County News

Law & Order

TOP
pg 5
STORIES

pg 8

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

PROBING LAC
EXPLOSION

POLICE 102
FOOTS ACCIDENT
VICTIMS BILL

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES

LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR

MOL LEADS LONG

AWAITED INVESTIGATION
IN BASSA

I met with the family and informed them that right

now it should be all about seeing that this young
man is back on his feet but at the end of the day, it
should not be about grandstanding. - Col. Abraham
Kromah, Deputy Police Director for Operations

BUYING

FrontPage

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2015

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.

www.frontpageafricaonline.com

VOL 9 NO.37

SELLING

Source:
Research, Policy and Planning Department,
Central Bank Liberia,
Monrovia, Liberia

PRICE L$40

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

SENATES ELECTS CAPE MOUNT

LAWMAKER AS CHAIRMAN ON JUDICIARY

ACCOMMODATION
FOR SHERMAN

I will exert myself, apply my resources and ensure that this committee will be vibrant, resourceful, delegated and
committed
and you will be proud of it. Senator Varney G. Sherman (UP-Grand Cape Mount County)

CLLR. MICHAEL ALLISON

A DEAD HERO

IN THE ELLENS CORRUPTION FIGHT

p 6

Legislative Beat- pg.5

RETURNING
TO NORMALCY

Households Begin Returning To Work in Liberia as

Ebola Crisis Wanes; Long-term welfare remains a
concern as country moves toward economic recovery

p 7

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Page 2 | Frontpage

Bettie Johnson /betty.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monrovian what appears to be a last offensive in the fight against

corruption, the government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleafs
Ministry of Justice, Monday lined up arrest warrants against 10
individuals, who are past and current government officials for
their alleged role in a bribery saga at the National Oil Company of
Liberia (NOCAL).
The indictment comes at a time when President Sirleaf is visiting the
United States of America and is expected to hold meeting with United
States President Barrack Obama. President Sirleaf has taken major
decisions ahead of her meeting with President Obama on February
27-lifting the curfew imposed during the outbreak of the Ebola virus,
announcing the reopening of the countrys borders with neighboring
countries, followed by an indictment against several individuals.
Over 10 defendants in the NOCAL bribery saga were nowhere to be
seen Tuesday when the bailiff of criminal Court C roamed the city of
Monrovia to serve them a writ of arrest issued by the court.
Defendants Clemenceau Urey former board chair of NOCAL, former
Education minister Dr. Evelyn Kandakai, Grand Kru Senator Albert
Chie, and Cllr. Stephen Dunbar among others are amongst those
indicated and could face arrest.
The indictment states that the individuals committed the crime of
Economic Sabotage, a felony of the first degree in violation of chapter
15, subchapter F, section 15.80(a) (b) (c) (e) of the new penal law of
Liberia, title 26 of the Liberian code of laws.
Defendant Urey, Dunbar, Kandakai, Chie all then members board
of directors, NOCAL, Dr. Kromah, president/CEO, NOCAL and
the other indictees knowingly, willfully, purposely and intentionally
colluded to defraud the Government of Liberia of US$120,400 by
engaging themselves into the solicitation, payment and or receipt of
money, for the alleged purpose of ratification by the 52nd Legislature
of oil contracts entered into by and between NOCAL and several
companies, according to the indictment.
Judicial sources told FrontPageAfrica that the defendants have
gone into hiding after publications Tuesday, reported the looming
indictment against the accused by the Government.
A source said the writ of arrest was issued Tuesday morning and the
indictment should have been attached, but it was frustrating to have
seen the publication of the indictment in the newspaper, when there
is a law that provides that an indictment is not to be disclosed until a
defendant is arrested.
One legal practitioner added that with the newspaper report may have
forced the accused into hiding as many are said to be contemplating
filing bonds upon the recipient of the writ from the court to avoid
arrest.
The court knows they are in hiding and they are planning to come
under the jurisdiction of the court and as soon their writ is served, they

will file their bonds, a lawyer who preferred anonymity observed

Tuesday.
Under the law, there are five means to file a bond and the court cannot
restrict a defendant on the type of bond to file before a court of
competent jurisdiction.
Whether it is criminal appearance bond, insurance bond, property
evaluation bond, cash they will decide, but the court cant do for
them, a court official explained.

Defendant Urey, Dunbar, Kandakai, Chie all

then members board of directors, NOCAL, Dr.
Kromah, president/CEO, NOCAL and the other
indictees knowingly, willfully, purposely and
intentionally colluded to defraud the Government
of Liberia of US$120,400 by engaging themselves
into the solicitation, payment and or receipt of
money, for the alleged purpose of ratification by
the 52nd Legislature of oil contracts entered into
by and between NOCAL and several companies,
according to the indictment.
The source disclosed that any bond filed by the defendants cannot be
denied by the court and if a court denies the bond, the defendants
lawyers will file a writ of mandamus before the Supreme Court.
The bond is to secure the defendants on a day to day appearance,
even if they file a bond and wants to travel, they need to file an
application saying that they are travelling and the court can hear it
based on the merit the court can grant or deny it, the legal source
hinted.
NOCAL the company overseeing the development of legislations
for the emerging oil sector of Liberia has always been at the center
of controversies over corruption related issues and reports of money
changing hands in the awarding of oil contracts to multinational
corporations.
The expenditure report for a reported United States ten million
dollars provided by oil giant Chevron as social contributions, remains
unknown with reports that Robert Sirleaf, the son of President Sirleaf
who served as Board Chairman of NOCAL singlehandedly handled
the money, engaging in self-styled humanitarian initiatives.
NOCAL was also embroiled in bribery allegations when officials
of the company admitted during audit that they spent thousands of

dollars to bribe lawmakers to ratify oil legislations. The lead audit

institution, the General Auditing Commission (GAC) of Liberia
recommended in the audit that the Ministry of Justice further probe
the admittance by NOCAL officials that they bribed lawmakers to
ratify oil related agreements.
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) also recommended
to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution of individuals connected to
the bribery saga.
An unsealed indictment from the Ministry of Justice is creating fear
amongst the ten individuals as FrontPageAfrica has gathered that
these individuals are on the run fearing arrest as they look out for
legal representations before their arrest.
Lawmakers to be arrested?
One of the indictees in the NOCAL alleged bribery saga is Grand
Kru Senator Albert Chie who once served as member of the NOCAL
board.
If arrested Senator Chie will be the second Senator to be arrested
and prosecuted for committing a crime after former Margibi County
Senator Roland Kaine (2008) was prosecuted for his alleged role in
an incident that left several people dead along the Farmington River
in Margibi County.
Legal experts argue that the arrest of lawmaker will be in violation
of article 42 of the Liberian constitution. Legal pundits have given
different interpretation to Article 42, with some saying a lawmaker
can be arrested when he or she is not in session. But others argue that
a sitting lawmaker can be arrested on non-session days.
Article 42 states: No member of the Senate or House of
Representatives shall be arrested, detained, prosecuted or tried as
a result of opinions expressed or votes cast in the exercise of the
functions of his office.
Members shall be privileged from arrest while attending, going to or
returning from sessions of the Legislature, except for treason, felony
or breach of the peace. All official acts done or performed and all
statement made in the Chambers of the Legislature shall be privileged,
and no Legislator shall be held accountable or punished therefore.
It can be recalled that Former Senator Roland Kaine and 13 others
were accused, arrested, charged by the government and sent to court.
Following long period in detention facing trial, Kaine was acquitted
along with others. When contacted, one of the defendants, Urey,
former NOCAL board chair only had this to say: Look youll please
leave me alone; please leave me alone. All efforts made to contact
the others proved futile because they could not be reached.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Frontpage

Page 3

FrontPage COMMENTARY
EDITORIAL EVERY FIRE STARTS WITH A SPARK
Commentary

POLICE MUST PROVE ITS

WORTH WITH A REPORT
IN ALLISONS DEATH

SINCE THE DEATH of Atty. Michael Allison more than

a week ago, the Liberian National Police announced
that it immediately commenced investigation to
ascertain the circumstances that led to the incident but
it seems all is now tied to an autopsy report from a
Sierra Leonean Pathologist.
ON THE DAY of the incident, eyewitnesses confirmed
that the police was alerted about the incident when the
late Allison was accordingly rescued from the water
where he was allegedly found drowning.
ONE EYE WITNESS account narrated that the police
failed to remove the body of the deceased on the day of
the incident despite arriving on the scene, resulting to
mutilation of the dead body the next day.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING the death
of Allison has led to widespread speculations that
something sinister took place and that he did not die
under normal cause.
AN INCIDENT OF such nature requires prompt
investigation in order to dispel the looming fear that
people fighting corruption are at risk especially when
the deceased was part of an ongoing investigation into
an alleged corruption saga.
EVEN A FAST preliminary report is necessary while
full scale investigation continues, as it will help to calm
tension and restore some level of confidence in the
police force.
WHENEVER, THE SECURITY force such as police
fails to perform its functions; it leaves the public with
no options but to continue to speculate that something
went wrong in Allisons death.
AT THE BACKDROP of all the rumors and
speculations, the Liberian National Police, responsible
for investigating such mysterious incidences including
deaths is under obligation to investigate and produce a
report for public consumption.
IT NOW SEEMS all the questions and suspicions
surrounding the death of Allison are now tied to an
autopsy report which is yet to be released by a Sierra
Leonean, Dr. Koroma.
THE POLICE MUST perform its statutory mandate
to investigate and produce a report not relying on an
autopsy conducted by a foreign doctor before releasing
a report.
OVER THE LAST few years the police has proven
incapable of conducting investigation as there are
numerous instances where it has assured the public
of conducting investigation into events but in the end
these reports are never released to the public.
IT IS A shame for a force trained with the help of the
international community including the United Nations
Mission in Liberia where experts were brought into
the country and some police officers sent abroad
for training to prove unable to perform such duty as
conducting investigation.
THERE ARE COUNTLESS instances where the
Liberian national Police has failed to live to up
expectation in conducting investigation and the Allison
case must not be another one this time around.
IT IS A compelling duty of the police to utilize the
trainings conducted using thousands of dollars by
performing it duties including conducting investigation.
LIBERIA CANNOT CONTINUE to spend millions on

Joe Bartuah, Contributing Writer

he recent death, in Monrovia, of Counselor Michael Allison

is not only alarming, but also portends danger for all peaceloving Liberians, due to relevant circumstances preceding
his suspicious death. Allison had been identified as a
whistleblower in an ongoing corruption investigation by the Liberia
Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) involving Mr. Alex Tyler, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives and another lawmaker, who
was reportedly acting on Tylers behest. Evidently, Tyler is one of the
increasingly powerful government officials in Liberia nowadays. As
Speaker, his socio-political tentacles cut across every spectrum of the
Liberian society; at the Capitol, he leads a group comprising 103 men
and women who virtually do whatever they wish, including increasing
their salaries, even as 99 percent of the people they represent groan
in abject poverty.
Moreover, since it was announced several years ago that some
petroleum resources had been discovered off the coast of Liberia, the
country has been bracing for the resource curse, which pathetically
plagues the likes of petro-rich Angola, powerful Nigeria and other
natural resources-rich countries. Most frequently these days when
one surfs the web about Liberia, rather our lawmakers introducing
some brilliant pieces of legislation that will transform the lives of
their poverty-stricken constituents, it is most often about certain
lawmakers, certain leading government officials bickering about this
petroleum block or that petro block; obsession about wealth at the
expense of national development seems to be menacingly escalating
to the detriment of the stability of our nation-state.
It is against this backdrop that Mr. Alex Tyler, Speaker of a struggling
third world country, which still heavily relies on external aid to cope
with the exigency of life would appropriate $1.2 millionyes, you
got it right--$1.2 million solid American dollars to hold consultation
before enacting one piece of petrol law. Even though the 2014 budget
for New York City (dont confuse that with New York State) Fire
Department was $1.71 billion, I dont think the Speaker of the City
Council of New York would be foolhardy to squander $1.2 million of
taxpayers money on bogus consultation.
Liberia currently occupies an unenviable 23rd place along with
North Korea on the global Failed State listing, on which countries are
dismally rated based on the percentage of their violations of human
rights and the rule of law; severe poverty and economic decline;
performance of the security system and the rise of factionalized elites
among others. On that index of global repute, our patrimony has a
95.1 aggregate points of negativity on a maximum of 120. World
Banks data puts our gross national income (GNI) at $750 based on its
2013 report; comparatively, Guineas GNI is recorded at $1,160 and
Sierra Leones is $1,690. Moreover, Liberias infant mortality rate
currently stands at 75 per 1,000 live births and we are ranked 175th
among 187 nations on the United Nations Development Programs
Human Development Report, based on its 2014 assessment, with
81.9 percent of Liberias 4.2 million people being labeled as multidimensionally poor, yet Speaker Tyler singularly elects to spend
$1.2 million in order ambulate within a 38,000-mile parameter and
hold consultations, basically with himself before enacting a petrol
law, as if such law would be the panacea for all of Liberias endemic
problems, which are actually rooted in unbridled corruption.
Not only that our Most Honorable lawmakers had consultations in
selected parts of the country, but they also decided to drink from
the fountain of knowledge of an expatriate as well as a local expert.
I dont know how the experts came into the picture. Was there an
open bidding process in order to select the lowest bid? Speaker Tyler
can best answer that question. Multiple media accounts have it that
Counselor Allison was one of the local experts; it seems that at Alex
Tylers Capitol, experts input is not an equal opportunity process,
because Cllr. Allison was paid far less than the Ghanaian expert.
You can call that Tylers brand of Liberianization, if you can; instead
of a Liberian expert being hired so that he/she can sub-contract a
foreign expert, it is the other way around in an inverted public policy
scenario. Allison was earmarked for $25,000 while Tylers Ghanaian
expert had a lions share of $75,000 attached to his name. Did that
include the foreign experts hotel bills, his travel allowance and other

emoluments? Only Speaker Tyler can best answer such questions.

Poor Allison! He, too, had learned his petroleum law and he was
probably a consummate patriot; he had a right, which he passionately
tried to defend until his shocking, questionable death a few days ago.
It is not clear whether this was a part, or final payment, but instead of
preparing a $12,000 check for Allison, Speaker Tyler and his cohorts
decided to write a $25,000 check, an excess of $15,000 of Liberian
taxpayers money. For whom was the excess $15,000 intended? Only
Tyler can best answer that question. Now, what I am hearing is that
Alex Tyler, who was not a super-rich man before he became Speaker,
decided to do for Liberia what Bill Gate, the honestly richest man in
the world is yet to do for his country. The incredible tale is that Tyler
pre-financed the whole process with his own money.
However, when time came for the encashment of the check,
something happened; yes, something captivating and memorable
happened, which, as fate would have it, had a lasting effect on
Counselor Michael Allisons life until his shocking death. He
displayed a penchant for principle; he might not have had any special
connections at the Capitol to be considered as a lead expert in this
opulent petrol consultation, but he insisted on taking a stance against
endemic, pervasive corruption; he opted to expose some shady
deeds in contemporary Liberian officialdom, thus leading to strong
allegation by the LACC against Tyler. In fact, LACC recommended
that the Speaker be prosecuted for corrupt practices.
Unfortunately, this is Liberia, where a privileged few men and women
can even be much more powerful than the nation state. In the fantasy
of the privileged few, they are the state; they are the law and so, the
idea of everyoneincluding the few super-rich and all-powerful
being under the law is unthinkable. Yes, this is Liberia, where the
richest and most powerful few do as they wish with utter impunity.
It is therefore not surprising that up to this hour, Mr. Alex Jenekai
Tyler is still the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republic of
Liberia, bubbling with enormous power, period!! Who dares question
the apparent impropriety of Speaker Tyler? Who has the political,
legal muscle to question the all-powerful guythe Manjafrom
Bomi?
So far, besides the late Counselor Allison who exposed Tyler and his
cohorts, the lone voice on record has been that of Counselor James
Verdier, the Executive Director of the LACC, a brilliant young man
who actually means well for his country. But does Verdier have the
support of the most powerful in the Liberian society? Will Speaker
Tyler have his days in court? Are folks at the seemingly timid Justice
Ministry prepared to prosecute the Most Worshipful Speaker of the
House of Representatives?
Yes, under the principles of our laws, one is presumed innocent until
proven guilty in a court law with the requisite, competent jurisdiction.
In what appears to be characteristic of Liberias political idiosyncrasy,
Tyler has not humbled himself to resign the Speakership and
prove his innocence in a court of law; his extraordinarily powerful
socio-economic, political tentacles remain intact as the principled
lawyer who dared to expose him is found dead under questionable
circumstances! This is horrific!! There is no doubt that Counselor
Allison was a potential witness in the corruption allegation against
the Speaker. Interestingly, Mr. Tyler remains unperturbed; hes busy
organizing a political party in support of his ambition to become the
next president of Liberia in 2017, perhaps to institute a sort of Bomi
dynasty at the level of presidency.
As I looked at the dead photo of Cllr. Allison on the Internet and read
the terrifying story about his death a few days ago, I was reminded
of the Rat Trap parable, which is familiar to many Liberians. As the
story goes, on one occasion, Mr. Cat was on a hunting errand in his
meek and humble demeanor when he shockingly encountered a trap,
ostensibly set for a rat. Cat cautiously avoided the trap, but he reasoned
that the trap portended danger for everyone in town. Because he was
concerned, because he cared, Mr. Cat scurried to Goat, Sheep and
Cow to quickly alert them. This trap is dangerous for us all, Mr.
Cat cautioned. However, the elite cattle were cynical and dismissive
because they are not hunting animals. What do I have to do with a rat
trap?, some of them were quoted as saying.

Please read full commentary online. www.frontpageafricaonline.com

v

a police force that cannot investigate and establish the

cause of death peaceful citizens.
WHILE THE DR. Koroma is still conducting his
autopsy, the police has a responsibility to the public to
release a report into the death of Atty. Allison.
IN THIS CASE, if the police is incapable of conducting
an investigation in this particular one, it must come out
bluntly to enable the government of Liberia looks out

for competent Liberians to investigate.

WHAT GOOD IS a police force that cannot investigate
when investigation is one of key functions of policing
all around the world?
THIS TIME AROUND, the police must step up and
prove its worth with a credible investigation into the
death of Atty. Allison, not waiting for report from a
foreign pathologist.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Page 4 | Frontpage

FrontPage

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB

COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE

EJS SUCCESSION:
LIBERIAS PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION CONFIGURATION
GEORGE ABOU GONTOR SENIOR GEOLOGIST AT
NATIONAL OIL COMPANY OF LIBERIA
Another poor political anatomy from Rodney Sieh; how will a journalist
weights one's popularity over his potential electorates. In no way, except
for Weah and the Vice President, that these three gentlemen can defeat
a personality like Sen. Prince Johnson and Sen. Varney Sherman in any
national elections. Please go back and rewrite a piece that opinion poll
will buy.
Top of Form
SARR ABDULAI VANDI TOP COMMENTER WASHINGTON,
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
There is absolutely no correlation and/or possible endorsement of the
OBAMA administration of Madame President's corrupt and incompetent
administration simply because of the Ebola threat and/or success. The
international comity admonished and encouraged the U.S. to take the lead
in combating the Ebola pandemic in Liberia. The U.S. had no interest in
pumping up and salvaging the dictator and plutocrat.
FrontPage Africa's assessment is disingenuous and a paid PR stunt at
best. Liberia remains a corrupt, an unaccountable and in transparent
nation-state, under the grand old warmonger and queen of the apocalyptic
mushroom cloud.
With regards to the transition and the suggested succession lineups, none
of the above is up to the task. Besides, the choice shall be made by the
U.S., and neither of the FrontPage Africa's presently anointed wannabees
is on the U.S. preferred radar.
LAR-YOME Z. GOBAH AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL
UNIVERSITY
VP Boakai should do the honorable thing by not contesting. Liberians are
tired with the stench smell of Unity Party. Urey is doing great but he and
Jones could be the new cash cows like Sherman in 2005. Therefore the
possibility of either Weah or Brumskine becoming president is evident.
However, in Liberia, anything is possible so do not rule out Kofi Woods
or Augustine Ngafuan. No cussing, more dialoguing!
SAMPSON BLOH MONGER TOP COMMENTER HOLY
FAMILY UNIVERSITY, PENNSYLVANIA
Weah will do pretty well in the Senate and as President of Liberia. He is
an unquestionable patriot who loves Liberia from the depth of his heart.
EDMOND BEI BROWNE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL
UNIVERSITY (AMEU)
Brumskine is the best for the presidency .
SIMEON SIMEON TOP COMMENTER OWNER AT SELFEMPLOYED
Front Page Africa is an market media house, That s only lookout for
payment before selling ur CV, Urey can even sleep in the streets of
Nimba and Bong until 2017 Presidency election and, With his so called
international connection, Urey can never and ever win Representative
Acarous Gray in any category of election in Liberia, Mills Jones is a
good man but Front Page Africa should understand that s Mills Jones
is working for the Liberian people and he s should be only grateful to
the Liberian people, And wait on his best chance for Runningmate only,
All this analysis from Front Page Africa just to involve Mills Jones for
underward cut, But Mills Jones is aware and very careful, For Charles
walker Brumskine, No issue in There to discuss, He s will never cross
fourth place, Liberty Party succeeds in Lofa and Bassa including... See
More
SOLOMON.BLYDEN (SIGNED IN USING YAHOO)
Sen. Weah's main challenge is for him to convince the vote rich counties
like Bong, Nimba, Margibi, Bassa and Lofa that CDc can make better
leadership for liberia. CDC has not succeeded in doing that, this was
clearly shown in the just ended senatorial elections which CDC succeeded
in winning montserrado and grand gedeh counties; if the variable remains
the same as shown in the just ended elections, then, Weah's chances in
2017 may be undermined. Lofa county featuring a candidate in 2017 may
have some uphill battle; strategic post in govt now are manned by them
from foreign affairs, defense, maritime, finance, etc including the VP lofans should begin image building as a way to diffuse things and help the
current VP. Urey link to the Taylor's sentiment and the NPP could pay off
for him, take Bong county for example.

DISCLAIMER

The comments expressed here are those of our online readers and
bloggers and do no represent the views of FrontPageAfrica

The Reader's Page

Send your letters and comments to:

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

SAY A PRAYER FOR LIBERIA

The Editor,

ay your prayers Liberians for we are about to resume

the second half of the deadly Ebola game as the referee
in the game, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wants to
impress US President Barack Obama and the world
that all is well back home in the fight against Ebola. I only wish
President Obama could read the above story before meeting the
Liberian leader. But I will make sure the above story reaches
the Washington media powerhouses and the White House Press
Corp as I will either forward, hand-deliver or send a copy to their
Washington news departments via US Postal next day registered
mail delivery in time before her meeting with President Obama
this Friday.
Meanwhile, Liberians are expected to converge on Washington
on Friday to protest outside the White House against the failed
leadership of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Like I did in August
last year when Vice President came to the African leaders meeting
hosted by President Obama, I am in the process of securing a
permit from the DC Police Department for the protest by Liberians
in the U.S.A. against Sirleaf.
That the Liberian President can lift the curfew and reopen the
borders especially with Ebola-plague Sierra Leone and Guinea
without putting in place the necessary health protocols to screen
border crossers is a recipe for a return to the Ebola nightmare that
killed 4,000 Liberians.
Another story that I will forward to US media is the FPA story of
February 20, 2015 written by Bettie Johnson, under the caption:
"Ebola Threat: S. D. Cooper Hospital Closed;-30 Quarantined."
This story exposes the lack of professionalism and a coordinated
national healthcare system one year after Ebola first surfaced in
Liberia. The breakdown in the system allows the equivalent of an
Ebola infected suicide patient on a death-wish mission, Amanda
Blah to have spread the disease to dozens of people including
healthcare workers, not only at the S.D. Cooper Hospital, but
to other communities and hospitals including Liberia's premier
flagship government hospital,
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in the heart of the
capital, Monrovia. FPA: "Blah also beat the JFK (Hospital) outer
triage where there was no information on her following a trace
by contact tracers of the Ministry of Health. At the inner triage at
JFK, her (Blah) temperature was 97.7 degree Fahrenheit and she
allegedly BRIBED (workers) and got through the hospital with
her high temperature, but was later denied by healthcare workers
at JFK and she ESCAPED the hospital and went to the S.D.
Cooper Hospital, " reporter Bettie Johnson wrote.
Not only that, Blah who died from Ebola was able to dupe the
borken healthcare system using three names--Catherine Katter,
Louise Mawolo and Amanda Blah. This is what happens in the
absence of an official national I.D. Card system in Liberia as Blah
was never confined and quarantined at the first medical center she
entered. The story said Blah reportedly had sex with a number
men, who in turn probably had sex with other women or their
wives/partners.
Another FPA story that exposes the unreadiness of Liberia to
fully defeat Ebola is in the February 20, 2015 edition under the
headline: "Curfew Lifted, Borders Opened Ahead of ObamaSirleaf Meeting." It said "...the President ordered the reopening
of all the country's main borders....based on the advice if the
National Security Council of Liberia," but then obviously without

any coordinated national health protocols put in place for the

country and at the borders.
"The Ministry of Health has also been REQUESTED
(apparently after borders reopened) to ensure the ADOPTION
and implementation of health protocols that will prevent the
importation of the (Ebola) virus through any of the (border)
crossing points, while members of the Joint Security assigned
at the borders are mandated to work closely with the health
authorities to ensure adherence to the health protocols (not yet
adopted) and safety at all times." Liberia is a funny country where
leaders continue to mortgage the lives of the citizens.
So let me fast forward to the above story and the national health
protocols that are supposed to by now be in place, especially at the
Bo Waterside border crossing between Liberia and Sierra Leone.
"..there were no buckets or hand washing stations at the border
entry for hand washing. People walked through the gates without
their temperatures tested/checked."
To hear the national security officer in charge of the border put it
more bluntly on the health protocols or the absence of any health
protocols, and the premature opening of all borders sums up the
urge for our publicity craving President Sirleaf to falsely impress
US President Obama, but I know the US President is smarter
than that. Border Offcer George J. Reeves said: "I am not being
sophisticated by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. I am
here and I don't have a thermometer. I don't have a hand washing
station. I don't have anythinh of such. I will be venerable when
the people are coming in and how do I regulate the people when I
am not sophisticated"?
FPA: "The Health Ministry was visibly absent from the opening
of the border, and the Liberian Ambassador to Sierra Leone
arrived at the Sierra Leonean border town of Jendema AFTER the
ceremonies had been concluded."
Interestingly as a sign of no cooperation from the Sierra Leone
government, the FPA story continues: "The Sierra Leone side of
the border remained closed pending confirmation from Sierra
Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma to reopen his side of the
border." The Sierra Leone leader is staying true to his name,
Ernestly speaking, his country is in no hurry-hurry mood to
impress any world leader.
So how much manpower does Liberia have at that key border
crossing and the logistics to deal with the expected huge influx of
people: Police, Immigration Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA),
and the Ministry of Health? Sorry, minus Health Ministry protocol
personnel. "We are not mobile ( meaning no patrol cars) or logistics
to enable us to travel beyond this area. As for Police, we don't
have manpower; only two uniformed Police officers are here. We
are appealing to you (journalists) to convey the message to our
bosses. Liberia is not 100% Ebola free. Let us keep that at the
back if our minds...." said Abraham M. Jabateh, the Bo Waterside
Police Commander. President Obama, now you know the picture
of the Ebola crisis still plaguing Liberia as you meet the Liberian
leader. And that is my Open Letter To President Obama.
Will anyone please pass on my commentary to both Presidents
Barack Obama and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf?
JERRY WION
WASHINGTON, DC

EDITORIAL TEAM

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

077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
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com
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com, 0886-304498

Sports Reporter, A. Macaulay Sombai,macaulay.sombai@

FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428
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ACCOMMODATION
FOR SHERMAN
Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Frontpage

Senates Elects Cape Mount Lawmaker As Chairman on Judiciary

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviat appears all is not lost

for Senator Varney G.
Sherman
(UP-Grand
Cape Mount County)
who was elected to the Senate
Judiciary Committee Tuesday.
The newly inducted lawmaker
whose initiation into the

senate was delayed due to

legal bottlenecks could not
contest for the much-coveted
Senate Pro-Tempore position
due to the Supreme Court
delayed decision in the writ
of prohibition filed by his
opponent.
During Tuesdays session a

week after the election was

held for chairman of senate
statutory committees, plenary
of the Senate, elected Senator
Sherman on a white ballot,
as chairman on the senate
committee on judiciary, claims
and petition.
His election makes him the

only newcomer to occupy a

senior leadership position and
it comes in the wake of news
about his interest to occupy the
senate Pro-Tempore position
an ambition that was stalled by
court proceedings.
Senator Sherman replaces
Senator Joseph Nagbe (NDPL-

I met with the family and informed them that right now it should be all about seeing
that this young man is back on his feet but at the end of the day, it should not be about
grandstanding. - Col. Abraham Kromah, Deputy Police Director for Operations

Sinoe County) who contested

against Senator Armah Jallah
(NPP-Gbapolu County) for the
post of Pro-Tempore and lost
by three votes against his rival.
Senator Nagbe could not
maintain his position as
chair on the senate Judiciary
committee because he resigned
his position to compete in
the election for Senate Protempore.
Sources say after the election
for the pro-Tempore position
which Nagbe lost the Protempore position, Senator
Jallah asked Nagbe to continue
as judiciary chair and promised
to campaign with members of
his majority block to ensure
that he wins, but Nagbe turned
down the offer.
The ruling Unity Party
chairman and also a renowned
Liberian in a statement to
plenary told his colleagues that
his election to the post would
be an added advantage to that
body, judging from his 35
years of experience in the legal
sector.
Senator Sherman promised
to conduct the affairs of the
committee to the satisfaction
and pride of the senate.
I will exert myself, apply my
resources and ensure that this
committee will be vibrant,
resourceful, delegated and
committed and you will be
proud of it, Sherman said.
The senate also elected Senator
Steven
Zargo
(LP-Lofa
County) as chairman on the
House Defense and National
security committee, replacing
Senator
Prince
Johnson

Page 5

(NUDP-Nimba County) who

joined Senator George Weah
(CDC-Montserrado County)
as Liberias representatives to
ECOWAS parliament.
Zargo earlier applied to contest
the Senate Judiciary Committee
chairmanship, but withdrew
his intent at the eleventh hour.
Zargo has a background in
security, with experience as a
senior Police officer for many
years until his retirement.
Zargo in his acceptance
remarks promised to make
the Senate Defense and
National security Committee
more vibrant and promised to
continually engage all security
apparatus constructively, to
find solutions to problems and
challenges faced by the sector.
In a related senate News Mrs.
Regina Dogolea, wife of
former Liberian vice President
under former President Charles
Taylor, the late Enoch Dogolea
has written Plenary of the
Liberian senate, about plans
by family members of the late
statesman to remove his mortal
remains from the Paynesville
area and take it to his home
town for reburial.
In her communication Mrs.
Dogolea asked that body to
join the family of the former
Vice President and give her
husband a befitting reburial as
a sign of last respect for his
services rendered the country.
The late vice President served
Liberia under the leadership
of former President Taylor,
but died in office in the year
2000 and was replaced by the
late Moses Z. Blah who later
became President for just three
month.
The
communication
to
the senate was sent to the
leadership for action through a
motion filed by Senator Francis
Paye of River Cess County.

POLICE 102 FOOTS ACCIDENT VICTIMS BILL

Monrovia-

eputy
Police
Director
for
Operations, Col.
Abraham Kromah
paid a visit to the home of Victor
Johnson, the biker involved in
a collision with Col. Kromahs
vehicle last week who has
been undergoing treatment at
the John F. Kennedy Medical
Center in Monrovia.
During the visit, Kromah
hoped for a speedy recovery
for the victim, Victor Johnson
but cautioned Johnson and his
family against grand standing
the situation for political
purposes.
I met with the family and
informed them that right now
it should be all about seeing
that this young man is back
on his feet but at the end of
the day, it should not be about
grandstanding.
Col.
Kromah
told
FrontPageAfrica that he took
along crutches, drinking water,
and $US400 to help with the
hospital bill and other needs
of Mr. Johnson but said his
gesture was not an admission
of guilt but a help from a friend
to another friend. I do not
think anyone should be using
this issue as a political ploy,

said Kromah, who has repeated

accused the CDC of trying to
settle a score with him. My

car is available, my driver was

driving and not me. Theyre
making it look as if I am some

monster who hit a biker and

abandoned him when all I tried
to do was be there and make

sure that this brother was taken

care of.
Col. Kromah had earlier told
FrontPageAfrica that he did not
hit the victim Victor Johnson
intentionally but it was instead
a biker who was escaping after
spotting his vehicle which led
to the incident.
The victim, Johnson has been
on a media blitz in the last few
days, suggesting that the police
official has been fabricating
stories about the incident
which is at the verge of making
him to lose his two legs.
Kromah explains that he was
en route to a function, when the
motorcyclist saw his assigned
vehicle, (RL - 102) and began
to escape. In the process of
escaping, during the abrupt
sight of Deputy Director of
Police for Operations, the
commercial motorcyclist, in
a panic mood, dropped the
motorcycle unceremoniously,
for fear of being arrested,
which led to the passenger
(Mr. Johnson) falling off the
motorcycle and sustaining leg
injury, Kromah explained.
Narrating his ordeal, Johnson
said
his
sick
daughter
demanded to eat some cereal
which prompted him to hastily
contact the biker to take him

to the supermarket to enable

him get the cereal and while
in the process he and the
biker spotted Kromah but
based on his (Johnson) past
interactions with Kromah, he
told the biker to stop as he
communicated with the police
boss, introducing himself.
Condition not improving
Johnson who was discharged
Tuesday, claims that his
condition is not improving as
he continues to feel severe pain
and is unable to move apart
from lying in one location.
I am lying here all the time,
I cant move, the pain is
increasing, JFK said they will
remove the scarf from his legs
on May 15, but I am really
feeling pain, he said.
He said he is appealing for
assistance to seek treatment
because he fears that his legs
will get damaged.
Johnson also lamented that his
family is finding it difficult to
survive based on his current
condition and with schools
about to reopen, he does not
know how his children will
attend school this academic
year.

A DEAD HERO
Page 6 | Frontpage

IN THE ELLENS CORRUPTION FIGHT

Peter Quaqua, A Distant Friend

n May 3, 2012,
while celebrating
World
Press
Freedom
Day,
the Press Union of Liberia
organized a debate between
the University of Liberia and
Stella Maris Polytechnic on the
implementation of the Freedom
of Information Act. The Union
was honored to have three
distinguished
personalities
served as panel of judges: Cllr.
Michael Allison, Ms. Dehab
Ghebreab,
former
Public
Affairs Officers (PAO) at the
US Embassy near Monrovia
and Chris Simpson, formerly
of the BBC. I recalled how
Cllr. Allison was critical with
his scores.
On February 13, 2015, the
Liberians in and out of the

country were awakened to

the mysterious death news
of Cllr. Allison. The body
of the British trained lawyer
was found in underwear on a
Monrovia beach, with cuts on
the body suggesting foul play,
while other accounts say he
drowned.
The Lawyer, son of the late
Defense Minister, Gray D.
Allison during the regime
of Samuel Doe, came to
prominence recently when he
exposed what is thought to be
a corruption scam involving
the Speaker of the House of
Representatives Alex Tyler
and Montserrado District
#15, Representative Adolph
Lawrence.
Cllr.
Allison
provided legal consultancy
to the House on the draft oil

law for a fee of US$25,000.

He reportedly received half
of the amount at the start of
the work, but when the final
payment was being made,
a check for US$25,000 was
written in his name. According
to the story, the job was pre
financed by Speaker Tyler and
he [the Speaker] was therefore
demanding his money from the
check written in the lawyers
name. It was at this point
that Cllr. Allison, apparently
sensing corruption, alerted
The Liberia Anti-Corruption
Commission while on his way
to the bank to cash the check,
accompanied by the Speakers
man, Rep. Lawrence. The two
lawmakers have since denied
wrongdoing even though
the Public Procurement and

Concession Commission law

forbids pre financing.
The counselor was truly
an anti-corruption hero, a
whistleblower of class. It is
reported The LACC showed up
at the bank and confiscated the
money. The matter is said to
have been under investigation
before his death. There are
indications that lawyer was
being threatened and he had
expressed fears for his life to
fiends.
As it turns, instead of being
a champion in President
Sirleafs so-called fight against
the public enemy/vampire
called corruption, Cllr. Allison
is simply another victim and
perhaps the biggest casualty
preyed upon by this marauding
enemy. A dead hero indeed!

JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SIGNS

68K GRANT WITH RED CROSS
Massa F. Kanneh massa.kanneh@frontpageafricaonline.com/ 0886848625

Monroviahe
Japanese
government
has
signed a US$86,928
grant
with
the
Liberian National Red Cross
in support of its Grassroots
Human
Security
Project
(GGHSP), in its effort to
combat the deadly Ebola virus.
Speaking at the signing
ceremony held at the LNRCS
office on Lynch Street, the
Japanese Ambassador
to
Liberia, Kaoru Yoshimura
said, the grant is an additional
support to the Liberian
government
through
the
LNRCS to continue the fight
against Ebola in the country.
Mr. Yoshimura said the

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

The Police say they are
investigating the mysterious
death, and the Government
is urging citizens to stop
speculating and wait for the
autopsy report to determine
the cause of death. This makes
good sense, but whatever the
cause of death is, this is really
another victory for corruption.
Certainly we are all waiting
for the autopsy report, but it
is safe to suggest that a key
witness is dead. Besides,
when a whistleblower of this
competence, in a high profile
corruption disclosure, falls
in this suspicious manner,
it is too obvious that other
potential whistleblowers might
go underground, remain quiet
or perhaps join the practice
to the detriment of the state.
Worst still, Michaels death
has already sent a chill down
the Spine of well-intentioned
civil society and human rights
activists a rude reawakening
of the dark days in our
countrys history.
You see, when a government
fails to prosecute and punish the
enemy, the people suffer; they
die waiting for answers and are
even murdered for raising their
voices. I am told one sin leads
to another and that corruption
fights back. So the people are
in double trouble. First, they
are being confronted by theft
and economic injustice, now
there is supposedly targeted
killing a new frontier in the
fight against waste and abuse.
This is simply terrifying for a
country trying to rebrand itself.
The Government rightfully
prides itself with setting
up integrity institutions to
fight corruption; but it has
been struggling to prosecute
perpetrators. And it seems
corruption is even fighting to
put down or kill the relevance
of these institutions. I still
remember in 2013 how the
Ministries of Justice and
Information denigrated the
work of the General Auditing
Commission (GAC) only
because a journalist had used
an audit report to highlight a
corruption case involving a
former official of government.
Do I also need to remind

you of how the Ministry of

Justice and the LACC have
been at variance over the
sufficiency and insufficiency of
evidence to prosecute alleged
corruption cases? Amidst the
apparent fight among these
integrity institutions, or more
appropriately, the counter
attack by corruption, President
Sirleaf is obviously constrained
to seek the enactment of
prosecutorial powers for the
LACC. But this too is only
another institution that we
are trying establish; well,
hopefully this will be the magic
bullet should the legislature
give its blessings.
And so as the LACC awaits
the power to prosecute cases
on its own, it appears resigned
to giving lectures about
corruption to school children
and marketers and addressing
press conferences to somewhat
name and shame perpetrators
while the people are victimized
with impunity.
Yes, Cllr. Allison is dead and
gone, but we will remember
him for taking the corruption
fight to another height; for
his high sense of integrity
as a lawyer. No matter how
this courageous soldier for
economic justice died, he
leaves behind a memory, a
narrative - however painful it
maybe, too rich to forget. It
could qualify to be recorded
as a case study in any anticorruption literature.
While
we
await
the
Governments
verdict
on
the cause of death, I should
like to extend my profound
condolences to you members of
bereaved family. As you mourn
the death of your loved one,
you can take solace in the fact
that Michael was a good man,
a peoples man. His singular
action typifies our desire as a
people to confront corruption
with the laws. But maybe
Michael was too honest to be
in this uncertain world. You see
death befalls all men alike,
but if his was masterminded,
may justice be served.
In the meantime, may his soul
rest with the Lord who knows
all things. So sorry Michael!

Japanese government has

made several donations of
Ebola assorted materials and
also financial support to the
government adding that it
is his governments way of
buttressing GoLs efforts in
the fight.
Said Yoshimura: The LNRCS
has been vigilant in the
Ebola fight, so the Japanese
government decided to sign
this grant to complement
governments effort.
LNRCS Secretary General
Fayiah
Tamba
thanked
the Japanese government
adding that the support to the
Liberian government through
the LNRCS is in the right
direction.
He said the support is timely
because the cases are reducing
and the need to continue
whatever measures that are
being applied.
The message will always be
that the fight should continue.
We should continue to be very
vigilant, very active now that

there is zero case in Ebola in

Liberia, Tamba said.
Moreover, the SG said
that even though there is a
tremendous reduction in Ebola
cases, the virus has left a huge
impact on the Liberian society
that needs to be tackled. He
said supports from donors are
yielding results as evident in
the success story of the Ebola
response.
Giving the overview of
the project, the head of
program Precious Dennis
told journalists that the
Japanese government has
been providing assistance for
GGHP and has given support
for the renovation and supplies
of the LNRCS facility at the
Headquarters from 20132014.
Dennis said the Ebola virus
disease cost Liberia the lives
of more than 3000 citizens and
the LNRCS is grateful for the
grant provided by the Japanese
government.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Philadelphia, USA campaign to raise

more
awareness
on the plight of
three West African
countries affected by the
deadly Ebola virus to galvanize
support has intensified in
Philadelphia, United States of
America involving religious
and organizations leaders from
Guinea, Sierra Leone and
Liberia.
The Coalition of West African
Countries Affected by Ebola
established with the support
of
Councilwoman
Jannie
Blackwell and the City Council
of Philadelphia in October 2014
comprises
community-based
organizations in Pennsylvania,
stakeholders and individuals of
passion with an intend to see an
immediate end to the suffering of
West Africans from Ebola.
The group made its presence
felt when it appealed to the
conscience of delegates at
the just ended Pan -African
Summit organized by the Enon
Tabernacle Baptist Church in
Philadelphia, the United States.
Rev. Solomon M. Muin, the
group
Secretary
General
speaking at the Summit revealed
the ugly past of the Ebola virus
and the negative consequences
on the more than 20- million
people of the three countries still
battling the Ebola virus disease
EVD.
Said Rev. Muin, thousands of
your brothers and sisters have
died in West Africa from the
Ebola virus and there is a dying
need to intervene, dont turn
your back when the spotlight
goes off as others did in the case
of the Haitian disaster, these are
the most crucial times to help in
the recovery process.
He said though there is a
cautious relief and decline in the
number of cases but the World
Health Organization, WHO has
announced an increase in the
number of new deaths and new
cases in the region. According
to him 9, 162 deaths from 9, 100
deaths have been reported with
303 new cases in the region.
He said of the 303 new cases,
Liberia has recorded 136, Sierra
Leone 113 and Guinea 54
something he said needs urgent
attention.
The
Liberian
Ministers
Association Secretary General
who spoke on behalf of the group
and the Coalition of West African
Countries Affected by Ebola also
reflected on the spirit of Pan
Africanism which he said seeks
to foster the idea of Ubuntu.
Ubuntu is the potential for
being human, to value the

Page 7

CRUSHING EBOLA IN WEST

AFRICANS COUNTRIES
Frontpage

Nathan Patio Charles, lydnatlydnatlydnat@yahoo.com ; Contributing Writer

good of the community above

self-interest, to strive to help
people in the spirit of service,
to show respect to others and
to be honest and trustworthy.
It is imbedded in the African
way of life and community that
I am because you are, and
the Called of Jesus Christ to be
our brothers keepers. For in
these, Jesus Christ will reward
us and say well done my good
and faithful Servant Rev. Muin
told members at the Pan-African
Summit.

He said because of Ebola the

three African counties Education
system suffered a serious setback
as universities and grade schools
were closed, while at the same
time family bond and the spirit of
Ubuntu is conspicuously missing
in society.
He appealed to members of the
Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church
and delegates attending the
Pan African summit, including

organizations and individuals

to support their organizations
goals which seek to ensure an
Ebola free West Africa and
improved living condition of its
people.
We are not going to relent,
we are going to ensure that our
objectives are met by urgently
soliciting,
packaging
and
shipping those basic medical,
sanitary and food needs for our

Post Ebola Challenges

He said the organization is
thinking about post
Ebola
Challenges in the three Ebola
hit counties as Schools are
beginning to reopen with
lack of protective supplies to
keep children safe in schools,
the stigma and conditions of
Orphans left as a result of Ebola
with Liberia sharing 3, 323,and
Sierra Leone 4, 500 orphans.
The
Economic
condition
of the three countries is very
challenging as investors are yet
to return, Health facilities are still
grappling with the challenges of
fully been standardized. Food
shortage is still a challenge
as agriculture activities were
abandoned Rev. Muin told
delegates at the summit.

brothers and sisters, children

and relatives in the affected
West African countries to ensure
our people fully recover from
Ebola, Rev. Muin said.
He identified the issue of posttraumatic stress disorder and
stigma as major things affecting
the full recovery of survivors
and their families, something he
said the Coalition will maintain
collaborative engagement with
local organizations in the three
countries and West African
residents in Pennsylvania.
In this regard the Coalition
has
begun
the
planning
of psychosocial events in
Pennsylvania through a Mock
Mano River Union Countries
Sport tournament, and a
Healing and Benefit Concert
in collaboration with the City
Council of Philadelphia to be
hosted by the Enon Tabernacle
Baptist Church in April and June
of 2015, he further said.
Partners Commended
At the Pan African summit
Rev. Muin also recognized and
applauded the role played by the
United States Government, The
First Responder in the affected
countries through USAID, CDC,
Department of Defense, the
African Union, European Union,
Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church

through
Lott Cary Mission, Medicine
San Frontiers, Samaritan Purse,
Cuban government, Chinese
government, United Nations
Agencies: UNICEF, WHO
and World Bank that had
their presence in the affected
countries.
He said the organization is not
only depending on handouts
but has embarked on several
measures to raise fund and
needed materials to send to the
affected Ebola hit countries.
Also speaking at the Pan African
Summit, the Senior Pastor
of Enon Tabernacle Baptist
Church Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller
assured members from various
organizations of their church
support to several of their
initiatives.
On the issue of the three hit
Ebola countries Rev. Waller said
his ministry is currently working
through Lott Carey Mission by
providing relief items for the
people of West Africa during the
current Ebola crisis.
Said Waller, The vision of
Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church
is to be A Place where people
encounter God. This ministry
Enon is here to help others so
whatever we received here we
used our ten percent of total
income to help others.
He challenged delegates at the
conference to be more strategic
in their planning and identify
a particular way they want the
church to support their activities
in their respective countries.
This years focus for the Pan
African Summit was Global
Partnerships for the cause of
Christ and it brought together
delegates from Kenya, South
Africa, Nicaragua, and the
United States, and was hosted
by the Enon Tabernacle Baptist
Church
in
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania the United States .

SENATE LEADERSHIP NOW IN FULL

Monrovia ollowing the election of some of its

Statutory Committees Chairpersons
on February 19, 2015 leaving out the
Committees on National Defense
and the Committee on Judiciary, the Senate
has at long last completed the Leadership
structure.
The Election of Grand Cape Mount County
Senator Cllr. Varney G. Sherman as Chairman
on the
Chairman on National Defense has now
brought the Leadership of the Senate to a full
completion.
Immediately after their elections on white
ballot, the two Senators were inducted into
office as Chairpersons in their distinguish
capacities by the President Pro Tempore-

Senator Armah Z. Jallah.

With the full completion of the Leadership, it
is now left with the President Pro Tempore in
keeping with Rule 15 section 2 of the Senate
Standing Rules to appoint the rest of the
Standing Committees Chairpersons.

The following distinguish Senators now

constitutes the full membership of the Senate
Leadership:
1. Senator Armah Zolu Jallah of Gbarpolu
County-- President Pro Tempore
2. Senator Geraldine Doe-Sheriff of
Montserrado County----Chair on Executive
3. Senator H. Dan Morais of Maryland
County----Chair on Foreign Relations
4. Senator Cllr. Varney G. Sherman of Cape

Mount County---------- Chair on

Judiciary
5. Senator Edward B. Dargoseh of Cape
Mount County-----Chair -Ways, Means,
Finance and Budget
6. Senator George T. Tengbeh of Lofa
County------ Chair-Rule Order &
Administration
7. Senator Stephen J.H. Zargo of Lofa
County------Chair on National Defense
8. Senator Dr. Peter S. Coleman
----------------Chair on Gender, Health and
Social Affairs
9. Senator Thomas S. Grupee of Nimba
County----Chair on Internal Affairs

Page 8 | Frontpage

REGISTERED LICENSED
LAND SURVEYOR
1407-A-020 Bend and Stop, Barnesville
Monrovia, Liberia
Cell#: 0886578570/0777205907

February 20, 2015

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

RETURNING TO
NORMALCY

Households Begin Returning To Work in Liberia as Ebola Crisis Wanes; Long-term

welfare remains a concern as country moves toward economic recovery

SURVEYOR NOTICE

The public hereby informed that surveyor Tonieh B. Buxton has been
duly authorized in keeping with the private Land Surveying Regulation
MLM&E No. 1-3-27 & 87 promulgated by the Ministry of Lands, Mines
and Energy to conduct a survey of one (1) lot of land in favor of Franklin
T. Dalieh, Emily A. Dalieh and children and adjoins properties owned
by Thomas T. Toe and Comfort T. Toe, Francis Torbar and T.O.Nakor
Mathew and office of the Land Commissioner situated in New Georgia,
Montserrado County, Liberia.
The Survey will commence on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at the hour
of 2:30 P.M.

Therefor, all those having properties adjoining said parcel of land and
interested parties are asked to be present at the site of the survey with
their Technical representative, their deeds, diagrams and any other
relevant title documents to substantiate their claims.
Signed

Tonieh B. Buxton

Registered Land Surveyor

Republic of Liberia

REGISTERED LICENSED
LAND SURVEYOR
1407-A-020 Bend and Stop, Barnesville
Monrovia, Liberia
Cell#: 0886578570/0777205907

February 20, 2015

SURVEYOR NOTICE

The public hereby informed that surveyor Tonieh B. Buxton has been
duly authorized in keeping with the private Land Surveying Regulation
MLM&E No. 1-3-27 & 87 promulgated by the Ministry of Lands, Mines
and Energy to conduct a survey of one (1) lot of land in favor of Franklin
T. Dalieh, and adjoins properties owned by Isabella P. Dalieh, Calvary
Chapel Mission, Rosetta Jones, and office of the Land Commissioner
and Prince Kamara situated in Paynesville City, Montserrado County,
Liberia.
The Survey will commence on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at the hour
of 10:30 A.M.

Therefor, all those having properties adjoining said parcel of land and
interested parties are asked to be present at the site of the survey with
their Technical representative, their deeds, diagrams and any other
relevant title documents to substantiate their claims.
Signed

Tonieh B. Buxton

Registered Land Surveyor

Republic of Liberia

WASHINGTON, early 20 percent of

the Liberians who
had stopped working
since the Ebola crisis
have returned to work in the last
month, according to the World
Bank Group's most recent round
of cell-phone surveys, signaling
both important progress and
the magnitude of the challenge
ahead.
This
improvement,
an
encouraging sign of a shift
toward economic normalization,
was mainly driven by a large
increase in wage work in urban
areas. A substantial percentage of
those working pre-crisis remain
out of work, however; those in
self-employment continue to
be the hardest hit by the Ebola
crisis, pointing to a lack of
working capital and a lack of
customers as the main barriers to
their operation.
As the pressing health crisis
in Liberia slows, it will be
important to identify and support
those who are most vulnerable
to a sluggish economy and the
increasing number of households
whose long-term welfare may be
negatively impacted by coping
decisions made in the name of
immediate stability. Nearly 85
percent of those surveyed in
December and January report
having sold assets, sold or
slaughtered livestock, borrowed
money, sent children to live
with relatives, spent savings,
or delayed investments in order
to manage since the start of the

Ebola crisis.
"As Liberia approaches zero
cases of Ebola, our focus
on supporting the country's
economic
recovery
and
preparedness for future shocks
will move to the forefront" said
Inguna Dobraja, World Bank
Group Country Manager for
Liberia, "There is still much
work to be done to protect the
long-term welfare of the most
vulnerable in Liberia."
Despite an improved outlook,
agriculture remains a concern.
Nearly 65 percent of agricultural
households surveyed in this
round believed that their harvest
would be smaller than it had
been in the previous year, though
this is down from 80 percent in
December. Labor shortages and
inability to work in groups due to
Ebola infection fears continue to
pose a problem for agricultural
households; if the fear persists
into the new season beginning in
April, it could impact the amount
of land under cultivation, as the
clearing process is more labor
intensive than the harvest.
Food
insecurity
persists
nationwide, with nearly threequarters of households reporting
that they were worried at some
point in the previous week that
they would not have enough to
eat; households continue to cite
a lack of money as the main
constraint to purchasing enough
food to feed their families.
"It is encouraging to see good
news related to jobs," said
Kristen Himelein, World Bank

Group
Poverty
Economist
for Liberia, "While the food
insecurity and self-employment
numbers are still concerning, the
economic turnaround has begun.
We are seeing the lowest out-ofwork numbers since October."
As households send their
children back to school in the
next month, and with the opening
of international borders and
lifting of the curfew, the World
Bank Group and its partners in
the Liberia Institute of Statistics
and Geo-Information Services
and the Gallup Organization will
continue to monitor the crisis
and work to support the Liberian
government and its people
as they move into economic
recovery.

It will also seek the views of

randomly selected people in
the counties.
The project, known as Because
Accountability
matters:
Strengthening Anti-corruption
Enforcement
Mechanisms
through Communication in
Liberia is being funded by
the Open Society Initiative for
West Africa (OSIWA).
As part of the project's overall
implementation plan, the LMC
recently held acquaintance

talks with Auditor General

of the General Auditing
Commission (GAC), Yusador
Gaye and the Executive
Chairperson of the Liberia
Anti-Corruption Commission,
Cllr. James Verdier.
The heads of the two
transparency
institutions
lauded the LMC initiative
and stated their institutions
readiness to collaborate in the
project implementation.

The World Bank

Response to Ebola

Group's

The World Bank Group has

mobilized about $1 billion
in financing for the countries
hardest hit by the Ebola crisis.
This includes $518 million from
IDA, the World Bank Group's
fund for the poorest countries,
to provide treatment and care,
contain and prevent the spread
of infections, help communities
cope with the economic impact
of the crisis, and improve public
health systems; and at least $450
million from IFC, a member
of the World Bank Group, to
enable trade, investment and
employment.

LIBERIA MEDIA CENTER COMMENCES

BASELINE SURVEY ON KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE
AND PRACTICES ON CORRUPTION IN LIBERIA

Monrovia he Liberia Media

Center has officially
commission
a
baseline survey to
gauge knowledge, attitude
and practices on corruption in
Liberia.
The survey which will take
place in Bong, Nimba, Lofa,
Bassa
and
Montserrado
counties will target civil
society, community leaders,
and different interest groups.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Frontpage

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES DELEGATION
VISITS LIBERIA AND GUINEA

Monrovia
he U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary for Health, Karen

DeSalvo, MD, MPH,
MSc, Assistant Secretary for
Global Affairs, Jimmy Kolker, MPA, and Deputy Chief
of Staff Dawn OConnel will visit Liberia and Guinea
for three days this week to visit Ebola response sites in the region.
In Liberia, they will tour the Monrovia Medical Unit (MMU),
a 25-bed field hospital dedicated to providing care to health
care workers who become infected with Ebola, and the Liberian
Institute for Biomedical Research, one of only a few laboratories
in Liberia where Ebola specimens are sent to be tested. They
will also meet with key representatives from the Government
of Liberia, the World Health Organization and additional U.S.
agencies involved in the Ebola response.
The MMU is staffed by the U.S. Public Health Service
Commissioned Corps, an elite uniformed service of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. U.S. Deputy Surgeon
General RADM Boris D. Lushniak is currently the commanding
officer of the MMU.
In Guinea, Dr. DeSalvo and Assistant Secretary Kolker will visit
the 115 Call Center, Boulbinet Health Center, and the Emergency
Operations Center. They will also meet with leaders in Guinea,
including Prime Minister, Mohamed Fofana, and the Minster of
Health, Colonel Remy Lamah, as well as representatives from
Doctors without Borders, French Red Cross, and other agencies
working to eradicate Ebola in Guinea.

DEATH ANNOUNCEMENT
MS. THEOLINE CRYSTAL SONPON

THE SONPON, FREEMAN, GIBSON, STUBBLEFIELD,

GREAVES & RANDALL FAMILIES ANNOUNCE THE FUNERAL
ARRANGEMENTS OF THEIR DAUGHTER, MS.THEOLINE
CRYSTAL SONPON WHO DIED ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015
AT 12:25A.M. AT SOS CLINIC IN CONGO TOWN.
ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2015 AT 4P.M. HER BODY WILL BE
REMOVED FROM THE SAMUEL STRYKER FUNERAL PARLORS
TO THE ST. THOMAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH ON CAMP JOHNSON
ROAD FOR WAKE KEEPING FROM 6P.M. TO 9P.M.
AFTER THE CHURCH WAKE THERE WILL BE A SILENT WAKE
AT HER HOME ON CALDWELL ROAD NEAR THE CALDWELL
BRIDGE FROM 10P.M. ON THE 27TH TO 6AM ON THE 28TH.
FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE HELD ON THE 28TH OF
FEBRUARY AT 10A.M. AT THE ST. THOMAS EPISCOPAL
CHURCH ON CAMP JOHNSON ROAD AND THE INTERNMENT
WILL FOLLOW AT THE BREWERVILLE CEMETERY.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WAS BROUGHT IN BY HER MOTHER,
CLLR. CHRISTINE SONPON FREEMAN, HER GRANDMOTHER,
MRS. ANGELINE GIBSON SONPON AND HER AUNT,
ADELINE N. SONPON FOR THE FAMILY.

Page 9

MOL LEADS LONG AWAITED INVESTIGATION

PROBING LAC EXPLOSION

This is just the prelude but those technical questions will be asked and so far we are satisfied with the
team of investigator but we will see tomorrow. Jeremiah Dahn, President LAC Workers Union

ALPHA DAFFAE SENKPENI, alpha.senkpeni@frontpageafricaonline.com

Buchanan,
Grand
Bassa
County he
long-awaited
investigation
into
the explosion at the
Liberian Agricultural
Company on January 19 has
kicked off with investigators
assessing wreckages at the
companys rubber factory
facility in Grand Bassa County.
At least 17 persons were
serious injured during the blast
out of which six have died
while workers grew furious
over the accident and went
on a go-slow that lasted for
almost two weeks. It took the
intervention of President Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf to ease the
slowdown.
The investigation is headed
by the Labor Solicitor at the
Ministry of Labor, Att. Joseph
Kollie and also includes two
representatives
from
the
Liberian National Police,
the National Fire service,
Environmental
Protection
Agency, the Workers Union
as well as a representative
from the manufacturer, who
travelled from Indonesia.
The investigators disclosed that
day one of the investigation
involved visual inspection
to ascertain what happened,
how the factory is laid out as
well as the capacity of the
factory among other things.
Investigators noted that the
visual inspection will give a
good picture of the facility
which will help their inquiry.
Before the investigation on
Monday, Att. Kollie explained
that the government has
interest in the incident and
remains concerned about what
happened on the ground, while
LNP chief investigator, Col.

Harris said the LNP is willing

to seek concerns from the
workers union and some of the
victims of the blast.
Dweh Boley, a consultant with
the MOL on the investigation
said: We have to now find out
what happened and at the end
of the day we will find out what
happened and we will tell you
what happened.
Speaking briefly to FrontPage
Africa, the Labor solicitor said
it was too early to comment
on the investigation and said
he was uncertain about the
duration of the investigation
due to the complexity of
the investigation, although
sources have revealed that the
investigation will last for only
three days. He said day two will
involve interviewing workers,
victims and the management
of LAC.
The President of the workers
Union said he was thankful that
the investigation has started
and asserted that the beginning
of the investigation is going
better than expected. He said
much of the workers concern
will be raised.
This is just the prelude but
those technical questions
will be asked and so far we
are satisfied with the team of
investigator but we will see
tomorrow, said Jeremiah
Dahn.
The long awaited LAC
explosion investigation has
sparked a recent controversy
with
a
leaked
memo
purportedly written by the
companys Human resource
and administration Manager
alleging that money was dished
out to Labor and Internal
Affairs Ministers, Neto Zanzan
Liegh and Morris Dukuly

respectively and officials of

the workers Union, so that the
outcome of the investigation
can swing in the companys
favor.
Recently, FPA quoted a
release issued by the LAC
management that the company
that at no time did the Human
Resource and Administration
Manager, request for any
financial support to the two
ministries or any government
representative or entity in any
form or manner.
Stated the LAC: LAC
Management also wishes
to indicate that it has at no
time disbursed any money to
government officials, least
to say the two ministries and
others mentioned in connection
with their roles in settling the
situation involving the LAC
Workers Union. The Liberia
Agriculture Company noted in
its release that the format and
style of its internal memos are
far different from what is being
posted on social media.
But with the investigation now
ongoing, many in the county

including
the
companys
workers, the District Youths
and the University Student
Association are very critical
about the results.
Sources have told FPA that the
Press Union of Liberia (PUL)
is a member of the board of
investigators but the union had
no representatives on the first
day of the investigation.
PUL President, Abdullah
Kamara said the PUL has
not been included on the
investigation team or contacted
by anyone. Mr. Kamara said he
had earlier heard that the PUL
was part of the investigators
on the radio but since then the
union has not been contacted
by the relevant agencies or
ministries. However, he assured
that the PUL will be glad to
form part of the investigation if
they are included.
Its the matter of finding out
the truth, so if we are asked
to be on the investigation, the
PUL will be glad to be there,
Mr. Kamara said during a brief
cell phone interview.

Page 10 | Frontpage

IN BRIEF

Lagos (AFP) ong before Boko

Haram's
uprising
plunged the region
into crisis, the area
below Lake Chad was part of
a powerful Islamic empire,
known for religious piety and
unity spanning roughly 1,000
years.
The scope of the Kanem-Bornu
empire changed repeatedly
from its founding in the ninth
century to its downfall in the
1890s but at its height the
kingdom included modern
day northeast Nigeria, as
well as parts of neighbouring
Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Boko Haram, which has
claimed to be fighting to create
an Islamic state in Nigeria, has
widened its insurgency through
attacks in Cameroon and, more
recently, Chad and Niger,
where the group launched its
first-ever strikes this month.
Those hardest hit by the
violence are ethnic Kanuris, a
community represented in all
four nations and which also led
the Kanem-Bornu empire.
Experts say that Boko Haram
has at times tried to invoke the
Kanem-Bornu legacy, recalling
a pious pre-colonial empire
that transcended Europeanimposed borders to justify

attacks
against targets it deems
un-Islamic.
But that strategy is almost
certain to fail as the insurgents'
relentless
massacres
and
kidnappings have destroyed
any credibility they may have
had among the Kanuri, analysts
said.
Citing the fallen empire to
legitimise a modern jihad
"will not catch on at all",
said
Professor
Sidiqque
Mohammed, of Nigeria's
Ahmadu Bello University.
Boko Haram's leaders "have no
sense of history", he told AFP.
- A 'GREAT EMPIRE' Kanem-Bornu was a centre of
Islamic scholarship, attracting
visitors from across the
Sahel and Arab areas further
east, according to Vincent
Hiribarren, a professor at
King's College, London, and
author of the forthcoming
book, "A History of Borno".
The
empire's
remarkable
cohesion over a millennium
was partly forged through a
commitment to Islam, he said.

ISLAMIC STATE IN SYRIA

ABDUCTS AT LEAST
90 FROM CHRISTIAN
VILLAGES: MONITOR

AMMAN (Reuters) slamic State militants have

abducted at least 90 people
from Assyrian Christian
villages in northeastern
Syria, a monitoring group that
tracks violence in Syria said on
Tuesday.
The
British-based
Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights
said the militants carried out
dawn raids on rural villages
inhabited by the ancient Christian
minority west of Hasaka, a city
mainly held by the Kurds.
Syrian Kurdish militia launched
two offensives against the
militants in northeast Syria on
Sunday, helped by U.S.-led air
strikes and Iraqi peshmerga.

NINE DEAD IN GUN RAMPAGE

AT CZECH RESTAURANT

Prague (AFP) n apparently unstable

armed man burst into
a restaurant in an
eastern Czech town
on Tuesday, killing eight people
before reportedly committing
suicide, police and local officials
said.
Interior Minister Milan Chovanec
said eight people had been killed
in the rampage at the "Friendship"
restaurant in the town of Uhersky
Brod and that the gunman was also
dead.
There was no indication it was
a terrorist act, although nerves
are running high in Europe after
the deadly attacks in Paris and
Copenhagen.
Chovanec said the gunman had
died, without giving further
information, while the local
mayor Patrik Kuncar said he had
committed suicide.
The mayor described the gunman
as a resident of the town aged in his
60s, saying he had possible mental
health issues.

GUNMEN KIDNAP US WOMAN

IN CENTRAL NIGERIA: POLICE

LAGOS, Feb 24 (Reuters) n American woman

working as a Christian
missionary in Nigeria
was
kidnapped
overnight, the website of the Free
Methodist Church and a security
source said on Tuesday.
"Early this morning we received
a report that Rev. Phyllis Sortor,
our missionary in Nigeria, was
abducted from the Hope Academy
compound in Emiworo, Kogi
State, Nigeria by several persons,"
the church said.
Nigeria is one of the world's worst
country's for kidnapping, a major
criminal enterprise that makes
millions of dollars a year.
Criminal gangs have kidnapped
scores of expatriates in southern
and central Nigeria over the years.
Central Kogi state has also had low
level activity by Islamist militants
linked to insurgent group Boko
Haram, security sources say.

PAGE
RONT

WORLD NEWS

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

BOKO HARAM TARGETS REGION WHERE

POWERFUL EMPIRE ONCE REIGNED

"It is something (the Kauri) are

very proud of", he said, adding
that people in the region often
speak of "the great empire".
A source of particular pride
was the empire's continued
independence in the face of
advances by a neighbouring
caliphate founded by Usman
Dan Fodio, a revered 19thcentury jihadist.
In carving out what was one of
the largest states in West Africa,
Dan Fodio conquered most of
modern-day northern Nigeria
and chunks of neighbouring
states. His caliphate based in
the city of Sokoto fell to British
colonialists in 1903.
But Sokoto's attempt to topple
Kanem-Bornu was eventually
repelled by the empire's mostly
Kanuri forces.
Some experts say this bitter
history still strains relations
between the Kanuri and the
Hausa and Fulani ethnic
groups that dominate the rest
of northern Nigeria.
But it also complicates efforts
to understand the recent
rhetoric used by Boko Haram.
A video message from Boko
Haram
leader
Abubakar
Shekau, believed to be
Kanuri, released on February
17 included a celebratory

reference to Dan Fodio.

- CONFUSED MESSAGES Hiribarren and other academics
said there is evidence of
Shekau and the group's late
founder Mohammed Yusuf
citing Kanem-Bornu as part of
their ideological rejection of
the Nigerian state.
The precise record is unclear
with
respect
to
public
messages, including Yusuf's
sermons which were widely
distributed before his 2009
death and videos released by
Shekau.
But most agree that some
Boko Haram commanders
have invoked the great Kanuri
Islamic legacy in trying to
attract or indoctrinate new
fighters.
"It is a reappropriation of a
glorious past," said Hiribarren.
Yan St-Pierre, who heads the
Modern Security Consulting
Group, agreed that Boko
Haram has used KanemBornu to create "historical
legitimacy".
But, he noted, the insurgency
has
demonstrated
an
"ideological devolution" since
its founding in 2002 and this
use of history probably has
limited impact now.
The Islamist movement which

began under Yusuf, partly

drawing members from those
frustrated
with
Nigeria's
woeful governance, has over
the last five years morphed
into a ruthless rebellion that
deliberately targets defenceless
civilians, including children.
Any claim by Shekau or his
deputies to be fighting for the
reclamation of Kanem-Bornu
is also undermined by Boko
Haram's multiple assassination
attempts against the empire's
living heir, Umar Garbai ElKanemi, known as the Shehu
of Borno, who is Nigeria's
number three Islamic cleric.
Cross-border attacks have little

Since the beginning of the year,

some 30,000 people have left
their homes and found refuge
within CAR, while more than
20,000 others have flooded
into neighbouring Democratic
Republic of Congo since
December, the UN refugee
agency UNHCR said.

"There is just total lawlessness,

and the civilian population is
being caught in the middle,"
agency spokeswoman Karin de
Gruijl told reporters in Geneva.
The exodus is only the latest
example of the instability and
violence that has long rocked
CAR.
The country is still struggling
to recover from the 2013
coup that ousted president
Francois Bozize and which
pushed it into a conflict that
took on an unprecedented
religious dimension, pitting
the country's Christian and
Muslim populations against
one another.
Largely Christian "anti-balaka"
-- or anti-machete -- militias
have been formed to avenge
atrocities by the mostly Muslim
Seleka rebels who were behind

the March 2013 coup.

Both sides are accused by
human rights monitors of
serious abuses, including
killings, rape and pillaging.
The most recent violence has
been associated with seasonal
movements of livestock and
clashes between herders, local
farmers and the anti-balaka, de
Gruijl said.
Making things worse, "some
herders have turned to exSeleka militias for protection,"
she said.
- Missing girls Recent military operations
against ex-Seleka in the eastern
mining town of Bria has also
prompted deadly reprisal
attacks by the guerillas on
nearby villages.
"Civilian populations were
caught in the middle and saw

to do with empire restoration

and more to do with revenge
against the militaries of
Cameroon, Chad and Niger
who are now cooperating with
Nigeria to crush the insurgency,
St-Pierre said.
For Hiribarren, the spreading
conflict means the Nigerian
militants are being exposed
to a wider network of Kanuri
people who share "a cultural
community of people who
speak the same language and
who used to be part of the same
kingdom.
"Is Boko Haram capitalising on
this? I'm not so sure," he said.

TENS OF THOUSANDS FLEE UPSURGE IN C.AFRICA VIOLENCE: UN

Geneva (AFP) urging violence in

the Central African
Republic has forced
tens of thousands
to flee their homes in recent
weeks to escape killings, rape
and pillaging by militias, the
United Nations said Tuesday.

their villages, houses and

belongings burned," de Gruijl
said.
More than 19,000 refugees
have flooded across the
border to DR Congo from
CAR's Kouango district since
December, UNHCR said.
"They say that their houses are
being burned and they have no
other choice than to flee," de
Gruijl said, pointing out that
if they stay, "they risk being
tortured or killed and women
are being raped."
Since February 15, some
2,400 refugees -- most of them
children -- have meanwhile
crossed into DR Congo from
Mobayi in CAR's north,
ahead of expected violence by
ex-Seleka after the military
operation in Bria, de Gruijl
said.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Sports

JUVENTUS 2-1 BORUSSIA DORTMUND:

TEVEZ AND MORATA GIVE HOSTS

THE ADVANTAGE

uventus will take a

narrow advantage into
the second leg of their
Champions
League
last-16 clash with Borussia
Dortmund following a 2-1
victory in Turin.
This was the first meeting
between the teams since the
1997 final, which Dortmund
won 3-1 to snatch the trophy
from then defending champions
Juve, but it was the Serie A
outfit who dictated play for the
most part on Tuesday.

Carlos Tevez pounced on some

clumsy goalkeeping from
Roman Weidenfeller to give
Juve a deserved lead in the
13th minute, and it was another
defensive mishap that led to
Dortmund's equaliser five
minutes later.
Marco Reus stole in to penalise
a Giorgio Chiellini stumble
with a composed finish, but
Alvaro Morata struck two
minutes from the break to
earn Juve a narrow advantage
heading into the return leg in

three weeks' time.

The result means Juve have
now gone 47 games unbeaten at
home in all competitions - last
tasting defeat to Dortmund's
Bundesliga rivals Bayern
Munich in April 2013.
Ciro Immobile returned from
illness to lead the Dortmund
line against his former club and
fired an early warning signal
when a shot from distance
strayed just off target.
The visitors also boasted
Reus and Pierre-Emerick

Aubameyang as part of a
menacing attacking line-up,
while Juve brought in fresh
defensive legs in the shape
of Patrice Evra and Stephan
Lichtsteiner - promoted from
the bench following Friday's
2-1 Serie A victory over
Atalanta.
It was the hosts who broke the
deadlock after 13 minutes.
Morata - added to the Juve
attack along with Arturo Vidal
- had the beating of his man on
the left of the penalty area, and

Frontpage

goalkeeper Weidenfeller could

only push the Spaniard's low
cross into the path of a grateful
Tevez for a simple finish.
The lead lasted just five
minutes, though, with Reus
capitalising on a Chiellini slip
to stroll through one-on-one
with Gianliugi Buffon and
coolly slot home.
Dortmund were forced into
a change as the clock ticked
past the half-hour mark when
Lukasz Piszczek felt the full
force of a Paul Pogba sliding
challenge.
The momentum of the half was
interrupted and Andrea Pirlo
was next to limp from the field,
with Roberto Pereyra coming
on in his place after 37 minutes.
That setback did not knock
Juve off their stride, though,
with Morata diverting home
a Pogba cross three minutes
from half-time.
Morata blazed over from six
yards out seven minutes into
the second half, although the
linesman's flag had already
been raised for offside,
and Weidenfeller thwarted
another Juve chance from a
Claudio Marchisio corner with
Leonardo Bonucci closing in
soon after.
Immobile turned in the box to
remind Buffon of the danger
posed by Dortmund's attackers
with a low strike in the 56th
minute, but it was Juve who
continued to pose the bigger
threat, with Tevez sending an
effort trickling wide of the lefthand post with 20 minutes to
go.
The Argentine stung the
palms of Weidenfeller again
and Pereyra sent the ball
agonisingly wide of the righthand post before time was
up, but Juve had to sette for
a one-goal advantage, while
Dortmund may be satisfied
with Reus' potentially crucial
away goal.

LIBERIA RESUMES NATIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE MARCH 15

fter a year of
suspension of the
National
Football
League in Liberia
due to the outbreak of the
deadly Ebola virus, the Liberia
Football Association (LFA)
has announced that the league
resumes March 15.
Alphanso Armah, Secretary
General of the LFA confirmed to
FrontPageAfrica sports that all is
now set for the resumption of the
league.
Armah said twelve (12) teams
are expected to face each other
in the first division while 16
teams will take part in the second
division category.
He urged club officials that are
yet to complete their teams
registration to do so immediately,
warning that clubs have to meet
all requirements for registration
in order to qualify to participate
in the league.
We have informed all club
officials that in order to have
a youth team, they must have
in place football development
program, office space, a training

A. Macaulay Sombai, sombai121@gmail.com

ground, a general manager,

secretarial structure and a
financial structure that will prove
to the FA that indeed they are
ready to manage a football team
and I can say from the responses
we have been receiving from
majority of the teams, I can

say here that we are moving

forward, said Armah.
The LFA official emphasized
that failure on the part of any
team to meet these requirements
the team will be relegated
because he thinks in every aspect
of life there is sweet and bitter

and that LFA has to meet these

requirements to avoid facing
serious punishment from the
world football governing body
FIFA.
The LFA aim of urging
club officials to meet these
requirements
is
for
the

improvement of the game and

for us to be in line with FIFA
standard, so it should be the
obligation of every club official
to work along with us, the LFA
official declared.
Armah paid tribute to club
officials that continue to work
in line with the LFA and said
he hopes that they all clubs will
meet the requirement before the
resumption of the league.
In related news, the LFA
Secretary General is wishing
Liberias only representative in
the Confederation of African
Football (CAF) Champions
League
Barrack
Young
Controllers (BYC), victory in
their return leg against Real De
Banjul.
BYC were forced to a 1-1 away
by Real De Banjul almost two
weeks ago and the return leg
is expected to take place in
Bamako, Mali this weekend.
The Liberian representative
needs a goalless draw to advance
to the second round of the
competition.

Page 11

SPORTS

WENGER: WILSHERE
HASN'T HAD A SETBACK

rsene Wenger has

denied
rumours
Jack
Wilshere
has
suffered
another injury setback ahead
of
Arsenal's
Champions
League clash with Monaco on
Wednesday night.
The
23-year-old
suffered
a serious ankle injury in a
collision with Paddy McNair
as Arsenal fell to a 2-1 home
defeat to Manchester United in
November.
BENEDITO SUSPECTS BARCELONA
BOARD WANTED TO SELL MESSI

arcelona presidential
candidate
Agusti
Benedito suspects
the club's current
board
have
seriously
contemplated selling star player
Lionel Messi.
The Catalans' current president,
Josep Maria Bartomeu, has
claimed he hopes the Argentine
attacker will remain at Camp
Nou for many years to come,
but Benedito says the mixed
messages coming from the
Barca board show they cannot
necessarily be believed or
trusted.
"They have shown in the recent
past that their public quotes
don't always correspond with
their ideas," the 50-year-old
told Goal in an exclusive
interview. "Sometimes they say
things and then their actions go
in the opposite direction. I hope
in Messi's case that their words
and their actions correspond."

BARCELONA TRANSFER
CHIEF BRAIDA AT
JUVENTUS-DORTMUND TO
WATCH POGBA AND REUS

arcelona's
new
international
sporting
director
Ariedo
Braida
will watch Juventus take on
Borussia
Dortmundin
the
Champions League on Tuesday
as the Catalan club keep tabs
on midfielder Paul Pogba and
wingerMarco Reus
.
Banned by Fifa from signing
players in 2015 due to
irregularities in the recruitment
of youngsters, Barca are
studying the possibility of
registering footballers in the
summer and playing them when
the sanction ends in January
2016.

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com

Sports

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

VOL 9 NO.37

PRICE L$40

CHAMPION LEAGUE: BARCELONA 2-1 MANCHESTER CITY

SUAREZ DOUBLE LEAVES PELLEGRINI'S MEN

he former Liverpool star struck twice in a dominant

first half for the Catalan giants, who held on
comfortably despite Sergio Aguero's second-half
strike for the hosts
Luis Suarez shone on his return to English soil as Barcelona
outclassed Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium to leave
Manuel Pellegrini's Champions League hopes dangling by a
thread.
The former Liverpool star twice finished clinically in the first
half as the Catalan giants - inspired as ever by the brilliant
Lionel Messi - taught the Premier League champions a lesson
on their own pitch.
Sergio Aguero gave City hope of a comeback when he fired
in on 69 minutes but Gael Clichy received a second yellow
card for a foul on Dani Alves soon afterwards and Barcelona
comfortably held on.
Messi could have given City an even bigger mountain to climb
when he won a penalty into the final minute of stoppage time,
but Hart saved the spot-kick and the Argentine directed a
diving header wide on the rebound.
City will welcome the influential Yaya Toure back for the return
game against his former club on March 18, but they have it all
to do as they attempt to reach the last eight of the Champions
League for the first time.
The recalled Martin Demichelis was sent off for a professional
foul on Messi at the Etihad Stadium last season, but the defender
denied his Argentina team-mate with a fine tackle after Neymar
had outfoxed Pablo Zabaleta and delivered a fine pass.
Suarez then fired just wide of the near post as City struggled
to cope with Barca's rapid passing and movement, but the
Uruguay striker was not to be denied an opening goal in the
16th minute.
Messi was at his brilliant best and, when Vincent Kompany
could only head the mercurial forward's cross against Suarez,
the former Liverpool star fired home with his left foot before
the Belgium captain had time to react.
Edin Dzeko headed just wide when City made a rare foray
forward before Barca doubled their lead after 30 minutes and
once again it was Suarez applying the finishing touch.
City were unable to stop Messi as he surged forward at pace and
laid the ball off for Jordi Alba, who showed great composure to
bide his time before delivering a cross for the onrushing Suarez
to tuck in from close range.
Barca were in complete control and Dani Alves struck the
crossbar with what appeared to be an attempted cross before
Samir Nasri finally called Marc-Andre ter Stegen into action
two minutes before the end of a one-sided first half.
City looked far more dangerous in the first few minutes of the

ON THE BRINK

second half than they had in the opening 45 and only

a great Javier Mascherano block kept out Nasri's
strike before the unmarked Dzeko headed straight at
Ter Stegen from six yards.
Wilfried Bony came on for his Champions League
debut in place of Dzeko and City deservedly pulled
a goal back when David Silva's clever lay-off found
Aguero, who fired an unstoppable shot beyond Ter
Stegen.
Any hopes of City avoiding a first-leg defeat looked
slim four minutes later, though, as Clichy was shown
a second yellow card for a challenge on Alves.
Messi then had the opportunity to ensure Barca
headed into the second leg with a 3-1 lead, but Hart
dived to his left to keep out the usually clinical
forward's spot-kick and the Argentina star headed
the rebound wide.

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