk Chief, 0886-527
541, samwar.fallah@frontpageafricaonline.com
Gboko Stewart, Copy Editor 0886 484974
gboko.stewart@frontpageafricaonline.con
Danesius Marteh, Sports Editor, danesius.
marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528
James-Emmanuel D. Cole, Jr, Graphics Designer
& Layout Editor, echange4life@gmail.com;
0886 211 390, 0777 027 030
Henry Karmo, Reporter, henry.karmo@
frontpageafricaonline.com
Bettie Johnson, Reporter, , / betty.johnson@
frontpageafricaonline.com/0886971922

Al-varney Rogers, Reporter, al.rogers@


frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-304498
Kennedy L. Yangian, Reporter, kennedy.yangian@
frontpageafricaonline.com 0777296781
A. Macaulay Sombai, Sports Reporter, macaulay.sombai@
FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428
COUNTY NEWS TEAM
Grand Bassa, Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, 0777432042
Bong County, Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@
frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-484666
BUSINESS/ADVERTISING
Kadi Coleman Porte, 0886-304-178/ 0777832753,
advertise@frontpageafricaonline.com

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

W
Monrovia-

hen the deadly


Ebola
virus
struck
Liberia
in early March
2014, the country could
not boast of more than one
functioning ambulance, an
indication of the level of
unpreparedness to face such
a strange virus which has no
known medical cure.
By July, many sick people
were lying on main streets
and others dying at homes as
result of slowness in picking
the sick and taking them to
treatment units timely to seek
treatment and also avoid the
sick from coming in contacts
with healthy family members.
The virus spread like wildfire
and during the peak of the
outbreak Liberia was reporting
the highest death toll and new
number of cases on a daily
basis.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
knowing the inability of her
government to handle the
outbreak wrote the world in a
touching letter appealing for
support to fight the virus.
The international community
and local Liberian businesses
responded promptly with
massive donations of cash,
vehicles, drugs and other
materials to help curb the
outbreak.
The US Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) Government of
China, Open Society initiative
for West Africa (OSIWA), the
Indian community in Liberia,
just to name a few of the many
donors all provided vehicles,
many of them brand new to the
Government of Liberia.

Frontpage

SEVERAL VEHICLES DONATED TO FIGHT EBOLA GONE

VANISHING ACT IN LIBERIA


We are meeting to figure out where we have the problem, we will be asking questions, we gave out 317
vehicles but the audit report from the Internal Audit Agency shows a little over 200 vehicles are available, we
are still looking for the rest of the vehicles. - Mary T. Broh, Director General, General Services Agency

Al-Varney Rogers alvarney.rogersfrontpageafricaonline.com 0886304498

been persistently accused of


corruption.
An audit of the expenditures of
Ebola funding by the General
Auditing
Commission
of
Liberia pointed out violations
of existing laws, regulations
and other procedures by the
management team of the
funds but President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf defended her
officials when she declared
that the situation at hand
was emergency and therefore
decisions were made in the

buy a bus to carry people when


a hundred people are dying on
the street and they did not go
through a bidding process, I
will leave it to you to say which
was better; to say to have
bought the bus to save the lives
or for them to have taken two
weeks to go through a bidding
process. As long as the fund was
properly used for the purpose
intended, there is no problem.
It was in those difficult days
when we had to run some
decisions, decisions that run

basically meant a race against


time. Under the circumstances,
a relaxation of related PPCC
requirements was so clearly
called for, whether de facto/
and/or de jure. It is both
amazing and disappointing
that for some strange reason
you stubbornly refuse to
accept this plain, simple,
obvious
and
undeniable
rational fact, members of the
incident Management System
Team responded to the GAC.
The GAC auditors stated in
some of their findings that
physical
assets
including
generators
and
others
provided for the fight against
Ebola were not verified during
the course of the audit.
Broh confirms missing Ebola
assets

Just as the government


received millions in Cash, the
number of vehicles donated
to Liberia were so high that
these vehicles were seen in
every street corners and other
parts of the country during the
outbreak working to defeat the
virus.
The
government
was
overwhelmed with the level
of support which resulted
into Liberia becoming the first
country amongst the three
worst hit nations including its
neighbors Sierra Leone and
Guinea, to successfully beat
Ebola and be declared free of
the killer virus.
By December, the virus was
now becoming a history with
few cases and more discharged
of patients from treatment
units and in January Liberia
was gradually inching towards
being declared Ebola Free.
Finally on March 9 the World
Health organization declared
the country officially free of
the virus after reaching the
milestone of 42 days without
no new confirmed case.
Accountability for the cash and
other donations to fight the
virus now became a herculean
task for a government that has

Page 5

context of protecting lives.


Before the audit report was
released, President Sirleaf
while
addressing
media
executives at her Foreign
Ministry office acknowledged
that she knows that there might
have been some procedural
errors in expending fund, but
said she believes that was
intended to save the lives of the
hundreds who were dying on a
daily basis.
Said President Sirleaf: "Five
millions were put in the Ebola
Trust Fund. That fund was
put there at the time when
nobody had given support to
fight Ebola and it was a time
when hundreds of people
were dying; when people were
running away from the places;
when we had chaos. In the
midst of chaos, something has
to be done, and so, I am quite
sure that it reflects the context
of the kinds of urgency that
was required in some cases,"
said President Johnson-Sirleaf.
Added President Sirleaf: "I
have not read the audit report,
but I got some briefing on it.
And I know that there might
have been some procedural
errors, but I believe that if
someone says that they have to

contrary to all procedures," she


emphasized as she continued
on her defense.
Days after the President
statement, key officials of
government who headed the
Ebola fight challenged the
audit report describing it as
unprofessional.
Please do keep in mind that
an emergency by its nature,
particularly in this case,

Mary Broh, Director General of


the General Services Agency,
the entity responsible for
managing government assets
Tuesday told FrontPageAfrica
that many of the vehicles used
in the fight against the virus
cannot be located.
Ministries and Agencies are
unable to account for vehicles
given them for the fight against
Ebola, Director Broh said.
She said that there exist a
discrepancy between the
recorded number of vehicles by
GSA and the report submitted
by the Internal Audit Agency
based on findings from its

recent audit.
During the heat of the outbreak
many agencies complained
about lack of vehicles to
combat the virus but in no time
several vehicles were donated
and Director Broh now says
the perception that the GSA
has fleet of cars is not true.
President Sirleaf asked us
to go around the country and
find where the cars are, as
they were coming in we were
releasing them to the Ministry
of Health and CHT, the GSA
Director disclosed.
Broh said the GSA was not
directly involved in the vehicles
management. They bring the
vehicles and we code them.
The GSA Boss vowed that her
agency will ensure that most
of the vehicles assigned during
the outbreak are collected for
redistribution.
We want the vehicles to
be returned to the GSA for
redistribution, we got some
vehicles from the Chinese,
Broh added. We are very
dishonest, we have a number
and the audit came out with
another number.
Vehicles commercialized

Madam Broh said, some of the


vehicles that were intended
to combat the virus are being
commercialized.
GOL vehicles for Ebola were
seen carrying passengers. No
monitors on the cars, our fleet

management is still in it infant


stage, Broh added.
She continued: We are
meeting to figure out where
we have the problem, we will
be asking questions, we gave
out 317 vehicles but the audit
report from the Internal Audit
Agency shows a little over 200
vehicles are available, we are
still looking for the rest of the
vehicles.
The GSA Boss disclosed that
the United States Center for
Disease Control provided 82
land cruiser, and were coded
and distributed,
The recent spread of the Ebola
virus, which infected and killed
at least 11,000 people across
West Africa, resulted in many
donations and support for the
various countries affected by
the virus.
In mid-May 2015, the World
Health Organization declared
it was setting up a $100 million
emergency contingency fund.
Considering the challenge
of transparency across the
sub-region, there is further
concern around the efficiency
with which funds pledged by
the private, public and donor
communities are being tracked
and audited.
Their analysis shows that only
67% of the required $1.51
billion have been raised as of
April 2015:
Amnesty international in its
2014 corruption Perceptions
index placed the three
countries in bad position with
Sierra Leone at 119, Liberia-94
and Guinea at 145 out of 174
countries, clearly showing how
all three countries have a huge
task in managing domestic
resources
effectively
and
efficiently.
From the ranking Liberia is the
better of the three countries in
2014 but the ranking changes
every year.
Now that Madam Broh
has admitted difficulties in
accounting for vehicles, it
points out that other assets
including cash might have
vanished in similar manner.

Page 6 | Frontpage

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Monroviainance
and
Development
Planning
Minister,
Amara Konneh has
extoled the International
Monetary
Fund
(IMF)
Managing Director, Christine
Lagarde and her entourage
for a prosperous two days
visit to Liberia.
Minister Konneh says, the
Government and people
of Liberia are very much
grateful to the IMF for the
enormous assistance the
Fund has given to Liberia,
most especially when those
assistance were needed as
the IMF stood by Liberia
during its horrifying days.
He noted that the IMF
gallantly identified with
Liberia when the country
and its people were faced
by one of the worlds
greatest catastrophes which
decimated thousands of

people in Liberia.
The IMF came to the call of
the Liberian people through
President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf and provided massive
economic support to prevent
Liberia from total economic
collapse as the killer virus
severely
crippled
the
Liberian economy. Minister
Konneh emphasized.
The Liberian Finance and
Development
Planning
Minister commendation of
the IMFs roles in Liberias
drive to defeat the Ebola
disease was contained in a
statement he delivered at the
Monrovia City Hall during a
Town Hall meeting with the
IMF MD and delegates from a
cross section of the Liberian
society,
which
included
government
officials,
Lawmakers, Women and
Civil Society Organizations,
the Private/Business Sector
as well as traditional and

ENORMOUS
ASSISTANCE
Frontpage

MINISTER KONNEH EXTOLS IMF DIRECTOR


student leaders.
Minister Konneh further
indicated that although
Liberia joined the IMF 1962,
it was until the inception
of President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf administration in
2006, Liberias relationship
with IMF was stimulated
and has gone stronger on
account of President Sirleafs
credibility and international
confidence, noting, The
Presidents
outstanding
global record has brought
so much global attention to
Liberia with the massive IMF
intervention.
Minister Konneh disclosed
that
through
Madam
Lagardes leadership at the
IMF, Liberia has received
huge support to address
recent health emergency,
especially the disbursement
of US$47.8 million and
US$45.7 million through the
ECF and RCF programs.

This support, together with


a strong domestic resources
mobilization effort, and
support of other partners
particularly the World Bank
and the African Development
Bank, whose resources came
through the National and
Multi-donor public financial
management systems, enable
us to keep government
operation moving during
the epidemic, relatively
stabilized the exchange rate,
and the initial resources to
implement our Economic
Stabilization Recovery Plan,
the MFDP Minister noted.
Minister Konneh informed
the gathering that support
from the IMF humanitarian
and development partners,
the private sector, the various
communities, civil society,
and religious communities
provided critical assistance to
saving the Liberian economy
from a total collapse and

GAME STARTS
JURY FINALLY EMPANEL TO PASS JUDGMENT IN TRAFFICKED GIRLS TRIAL
Bettie K. Johnson/ betty.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

F
Bomi-

ollowing days of
search to complete
the panel jury who
are expected to
rule in the sexual case of
several Liberians girls who
were allegedly trafficked to
Lebanon by the managing
Director of Speedo Printing
press is expected to

formerly commence today.


It took at least three days
to empanel the jury which
includes 15 persons.
The 15 panel as per the
new jury management
provides that the panel is to
have 9 persons but after a
submission by the Defense
an argument was held
between the parties which

Page 7

an agreement was met to


empanel 15 persons.
It seems like the case in
Bomi is not in line with the
new jury management put
in place by the Judiciary.
Before the end of the week,
the sheriff of the court was
ordered by the judge of the
Circuit to find the additional
jurors to complete panel.

It can be recalled the


prosecution requested for
the venue of the case to be
changed from Montserrado
County to Margibi on
grounds that if the case is
heard in Monrovia, the jury
would become prejudice
against the interest of
the Prosecution based on
media reports about the

helped to begin recovery.


Narrating Madam Lagarde
achievements at the IMF,
Minister Konneh indicated
that in August 2011, she
urged the European banks
to recapitalize to meet the
challenge of the regions debt
crisis.
The second he said, was
her success in mobilizing
nearly US$500 billion of new
resources to prepare the
Fund to respond to the future
emergencies, stressing with
showered of praises on the
IMF MD, Minister Konneh
emphasized The IMF has
made several other milestone
achievements under Lagarde
brilliant leadership, including
efforts in funding remedies to
the Greek Debt crisis.
At the same time, while
introducing the IMF MD
during the Town Hall
meeting at the Monrovia
City Hall, Minister Konneh

case, which would draw


public sentiments owing
to the fact that the jurors
would be selected from
the very public, and also
because of the proximity of
its witnesses who are been
housed in Kakata, Margibi
County creating extreme
difficulty to have them
transported to court daily.
But in counter the defense
did not disagree with
the Change of Venue but
requested the court to
change the venue to Bomi,
Grand Bassa, or Grand Cape
Mount Counties.
On July 13 the court ruled
granting the Motion for
Change of venue, but venue
the case for Bomi County, as
the defense had requested,
instead of Margibi County
as prayed for by the
prosecution.
The
four
individuals
including Abbas Debs,
Tamba
Gibson,
Bashir
Lakis and Aja Debs (sp)
were jointly indicted by the
Government of Liberia to
face trial for their alleged
involvement in cajoling the
Liberian girls into traveling
to Lebanon with the hope
of giving them better life
only for them to end up in
captivity.
Fourteen of the girls were
successfully
brought
back home in late March
and since their arrival
there have been calls for
the government to push
charges against the accused

said Liberia will remain


ever grateful to Dr. Sayeh,
for her tremendous service
to Liberia, particularly in
tackling the large external
debt of over US$4.6 billion.
We continued to improve
the leadership she helped
to build with the Fund
that led the government
to agree upon the External
Credit Facility (ECF) as a
means of monitoring our
economic
performance
and
structural
reforms,
enhancing macroeconomic
stability, and promoting
sustainable economic growth
and development. Minister
Konneh declared.
Dr. Sayeh who was the first
Finance Ministry of the
current administration of
President Sirleaf, is now
head of the IMFs African
Department.

as quickly as possible.
Despite the ongoing trial
the Liberian Government
is overwhelmed that they
have one defendant instead
of the three.
Up to date the state cannot
give the where about of the
Liberian, Tamba Gibson
who was also accused.
At the same time the judge of
Tubmanburg Bomi County
William Sando is expected
to rule in the submission
filed by the defense stating
that the presence of police
officers are intimidating the
jurors, court staffs and the
defendant who they said
has liver problem.
But the prosecution also
requested the court to
investigate the submission
made by the defense to
know the where about of
the information.
The court had to postpone
the trial Monday due to the
request of continuance filed
by the defense council who
said they could not be in
court.
The prosecution posed no
objection to request made
by the defense but the judge
said the request should not
be continual to delay the
trial.
Today the trial in Bomi will
future the 1st witness in
the trial , the prosecution is
expected to produced over
15 witnesses as the girls
look prepare to take the
stand.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Page 8 | Frontpage

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS


MONROVIA, LIBERIA

Renovation of Liberian Chancery (Embassy Building) in


Freetown, Sierra Leone
Contract Identification No. IFB No: RL/MFA/FM-FREETOWN/RB/001/14/15

1. The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has apportioned funds for the purpose of renovating the Liberian Chancery
(Embassy Building) in Freetown, Sierra Leone: IFB No. RL/MFA/FM-FREETOWN/RB/001/14/15.

2. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs now invites interested applicants to submit sealed bids for the performance of said works (Renovation of the
Liberian Chancery in Freetown, Sierra Leone). Bidding will be conducted through National Competitive Bidding (NCB) Procedures as specified in
the Amended and Restated Public Procurement and Concession Act (PPC Act), and is opened to all eligible and qualified bidders. These applicable
procurement procedures are consistent with the REPUBLIC of LIBERIA Amended and restated PPCC Act published and approved on September 18,
2010.
3. Qualification requirements include but not limited to the following:
Current Business Registration Certificate (Registrar General);
Current Tax Clearance Certificate with Tax Identification Number (TIN)) (Liberia Revenue Authority);
Minimum average turnover of $ 50,000 USD within the last 2 years of operation;
Be a certified member of the Ministry of Public Works Contractor Classification and Certification System (CCCS) and the Association of Liberian
Construction Contractors (ALCC).
Must be able to obtain work permits to perform said work in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Capacity to do at least 30 (thirty) days pre-financing of project.
Experienced as a prime contractor in the construction of a similar project within the last three (3) years; and an
Audited financial statements for the last 2 years.

4. A complete set of bid package including the scope of works may be purchased by qualified and eligible bidders at the address below upon payment
of non-refundable fee of Fifty United States Dollars (50.00 USD) or its equivalent amount in Liberian Dollars. Bid security must be submitted together
with bid document, and must be $2,500 US or its equivalent in Liberian Dollars of the bid price in the form of a Bank Guarantee or Bid Bond.
5. Interested and eligible bidders may obtain a complete set of bid package on Monday September 14, 2015 at 14:00 GMT.

6. Submission must be clearly marked, signed and sealed in an envelope, including other requested information as follows: Renovation of the
Liberian Embassy Building, Freetown, Sierra Leone and clearly mark CONFIDENTIAL BID for the renovation of the Liberian Embassy for Fiscal
Year 2014/2015 and addressed to:
The Deputy Minister for Administration
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Monrovia, Liberia

7. Questions concerning the Project should be submitted in writing and directed to the Ministrys Civil Works Consultant via the e-mail and phone
number listed below:
E-mail: bokollie@yahoo.com
Phone: +231880636925/+231777339339

8. Bid opening will be done promptly after the bid closing date on Monday September 28, 2015 at 14:30 GMT in the Ministrys Conference room in
the presence of the bidders representative or those who choose to attend.
9. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reserves the right to reject or accept any bid submitted and to annul the entire process at any time without incurring
any liability and without assigning any reason thereof.
Signed: Wede Elliott-Brownell, PhD

Deputy Minister for Administration

Approved: Honorable Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan



MINISTER

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

For quality print solution visit


Frontline Printers Today

Page 9

Frontpage

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

CIVIL SERVICE AGENCY

CSA/PLB/DG/225/2015

P.O. BOX 9019


63 CAREY STREET, MONROVIA, LIBERIA

Vacancy/Booker Washington Institute (BWI)


JOB DESCRIPTIONS

JOB TITLE
: Principal
REPORTS DIRECTLY TO
: Board of Governors
DIRECTLY SUPERVISES
: All Departmental Heads
PURPOSE:

To provide guidance as educational leader for managing the policies, regulations, and procedures of the Institute
to ensure that all students are supervised in a safe learning environment that meets the approved curricula and
mission of the Institute.
To provide oversight responsibility in the daily operations of the Institute through the administrative and
instructional staff for its smooth operations;
Provide quality vocational education to help students develop and utilize the requisite skills to contribute to the
social and economic development of the country.
KEY RESULTS AREAS








Education Policy Management and Regulation


Training Coordination
Policy Formulation
Capacity Building
Implementation of Institutions Vision
Strategic Academic Planning
Performance Assessment
Faculty recruitment, placement and promotion
Curriculum development

MAIN DUTIES
GENERAL MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS

Coordinates the activities of various departments for the smooth operations of the Institute;
TECHNICAL DUTIES

CALL: 088-630-4178, 088-673-7306, 077-702-7030

Frontline Printers your quality print solution

Manage, evaluate and supervise effective and clear procedures for the operation and functioning of the
Institute consistent with the philosophy, mission values and goals of the school including instructional programs,
extracurricular activities, discipline systems to ensure a safe and orderly climate, building maintenance, program
evaluation, personnel management, office operations, and emergency procedures
Promotes positive attitudes relative to vocational training with local schools, CEOs, DEOs, local schools, business
and industry and the general public within its geographic area
Serve as chief liaison between the Institute and accrediting bodies and regulatory agencies on all academic issues;
Coordinate with Principal Cabinet and Principal Council and Instructional Staff to develop and implement
Academic policies and procedures, and ensure compliance with regulatory statutes and accrediting requirements;
Use effective presentation skills when addressing students, staff, parents, and the community including appropriate
vocabulary and examples, clear and legible visuals, and articulate and audible speech
Process requests for information regarding the instructional program and ensure compliance with Board of
Governors approved annual budget.
Develop relationships and articulate agreements with related industries, businesses, colleges, universities and
high schools for enrolment possibilities.
Perform other duties and functions as may be assigned by the Board of Governors.
SUPERVISORY DUTIES

Oversee the development of curriculum and keep the Board apprised.


Oversee the running of the Institutes library to support training, research and consultancy services of the Institute
as well as public;
AUTHORITY LIMIT
Management of Budget

Liaise with Business Manager Team to prepare annual budget, Training budget, Hospitality fees, Scholarship
budget, External support budget
Efficient and effective use of allotted budget by the Government of Liberia consistent with the school strategic
objectives
Management of Staff

Conduct meetings with Principals Cabinet (VPA, VPI, BM, VPSS) and Principals Council (VPA, VPI, BM, VPSS and
all Departmental Heads) to ensure the efficient and effective program implementation;
Management of Assets
The Principal will be responsible for the safekeeping of buildings, supplies textbooks, Library, vehicles and
apparatus belonging to the Institute
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION

The successful candidate must possess a Masters Degree in Education Administration, Public Administration,
Human Resource Management or Social Science and related areas. Advanced studies in Public Sector Management.
Ph.D. in related fields is an added advantage.
WORK EXPERIENCES

The candidate must have at least 5 years experience working in or supporting Government in developing and
implementing a capacity development program. Managing school, classroom and work as part-time or full-time
University, Vocational, High School Lecturer or Teacher for considerable length of time.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Strong administrative, management and leadership skills;


Ability to maintain clear procedures that create attractive, functional, clean and healthy learning environment;
Sound judgment and analytical skills; and
Effective analytical presentation skills
Applications should be addressed to the:
Office of the Director-General
Civil Service Agency
P.O. Box 9019
63 Carey Street
Monrovia, Liberia

Deadline for submission of applications: September 18, 2015 @ 4:00 P.M.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Page 10 | Frontpage

Minister Konneh, in further


comments, promised to
work with the Ministries of
Health and Education to also
help curtail the difficulties of
getting access to health by
constructing a health facility
in the area.
No
child
should
be
subjected to crushing rocks

FINANCE MINISTER KONNEH TELLS LAWMAKERS

USE YOUR POSITION TO IMPROVE


THE LIVES OF YOUR PEOPLE
Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviainance
and
Development
Planning
Minister,
Amara
Konneh,
wants lawmakers to use their
positions and status to Kick
doors to improve the lives
of the people they represent,
especially those in dire

straits.
The Liberian finance Minister
spoke
disparagingly
of
lawmakers during the official
dedication of the Mary
Taryonoh Broh Institute
in district number six,
Montserrado County. The
real essence of democracy is
after election, not only during

election, he expressed.
The six room building is
expected to host five hundred
elementary students in the
district and was funded by
the Liberian government
with support from the district
development fund of over
hundred and fifty thousand
United States dollars.

Minister Konneh said: This is


what representatives should
doif you see your people in
difficult circumstances, use
your positions and kick doors
on behalf of your people. I
will try not to get in trouble
but I will try to speak my
mind.
He continued we give

AFL WILL COMPLY WITH IHL

them our vote base on the


promises and after they are
elected they turn their back
on us. That is not good, I am
not saying anyone is doing it
but that is not good.
Their job is to fight when we
are dividing the money and
they are very good at that,
he stated.

Speaking
passionately
about the wellbeing of the
children of that community,
he called on other officials of
government to ensure that
kids of that community are
not subjected to crushing
rocks for survival.
The Rock-hill community
is one of the impoverished
communities
outside
Monrovia.
Parents of that community,
on a daily basis, make ends
meet by crushing rocks
with their bare hands. I am
happy that this school is here
because I have tried to send
my kids to school but it has
been difficult. Crushing rocks
with my bare hands has been
very challenging. And to be
frank, the hammer has been
my husband, a single mother
of three told the gathering.
The school, named after
Madam Mary Broh, Director
General of the General
Service
Agency
(CSA)
will provide free primary
education to kids of who have
not had the opportunity to
enroll. The school, according
to Representative Edwin
Snowe, will also provide
school kits to students.
Snowe represents district six
at the National Legislature.
The construction of the
school,
according
to
Representative Snowe, is
in fulfillment of a promise
made by President Sirleaf
in 2010 when she visited
that community. Snowe
commended Finance Minister
Konneh and President Sirleaf
for making true her promise.
In response, Madam Broh
promised to work in the
education sector when she
retires. She promised to rally
support for the school named
in her honor. Madam Mary
Broh, described by many as
General Broh, is known for
her no nonsense approach in
her work ethics.

Defense Boss Assures ICRC Head of Delegation

Monroviaiberias
Defense
Minister
Brownie
J. Samukai, Jr., has
assured the head of
Delegation of the International
Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC), Mr Julien Lerisson,
that the execution of operative
missions of the Armed Forces
of Liberia(AFL) will be in
compliance with international
humanitarian law(IHL).
Welcoming Mr. Julien Lerisson
at his Defense Ministrys office
when he paid him a courtesy
call on Tuesday, September
15, 2015, Minister Samukai
asserted that the Ministry
of National Defense remains

supportive of the work of


the ICRC in Liberia. The
Minister further reaffirmed
his institutions commitment
in upholding the principles
governing
international
law that applies during
humanitarian crises, adding
we appreciate and firmly
recognize the humanitarian
role being played by the ICRC
globally.
It is therefore our responsibility
to ensure that enlisted, NCOs
(non-commissioned officers)
and officers of the AFL uphold
the tenets of IHL within the
perimeters of their functions.
The Defense boss further
intimated that his Ministry will

close ranks with the ICRC in


an effort aimed at enhancing
the internal capacity for
wouldbe AFL trainers within
the domain of international
humanitarian law. It is
anticipated that with capacity
development in the area of IHL,
our gallant men and women
will continue support to civil
authority and that they will
be imbued by their training to
respect religious, medical and
other required symbols during
crisis the defense boss noted.
For his part, the head of ICRC,
Mr. Julien Lerisson lauded
Minister Samukai for the hefty
partnership which subsists
between the both entities as

evidenced by ICRCs presence


during major field exercises
involving the AFL. This
kind of collaborative effort,
according to Mr. Lerisson,
has brought both institutions
at closer latitude. The ICRC
boss
re-emphasized
his
organizations preparedness
to liaise with the AFL Training
Command in implanting into
the psychic of new recruits
basic humanitarian laws. As
guardian of International
Humanitarian Law(IHL), our
role is to ensure that there is
respect for medical mission;
inclusive
of
ambulance
services,
health
facilities
and how to conduct search

during crises, Mr. Lerisson


recalled. He therefore assured
Minister Samukai of the ICRCs
preparedness to work with
the AFL in strengthening
its internal capacity with
reference to first aid training so

as to foster emergency health


care delivery during crises and
to partner with the AFL within
the confines of international
humanitarian law.

WANTED DONT GET RICH


FROM OUR PAINS
Wednesday, September 16, 2015

NEWS EXTRA

Frontpage

Page 11

EBOLA SURVIVORS TELL GOVERNMENT, NGOS

Court Wants Five FIB Employees


indicted For Alleged US$4m Theft
Kennedy L. Yangian 0777296781
kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com

People dont know the pains we went through so they take our picture and
take it to where they want and receive the money and we cant see it, so we are
begging them to stop taking our pains to get rich- Angeline Teah, Survivor

he decision came thereafter when their counsels told the


court that from the this case was assigned for hearing
on August 2015 he (Atty Melvis Grupee and the entire
Henries Law Firm have made substantial efforts to locate
Angie Brooks and Kebbeh Kulah Klark who they are representing
but to no avail.
Counsel says as of todays date they have not been able to locate
their client, hence this is our information to this ho nourable court
said Atty. Grupee.
Another counsel for another defendant Victoria Yakuba, Atty. Kpoto
Gizzie also told the court that it was regrettable that his client
despite his advice to her to appear in court she does not want to
yield to the advice.
She was called and warned that it is mandatory by law for her to
be present at every stage of the proceedings but our client still has
not complied with her counsels advice said Atty. Gizzie.
Gizzie further told the court that if his client filed to again be present
in court on Wednesday, September 16, 2015 he and another lawyer
representing her will no longer represent her legal interest.
In his ruling Judge Gbeneweleh went on to say that despite the
repeated refusal of the five defendants to appear the court is left
with no alternative but to set their bail bonds aside and have the
defendants detained.
The clerk of this court is hereby ordered to issue a writ of arrest
with a commitment and place same in the hands of the Sherrif to
arrest and detain them at the Monrovia Central Prison where they
will remain pending the hearing and determination of their case
said Judge Gbeneweleh
The defendants ordered arrested are: Angie Brooks, Kebbeh Kulah
Klark, Richard Gboyah, Beyan Dadzie and Victoria yakuba.
Based on the refusal of the five defendants prosecution lawyer
headed by Montserrado County Attorney Cllr. Daku Mulbah have
asked the court to grant trial to the four other defendants that were
present at the hearing to include co-defendants Africanus Freeman,
Jermain Tegli,Robert Cummings and Aurelia Tamba.
At the same time the prosecution lawyers also prayed which
was endorsed by the court to amend provision of the indictment
Section 15.80 sub paragraph a, b, c relate to economic sabotage and
that the modification should reflect Chapter 15, Section 15.2 of the
Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financial Act of 2012.
The claimed that this provision supports count 1 of the indictment
as opposed to the provision reflected by mistake that relates to
economic sabotage when the defendants are not charged for the
commission of said offence.
However, the four defendants now on trial in open court pleaded
not guilty when the indictment was read to them hereby joining
issue with the state.
Are you guilty?, no we are not guilty said co-defendants, Africanus
Freeman, Jermain Tegli, Robert Cummings and the lone female
Aurelia Tamba as the trial was adjourned to continue on Wednesday
September 16, 2015 at 9;00 p.m.
The 10 FIB bank employees were indicted by the state during the
February 2014 Term of Court for allegedly stealing over US$4m
while serving in various capacities at the bank between January
2012 to February 2013.

Bettie K. Johnson/ betty.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviaew Kru Town was


one of the hotspots
during the Ebola
outbreak
in
the
country.
Though the Ministry of Health
and partners are yet to disclose
the number of deaths in each
affected community, but the
virus struck over 4,000 lives.
There have been many

programs launched to empower


and support Ebola survivors.
In New Kru Town, a local NGO
known as Women of change
launched an Ebola survivor
reintegration Program project.
Angeline Teah was a part of
over 30 survivors women who
attended the Ebola survival
reintegration program.
In angry tone, she said the
Government
and
NGOs

should stop making money


out of survivors, saying they
experienced so much pain.
She states, We felt the pains
and we know what we went
through let the Government
and NGOs stop making money
out of us, because sometimes
they come and take our pictures
but we dont receive anything.
Said Teah, I got discharged
from ELWA-3 and my sisters

left three children back but now


I have to sponsor them, this is
the Government who since we
got discharged from ETUS they
have not put in mechanisms
that will improve our lives or
put these orphans in school.
Also speaking John Gibson,
Program Manager of Women
of change said the program
is geared toward building the
capacity of survivors.
He added that the project is
also a long term empowerment
which will ensure that the lives
of survivors improve.
Mr.
Gibson
said
the
survivors should appreciate
empowerment
through
capacity training than financial
support. It is not about money,
people come to help you,
appreciate skills training and
education when it is given to
you.
He pleaded with the survivors
to be actively involved in the
ongoing research so that the
issues affecting them can be
known to be the researchers.
There was a workshop and a
weeklong training for survivors
in New Kru mainly tailoring.

Director General
At the National Fire Service,
President Sirleaf has also
appointed Mr. Jacob Johnson
as Assistant Director for
Operations
Liberia Telecommunications
Corporation, Cllr. Carlos
Smith, Chairman, Board
of Directors; Mr. Charles
B. Roberts, Jr. , member of
the Board of Directors; Mr.
James P. Cooper , member
of the Board of Directors;
Ms. Eyvonne Bright Dennis,
member of the Board of

Directors; Mr. Nathaniel


Gbaba, member of the Board
of
Directors,
(replacing
Mr. Thomas Yaya Nimley);
Mr. John Ballout member
of the Board of Directors
(replacing Mr. Pierre King)
and Mr. Sebastian Muah (MD)
, member of the Board of
Directors
Also at the Liberia Institute
of Public Administration,
the President has names the
Board of Directors naming
the
Chairman,
National
Commission
on
Higher

Education, The President,


University of Liberia, The
Chairman,
Governance
Commission, The DirectorGeneral, Civil Service Agency
Mr. Arthur Fumba (Financial
Expert), Mr. Saah NTow
(HR/Career
Development
Expertise)
Mr.
Latim
De-Thong
(Private Sector Capacity
Development)
According to the Executive
mansion the appointments
are subject confirmation by
the Senate where applicable.

PRESIDENT SIRLEAF MAKES MORE APPOINTMENTS IN GOVERNMENT

Monrovia
resident
Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf has
made a number
of
appointments
in Government affecting
the
Liberia
National
Lotteries
Authority,
National
Fire
Service,
Liberia Telecommunications
Corporation
and
the
Liberia Institute of Public
Administration.
Those appointed include:
Liberia National Lotteries
Authority, Mr. Martin Kollie,

ARBITRARY HIKE

Transport Probing Increases in Air Ticket fares

Monrovian Liberia price control


is
huge
problem
which is largely due
to the country status
as
engaging
in
more
importation and exportation
of basic consumables.
In the service sector mainly
transportation, locally the
fares are determined by the
prices of petroleum products
and the conditions of roads.
For air travel, Liberia does
not have a national carrier
service provider and as such
international airlines mainly

Kenya Airways, SN Brussels,


Royal Air Maroc are amongst
the regular airlines that fly to
Liberia.
In recent weeks, travelers
have been complaining that
Kenya Airways has increased
its fares promoting a probe
by the Ministry of Transport.
The Ministry of Transport
has indicated that in
collaboration with the Liberia
Civil Aviation Authority it has
commenced an investigation
into recent increase in the
cost of air ticket by various
airlines operating in Liberia.

According to the Ministry


of Transport and the LCAA
on Monday, August 31 they
met with the Management of
Kenya Airlines to discuss the
situation and the meeting was
held in the office of Transport
Minister
Angela
Cassell
Bush and was attended
by the Director General of
the Liberia Civil Aviation
Authority
Mr.
Richelieu
Williams, Kenya Airways
Country Manager, Mr. Felix
Wambua and the Deputy
Transport Minister, Juanita
Traub-Bropleh.discussed the

increased ticket fares by the


East African airline.
The Ministry indicated that
speaking during the meeting,
Transport Minster Angela
Cassell
Bush
expressed
profound concerns over
reports
and
anecdotal
evidence collected by the
Ministry
of
Transport
concerning increases in the
price of air tickets between
Monrovia and Accra and
the Minister observed that
the price increase is raising
serious concerns within the
Government and among the

Liberia public.
Responding to Transport
Minister Cassell Bush, Kenya
Airways Country Manager Mr.
Felix Wambua conceded that
Kenya Airways has increased
the cost of air ticket to Accra
for technical reason since
August of 2015.
Minister
Cassell-Bush
requested the Management
of Kenya Airways to provide
to the Ministry and the
LCAA technical data and
justification for the price
increase for analysis and
review by Government.
Minster Cassell Bush noted
that a team of technical and
experts from the Ministry of
Transport and the Liberian
Civil Aviation Authority will
investigate price and other
data and information from
the Kenya Airways to inform

a determination on the recent


Kenya Airways increase. The
investigation is expected to
be concluded very shortly.
The Kenya Airways Country
Director
has
agreed
to provide all relevant
documents to the Ministry of
Transport.
The Ministry stated that
it will be holding similar
meeting with other carriers
within the sector to ensure
equity within the air fares
without interference to the
market forces and called on
the Liberian public to remain
calm and assure all Liberians
that both institutions will
deploy the governments
capability and competence
to bring the current situation
under control.

Page 12 | Frontpage

STILL STRIVING

LIBERIA GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL RESPONSE

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

TO DO MORE

Liberia Government replies churches Critique


Fellow Liberians:
Last week, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf met with ranking
members of the Liberian Council of Churches. The meeting
which focused on the foundation of the Republic on Christian
principles proved to be enlightening for all concerned. Hours
later, through various media reports, the government became
aware of an ecumenical letter from the Liberian Council of
Churches over the signature of its President, Most Reverend
Jonathan B.B. Hart, drawing attention to issues of corruption,
education, health and poverty issues that are inextricably
linked and with which the government is seriously concerned
and endeavoring to comprehensively address.
The Liberian Government views the Liberian Council of
Churches as constructive partners in the ongoing process of
transformation, and accordingly, entreats its positions with
due respect and seriousness. However, we do not believe its
recent public posture tells the whole story or accounts for
the progress we have achieved together.
CORRUPTION

Corruption remains public enemy number one. Describing


corruption as a vampire is, once again, a reminder of the
seriousness of this societal ill as well as the duty Liberians
share to fight it everywhere in the government, in the
church, in various communities, in schools, and in our homes.
Making the fight as inclusive as possible is how we will
continue to be successful. There is no doubt that the Church
is an enduring pillar of the Liberian State. This enviable
position imposes a duty, perhaps more than on many other
institutions of the Liberian society, to be enjoined with the
government in ensuring the total health of the nation whose
lifeblood corruption, the vampire, is desperate to suck
away. And so we continue to believe we can both do more.
But the need to do more in the fight against corruption
ought not to translate into an understanding by the Council
that nothing has been done to fight corruption. In 2007,
Liberia was included in the Transparency International
Corruption Perception Index (CPI) Ranking. The CPI ranks
countries of the world from least corrupt to most corrupt by
objective measures of various independent organizations.
In 2007, Liberia wallowed at the bottom ranking 150 out of
180 countries. In 2008, the country ranked 138 out of 180
countries. In 2009, Liberia advanced 41 places and ranked
97 out of 180 countries.
In 2010, the country ranked 87. In 2011, apparently
distracted by the conduct of free and fair elections, Liberia
ranked 91. In 2012, Liberia achieved its highest ranking
and highest place of 75 out of 176 countries. In 2013, the
country dropped eight places to rank 83 out of 177 countries
and outperformed many of its neighbors and countries on
the continent. According to the latest report for 2014, the
difficult year of the Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak, Liberia
ranks 94 out of 175 countries. This is the objective proof of
the measure of progress in the fight against corruption.
Additionally, as has been widely reported, early next
month, the country is poised to enter into Compact with the
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) from which the
country is expected to benefit from a grant of USD256.7M
to be largely invested in electricity and road maintenance,
binding constraints to the growth of the Liberian economy,
and by extension, major impediments in the efforts to
improve the living conditions of our people. Under this
Program of the United States Government to which Liberia
has been engaged for at least three years, similarly-situated
countries compete amongst themselves principally in areas
of democratic governance and control of corruption to qualify
for the much-needed grant. Liberias continued success over
the last three years is due in no small measure to its ability
to consistently pass the scorecard on control of corruption
which measures the countrys efforts in fighting corruption
against other countries similarly situated to Liberia.

Certainly the Council will agree that corruption is endemic


historically rendering all institutions of the society
vulnerable to its cancerous embrace. This settled truth has
therefore compelled two unavoidable consequences in the
ongoing fight against the scourge: Firstly, that there is bound
to be a perennial struggle between objective reality and
popular perception about corruption. And secondly, that if
we are to continue to succeed as we believe we can, then we
must continue to fight corruption collectively, systemically
and sustainably.
As to the struggle between objective reality and popular
perception, the government continues to seek a useful
balance by improving public awareness and exposing the
stubborn facts of our collective progress always aware that
public perception will not simply go away. Sadly, then, public
posturing on this grave issue by venerated organizations such
as the Liberian Council of Churches, in obvious disregard to
the available objective evidence, can only fuel the inherited
negative public perception about the ability of the society to
wage a successful war against the vampire. Worst still, it
leaves the unfortunate impression that corruption exists only
in the government, and that only the government has a duty
to fight it. On either of these counts, the resultant effect is
to publicly undermine the ongoing fight against corruption.
As to fighting the public menace sustainably, the approach
of the government has been to begin by deliberately and
continuously addressing individual and institutional
vulnerabilities including improving civil servants salaries
and capacities within available means as well as creating
and reforming public institutions. Today, there are more
integrity institutions than ever, and although we are still
limited by the lack of capacities and resources to do all that
we wish to, yet, in public procurement, for example, we
have incorporated best international practices to ensure
transparency, accountability and value for money. These
individual and institutional safeguards are showing signs of
bearing fruits across the public bureaucracy.
The truth also is that continuous audits are now a main feature
of the management of public resources an obvious departure
from the past. Through the Public Accounts Committee of the
Legislature or the Courts, as deemed necessary, we continue
to hold public officials duly accountable for proved abuse
of the public trust. As promised, and after much-needed
reforms including to the jury law, the courts have begun to
produce a number of indictments and convictions of public
officials for corruption-related offenses. This has brought
a sustainable whole-of-government approach to fighting
corruption. Also, where it has been necessary to take
immediate administrative actions, pending final resolution
by the Legislature or the Courts, the Executive domain has
consistently done so without fear or favor.
Another important measure of proven success in the ongoing
fight against corruption is the growing sense of public
awareness which has now been generated against corruption,
and upon which both the State and the Church must continue
to build. We celebrate this significant gain even though, in
the interim, it makes for many unsubstantiated claims in
the public space. But we believe this is a reasonable, albeit
annoying, small price to pay in this important endeavor.
Make no mistake: The fight against corruption is far from
over. Throughout the ongoing efforts, we continue to
remind ourselves that we are not where we know we can
be. However, it is wrong for the Council to have ignored the
changing reality of our circumstances, and to suggest, as it
has, that nothing has been done to fight corruption.
Finally on this subject, we know the church to be a
community dedicated to the spiritual and moral nurturing
of its members. Today, many public officials are members of
various churches in the country. Some are even serving in
high positions of trust in the church. Either prior to entry into
the government or while they are in the government, many
of these public officials regularly fall under the moral and
spiritual guidance of their clerics. To therefore suggest that

the government has failed in the fight against corruption


that these same officials are somehow irredeemably corrupt
even if this were true and supported by available evidence,
is to correspondingly admit the moral failing of the church
for which the Council must also accept responsibility.
EDUCATION

Regrettably, we find the Councils position on the educational


system to be wanting, and we refuse to believe that it is
largely informed by the expressed need of the government
to subject subsidies to private schools to increased levels
of accountability. At 5,181 schools, there are more school
buildings constructed across the country than before the
war, and at 1.1 million students, enrolments, especially of
girls, exceed the pre-war periods. Obviously, here again, we
do need to renovate and construct more buildings. But as the
Council will agree, schools are more than buildings.
They include teachers, over a third of which are not qualified,
with for instance, up to 70% of teachers in Sinoe being
untrained. As the Council knows, war drains a nation of its
brains, and in the case of Liberia, effectively removed the
capacity to produce possible replacements. Especially as a
result of this, we are seeing our children underperform in
public examinations including the West African Examinations.
The government is equally concerned that many of our
schools, including private schools, are failing our children. In
fact, the evidence is that the public schools are outperforming
the private which are largely faith-based. As the Council
knows, it takes courage in leadership to call a problem for
what it truly is. And so we did. However, we have not only
called a problem, we are employing resources and capacities
to faithfully address the problem.
The government therefore encourages the Councils
cooperation in achieving the announced reforms in the
educational system so as to provide the best quality of
education to our children. The time-bound objectives of the
comprehensive plan of the government includes putting
in place the foundations for a Liberian educational system
that improves all students learning by 2017, and seeing a
significant improvement in childrens learning outcomes
and national literacy rates by 2020. This is why the recent
action by a number of private institutions some of which are
members of the Council to enroll their students in the WAEC
Exams against the directive of the Ministry of Education is
unhelpful.
Of course, we wish the Council had joined us in the meeting
with the students and the administration of the University
of Liberia. Perhaps its position on this serious matter would
have been less cynical. Suffice to say that all stakeholders
in quality education at the University of Liberia need to do
more. We admit that the government needs to source the
means to allocate more than the current USD15M to the
University. The same is true that the administration needs
to do more to improve the services and quality as well as
to attract additional support, and the students need to do
more to purchase the quality of education that is lacking. Not
only is the cost of education at the University of Liberia the
cheapest in the world, at LD175 per credit hour, compared to
all other tertiary institutions which are dominantly churchowned, it is by far the cheapest in the country.
Finally on this subject, we can only encourage the Council
to join us in these efforts, rather than assume an unenviable
seat on the sidelines.
HEALTH

It has been well-documented that in 2006, the countrys


health care system was anything but that with, for example,
only 41% of the population accessing basic health care within
5km distance or one-hour walk, with 354 health facilities
serving more than three million people and accounting for
a population to health facility ratio of 1:10,500 persons.

SEE PAGE 13

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

LIBERIA GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL RESPONSE

The country had 3,966 health workers of which 60% were


unskilled staff while 46% of health facilities were managed
by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Average salary
for nurses was approximately LD800 or USD15 while medical
doctors received USD30 or its equivalent in Liberian Dollars.
Malaria prevalence rate was 66% as the country frequently
experienced outbreaks of infectious diseases such as
diarrhea, cholera and measles all of which are on the
decline with malaria being reduced to 28% by 2012. In
2006, three counties had no functional hospitals and eight
counties including River Gee, Grand Cape Mount, Grand
Gedeh, Rivercess, Gbarpolu, Sinoe, Grand Kru and Maryland
had no Liberian medical doctor to provide quality and
comprehensive health services.
Prior to the EVD Outbreak, according to the WHO statistics,
Liberia ranked among eight countries on the Continent to
achieve under-5 mortality (MDG 4), from 194 in 2000 to
114 in 2009, recording the fastest rate of annual reduction
on the Continent of 5.4%. These were achieved through a
robust Public Health Care (PHC) Approach adopted by the
government integrating immunization campaigns with
deworming, Vitamin A supplementation as well as increasing
the number of fully immunized children. By 2009, according
to the MDG 2011 Report on Assessing Progress in Africa,
seven African countries, including Liberia, were classified as
best-performing in reducing Infant Mortality Rate by at least
50% between 1990 and 2009. On account of these serious
and sustained interventions, even while hosting refugees,
since 2006, remarkably, Liberia has not experienced acute
watery diarrhea and or cholera outbreaks anywhere in the
country.
Interestingly also, since 2009, physicians have increased by
30%, while the other three core health professionals have
all increased by 50-60%. Each county now has at least one
medical doctor with increase in salaries for nurses from
USD15 to USD275, and for doctors from USD30 to USD1575.
Functional health facilities have increased by 86% from 354
in 2006 to 657 in 2015, similarly increasing access from 41%
to 71% in 2013. In 2006, the per capita health expenditure
was USD3.3 per person compared to USD17.2 in 2013/14,
excluding donors funds. Importantly, since 2011, public
health care services have been mandated to be free-atpoint-of-use ensuring equitable access to health care by all
Liberians.
There were many other notable and recorded improvements
in the health sector since 2006 including the completion
of two regional TB Laboratories at Phebe Hospital, in Bong
County and the Liberia Government Hospital in Grand Bassa
County as well as the provision of 61 clinics with solar
panels in 2013. From budgetary allocation of USD10.9M in
2006, budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Health have
been increased year-on-year including up to USD67.3M
in 2012/13, and USD76.7M in 2014/15. Ranging from
deliveries assisted by skilled provider and antenatal fourth
visits for pregnant women to receipt of all basic vaccinations

Monroviaparin
Wamba
dreamt of becoming
a geologist when
he enrolled at the
University of Liberia two years
ago to study geology has been
shattered by death.
That dream was cut short when
he got missing on September 6,
2015 at 11p.m. in the Neezoe
Community, Paynesville while
returning from the home of his
uncle.
After a massive search in the
last six days by family and
friends, the decomposed body
of Oparin was discovered in
running water in the Peace
Island Community on the
Somalia Drive with a deep
wound, leaving many to
speculate whether he was
mobbed by his night time
attackers.
Police investigators at the spot
where the body was discovered
reported claims of foul play,
alluding that the victim may
have been mobbed by some
unknown men.
Following the report, the
decomposed body of Junior
was turned over to his family
by the police and was taken
to the Neezoe Cemetery for
interment with an assurance
from the police that they will

for children under the age of one as well as counseling and


testing for HIV, the health sector, prior to the EVD outbreak,
showed appreciable levels of improvements in service
delivery to our people.
Notwithstanding these accomplishments, experts are in
agreement that the size and scale of the Ebola outbreak we
faced would have similarly collapsed the health systems
of many countries and shatter their economies. But our
commitment is to rebuild a more resilient system, as has
already begun, with the help and support of our partners.
Again, we do not claim to have had a resilient health system
but we certainly had one which was capable of responding
to usual ailments, and it had increased access for more
Liberians. We will continue to rebuild the health system
and in that process account for the possibility of outbreaks
such as Ebola, which even more developed countries have
themselves admitted, the world was unprepared for.
POVERTY

Improving the welfare of our people is at the core of the


purpose of this administration. This is why we continue
to prioritize the infrastructure, especially electricity and
roads, as the backbone to Liberias economic growth and
development. The harsh truth is that of Liberias 10,000km
of roads, only about 700km is paved. To pave the roads as
we desire will cost USD2.2billion which the country does not
have. However, within our means and with the support of
our partners, we continue to open new access and pave more
streets and highways in the country because the multiplying
effect is to reduce the cost of living on our people. On Sunday,
September 13, we dedicated one such project at the cost of
more than USD8M to safely link the Township of Caldwell to
Monrovia and as far as Kakata, in Margibi County.
The same is true about electricity and water. Although the
government inherited zero operational public utility and
social services in the country, all of which had broken down,
been destroyed or looted, but for the disruptions caused by
the EVD Outbreak, the country was on track to rehabilitate
the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant to complement other
efforts at power generation and distribution across the
country including in villages and towns which had never
experienced such growing necessity to improvements in
their living conditions since Independence. Access to safe
drinking water by many Liberians has also been exponentially
increased from zero when this administration came into
office to at least 60 percent. Again, we are committed to
doing more.
Of course the wage bill has increased due in large measure
to adjustments in the income of civil servants and bringing
others including healthcare workers previously paid by
NGOs onto the payroll. Notwithstanding the adjustments,
admittedly, there still are inherited disparities in incomes for
example between doctors and politicians to which we have
already objected and are currently addressing.

Frontpage

Page 13

We do not apologize that salaries of civil servants increased


from a minimum of USD15 in 2006 to a minimum of USD125
today must always have first claim on the budget. However,
by creatively adopting the Medium Term Expenditure
Framework (MTEF) budgeting, we have ensured that muchneeded investments in public sector improvement projects
intended to significantly address poverty are included and
protected in the new medium term expenditure cycle. We
have also introduced the County and Social Development
Funds not only to increase outlays to the counties for their
development but also to increase Liberians participation in
and ownership of the development of their villages, towns
and counties.
The truth also is that under this administration, many of the
inherited and challengingly high indices by which poverty
is measured have been respectably, and in some cases,
exponentially lowered. For instance, life expectancy in 2014
has improved to 60.6 years compared to 46 years in 1985.
Each year since 2006, the countrys human development
score has increased from 0.33 in 2006 to 0.41 in 2014.
According to the latest report on Liberia Food Security
Assessment, food consumption has improved over the last
years. An indicative trend shows that 50 percent of the
population had either poor or borderline food consumption
in 2006. By 2010, this rate reduced to 41 percent. In 2012, the
poor food consumption households represented 18 percent
of the population. Today, the households characterized
by poor food consumption constitute 5 percent of the
population. Liberians engaged in business and with access
to micro-credits and financing have also increased.
At 175 out of 187 countries, no doubt Liberia remains a poor
country. But we did not become poor yesterday or last week!
Our historic failures to invest in education, health, agriculture,
roads, electricity, and human capacity to pursue the
collective benefits of inclusive growth especially in the best
of times inevitably contribute to the poverty of any nation.
Compound that with the total implosion of the Liberian State
and up to 90 percent collapse in the productive sector of the
economy, the greatest by any nation since World War II
all of this just over a decade ago as well as the complete
overturn of the moral compass and it becomes easier to
appreciate the remarkable resilience of the Liberian people
and the achievements of their government.
Obviously, we are not overwhelmed by these
accomplishments. We continue to strive to do more. But
we believe that the ongoing efforts including increased
public participation in national decision-making as well as
programs of decentralization being diligently pursued will
strengthen the foundations of change we have introduced
change in how we serve our people and provide them the
tools they need to be lifted from the sinking pits of poverty.
Again, we ask you to join us in these important undertakings
and remain constructively involved.

MISSING 36-YR OLD MAN FOUND


DEAD IN RUNNING WATER
Kennedy l. Yangian kennnedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com

continue their investigation


into
the
mysterious
disappearance of the 36-yr
old man until the alleged
perpetrators are booked and
brought to justice.

Two persons (name not


disclosed) who have been
identified as in-laws of the
late Oparin are reported to
have lately interacted with
him prior to his disappearance

are undergoing investigation


at the Liberia National Police
Headquarters.
The Neezoe Cemetery where
the late 36-yr old was buried
late Saturday evening was the

scene of weeping by family


members and friends who have
lost a promising loved one.
We all saw Junior around last
Sunday. To hear that he has
gone missing and now found

dead in this cruel manner is


shocking; who killed Junior?
People have become so wicked
in this country nowadays, one
weeping community member
said.
According to family sources,
Oparin Wamba, born in 1979,
was brought from Nimba
County to Paynesville in 1997
by his uncle Abayomi Wamba
to seek further education.
While in Monrovia, he enrolled
at the Catholic run school in
the Rehab Community.
Following the completion of
high school, the late Oparin
Wamba enrolled at the
University Of Liberia (UL)
in 2012 in the Department
of Geology with a dream to
become a future geologist until
he met his untimely demise on
Saturday, September 12, 2015.
Most community residents in
the message of condolence to
the beavered family described
the late Oparin Junior Wamba
as humble boy who will be
highly missed by his family and
peers.

ZIMBABWE'S MUGABE DELIVERS


WRONG
SPEECH IN PARLIAMENT
Harare (AFP) -

WORLD NEWS

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

HUNGARY

Page 14 | Frontpage

PAGE

RONT

at its border with Serbia, the


EU's external frontier, would
automatically
be
turned
back. Anyone trying to sneak
through would face jail.
In scenes with echoes of the
Cold War, families with small
children sat in fields beneath
the
former
communist
country's new 3.5-metre (10
foot) high fence, which runs
almost the length of the border,
topped with razor wire.
Prime
Minister
Viktor
Orban, one of the continent's
loudest opponents of mass
immigration, says he is acting
to save Europe's "Christian
values" by blocking the main
overland route used by mainly
Muslim refugees, who travel
through the Balkans and cross
his country mainly to reach
Germany or Sweden.
Hundreds of thousands of
people have been arriving at
the EU's southern and eastern

edges and making their way


to the richer countries further
north and west in the greatest
migration to Western Europe
since World War Two.
The influx has created an
institutional crisis for the
28-member EU, with one of the
bloc's signature achievements,
its Schengen system of borderfree travel across much of the
continent, unraveling this
week under the strain.
Record arrivals forced Germany
to
reimpose
emergency
frontier controls this week,
with several neighbors swiftly
following suit.
Germany and other relatively
open countries say Europe has
a moral obligation to accept
refugees, and other EU states
must be required to do their
part.
Eastern European countries
argue that a more welcoming
stance
encourages
more

people to make dangerous


voyages, and risks attracting an
uncontrolled influx that would
overwhelm social welfare
systems and dilute national
cultures.
Under its new rules, Hungary
said it will now automatically
turn back refugees who arrive
by land over the main route
from Serbia, a country it has
declared "safe". Asylum claims
would be processed within
eight days and those at the
Serbian border should be
rejected within hours.
If someone is a refugee, we
will ask them whether they
have submitted an asylum
request in Serbia. If they had
not done so, given that Serbia
is a safe country, they will be
rejected, Orban was quoted as
telling private broadcaster TV2
on Monday.
We will start a new era,"
government
spokesman
Zoltan Kovacs said shortly
after midnight on the border.
"We will stop the inflow of
illegal migrants over our green
borders.
Serbia called the new Hungarian
rules "unacceptable". The
United Nations disputed the
definition of Serbia as safe,
saying the poor ex-Yugoslav
state lacked capacity to house
thousands of refugees turned
back at Europe's gates.
Orban says that by reinforcing
the EU's external border
his government is merely
enforcing EU rules, and that
no countries are duty-bound
to take in refugees that pass
through safe states. Critics
at home and in European
neighbors say some of his
rhetoric has crossed a line into
alarmism and xenophobia.
Long queues formed in noman's land at metal containers
built into the fence, where
migrants were expected to
register, though only a handful
were seen entering. They had
spent the night in the open,
given tents, food and water by
aid workers.
Nine Syrians and seven Afghans
were detained by police and
faced possible imprisonment
on suspicion of breaching the
fence, the first arrests under
the new rules.

Russia has denied it is


expanding
its
military
presence in Syria but has
pledged to continue support
for Assad.
US officials have expressed
fears that Russia may strike
Western-backed rebel groups
battling Assad and ultimately
risk a confrontation with
forces fighting the Islamic
State (IS) group.
Moscow has been pushing
for a broader coalition of
forces to take on IS, but key
regional players such as Saudi
Arabia have ruled out fighting

alongside Assad.
Putin said that Assad was
willing to work with Syria's
"healthy" opposition to find a
political solution to the fourand-a-half year civil war but
insisted that tackling IS was
the priority.
"Undoubtedly the need to
unite forces in the fight against
terror comes to the forefront
today," Putin said.
The
Kremlin
strongman
blasted critics of Moscow's
support for the "legitimate"
Syrian authorities and said the
current migrant crisis rocking

Europe would be even more


dire if Russia had not backed

Assad.
"If Russia had not supported
Syria the situation in the
country would be even worse
than in Libya and the flow
of refugees would be even
greater," he said.
Syria's conflict began with antigovernment demonstrations in
March 2011.
But after a bloody crackdown
by the ruling regime, it
spiralled into a multi-front civil
war that has left more than
240,000 people dead.

LOCKS DOWN
EU border, taking migrant crisis into its own hands

imbabwe's 91-year-old President Robert Mugabe read


the wrong speech at the opening of a new session of
parliament on Tuesday, repeating an address he gave
to the legislature last month.
The veteran leader read the 25-minute-long speech through to
the end, apparently unaware that he was delivering the same
text he presented during his state of the nation address last
month.
"There has been a mix-up of speeches resulting in a situation
where... the president delivered the wrong speech," said
presidential spokesman George Charamba.
"The mix-up happened in his secretarial office," Charamba was
quoted as saying in the state-owned Herald newspaper's online
edition.
"The error is sincerely regretted and corrective measures are
being considered."
Mugabe, Africa's oldest leader, earlier this year fell down the
steps leading from a podium. He was unhurt, but video of the
fall went viral on social media.

ROUHANI'S NUCLEAR DIVIDEND TO


FEATURE IN IRANIAN ELECTIONS

Reuters) ran's nuclear deal may be eroding its isolation overseas,


but at home it is deepening political infighting within the
country's complex power structure before two important
elections, officials and analysts say.
The agreement - welcomed by Iranians eager for a lifting of
sanctions and improved living standards - has increased the
popularity of pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani, alarming
hardline allies of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
They fear Rouhani could challenge Khamenei's power if
Iranians, grateful for a deal that may bring jobs and prosperity,
reward the president in the votes early next year to parliament
and the Assembly of Experts, a clerical body with nominal
power over the supreme leader.

PUTIN PLEDGES TO KEEP UP MILITARY SUPPORT FOR SYRIA'S ASSAD

NIGERIA'S SLAM POETS RAIL AT


CORRUPTION, CALL FOR CHANGE

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)


igeria's young poets hurled words against the
injustices plaguing the giant of Africa, from
corruption to Boko Haram's insurgency, in the fifth
"War of Words" poetry slam.
Scores crammed into a stuffy space in Lagos, Nigeria's chaotic
commercial capital, as 20 finalists from across the country
battled for first place and $500. That's nearly six month's pay
at the minimum wage.
"Now That Change Has Come," was the challenge for the
competition, suggesting the reforms promised by new
President Muhammadu Buhari.
"You have three minutes to bring that stage down," 13-year-old
Oyinkansola Adesewa advised a friend. Soon Adesewa herself
took the stage in a bold pantsuit that she created of green and
white swirls echoing the colors of Nigeria's flag and launched
into a poem about how the "national cake" is not divided
equally.

SERBIAN-HUNGARIAN
BORDER (Reuters) ungary's right-wing
government
shut
the main land route
for migrants into the
EU on Tuesday, taking matters
into its own hands to halt
Europe's influx of refugees.
An emergency effort led by
Germany to force European
Union member states to accept
mandatory quotas of refugees
collapsed in discord. Berlin
called for financial penalties
against countries that refused
to accommodate their share
of migrants, drawing a furious
response from central Europe.
A Czech official accused Berlin
of making empty threats while
Slovakia said such penalties
would bring the "end of the
EU".
Under new rules that took
effect from midnight, Hungary
said anyone seeking asylum

Dushanbe (Tajikistan) (AFP) ussian


President
Vladimir Putin on
Tuesday pledged to
continue
military
support for Syrian leader
Bashar
al-Assad
after
Washington sounded the alarm
over an alleged military buildup by Moscow in the war-torn
country.
"We support the government
of Syria in its fight against
terrorist
aggression,
we
provide and will go on
providing it with all necessary
military assistance," Putin
said at a regional security
conference
in
ex-Soviet
Tajikistan.
A US military official told AFP
on Monday that Russia has sent
artillery units and seven tanks
to a Syrian air base as part of
moves to boost its military
presence there.
The alleged increase of Russian
hardware in Syria has caused
concerns in the West about
the implications of Moscow
militarily helping its long-time
ally Assad.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

ristiano
Ronaldo
moved three clear of
Lionel Messi at the
top of the Champions
League scoring charts after
a hat-trick against Shakhtar
Donetsk.
His treble, which included
two spot-kicks, took him to 80
Champions League goals and
eight in his last two games.
Ronaldo's third was a header
after Marcelo's shot had been
parried.
Karim Benzema had tapped
in Real's opener after keeper
Andriy Pyatov dropped a cross,
while Shakhtar had Taras
Stepanenko sent off.
Real Madrid's main cause for
concern from the game was
forward Gareth Bale having to
go off injured after 32 minutes.
The Wales international was
holding his calf before being
replaced by Mateo Kovacic,
while the Spanish club's
centre-backs Raphael Varane
and Sergio Ramos were also
substituted with knocks.
Rampant Ronaldo
Ronaldo was level with
Barcelona rival Messi on 77
Champions
League
goals
before Real Madrid began their
quest for a record 11th crown
in Europe's top competition.
But after the Portuguese had
bagged five goals against
Espanyol on Saturday, he
scored his third Champions
League hat-trick to move clear
on his own at the top.
Ronaldo and Messi have
constantly overtaken each
other for the honour of the
competition's most prolific
scorer and the latter will have
the chance to respond when
Barcelona meet Roma on
Wednesday.
The first of Ronaldo's spotkicks came after Darijo Srna
was controversially adjudged
to have handled the ball,
despite a shot from the Real
forward appearing to hit him
on the back.
"I feel so proud and happy to
score eight goals in two games
but that is not my goal - my aim

Sports

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REVIEW

AWFUL NIGHT FOR MANCHESTERS

MADRID DUO CELEBRATE AS UNITED, CITY SLIP

SPORTS

MOURINHO

LAUNCHES STUNNING
DEFENCE OF CHELSEA
& HIS MANAGEMENT

ose Mourinho has hit


out at questions about
the mood in the Chelsea
dressing room and
insists he has nothing to
prove amid his sides poor
run of form.
The
Premier
League
champions have secured just
four points from five games
this season, while Mourinho
has already admitted that he
and his players are unhappy
with the start they have
made.

WENGER GETS THE BEST


OUT OF ME, SAYS OZIL

is to be good all season and for


the team to succeed, which is
the most important for me, and
win trophies," said Ronaldo.
"It is just the beginning of the
season. The league is long. It is
too early to say we are amazing
or bad. Let's work the same
way and let's see what happens
at the end of the season."
"Without playing a brilliant
match we still created a lot
of chances," said Real Madrid
manager Rafa Benitez.
"Bale had a spasm in his calf
muscle. We must wait a day or
two to see how serious it is. He
had a similar issue last year."
Elsewhere, former Real Madrid

and Manchester United winger


Angel Di Maria scored the
first goal of this season's
Champions League group
stages when he put Paris-St
Germain on the way to a 2-0
victory againstMalmo.
The Argentine sent an angled
shot into the top corner for
his first goal since scoring
for United in an FA Cup tie
against Yeovil in January, with
an Edinson Cavani header
following Zlatan Ibrahimovic's
backheel completing the win.
Wolfsburg brought in Julian
Draxler from Schalke as a
replacement for Kevin de
Bruyne and he scored the only

Former Lone Star striker urges National team

A. Macaulay Sombai, sombaifrontpageafricaonline.com 0777217428

Page 15

Both Madrid teams and Sevilla made it a perfect start to the UEFA Champions League
group stage for Spain but there were defeats for the two Manchester clubs on Tuesday.

REMAIN STEADFAST

Monroviafortnight ago, the


Lonestar scored an
important
victory
against Tunisia in the
qualifying round of the 2017
African Cup of Nations Group
(a) chase.
Many football enthusiasts and
veterans described the win as

Frontpage

very important because it has


been long since the Lonestar
brought joy to Liberians.
One of such persons is veteran
striker Jonathan Sogbie, alias
Boy Charles. Sogbie played a
striking role for Lone Star from
the early 1990s until 2002.
He was recruited based on his
excellent performance on the

Invincible Eleven (IE).


Sogbie described the triumph
of Lonestar over the North
African side as a step forward
but urged Head coach James
Debbah, members of his
technical staff and players
to remain steadfast as they
continue their preparation for
the remaining games in the

goal in the 1-0 win over CSKA


Moscow when he stabbed in
a shot after his initial header
was saved.
Atletico Madrid made a strong
start to their campaign as
they won 2-0 in Galatasaray
courtesy of two first-half goals
from Antoine Griezmann.
Borussia
Monchengladbach
were back in Europe's top
competition after a 37-year
absence but lost 3-0 to Sevilla.
The Spanish side had three
penalties in the match. Kevin
Gameiro scored the first but
missed the next before handing
over spot-kick duties to Ever
Banega, who made no mistake

group chase.
The veteran striker said the
national side answered the
prayers and wishes of many
Liberians. For that, he said,
they deserve applause.
According to him, the Lone Star
had several scoring chances
against the visitors that could
have resulted into more goals
but the players did not utilize
those chances.
Says Sogbie: Quite honestly,
I think our team gave us their
best by the fact that we won
against our opponents but
there were too many scoring
chances they could have
converted into goals in the first
half and multiple in the second
half but the players failed to
put into use those chances.
The former player highlighted
that he thinks there is a long
way to go and the Liberian
people must not jubilate
too much but continue to
encourage the team as they
struggle to make the difference
for the nation and its people.
I think there is a long way

for their second goal.


Yevhen Konoplyanka's shot
from the right wing caught
Monchengladbach
keeper
Yann Sommer out at his near
post for Sevilla's third.
Champions League debutants
Astana were the first team
from Kazakhstan playing in the
competition but were beaten
2-0 by Benficaafter goals from
Nicolas Gaitan and Kostas
Mitroglou.

to go for the Lone Star in


her group so I am urging my
fellow Liberians not to carry
on too much jubilation but
we must continue our fullest
support to head Coach Debbah,
members of his technical staff
and players in order to keep
their minds focus on the team
remaining games to come.
The veteran said his love for the
Lone Star goes beyond money
and called on the Liberian
people to stop complaining
about the lack of money for
the national team but they
must first ensure that the team
has caliber of players that can
make the difference outside
Liberia.
He said Lone Star victory
against the North Africans
came through 13 players,
which included the 11
players, the fans and the home
advantage.
Sogbie paid homage to the
team, players and members
of the technical staff for the
victory and said he hopes
that they will do more for the
nation.

esut Ozil has


voiced
his
admiration
for
Arsene
Wenger and has revealed
that
the
Frenchman's
presence played a huge role
in his decision to leave Real
Madrid for Arsenal back in
2013.
The Gunners parted with
42.5 million to acquire
the Germany international,
with Ozil becoming a key
figure at the Emirates
Stadium following his
move.

XAVI: GUARDIOLA STOPPED


ME JOINING BAYERN MUNICH

arcelona icon Xavi


has revealed he
rejected a move
to Bayern Munich
because of a vital intervention
fromPep Guardiola.
The 35-year-old currently
plays for Al-Sadd in Qatar after
turning down the chance to
join Guardiola in Germany in
the 2014 close-season to spend
one more year with Barcelona,
a decision which proved
successful as the club won the
treble under Luis Enrique.
Xavi said he had a similar
opportunity to join the
Bundesliga side while he was
in his prime as a 28-yearold, having just helped Spain
to glory at Euro 2008, when
Guardiola was on the other
end of the conversation and
persuading him to stay put at
Camp Nou.

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com

VOL 9 NO.142

Sports

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015

PRICE L$40

CHAMPIONS
LEAGUE REVIEW

AWFUL

NIGHT FOR

MANCHESTERS

Madrid duo celebrate


as United, City Slip
see page 15

VISIT UNCLE ZEH'S LAUNDRY


& DRY CLEANING SERVICE
ON CROWN HILL, BROAD STREET

WHERE THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST

Call: 0775-149-376, 0775-149-161

You might also like