Legislative

TOP
Beat
pg 9
STORIES

News Extra

pg 9

DISMANTLED

ANOTHER LOOMING
CONSTITUTIONAL
CRISIS?

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

LONESTAR CELL MTN TOWER

IN TOES TOWN, GRAND GEDEH
COUNTY BROUGHT DOWN BY
LIBERIA TELECOMMUNICATIONS
AUTHORITY

PROTEMPT ELECTION TO BE
HALTED BY SUPREME COURT

FrontPage

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES

LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR
BUYING

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 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

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

PRICE L$40

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

VOL 9 NO.26

SELLING

VOICE FM TALK SHOW HOST HENRY COSTA JAILED; DENIED

ACCESS TO FOOD, LAWYERS; ADMINISTRATOR ALSO PICKED UP

GROSS VIOLATION

Since 2:00 am on Saturday morning I have been awake following the process of 34 persons arrested for breaking Curfew
laws, prominent amongst them Samuel K. Doe Jr. And Henry Costa, two hours later I was reliably informed by Mr. Costa that
the Deputy Director of police for operations, Col. Abe Kromah (102) issued a release order for all of the 34 individuals. 30mins
later, I got another call informing me that everyone was leaving Costa was not permitted to leave on instructions from Assistant
commissioner of police for operations, Com. Gregory Coleman (104). I got to the Police HQ by 5:00 and made contact with
Costa. By - then all the other folks were walking out. Woods Nyanton, Co-Host, The Henry Costa Morning Show

KEEPING IT REAL
Kids Educational Engagement Project
(Keep) Transitions To Another Level
. Distributes Back-To-School Bags
To Over 150 Kids

p 7

Media Issues- pg.6

UNENDING
STIGMA

Ebola survivors On Facing

Stigmatization In Communities

p 10

Monday, February 9, 2015

Page 2 | Frontpage

G
Monrovia -

ambian dictator Yahya Jammeh has reportedly

instructed his countrys football governing body,
the GFA not to allow Liberias reigning football
champions Barack Young Controllers(BYC) to
participate in the first round, first leg encounter against the
Gambian champions Real De Bajul, set by the Confederation of
African Football(CAF) for Saturday, February 14, 2015 in the
Gambian capitol, Banjul, FrontPageAfrica has learned.
Communications between Liberian authorities and its Gambian
counterparts in the possession of FrontPageAfrica indicate that
the GFA reportedly received instructions from the Gambian
government not to allow Liberian footballers on Gambian soil
over the deadly Ebola virus fears.
The GFA had initially written BYC giving their Liberian rivals the
green-light to arrive in Banjul for the Feb. 14 champions league
duel.
Airline Refuse to Book Tickets
However when BYC began proceedings for travel arrangements
for Banjul, the preparations hit a roadblock when travel agents
for Royal Air Maroc informed the team that The Gambia has
restrictions on travels from Liberia and could not issue tickets to
the team.
Sahara International, the travel agent, in a communication to BYC
noted:
We appreciate the opportunity to continue to service the BYC
Football account. Though, Air Morocco in Liberia will not
allow Sahara International or any other travel agent in Liberia
to purchase an itinerary or ticket for Gambia. We met with Air
Morocco representatives and explained and showed the invite
from the Gambia Football Federation, they still refused.
BYC Football request was to arrive in Banjul a few days before
ther match on Feb 14. Sirs we acknowledge that BYC Football
and us have explored other options, but they do not exist as Air
Morocco is was the only feasible option to travel to Banjul from
Monrovia. In addition for the football delegation to arrive in
Banjul, the departure from Monrovia will have to be this Tuesday,
Feb 10. And without the approval for Air Morocco today, it would
be somewhat impossible to arrive in Banjul for your match on
Feb 14. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause;
because of the restrictions Air Moroc is not allowing us to ticket
passengers for travel to Gambia, as the Republic of Gambia still
has travel restrictions
The Liberia Football Association has also notified CAF of the
ongoing debacle. BYC Football has attempted to purchase
tickets, which was refused by Air Morocco-they sending a
documented travel restrictions from the Republic of Gambia,
instructing their Civil Aviations Authority not to allow ticketing
to Ebola affected countries. As to date, February 8, 2015 that
ban/restrictions remains in place. Unless and until such ban/
restrictions is lifted, as Air Morocco requires documentation from
the Republic of Gambia they (Air Morocco) have made is very
clear that they will NOT issue tickets to the BYC Football team or
allow them on their aircraft, a communication from the LFA to
the CAF in FPAs possession indicate.
B. Alphonso Armah, LFAs Secretary General in a separate
communication to his Gambian counterpart, Abass Bah Suggested
that time is of the essence for the GFA to resolve the matter. Our
delegation is scheduled to depart Liberia on Wednesday, February
11, 2015 and arrived the same day in Gambia, so if the Gambian
Football Federation has to wait for Monday before meeting the
relevant authority, what is the guarantee that Air Maroc will let go
all available passengers just to satisfy us?
I am sure this problem would have been solved had you people
told CAF and us when the fixture was drawn and sent to all

Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com

The LFA believes that it's representative
was not treated as supposed to be. We are
hoping that CAF will intervene to salvage the
situation in a timely manner. While awaiting
your timely response and action, please
accept our support and cooperation.
- B. Alphonso Armah, LFAs Secretary General
national associations. We communicated our arrival date and time
to you hoping that there was no obstacle in issuing air ticket to
passengers traveling to Gambia, but GFF never care to mention
the ban imposed on us. The LFA believes that it's representative
was not treated as supposed to be. We are hoping that CAF will
intervene to salvage the situation in a timely manner. While
awaiting your timely response and action, please accept our
support and cooperation.
Gambian FA Says Ban Lifted, but..
The Gambian FA Secretary General, in a bid to allay Liberias
fears suggested that the Ebola ban had been lifted and would
finalize the matter by Monday, Feb. 9, 2015.
I wish to write to shed more light on my last email message on
the BYC FC travel to the Gambia for their match with Real De

Banjul.In this regard I wish to repeat that the Government of the

Gambia has announced that the ban on the movement of people
to and from Ebola infected Countries(Liberia,Guinea and Sierra
Leone) has been lifted with immediate effect from yesterday 6th
February 2015.This decision was announced on Public media last
night. Therefore, what the GFF intends to do on Monday(as the
official working week in the Gambia is Monday to Thursday) is to
ensure that the Ministry of Transportation transmit the decision to
the Concerned Airlines and Travel Agencies,if such action has not
been taken yet. In this case Royal Air Moroc. I wish to observe
that you are assuming in your email message that the ban is still
in force which is not the case. Whilst assuring all that the GFF
and Real de Banjul FC are fully prepared to receive their brothers
in football in the spirit of African solidarity. I wish to indulge the
patience and understanding of all.
Gambia was among a number of African countries which enforced
restrictions on Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea at the onset of the
Ebola virus outbreak. Several regional and international carriers
have since suspended flights to Liberia, leaving only Royal Air
Maroc, SN Brussels and most recently Air Ivoire as the only air
carriers flying in and out of Liberia.
Gambian authorities had put in place the travel measures last
September, stating that it would no longer be allowing in
Guineans, Liberians, Nigerians and Sierra Leoneans. "The border
closure is not recommended by the World Health Organization
(WHO) and as such the movement of people into the country
should not be restricted," Sanna Sambou, the government`s
head of disease control, was quoted by the AFP. At the time,
Sambou, who is in charge of the country`s response to the deadly
epidemic, conceded that the closure had not been the best way of
combatting the contagion, noting it was deemed "discriminatory"
by the WHO. The border closure applied not just to citizens of
the Ebola-hit nations but anyone who had visited them within 21
days, including returning Gambians. Jammeh ordered airlines to
cancel all flights from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone on April
10 -- before reversing the decision a month later.
GFA Risk CAF Ban enforced a ban on Morocco over similar
measures. The country which was initially booked to stage the
AFCON tournament which ended Sunday in Equatorial Guinea
have been banned from the next two African Nations Cup
tournaments as punishment for withdrawing from hosting the
2015 finals over fears of the spread of the Ebola virus.
Morocco had based its request to postpone the tournament by a
year on 10th October, 2014, on allegations "of the highest health
risk". Morocco cited the outbreak of the Ebola virus as a case of
force majeure in justifying its request for postponement, citing in
particular the risk of contamination of its population because of
anticipated fans' flows.
CAF raised objections and inadmissibility of Morocco's request
who were obliged to state their position of withdrawal from
the organization of the 2015 Orange Africa Cup of Nations by
11 November 2014. The Executive Committee considered that,
contrary to what the Royal Moroccan Football Federation cited,
force majeure cannot be accepted for the benefit of the federation.

Monday, February 9, 2015

BYC was making plans to depart Liberia on Tuesday morning

on the only available flight out of Liberia that could land them in
Banjul for the Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015 encounter.
The team is set to depart for at 5:15am on Tuesday, Feb 10, with
an long connection in Casablanca, to arrive in Banjul the morning
of Feb-11-giving the team two days to prepare to play the match
on Feb 14. BYC Football has operated in good faith, has gone
thru all required to fulfill its obligation in the CAF Champions
league. Regardless of associations, the ultimate decision rest with
the Republic of Gambia via its Civil Aviation Authority, which
still has a documented ban on travel from Liberia, a BYC official
told FrontPageAfrica on condition of anonymity, indicating that
until and unless Air Morocco receives documentation from the
Republic of Gambia, clearly stating that the ban has been lifted,
BYC Football remains at bay.
The Tuesday morning flight is the only available option for BYC
at the moment. Because of the match schedule for Feb 14, if
the team does not depart on the early am of Feb 10-there are no
available flights from Liberia to arrive in Banjul to play the match
on Feb 14.
BYC travel in Jeopardy
BYC officials inform FrontPageAfrica that in order for the team to
manage the logistic it would have needed to depart Monrovia on
an Air Morocco flight on early Tuesday, Feb 10. But in the wake
of the instructions from The Gambian government restricting
passengers from Liberia to travel to Gambia), those plans appear
to be on the ropes.
In the wake of the Gambian governments position, BYC
Football is reportedly requesting that CAF awards the team 3
points, for Gambia failure to allowing BYC Football/Liberia to
honor its CAF Champions League fixture against Real De Banjul
confirmed for Feb 14 in Banjul.
BYC is meanwhile appealing to the Liberia Football Association
to press the matter as the team has done everything to honor its
fixture with Real De Gambia, but the Republic of Gambia is NOT
allowing the team to travel to their country.
FrontPageAfrica has since learned that CAF has begun piling the
pressure on The Gambia to allow BYC to honor the scheduled
encounter.
In a communication to the Gambian Dear General Secretary of
Gambia Football Association, obtained by FrontPageAfrica, Mr.
Ismail Wally, Manager of Interclubs Competitions, Confdration
Africaine De Football demanded that The Gambian Football
association immediately resolve the matter.
Reference to the mail below from the GS of the Liberia football

Frontpage

association, you are urgently requested to try and contact your

governmental authorities or Civil Aviation Authority in order
to know by today or the latest tomorrow Morning (Monday 9
February 2015) the situation regarding the travel of BYC club
delegation to Gambia. Kindly note that the BYC delegation
should be arriving on this flight: AT 579 10FEB 2 CMNBJL DK1
2340 0605 11FEB E 1 73G. We are expecting your office to fully
cooperate with the Liberia F.A in order to solve this situation as
soon as possible.
Despite the rapid decline of the virus in Liberia, citizens of the
country continue to experience stigmatization, particularly from
its African compatriots. Late last year the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in a bid to address the matter urged nations to end the
stigmatization of citizens from Ebola-hit nations. In the midst of
what has generally been a remarkable show of solidarity from the
global community as Liberia and other Ebola affected countries

In the midst of what has generally been a remarkable

show of solidarity from the global community as
Liberia and other Ebola affected countries struggle to
eradicate the virus, we have noted with deep concern a
rising counter-trend of measures and reactions on the
part of some members of the global community that
can only be described as disproportionate and panicdriven. Of late some countries have chosen to impose
draconian travel and other restrictions including
the suspension of visa issuance to Liberians and
citizens of other countries worst hit by the Ebola Virus
Disease. statement from the Foreign Ministry Liberia
struggle to eradicate the virus, we have noted with deep concern a
rising counter-trend of measures and reactions on the part of some
members of the global community that can only be described as
disproportionate and panic-driven. Of late some countries have
chosen to impose draconian travel and other restrictions including
the suspension of visa issuance to Liberians and citizens of other
countries worst hit by the Ebola Virus Disease, a statement from
the Foreign Ministry noted.
Liberia Protest Stigmatization
The statement was prompted due to increasingly inundated number

Page 3

of complaints from Liberians across the globe, reporting very

depressing stories that include outright revocation of admission
to academic or other training programs abroad after previously
being issued admission or acceptance letters; the denial of entry
into some countries even after producing evidence of not being
in Liberia for over a month or so; very inhumane and callous
treatment from immigration and other personnel at airports; and
subtle and outright stigmatization at the work place, in public
transport, in hospitals, etc.
Liberia has publicly protested against unnecessary restrictions
and stigmatization through a variety of channels including direct
diplomatic contacts to the countries involved and advocacy at
multilateral fora including the African Union (AU) and the United
Nations.
The African Union agrees. At the conclusion of an Extraordinary
Meeting of the Executive Council of the AU held on September
8, 2014 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia which, among other forwardlooking decisions called upon Member States to urgently lift all
travel bans and restrictions and to ensure that any travel related
measures be in line with WHO and ICAO recommendations, in
particular proper screening.
Liberia has also taken the matter at the level of the United Nations
which acted through Resolution 2177: While expressing concern
about the detrimental effect of the isolation of the affected
countries as a result of trade and travel restrictions imposed on and
to the affected countries, called on Member States, including of
the region, to lift general travel and border restrictions, imposed
as a result of the Ebola outbreak, and that contribute to the further
isolation of the affected countries and undermine their efforts
to respond to the Ebola outbreak and also calls on airlines and
shipping companies to maintain trade and transport links with the
affected countries and the wider region.
Liberian health authorities have reported that there are currently
only five confirmed cases of Ebola in the entire country a
dramatic turnaround in the west African nation where the virus
has taken its deadliest toll.
At the height of the outbreak in August and September, Liberia
was recording more than 300 new cases of the virus every week.
To date 3,636 Liberians have died of Ebola, according to the
World Health Organization.
But the outbreak has begun to wane. On Monday, Tolbert
Nyenswah, who heads the countrys Ebolas response, said there
are now just five people in the country being treated for the virus.
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in her recent annual message
trumpeted the great stride Liberia was making to eradicate the
virus from the country. I can say today that despite all of this that
our nation has remained strong, our people resilient, Sirleaf said.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Page 4 | Frontpage

FrontPage COMMENTARY
EDITORIAL PREEMPTING THIS YEARS
Commentary

LIBERIA PLAYING DOUBLE

STANDARD WITH HUMAN
TRAFFICKING PLAY

The Henry Costa Arrest, A Test Case

For The Sirleaf Administrations
Tolerance Of Critical Media, Sends The
Wrong Message On Several Front

THE ARREST Saturday of talk radio personality, Mr. Henry Costa in

the early morning hours of February 6, 2015 is poised to put a dent
in much of the strides the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf-led government has
made regarding human rights, free speech and further complicate the
administrations stance on human trafficking, a notorious phenomenon
drawing global attention.
MR. COSTA, ACCORDING to reports was picked up along with some
34 violators of a government-imposed curfew Saturday. Costa was
reportedly part of a convoy of vehicles departing a social gathering
when they were picked up. The government imposed a 12am-6am
curfew in the midst of the deadly Ebola virus outbreak.
WHAT MANY are puzzled about is the fact that the Liberia National
Police released 33 of those reportedly arrested while Mr. Costa remains
in their custody.
ACCORDING TO REPORTS, Mr. Costa is being kept in custody
because the National Security Agency(NSA) which has had a longrunning beef with Mr. Costa over his political commentaries, has
requested that the police turn Mr. Costa over to them for questioning
for further investigation allegedly relating to a human trafficking
case in which Mr. Costa is alleged to have participated in the forced
deportation of Mr. Sam Fawaz, a Lebanese national whose mysterious
deportation sparked a political frenzy recently.
FRONTPAGEAFRICA, citing security sources recently reported that
Mr. Costa was the subject of an ongoing investigation by the National
Security Agency(NSA) in the recent deportation saga of Mr. Sam
Fawaz, a Lebanese national whose mysterious deportation sparked a
political frenzy.
MR. FAWAZ reportedly arrived on January 11, 2015 via Royal Air
Maroc using his Lebanese passport. Fawaz who had earlier claimed
that he was a Liberian, reportedly arrived in Liberia using a Lebanese
passport with a Liberian visa reportedly issued in Morocco. He had
reportedly used the same passport to depart Liberia last June.
AN NSA SOURCE told FPA recently that a joint investigative team
is looking into kidnapping and criminal conspiracy charges against
Mr. Costa and soon-to-be identified immigration officers. Costa had
previously informed FrontPageAfrica that he would not submit to the
probe. I will not submit myself to an NSA-led politically motivated
witch hunt under the guise of a human trafficking investigation. They
will have to use force or other means to compel me. Its up to them.
IT IS STILL UNCLEAR whether Mr. Costas continued detention is tied
to his beef with the NSA. An aide to Mr. Costa did tell FrontPageAfrica
that he has refused to turn himself to the NSA because the request
submitted to his office for him to report to the NSA was unsigned.
EVEN MORE TROUBLING is the fact that Mr. Costas lawyers
contend that he was denied counsel and access to see them in the
aftermath of his arrest.
CLLR. PEARL BROWN-BULL, one of those representing Mr. Costa
confirmed that she and other lawyers were denied repeatedly from
counseling Mr. Costa. The police director who is also an attorneyat-law denied us access to our client, said Cllr. Bull, who asserted
that she has notified the United Nations Mission in Liberia(UNMIL)
Human Rights Department about the behavior of the LNP.
CLLR. BULL, one of the signatories to the 1986 constitution said
the denial of legal representation to Mr. Costa is a violation of his
fundamental rights.
Chapter 3; Article 21(c) of the constitution states: Every person
suspected or accused of committing a crime shall immediately upon
arrest be informed in detail of the charges, of the right to remain silent
and of the fact that any statement made could be used against him in
a court of law. Such person shall be entitled to counsel at every stage
of the investigation and shall have the right not to be interrogated
except in the presence of counsel. Any admission or other statements
made by the accused in the absence of such counsel shall be deemed
inadmissible as evidence in a court of law.
MR. COSTA, according to family and friends, was also denied access
to food and sleeping blankets and at least one person who attempted to
take him food has also arrested.
WOODS NYANTON, Deputy General Manager of Voice FM also
informed FrontPageAfrica Sunday that Mr. Musa Sackor, Administrator
of Voice FM was also arrested reportedly on orders of Police Director
Chris Massaquoi for allegedly engaging in a war-of-words with
LNP officers who denied him access to take food to Mr. Costa. Mr.
Sackor was arrested at the Police Central headquarters and reportedly

ARMED FORCES DAY ORATOR

Franklin Ouu Nagbeh/fouunagbeh@gmail.com, Contributing Writer

Synopsis of the Armed Forces Day

iberias Armed Forces Day is a special day set aside to

commemorate services rendered by both veterans and active
men and women in defense of their nation. Specifically,
it was legislated in 1957, and henceforth, it is celebrated
February 11 each year.
Prior to the name Armed Forces, the Liberian army was called Liberia
Frontier Force. Unlike the current Army, most members of the Liberia
Frontier Force were from the lower Liberian class.
Who Is This Years Orator?
This years Orator is from the underprivileged class of Liberia.
His hard work from childhood to adulthood has earned him a great
success and admiration. He is Attorney at law and a well-respected
human rights and social justice advocate, a career that has earned him
national and international respects.
He is the founder of the Foundation for International Dignity (FIND),
a location Nongovernmental organization involved with humanitarian
work. He is also a Consultant for the Law Society of Liberia.
As Human Rights Lawyer, the 2015 Armed Forces Day Orator came
into government in 2006 as Labor Minister. At Labor, he led the
Firestone Workers Union to a peaceful and transparent election for
the first time in Liberia.
In 2009, he became head of the countrys infrastructure entity (Public
Works). As a non-engineer, many including the President hailed his
work. After 8 years of public service, the Armed Forces Day Orator
resigned from the Government of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in
May 2013 citing the death of his mentor, Archbishop as reason for his
resignation.
What Should Liberians Expect From the Orator
The Orator will take the podium with hidden zest. He may asked the
audience for a moment of silence for those peaceful citizens whose
lives were wrongfully taken away by the AFL during Liberias arm

conflict or during suppressive regimes. At the same time he would

praise the Liberian government for building a professional army.
His presentation will among other things focus largely on service to
humanity by the armed forces. He will refer to the army as the peoples
army and not the peoples enemy. He will caution men and women of
the army to observe integrity in the discharge of their duties.
The February 11, 2015 Armed Forces Day Orator will urge the gallant
men and women to be leaders in their respective positions, thus
challenging them to be ambassadors of peace.
He will retrospect on the history of the army in politics and will
ask them to stay out of politics. He will recount how the national
army was factional, tribal and politicalized by past leaders-and the
consequences that follow, for which the army is being trained to
reflect geographical and territorial balance.
He will make specific reference to brutalities meted out by the AFL
against peaceful citizens under oppressive regimes; and would
possibly hail them (AFL) for not taking part in the Rice Riot of 1979
which gave rise to what some historians believe was the evolution of
deadly conflicts in Liberia.
Noted for his human rights work, the Orator is expected to ask the
national army to observe the Geneva Convention of 1949, which
among other things established the standards of international law for
the humanitarian treatment of war.
Holding everything constant, the social justice advocates speech
may slightly touch on the Belle Yella prison, its treatment of political
prisoners and the need to have shut it down-vis--vis his overwhelming
desire for improved prison condition across the country.
He will talk about the excessive use of force on unarmed civilians
during protests with symbolic phrases for the later Shaiki Kamara
whose death many still believe was caused by the AFL during
the quarantine process of West Point as additional measures by
Government to contain the Ebola virus disease.
The Orator will plead with the new Liberian army to pay loyalty to
the state and not individuals. He will highlight briefly, the role of the
army during the Liberian crisis and how it became factionalized with
reported violations of 8,794 from 1979 to 2003.

transported to the Zone Three Police Station in Congotown where he is

currently being incarcerated.
PRESIDENT SIRLEAF in her annual message in January drew praise
for her bold declaration that a legislation that will decriminalize mediarelated offenses in keeping with the Table Mountain Declaration, was
ready for submission to the national legislature which she urged speedy
passage because in the presidents own words: It is the right thing
to do. This repeal law will advance our democratic aspirations and
foster unhindered public debates. We are hopeful that it will improve
rather than retard the growing media landscape of the country, and
again testify to our continued commitment to an opened society ably
supported by a responsible and independent press.
THIS IS WHY we are confused that the administration is allowing this
nagging issue with Mr. Costa to drag on when the President recently
hailed progress her administration has made in spite of sometimes
rocky relations with the independent media which has seen the closure
in recent months of another media, the National Chronicle newspaper.
IN HER OWN WORDS, the President declared in her annual
message: Never before has our country seen an aggressive, thriving
and outspokenly critical media landscape amid the abuse in the name
of freedom. This government intends to lead a legacy of tolerance
and remains fully committed to such process along our journey to
democratic maturity. We urge the media which today comprise an
unprecedented 35 newspapers and 80 radio stations, to play its part
to improve professionalism and responsibility as we will hold them
responsible for adherence to our policies and laws. We applaud, in
this public manner, the level of cooperation in the media reportage of
the Ebola crisis which kept citizens fully informed on the prevailing
situation.
IN THE SAME speech, Sirleaf called for a revisit of policies against
human trafficking. Trafficking of girls is a crime against humanity.
Trafficking in human beings is also a crime against humanity. We will
revisit existing policies and work with the Judiciary to impose harsh
punishment for convicts, including those who abuse the privilege of
living in our country, the President declared.
THIS IS NOT Mr. Costas first run-in with authorities. He was arrested
last March on charges of Terroristic Threat, Menacing, and Criminal
Coercion. The Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice arrested
Costa based on a complaint filed against him by a son of President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf and National Security Agency Director Fomba Sirleaf
SADLY, MR. COSTAS arrest intertwines with a purported human
trafficking case the government claims is the reason behind the

drummed up charges being planned against Mr. Costa for reportedly

aiding the deportation of Mr. Fawaz.
SADLY, THE GOVERNMENT has allowed more serious cases of
human trafficking to slip through its fingers and could find itself in a
very embarrassing position if it fails to tread the path it is treading with
caution.
THE MOST RECENT involving the granting of pardon to a father and
son duo Anthony Kassabli, 44, and his father Edmund Dib Kassabli, 81
by president Sirleaf. The older Kassabli is reportedly back in Lebanon
while his son is out of prison, reportedly being monitored by authorities
and not at the Monrovia Central Prison where he actually belongs.
SIMILARLY, the disgraceful case of several Liberian girls allegedly
trafficked to Lebanon in recent months continues to expose the
weakness of the administration in addressing human trafficking.
THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT and several international reports
have suggested that most of the countries trafficking victims originate
from are exploited within the countrys borders where they are subjected
to domestic servitude, forced begging, sex trafficking, or forced labor
in street vending, rubber plantations, and alluvial diamond/gold mines.
THE LIBERIAN GIRLS in Lebanons passports and other travel
documents were reportedly seized upon arrival in Lebanon by Lebanese
nationals said to be demanding reimbursement of US$3,500 paid for
each to Mr. Bachar Lakkis upon their arrival in Lebanon.
WHILE THE GOVERNMENT, through Neto Lighe, Minister of Labor
who also serves as Coordinator of the Governments Anti-Trafficking
Task Force Chair, have stated that efforts are in the works to return
some of the girls home and that perpetrators would be identified
and prosecuted, more serious steps need to be taken if the Sirleaf
government aims to take the issue of human trafficking more seriously
and Liberians and the international community to take its flirtation with
tolerance, seriously.
MR. COSTA is obviously not a human trafficking threat of any kind and
his arrest borders criminalization of a media personality, the very one
the Table Mountain despises and the one Liberia and this government
is trumpeting as a major signal of its tolerance of critical media with
whom President Sirleaf has acknowledge, her administration, has a
sometimes rocky relationship.
THE GOVERNMENT can save face by releasing Mr. Costa from
custody and stay clear of any attempts to draw him into a human
trafficking web when the real threats are being escorted into the arms of
freedom as scores of young girls endure suffering and pains as victims
of trafficking offenses being committed daily in broad day light.

Monday, February 9, 2015

FrontPage

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB

COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE
ANOTHER 12 YEAR-OLD GIRL
RAPED & KILLED IN LIBERIA
NYEMADE WANI TOP COMMENTER UNIVERSITY OF
LIBERIA, MONROVIA, LIBERIA CAMPUS
Wow, Liberia is becoming worse that India. It did not help that t he
president pardoned and released several rapists. These men are not too
old to rape again. Rape should be punishable with death or castration.
Why are rapists just sitting in jail? Where is this Ellen's friend Duncan
Cassell?
AMB MOSES OWEN BROWNE
TOP COMMENTER
MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR AT PLAN
INTERNATIONAL
God please forgive Liberia! Even with a Female President #Rape is still
on the rise? God please help us!
MAMA_DOLO1 (SIGNED IN USING YAHOO)
These stories are not about women raping people, it is about men. What
does a Female president have to do with anything? You think if these men
respected women they would be raping them? There is no president or
government that can stop a rape. These sick men are the problem we must
find them and lock them up.
JALLAHZYPOUS (SIGNED IN USING YAHOO)
Rape and murder must be consider as a capital crimes and at such required
a death penalty period. otherwise we will be here next week discussing
the same thing.
JOSHUA SAMEWAY CUTTINGTON UNIVERSITY
She is already dead, showing her face doesn't stigmatize her anyway.
MAMA_DOLO1 (SIGNED IN USING YAHOO)
The victims of rape need counseling. I think the government should
put some money towards support groups that will help these women
and girls cope with what has happened to them. The physical trauma of
rape is fairly short lived, but the emotional toll can last a lifetime. Also,
Liberians need to do what they can individually to change the culture of
rape and misogyny that is prevalent all over the country. Educate your
sons, friends, cousins, uncles, any man that is in your life that they are not
entitled to the bodies of a woman. Have open communication with your
daughters so that they feel comfortable coming to you and telling you that
they have been raped. DO NOT BLAME THE VICTIM... ever. Report
people that you know are taking part on this deviant act. Don't let them
pay you off. Your child's body is not up for sale.
GYUDE MUHLENBURG WAHUEMO FOLLOW
TOP
COMMENTER UC BERKELEY
My Liberian people, please read with comprehension and understanding.
The above article is to my knowledge not about rape. The girl was kept in
a video club by the predator Morris and later taking away after the little
girl herself refused to follow the first two individuals Morris had sent to
come with this girl to him. Now, the girl body had been found with private
parts, fingers cut. They cut off everything This is in my understanding
more than rape that many of you are highlighting and pointing fingers to
woman President. This is what we call "Ritualistic Killings". Ritualistic
killing is more painful than rape in my understanding. imagine somebody
is cuting your finger and penis while you stay breathing until you die
instantly, put this into your own flesh. How can you treate a fellow human
being like this? Liberia is gradually becoming hell where the angels of
lucifer or the devil is now taking over. There is no time to be waste in
this case. Let the young man be executed right by the same river they
slaughter this little child.
EDWIN CHUKU ZEON TOP COMMENTER CEO & FOUNDER
AT CHUKU AND CHUKU , PC
Gyude, the headline indicated ; Another12 Year Old Girl Raped and Killed
in Liberia. However, the context narrated kill, but not rape,therefore, the
author should be responsible for this mess. I would like to say congrats
for organizing the aforementioned mess in the article.
LORENZO BERNARD TOP COMMENTER CLASSIFIED AT
CLASSIFIED
FPA, this is a 12 years old child no need to post her photo, In suggest
you take it down. The president of Liberia is delusional people keep
forgetting that this is the same evil woman who couple days to X-mas
of 2014 pardon 10 sexual predators. This should give you all a clue
that something serious is wrong with Ellen's psychic, This is a very old
delusional lady who requires psychological evaluation. Listen to her
speeches you will note she repeats her self over and over because she is
mentally challenge and confused. A leader most especially a woman who
fails to recognize the magnitude of a child being rape and the domestic
violence women encounter daily in Liberia is simply sick in the mind.
Liberians in general are also duly responsible for their problems. It is
very important to evaluate candidates whom you elect meaning your
vote determines the future of your children and Liberia. Stop electing
gangsters who are greedy, selfish and encourages abuse of human rights.
In all three branches of this administration/government what you have
are clowns, rapists, gangsters, corrupt incompetent fools and until you
change your mentality I foresee no changes in the near future. May God
share His Grace on thee Liberia.

DISCLAIMER

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

Frontpage

The Reader's Page

Page 5

Send your letters and comments to:

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

MUTENESS OVER
LATE LEWIS
INDISCRETIONS

The Editor,

hy hasn't anyone made reference to cases

decided by the late Johnnie Lewis as
Chief Justice to support his "greatness" of
accolades besides him being an A student, a
Dean of the UL Law School and a graduate of Yale University
law school in the U.S. And a humanitarian? During the war
when Lewis fled the US like many of us and was living in
New Jersey, U.S., he reportedly failed the US Bar law exam
twice and therefore could not practice law here in the USA.
So much so for this genius, nothing personal just to set the
record straight. (Journalism is a profession that doesn't win
you many friends especially if you speak truth to power so I
know what criticisms to follow my essay, but so be it.)
And I will always make reference to a number of cases
that he presided over as CJ of our Supreme Court: his raw
injustice over the poor airlines manager who was dragged
into his office in handcuffs when he demanded $600.00
from the poor foreign investor whose airline paid taxes to
pay Lewis' fat salary, therefore, he became the judge, jury
and executioner in the matter, and what a way to attract
foreign investors to Liberia?
His unjust and unconstitutional treatment of FPA's Rodney
Sieh when the CJ denied Rodney's constitutional right to
have a lawyer to represent him in court after Rodney 's hired
lawyer, ( Cllr Mousa Dean) refused to represent him, and
the CJ demanded Rodney to defend himself when the Court
could have appointed a lawyer to represent Rodney. He the
"acclaimed" jurist CJ Lewis jailed Rodney for one week
because Rodney refused to speak unless his demand to a
counsel/lawyer was honored by the CJ.
The well praised as the best and brightest CJ as many
want us to believe, also presided or sanctioned/upheld the
kangaroo trail and verdict by the lower court of the 18plus Krahn citizens still languishing in Ellen's gulag South
Beach Prison on trumped up charges spiked with grudge
and vendetta of a coup plot not backed up by any evidence,
among other ridiculous charges that said Krahns in the
United States had wired money to Krahns in Liberia and
had assembled over 400 fighters in Toe Town, Grand Gedeh
County to go to Monrovia to "overthrow the Ellen regime".
And you have our fellow citizens dying and some going
blind in jail and people are on here talking about Lewis
being the "greatest" Chief Justice in Liberian history. More
than 40 Liberians have died in that notorious South Beach
jail from starvation and other illnesses and many never had a
day in court while Lewis was CJ? Hello?? How many times
did his Ciurt cite the Executive Branch for the violations of
the rights of "prisoners" and free those held for months and

years without a day in court which will be a violation of

their constitutional rights to speedy trial?
It is one thing to to be an A student in school, a law professor
and a dean of a law school, but completely another thing
when your judgements as CJ don't match the grades you
supposedly made in the classroom. CJ Johnnie Lewis
therefore FAILED in the global classroom of life when
he put on the robe/gown as CJ and abused his authority in
dealing raw "justice" to that airline manager, Rodney Sieh
and the Krahns still in prison.
And for those claiming that he taught them at the LU law
school and helped many people in life, well, good and we
cheer for him on that. But so what? Does that not nullify
his deeds in the face of the three cases mentioned above?
Equally so, William Tolbert, Charles Taylor, Samuel Doe,
Adolph Hitler, and now Ellen all helped others too. So what?
The evil they did in their official capacity or otherwise to
thousands and millions of people nullified their good deeds.
And I stand by my position till my death. May Johnnie
Lewis rest in peace. Like him, I am also from Sinoe County.
Let the truth be told even if the truth hurts.
Jerry Wehtee Wion
Journalist and Political Commentator
Washington, DC, USA

LIBERIAN
STUDENT DENIED
ENTRY IN KENYA

The Editor,

am a Liberian student who left Liberia on January 6 to start

school in Kenya.
Unfortunately, I was denied entry and deported to Ghana to
serve 21days because I flew directly from an Ebola affected
country. I have been in contact with the Foreign Affairs ministry but
the Note emailed to Kenya is still unfruitful.
Despite serving the required 3weeks quarantine in an Ebola free
country, the Kenyan authorities wrote the Ethiopian Airlines
authorities denying me entry to start school in Kenya because "I AM
A LIBERIAN".
This stigmatization and marginalization must stop. This is no more
about protecting Kenya from Ebola but hate they've developed for
Liberians.
Liberians are humans made in God's image and loved by God not
viruses.
This must STOP.
Shalom,
Sainkolo
Sainkolo Sondah <geologist1992@googlemail.com>
Honor HONESTY
Expect EXCELLENCE
Live
LOVINGLY
Persevere with PASSION
(Reichenbach, 2013)

EDITORIAL TEAM

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

077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com
Wade C. L. Williams, News Desk Chief, wade.
williams@frontpageafricaonline.com; 0880664793
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frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528
James-Emmanuel D. Cole, Jr, Graphics Designer
& Layout Editor, echange4life@gmail.com;
0886 211 390, 0777 027 030
Henry Karmo, henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.
com
Al-varney Rogers al.rogers@frontpageafricaonline.
com, 0886-304498

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

FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428
COUNTY NEWS TEAM
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Page 6 | Frontpage

Monday, February 9, 2015

F
MEDIA ISSUES
VOICE FM TALK SHOW HOST HENRY COSTA JAILED; STATION
REPORTEDLY ORDERED CLOSED; ADMINISTRATOR ALSO PICKED UP
PAGE
RONT

GROSS VIOLATION
Since 2:00 am on Saturday morning I have been awake following the process of 34 persons arrested for breaking Curfew laws, prominent amongst them
Samuel K. Doe Jr. And Henry Costa, two hours later I was reliably informed by Mr. Costa that the Deputy Director of police for operations, Col. Abe Kromah
(102) issued a release order for all of the 34 individuals. 30mins later, I got another call informing me that everyone was leaving Costa was not permitted to
leave on instructions from Assistant commissioner of police for operations, Com. Gregory Coleman (104). I got to the Police HQ by 5:00 and made contact with
Costa. By - then all the other folks were walking out. Woods Nyanton, Co-Host, The Henry Costa Morning Show

A
Monrovia -

uthorities
in
Monrovia
have
picked
up
Mr.
Henry Costa, host
of the highly-rated Henry Costa
Morning Show. FrontPageAfrica
has learned that Mr. Costa was
picked up at about 2:00 am
local time Saturday for allegedly
breaking
curfew.
Liberia
currently has a 12:00 am to 6:00
am curfew in place due to the
deadly Ebola outbreak.
Costa was also arrested last
March on charges of Terroristic
Threat, Menacing, and Criminal
Coercion. The Monrovia City
Court at the Temple of Justice
arrested Costa based on a
complaint filed against him by
a son of President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf and National Security
Agency Director Fomba Sirleaf
Mr. Woods Nyanton, Deputy
Deputy General Manager of
Voice FM and co-host of the
Costa Morning show, told
FrontPageAfrica that Costa was
picked up on vagrancy charge
along with 34 others around 2 am
Saturday but 33 of those arrested
were released Sunday morning
while Costa remained in jail.
Nyanton explained that around
2:00 am on Saturday morning
he was awaken to reports that
Costa was picked up along with
some 34 persons, arrested for
breaking Curfew. Prominent
amongst them Samuel K. Doe
Jr. And Henry Costa, two hours
later I was reliably informed
by Mr. Costa that the Deputy
Director of police for operations,
Col. Abe Kromah (102) issued
a release order for all of the 34
individuals.
Woods however added that
some 30minites later, he
received another informing me

that everyone while everyone

else were allowed to leave, Mr.
Costa was not permitted to leave
on instructions from Assistant
commissioner of police for
operations, Gregory Coleman
(104). I got to the Police HQ
by 5:00 and made contact with
Costa. By then all the other
folks were walking out. We
argued with the police to charge
Costa and acquaint him with his
Miranda rights which they didn't
do until they incarcerated him!!
He was denied company from
his councils until around midday
when the Inspector General
agreed to allow the Lawyers
get involved. To my surprise,
the Lawyers were denied their
request to sign for their client
and bring him back on Monday.
Woods said police director
Massaquoi had intimated to him
that it was because the NSA said
they wanted Costa the reason
why he was keeping costa

Lawyers Denied Access

The incident took a stunning
turn early Sunday when
lawyers representing Mr. Costa
complained that they were all
denied access to Mr. Costa.
Cllr. Pearl Brown Bull, one of
those representing Mr. Costa
confirmed that she and other
lawyers were denied repeatedly
from counseling Mr. Costa. The
police director who is also an
attorney-at-law denied us access
to our client, said Cllr. Bull,
who asserted that she has notified
the United Nations Mission in
Liberia(UNMIL) Human Rights
Department about the behavior
of the LNP.
Cllr. Bull, one of the signatories
to the 1986 constitution said the
denial of legal representation to

Mr. Costa is a violation of his

fundamental rights.
Chapter 3; Article 21(c) of
the constitution states: Every
person suspected or accused
of committing a crime shall
immediately upon arrest be
informed in detail of the charges,
of the right to remain silent and
of the fact that any statement
made could be used against him
in a court of law. Such person
shall be entitled to counsel at
every stage of the investigation
and shall have the right not
to be interrogated except in
the presence of counsel. Any
admission or other statements
made by the accused in the
absence of such counsel shall be
deemed inadmissible as evidence
in a court of law.
Family sources and aides have
also suggested that Mr. Costa
was denied access to food and
sleeping blankets and at least one
person who attempted to take
him food has also arrested.
Mr. Nyanton told FPA Sunday
that Mr. Musa Sackor, also
informed FrontPageAfrica that
Mr. Musa Sackor, Administrator
of Voice FM was also arrested
reportedly on orders of Police
Director Chris Massaquoi for
allegedly engaging in a war-ofwords with LNP officers who
denied him access to take food
to Mr. Costa. Mr. Sackor was
arrested at the Police Central
headquarters and reportedly
transported to the Zone Three
Police Station in Congotown
where he is currently being
incarcerated.
President Sirleaf, in her annual
message in January drew
praise for her bold declaration
that a legislation that will
decriminalize media- related
offenses in keeping with the
Table Mountain Declaration,
was ready for submission to the
national legislature which she
urged speedy passage because
in the presidents own words:
It is the right thing to do.
This repeal law will advance
our
democratic
aspirations
and foster unhindered public
debates. We are hopeful that it
will improve rather than retard
the growing media landscape of
the country, and again testify to
our continued commitment to an
opened society ably supported
by a responsible and independent
press.
Sirleaf also hailed progress her
administration has made in spite
of sometimes rocky relations
with the independent media
which has seen the closure
in recent months of another
media, the National Chronicle
newspaper.
Said Sirleaf: Never before has
our country seen an aggressive,
thriving and outspokenly critical
media landscape amid the abuse
in the name of freedom. This
government intends to lead a

legacy of tolerance and remains

fully committed to such process
along our journey to democratic
maturity. We urge the media
which today comprise an
unprecedented 35 newspapers
and 80 radio stations, to play its
part to improve professionalism
and responsibility as we will
hold them responsible for
adherence to our policies and
laws. We applaud, in this public
manner, the level of cooperation
in the media reportage of the
Ebola crisis which kept citizens
fully informed on the prevailing
situation.
Trafficking Baggage Appear
Connected to Arrest
FrontPageAfrica, citing security
sources recently reported that
Mr. Costa was the subject of an
ongoing investigation by the
National Security Agency(NSA)
in the recent deportation saga
of Mr. Sam Fawaz, a Lebanese
national whose mysterious
deportation sparked a political
frenzy.
A senior police official, however,
informed
FrontPageAfrica
Mr. Costa was arrested along
with Samuel K. Doe Jr., after
the stipulated curfew. Fawazs
surprising return to Monrovia
on January 11, 2015 after he was
reported to have died in a prison
in Lebanon last year raised
questions about the nature of his
purported deportation.
FrontPageAfrica
gathered
recently from Sources within the
NSA that the interest in Mr. Costa
is based on a complaint filed by
Mr. Sam Fawaz. That is true.
There is an active joint criminal
investigation that is ongoing
with police and immigration on
how the young man was illegal
deported from Liberia without
court proceedings. The basis of
this is a complaint that was filed
by Mr. Fawaz. Mr. Fawaz alleges
that Mr. Costa played a central
role in his illegal deportation,
a senior NSA official, speaking
on condition of anonymity told
FrontPageAfrica recently.
The source said a joint
investigative team is looking
into kidnapping and criminal
conspiracy charges against Mr.
Costa and soon-to-be identified
immigration officers. Costa
had
previously
informed
FrontPageAfrica that he would
not submit to the probe. I will
not submit myself to an NSAled politically motivated witch
hunt under the guise of a human
trafficking investigation. They
will have to use force or other
means to compel me. Its up to
them.
Following Mr. Sam Fawazs
return to Liberia earlier this
month, Lemuel Reeves, the
relieved Commissioner of the
Bureau of Immigration and
Naturalization said the return

meant that the investigation

would resume in the case.
Fawaz reportedly arrived on
January 11, 2015 via Royal
Air Maroc using his Lebanese
passport. Fawaz who had earlier
claimed that he was a Liberian,
reportedly arrived in Liberia
using a Lebanese passport with
a Liberian visa reportedly issued
in Morocco. He had reportedly
used the same passport to depart
Liberia last June.
It is unclear whether BIN
commissioner
Reeves
and
other BIN officials who had
been accused of forcing the
deportation of Sam Fawaz
will also form part of the NSA
probe. But NSA sources say
many have already been called
in for questioning under the
supervision of the Ministry of
Justice.
But Reeves did tell FPA after
Fawazs return that he felt
vindicated
after
numerous
reports had suggested that the
BIN had kidnapped and deported
Mr. Fawaz from Liberia.
We will continue with our
investigation, but this will clear
my name. It is now clear that I
did not deport Mr. Fawaz as was
reported.

The fact that they said he was

deported and even died in
Lebanon speaks volume. So I am
glad that he is alive and we can
continue with our investigation
and all the facts and allegations
surrounding his case can be laid
to rest, Reeves said.
Fawaz Family Feud
Sam Fawaz had alleged that BIN
officers handcuffed him and
took all his money away while
en route to the airport. When
I got to the airport in Lebanon
and they have written a paper in
Arabic that I was deported from
Liberia. I am scared of my safety
here; I feel they could jail me
at any time for whatever reason
that my uncle could make up to
keep me away from Liberia and
SSF..
Sam Fawaz claimed that his
uncle Shawki Fawaz of SSF had
denied him (Sam Fawaz) his

legitimate share of the company.

He said the company (SSF) was
registered in his name because
his uncle wanted the company to
be a Liberian-owned. Sam said
he is a Liberian by birth, because
his mother is a Liberian and his
father who is now deceased,
was a Lebanese and the senior
brother to Shawki Fawaz.
Sam had complained that his
Uncle Shawki Fawaz robbed him
of carrying his biological father's
name when he was a child. "My
uncle got me a Liberian passport
when I was under aged following
the death of my father. He gave
me his full names, making me to
be his son and his junior boy. My
biological name was changed, I
did not carry my dad's name, I
was compared to carry Shawki
Fawaz full name because he
wanted to benefit from my God's
given birth rights as a Liberian".
Sam said when he reached the
age of maturity and decided to
engage his uncle on the matter
and demanded that he be given
his share of the company, his
uncle refused and threatened to
use his money and contact in
Liberia to deport him.
"My uncle, Shawki and his
media agent Costa arranged
for my deportation; they bribe
the immigration commissioner,
my poor Liberian mother and
deported me midnight on Air
Maroc. The BIN officers used
a weapon to threaten me while
they were taking me to the
airport," he claimed. The issue
of Human Trafficking has of late
been a major international issue
for Liberia.
According to the 2014 U.S.
Department of State Trafficking
in Person (TIP) report on
Liberia, GoL was taken to task
for not fully complying with
the minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking, but
that it is making significant
efforts to do so as it pointed out
that Liberia remains a source,
transit and destination country
for men, women, and children
subjected to forced labor and sex
trafficking.
The report said most trafficking
victims originate from and are
exploited within the countrys
borders,
where, they are subjected to
domestic
servitude,
forced
begging, sex trafficking, or
forced labor in street vending,
rubber plantations, and alluvial
diamond/gold mines. In the wake
of that report, eyebrows were
raised after the sudden release
from the Monrovia Central
Prison of Anthony Kassabli,
44, and his father Edmund Dib
Kassabli, 81. The older Kassabli
is reportedly back in Lebanon.
In the past week, the issue of
trafficking has dominated the
headlines amid reports that a
Lebanese national said to be
behind the alleged trafficking
of scores of Liberian girls
to Lebanon was released
mysteriously out of police
custody. The girls' passports and
travel documents were reportedly
seized upon arrival in Lebanon
by Lebanese nationals said to
be demanding reimbursement
of US$3,500 paid for each to
Mr. Bachar Lakkis upon their
arrival in Lebanon. But Neto
Lighe, Minister of Labor who
also serves as Coordinator
of the Governments AntiTrafficking Task Force Chair
assured recently that the girls
would be returned home and that
perpetrators would be identified
and prosecuted.

KEEPING IT REAL

Monday, February 9, 2015

Monrovia
renda
Brewer
Moores
Kids
Education Project
which has been in
the forefront of keeping outof-school Liberian children
educationally engaged during
the deadly Ebola outbreak is
taking her program to the next
level as schools in the ebolahit nation prepare to resume
classes.
The
Project
is
now
transitioning
from
its
emergency assistance phase
into a longer phase in the
wake of preparations to reopen
schools across the country,
Moore told FrontPageAfrica
recently.
As part of the next phase,
Moore says, KEEP has in the
past few days been distributing
back-to-school kits to more
than 150 school-kids gearing
for a return to school.
KEEP has been hugely
successful and our engagement
with various communities has
revealed that there is much to
be in supporting various efforts
in educating and ensuring
access to primary education
to children in Liberia and I
am convinced our team can be
a part of that support system
and change, Moore says.
We are looking at expanding
our operations in many other
ways that support youth
and educational activities in
Liberia.
Moore emphasized that KEEP
intends to continue to provide
educational support to children
across Liberia through its
various educational programs
and plans on reaching children
in the leeward counties, with
the intent of supporting the
efforts of providing access

PAGE
RONT

EDUCATION

Frontpage

Page 7

Kids Educational Engagement Project (Keep) Transitions To Another Level

. Distributes Back-To-School Bags To Over 150 Kids

to primary education to all

children in Liberia.
Explains Moore: Education
is the bedrock of any society
and Liberia is no exception.
Several months ago, the Kids

Educational
Engagement
Project (KEEP) set out to
keep the minds of
some
children active during the
compulsory closure of schools
in the country due to the Ebola

PAGE
RONT

Virus Disease outbreak by

providing school exercises and
educational materials twice
a month and to also create an
awareness for parents to make
time to tutor their children so

MEDIA ISSUES

that when schools do reopen,

they wouldnt be at a total
loss.
Moore explains further that in
anticipation of the reopening
of schools, taking into

consideration the economic

hardship many parents are
encountering as a result of the
Ebola Virus Outbreak, KEEP
decided to provide Back-toSchool supplies to some of
the children who have been
benefiting in its programs over
the last few months.
With the support of the LTA
and several other individuals,
KEEP was able to provide over
150 book bags to children in
the Baptist Seminary, Blocks
B&C communities on January
31, 2015. Each school bag
also contained one dozen
notebooks, erasers, pencils,
sharpeners, crayons, rulers,
etc.
Moore says parents in the
community were pleasantly
surprised and appreciative
with many rejoicing that the
thoughtfulness of the gesture
of KEEP towards their families
during these very difficult
times.
The KEEP initiative, Moore
says has been very successful
over the past few months,
having
directly
impacted
over 8,000 children in
Montserrado, Gbarpolu and
Grand Geddeh counties, with
support from many individuals
and organizations, including
ActionAid Liberia.

GENDER POLICY DRAFT FOR LIBERIAN MEDIA

Mae Azango maeazango@frontpageafricaonline.com

A
Monrovia -

s many forms of
violations against
women continue to
heighten in Liberia,
various Women Rights groups
are rising up to the challenge
with advocacy efforts in a bid to
protect women from violations
such as rape, sexual Gender
Based Violence, domestic
violence and sex Trafficking.
A draft of the Gender Policy for
Liberia Media was the subject

of discussion last Friday at the

Press Union of Liberia (PUL)
Headquarters in Monrovia.
The Gender policy draft
organized by United States
Aid
for
International
Development(USAID)
and
the International Research and
Exchanges Board(IREX), in
collaboration with LIWOMAC
PUL and the Female Journalists
Association of Liberia(FeJAL),
under the Theme: Creating a
supportive media environment

for women through Policy

change.
The session brought together
the Ministry of Information,
Ministry of Gender, Women
media Groups, the Media and
Civil Society Groups.
PUL President Abdulla Kamara
stressed that women be given a
chance to participate at higher
levels in their job places and
other institutions.
Said Kamara: I think if every
media institution should have

a position only restricted to

women, then more women
would work in the media.
Whenever there is a vacancy,
and a woman is qualified for
that position, it is usually
given to the man instead of
the woman, due to the cultural
notion our society has placed
on a women. We cannot ignore
it anymore that women are
important part of our society.
So there is need to help and
promote any strategy to make

them heard.
Giving a background to the
Draft, Ms. Estella Nelson,
Head of LIWOMAC and the
Women Democracy Radio,
said the advancing Women
in the Media was launched
April 2011 by LIWOMAC in
collaboration with PUL, FeJAL
and MEWOCEDE, under the
womens Media Initiative, a
component of the Civil Society
and media leadership program
funded by USAID through
IREX.
Additional
funding
was
provided by Action Aid Liberia
to support the development
of the strategy. It highlights
the lack of women in decision
making positions in the media,
and some of the challenges
they face in newsrooms. Those
challenges include low salaries,
limited
opportunities
for
growth and development, skills
level, sexual harassment and
much more. These obstacles
often deter women from
entering the Liberian Media, a
situation which results in their
under representation.
Maureen Sieh, senior media
specialist at IREX, said as
the media is playing a very
important role in the society
and if there is only one gender

in the media; there would

be no voice for womans
prospective on health and child
care, Education, politics, the
Economy.
Said Sieh: I know many
people get uneasy when we
talk about gender equality,
women rights, creating a space
for women and policy change
regarding women and some
people feel we are competing,
but I want to remind us that it
is not a competition, because
when women progress, our
society progress. Even if you
are a man who does not believe
in women rights, I will like
to remind you that you are
also raising your daughters
and sending them to school to
know their rights, so you have
to think about their rights,
Former PUL President Mr.
James Kiazulu, Mr. William
Burke of IREX and Helen Nah
of Women Voices Newspaper,
insisted that women should
be given positions based on
merit and not because of their
sex. While Professor Weade
K. Wureh spoke about women
getting maternal leave up to
16 weeks. A legislation on the
issue is presently before the
national Legislature.

Page 8 | Frontpage

PROBING
CONCESSION
MATTER
LIBERIAN GOVERNMENT
TO INVESTIGATE
MARYLAND PLANTATION
VIOLENCE

Monrovia he Ministries of
Internal
Affairs
and Justice have
acknowledged
receipt of a letter of grievance
by the youth of Maryland
County regarding the situation
surrounding operations of
MOPP and CRC.
MOPP is the Maryland
Oil Palm Plantation, while
CRC is the Cavalla Rubber
Corporation, both operating in
Maryland County.
On Saturday, an inter-agency
meeting jointly chaired by
Internal Affairs Minister Morris
Dukuly and Justice Minister
and Attorney General of
Liberia Cllr. Benedict Sannoh,
and attended by Maryland
County
Senator
Gblebo
Brown, who represented the
Legislative Caucus of the
County, Executive Director
of the National Bureau of
Concessions, the Inspector
General of Liberian National
Police, and Maryland County
Superintendent Betsy Kuoh,
was held at Ministry of Internal
Affairs on Capitol Hill.
Cllr. James A.A. Pierre and
Cllr. John Saah Nyumah
represented MOPP & CRC.
The meeting decided to set
up an inter-agency committee
comprising the Ministries of
Internal Affairs, Chair, JusticeCo-Chair, Labor, Member and
Agriculture-Member.
Other
members of the committee are
Land Commission, National
Bureau
of
Concessions
and
Maryland
County
Administration.
Meanwhile Ministers Dukuly
and Sannoh have assured that
the grievances contained in the
youths position statement will
be addressed.
Ministers Dukuly and Sannoh
have therefore called on all
citizens and residents of
Maryland, including the youth
not to engage in any actions
that will negatively affect the
operations of the company.
At the same time, a delegation
comprising representatives of
the inter-agency committee is
expected to travel to Maryland
next week to meet with citizens
and launch investigation into
the matter.

Monrovia
he President of Togo
and
ECOWAS
head of the regions
Ebola Virus Disease
Response
and
Eradication
Process, His Excellency Faure
Essozimna Gnassingbe has
disclosed that the European
Union has consented to host a
high-level meeting in Brussels,
Belgium for financing postEbola reconstruction in the
three worse affected countries
(Guinea, Liberia and Sierra
Leone) on March 3, 2015.
According to an Executive
Mansion release, President
Gnassingbe made the disclosure
during a press stakeout following
a meeting with President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf. The Togolese
President was accompanied on
the one-day solidarity visit to
Liberia by the President of the
ECOWAS Commission Kadr
Dsire Oudrago on Friday,
February 6.
President
Gnassingbe
was
asked to supervise the process
following the endorsement of the
Integrated Operational
Regional
Plan for response to the Ebola
virus by ECOWAS Heads of
State and Government during a
regional summit in Accra, Ghana
on November 6, 2014.
He indicated that at a highlevel meeting in Accra, Ghana,
which comprised all ECOWAS
partners, on January 16, 2015,
high on the agenda were pleas
for the opening of all borders and
the resumption of air services
to and from Ebola affected
countries; the establishment of
a coordination mechanism at the
level of ECOWAS in order to
have a more efficient response to
the epidemic; and consideration
for post-Ebola reconstruction
needs of the worse affected
countries.
We have found this coordinating
structure at the strategic and
operational level so that we can
best utilize the resources in this
fight, he said.

PAGE
RONT

Monday, February 9, 2015

EBOLA

POST-EBOLA PLAY
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe and ECOWAS President Kadr Oudrago Pay One-Day Visit; High-Level
Meeting for Financing Post-Ebola Reconstruction Slated For Brussels, Belgium on March 3, 2015

The Togolese President said

everybody knows that no sector
of the economy was spared in
this Ebola attack and experience
has shown that in order to rise up,
everyone has to get up very early
and work hard. We would like
to say in periods such as these,
we have to get up early and
work late so that all our efforts
combined in the reconstruction
process can be more efficient and
to the point.
President Gnassingbe used the
occasion to renew his solidarity
and support to President Sirleaf,
the Government and people
of Liberia and on behalf of
the ECOWAS Chairman, His

PAGE
RONT

Excellency
John
Mahama,
say how proud they are of the
Liberian President. We would
like to thank you for your
leadership in steering this Ebola
crisis, he said.
He extended to salute to
government officials as well as
the entire population who joined
hands with Government in
fighting the Ebola virus disease.
President Gnassingbe thanked
the international community,
most
especially
ECOWAS
Member States who sent health
workers and volunteers to the
three worse affected countries
that has made the difference.
He also praised all those who

survived the Ebola virus disease.

The Togolese President said
though much has been achieved
in the fight against Ebola,
he cautioned Liberians to be
vigilant and not get complacent.
He assured the Liberian
Government that ECOWAS
will leave no stone unturned
in getting rid of Ebola but will
also pursue efforts to have the
country return to normalcy.
In brief remarks, the President
of the ECOWAS Commission
Kadr Dsire Oudrago seized
the opportunity to pay tribute
to the vision and leadership of
President Sirleaf and commended
the Government and people

MILITARY NEWS

THANKSGIVING SERVICE KICKS OFF LIBERIAS

ARMED FORCES 58TH CELEBRATION
Mae Azango maeazango@frontpageafricaonline.com

M
Monrovia

embers of the
armed
forces
of Liberia have
been urged not to
allow pride to over shadow their
service as it celebrates another
Armed Forces Day anniversary.
God, because when God is
with you, his blessings flows

through you, Rev. Henry M.

Deshield, Senior Pasto, Tubman
United
Methodist
Church
declared as the army kicked
off the observance of the 58th
Armed Forces Day Celebration
in Liberia with a Thanksgiving
Service on Sunday.
The service brought together
Men and Women of the Armed

Forces of Liberia, Defense

Minister Brownie Samukai, AFL
Chief of Staff Brg. Gen. Daniel
Ziankhan, Foreign Military
Mental and Advisors of the Army,
other ministers and officials of
the Ministry of National Defense
and the audience.
Speaking on the theme: Dont
allow pride but allow God,

Rev. Deshield spoke about the

brave Commander Layman, who
led an Army in Israel, but had
leprosy, and due to his power, he
had pride. Though Layman was
a strong and great soldier, but he
had pride and in order to see God,
one has to humble himself. And
when Elisha sent the messenger
to tell Layman to wash himself
seven times in the Jordan River,
Layman got angry and left
because of pride. So members
of the Armed Forces of Liberia,
as you celebrate your nine years,
reflect back and see where God
took you from and to where you
have reached. Do not allow pride
to overtake you, but allow God,
because when God is with you,
his blessing flows through you,
Said Rev. Deshield.
Emphasis on the performance of
the new army, the clergyman said
the AFL first outside Mission
to Mali has brought Pride to
Liberia, because the first batch
of soldiers performed well. And
now, their presence are being felt
in many communities where they
are doing road rehabilitation,
including the Kebbah Road
where the citizens are applauding
them for a great job.

of Liberia for the heroic and

successful fight against Ebola
which led to the positive results
the country is observing now.
He
said
the
ECOWAS
Commission will remain in touch
with the national coordinating
committee and report regularly
to the regional coordinator,
Togolese President.
Earlier, on behalf of the
Government and people of
Liberia,
President
Sirleaf
welcomed the two visiting
dignitaries to Liberia and
expressed delight at their being
in the country to work with her
and to demonstrate solidarity to
the Government and people of
Liberia.
The Liberian leader asked that
the two dignitaries to convey
to the ECOWAS Chairman,
Ghanaian President Mahama her
deep appreciation for all that the
ECOWAS countries have done
to support the country.
She promised the Togolese
Presidents fullest support in
ensuring that his mandate will be
carried out successfully.
To the ECOWAS Commission
President, who has worked with
the country on its development
programs and continue to provide
support as Liberia develops
its post-Ebola reconstruction
program;
President
Sirleaf
appreciated the solidarity and
friendship that he continues to
show the country.
The Togolese President and
the ECOWAS Commission
President departed Liberia early
Friday afternoon, February 6, in
continuation of their solidarity
visits to Sierra Leone and
Guinea.
I want to tell you to remain
focus. Do not think because
of your commissions and
appointment, you have arrived,
because you have not. God has
another level for your mission,
and if only you will allow God
to prepare the mission for you,
you will get there, but if you
allow pride to overtake you, you
will lose your focus. Remain
courageous, faithful to duty;
listen to your commander and
bosses and do those things they
tell you to do.
Defense
Minister
Brownie
Samukai urged soldiers to remain
God fearing and respectful to
authorities. We also want to
reassure you on behalf of the
men and women in arms of
our loyalty to the state and we
will continue to do the right
thing. We thank our mentors
and colleagues who have come
to help to continuously train
and mentor the leadership of
men and women of our Armed
Forces and to appreciate all the
sacrifices they continue to make
in our Country in the midst of
the deadly Ebola Virus, the
Minister averred.
Minister Samukai on behalf
of the commander-in-Chief of
the Armed Forces of Liberia,
extended thanks to the Tubman
Memorial United Methodist
Church for allowing the army to
worship with them in observing
their 58th celebration.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Frontpage

NEWS EXTRA

PAGE
RONT

Page 9

TELECOM
REGULATORS
DOWN
Illegal Lonestarcell/MTN Tower in Liberia

Monrovia
ellular
giant
Lonestarcell/
MTN are crying
foul after Liberias
telecommunications regulators
over the weekend, forcibly
took down what it says was a
previously
decommissioned
telecommunications
dish
located in Toe Town, Grand
Gedeh County which a recent
report by the LTA claimed the
company had re-commissioned
Lonestarcell/MTN,
last
week denied that it had recommissioned the dish, stating
emphatically that it had not
received
broadband
data
capacity from the Ivory Coast
as was recently speculated by
an incomplete leaked LTA
fact finding due diligence
report.
The LTA report suggested
that after careful assessment
of the three GSM mobile
operators' sites in Grand Gedeh
and Nimba it observed that
a microwave dish has been
installed at the same height
and in the same position
as
the
decommissioned
microwave dish connecting
LoneStarcell/MTN to Ivory
Coast at LoneStarcell/MTN
site at the border town of Toe
Town. The finding furthered
In Yekepa on the old mine

mined by LAMCO, Cellcom

and LoneStarcell/MTN dishes
seem to have orientation
directed away from the Ivory
Coast and Guinea.
The report recommended that
LoneStarcell/MTN should be
requested to provide purpose
and function of the newly
-installed microwave dish at
Toes Town, the team further
recommended and also called
on the LTA to purchase a
compass to facilitate future
exercises. The LTA and
LoneStar Cell have in the past
been involved in exchanges
over
compliance
with
regulations.

PAGE
RONT

Monrovia writ of prohibition

seeking a halt on the
pending Pro Tempt
election of the
Liberia senate has been filed to
the Supreme Court of Liberia.
The petition was filed by the
National Director, campaigners
for
change,
Vandarlark
Patricks, and the University
students union (ULSU) by
and thru its leadership versus
the chief clerk of the Liberian
senate and the presiding officer
of the capitol.
In a four-counts petition to the
high court, lawyers representing
the petitioners prayed the court
to issue an alternative writ of
prohibition. petitioners in
the above entitled cause of
action pray court for issuance
of the alternative writ for the
following legal and factual
reason.
The petitioners said the
alternative writ is prayed for
citing Article 66 of the Liberian
constitution: The Supreme
Court shall be the final arbiter
of constitutional issues and
shall exercise final appellate
jurisdiction in all cases
whether emanating from courts
of record, courts not of record,
administrative
agencies,
autonomous agencies or any
other authority, both as to law
and fact except cases involving
ambassadors, ministers, or
cases in which a county is a
party. In all such cases, the
Supreme Court shall exercise
original jurisdiction.

In December 2012, the Board

of Commissioners of the LTA
reached a decision to suspend
the operating license of
Lonsetar cell. LTA Chairperson
Angelique Weeks at the time
announced that the decision
was taken as a punitive
measure resulting from failure
of theLoneStar to comply with
the LTAs directive to restore
fully interconnection with
Comium Liberia, another GSM
service provider at the time. It
remains to be seen what action
the LTA will take against the
two GSM service providers for
their actions.
LTA
chair
Weeks
had

suggested last week that the

dish would be taken down
the first week in February to
ensure that pending completion
of the investigation, there
is no capacity coming from
the Ivory. FrontPageAfrica
gathered that members of
the LTA board and some
lawmakers made the journey
to Toes Town last Friday in a
bid to bring the tower down, a
move Lonestarcell/MTN has
greeted with dismay. We have
paid US$2.2 million balance
of license renewal and LTA
US$1 million for frequency at
the end of the January 2015
window, now they do this to us.

POLITICS

networks and, though it has

written the LTA informing
of its intent to reconnect
the previously disconnected
telecommunications dish, it
has not done so as yet.
Lonestar Cell MTN notes
that a technical team from the
Liberia Telecommunications
Authority visited its facility in
January, 2015 and observed
that there was no traffic
between Lonestar Cell MTN
and its sister network in the
Ivory Coast. To date, there
has been no change. It must
be recalled that Lonestar
Cell MTN, a member of the
Cable Consortium of Liberia
has invested over 2.5 Million
United States Dollars in the
Africa Coast to Europe (ACE)
fiber optic to Liberia and is
This is baffling, an executive
an effective user of same. It
of Lonestarcell/MTN told
is to Lonestar Cell MTNs
FrontPageAfrica Sunday.
advantage to have all its traffic
Lonestarcell/MTN officials are
on the fiber optic, which is
also raising questions about the
why Lonestar remains in active
LTAs decision to take down
negotiations for the usage of
their tower without a court
the fiber duct. Lonestar Cell
order with some suggesting
MTN, a partner in support of
that a legal challenge could be
the Government of Liberias
in the works.
development agenda will
The
Lonestarcell/MTN
never act in contrary manners
statement last week said while
that will undermine the
the company acknowledges
governments agenda. Lonestar
that the terms of its current
Cell MTN remains compliant
International Gateway License
with all of its tax obligations to
issued by the LTA give the
government and can fathom no
company the right to establish
reasons while this should ever
satellite and other links with
change.
international carriers and

PROTEMPT ELECTION TO BE HALTED BY SUPREME COURT

ANOTHER LOOMING CONSTITUTIONAL CIRISIS?

Further, petitioner say that as a Human rights group and civil Society Organization in Liberia they have observed that the respondents herein violate
Article 47 of the Liberian Constitution which states that: The Senate shall elect once every six years a President Pro Tempore who shall preside in the

absence of the President of the Senate, and such other officers as shall ensure the proper functioning of the Senate. The President Pro Tempore and other
officers so elected may be removed from office for cause by resolution of a two-thirds majority of the members of the Senate.

Bettie Johnson/betty.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

The Legislature shall make no

law nor create any exceptions
as would deprive the Supreme
Court of any of the powers
granted herein.
Further, petitioner say that
as a Human rights group and
civil Society Organization in
Liberia they have observed that
the respondents herein violate
Article 47 of the Liberian
Constitution which states that:
The Senate shall elect once
every six years a President Pro
Tempore who shall preside in
the absence of the President

of the Senate, and such other

officers as shall ensure the
proper functioning of the
Senate. The President Pro
Tempore and other officers so
elected may be removed from
office for cause by resolution
of a two-thirds majority of the
members of the Senate.
The petitioner added that the
respondents are not mindful
of the constitution from where
their powers derive from.
And also because petitioners
say that the respondents
not been mindful of the

constitution under which they

derive their power they are in
the constant habit of having pro
tempore elections for the
replacement of the president
pro tempore.
They said since 2006 they
observed that the respondents
are about to have the fourth
elections in gross violation
of article 47 of the Liberian
constitution.
Wherefore in view of the
foregoing, petitioners pray
court to restrain and prohibit
the respondent from planning

or conducting any president Pro

tempore elections pending the
outcome of these proceedings;
petitioners further pray court to
issue the writ for the Supreme
Court to interpret article 47 of
the Liberian people.
It can be recalled the senates
plenary set Thursday Feb 12,
2015, as the date for holding
the election for a new senate
pro tempore.
Rule 19 of the senate calls for
election within 30 working
days after the announcement of
said vacancy by the Secretary

of senate, in case the president

pro tempore is removed or
expelled, but the date is said
to be set beyond the statutory
period set by the senate rule.
Three senators are said to be
in the race namely Armah
Zulu Jallah (National patriotic
Party- Margibi County), Joseph
Nagbe (National Democratic
Party of Liberia-Sinoe County)
and Oscar Cooper (Unity
Party-margibi).

Page 10 | Frontpage

M
Monrovia-

any
Ebola
Survivors
in
Liberia
are
faced
with
continued stigmatization in their
communities around Liberia.
The attitude of communities and
family members towards people
who survive the deadly disease is
appalling. Many recount stories
about how they are rejected
by families and community
members who ostracize them
because of the deadly disease.
Amie Subah works as a
psychosocial assistant at the
ELWA-3 Ebola Treatment Center
managed by the international
medical charity Mdecins Sans
Frontires (MSF). Before she
contracted Ebola, Amie worked
as a midwife at MASCO
Health Center in the New Hope
Community.
Telling the story about her fight
with the deadly disease, she said
she contracted Ebola through
helping a pregnant woman to
give birth but unfortunately, the
woman infected with the virus
died and lost her unborn child in
the process.
Eight staff members from the
clinic where I worked, including
myself, got infected through that
delivery. Only two of us survived
after being admitted at the Ebola
management center.
Neighbors barred my children
She said after surviving the
deadly disease, she returned
home, but sadly, no one was
willing to welcome her back into
the community, where she lived
before contracting Ebola and her
family including her children
became targets of discrimination.
Neighbors barred my children
from fetching water from their
wells. Often, they would point
at them because they are related
to an Ebola survivor; the same
with my husband. He decided to
leave, she said.
In the market, sellers refused to
serve me. One told me one day
that she could not risk accepting
money from an Ebola survivor.
I tried to convince her that
Ebola survivors are no longer
infectious but she wouldnt
listen. Commercial bike riders
and taxi cabs refused to pick
me up. I tried to sell cookies
but no one could buy from me.
My children and I ate all the
cookies.
No bound for stigma
She recounted that in a desperate
attempt to convince people she
was free of the disease, she had
to post copies of the medical
certificate issued by the Ebola
treatment center that officially
declared her cured of Ebola in

Monday, February 9, 2015

EBOLA

UNENDING STIGMA
F

PAGE
RONT

Ebola survivors On Facing Stigmatization In Communities

Wade C. L. Williams, wade.williams@frontpageafricaonline.com
of issues. In a nutshell, to survive
Ebola; for most of us and life
after Ebola is the greatest
challenge that we face.
First increase

public places but this she said

did not suffice and the stigma
continued.
But some residents still could
not believe that I was free of the
virus and continued stigmatizing
me. Instead of using my name,
they were calling me Ebola
survivor, she said sadly.
She said the stigmatization had
no bounds and even relatives
who knew she contracted Ebola
did not welcome her back with
open arms.
Once I visited one of my aunts
in the Duport Road Community,
a Monrovia suburb. She
welcomed me warmly, offered
me a seat and served me a bowl
of rice, said Amie.
I ate and gave the left over
rice to her daughter. My aunt
suddenly took the food away the
girl and dumped it right on the
floor in front of me. It feels even
worse when it comes from your
own family.
The Ebola Survivor said after
surviving the disease her
landlord increased the rental fee
for the house, which she could
not afford and therefore issued
an eviction notice and blamed
her because the authorities had
quarantined the house and after
burning all her belongings.
I asked elders in my community
for help but she would not listen
to them and increased the rental
fee so I could not afford the place
anymore, she said.
I was feeling very depressed
when a longtime girlfriend
finally called to invite me over.
She gave me clothes and some
household stuff. Then my
youngest sister took me in, along
with my kids. We slept in her

dining room until I could rent a

new place.
She said in her time of trial due
to Ebola, she had nowhere to go
for help and turned to the people
who helped care for her during a
battle with the disease and they
helped her by giving her a job.
Later a psychosocial team from
MSF went to talk to my husband
and he has now returned home.
I was so desperate I came really
close to killing myself. But I
survive. I am a survivor after
all, she said.
Worst life after Ebola
For Amos Kwesi Jessy, who
also works at MSF as a security
guard, how he contracted the
deadly Ebola Virus remains a
mystery to him, he thinks maybe
on the Day of Judgment, some
divine power will reveal it to
him.
Up till now that is one thing I
continue to contemplate on. I
cannot say for sure that this is
the source of me getting Ebola,
he said.
I got all the information I need
to protect myself and I did all
I could humanly possible to
protect myself. So the day I was
tested and I was told that the test
was positive, it was a shock.
Jessy said the symptoms of the
disease began like the prevalent
malaria illness that is common in
Liberia and he therefore treated
it as such but with all the malaria
medication the pains in his body
would not stop.
I experienced some body
weakness, so I took Amodiaquin
for some days and there was no
improvement. A friend of mine
advised me to go to the MSF
Clinic for additional treatment,
which I did, only for them to say
they need to do my Ebola test,
he said.
I gave them my consent and
it was done, the following day
they came and said, well Amos,
youre Ebola positive. I was
shocked. I was counseled and
from MSF-Redemption, I was
transferred here.
Jessy said although he is
happy to be counted among the
living, Ebola makes its victims
miserable and the surviving it is
not as hopeful as many people
would think, because of the level
of stigmatization that exists in
communities.

Life as an Ebola patient is not a

good experience, that one should
wish even for his worst enemy.
I and many other Ebola patients
went through hell on earth, he
said.
Continued Jessy: The major
thing that we are going through
now is that of stigma. In fact,
life after Ebola is worst than
the Ebola virus itself. The
Stigma attached to Ebola is
one; Rejection by community
members and elders is another,
the destruction of personal effect
as a result of contamination is
another; I mean, it is a compound

Weekly Ebola case incidence

increased in all three countries
last week for the first time this
year according to the World
Health Organization (WHO).
There were 124 new confirmed
cases reported in the week to
February 1, 2015 with 39 cases
reported in Guinea, 5 in Liberia,
and 80 in Sierra Leone.
There was continued community
resistance,
increasing
geographical spread in Guinea
and widespread transmission
in Sierra Leone, and a rise in
incidence show that the disease
response still faces significant
challenges the WHO stated in its
report.
The world body stated that as
the wet season approaches,
there is an urgent need to end
the outbreak in as wide an area
as possible, especially in remote
areas that will become more
difficult to access.
An unsafe burial that took
place in early January in the
eastern prefecture of Lola, on

the border with Cte dIvoire,

has so far resulted in an outbreak
of 11 confirmed cases. A further
confirmed case in the northern
prefecture of Siguiri, on the
border with Mali, also originated
in Lola, stated the WHO report.
Contined WHO: The north
Guinean prefecture of Tougu,
which also borders Mali, has
reported its first 2 confirmed
cases. Both cases originated
in the western prefecture of
Dubreka. In light of the recent
increase in cases in northern
Guinea, cross-border meetings
between Guinea, Mali, and
Senegal are planned to strengthen
coordination of surveillance.
A rapid-response team has
also arrived in the border area
between Lola, Guinea, and
Cte dIvoire to assess risk and
strengthen surveillance.
The WHO stated that a total of
5 confirmed cases were reported
in the 7 days to 1 February in
Liberia compared with 4 cases
the previous week and all 5
confirmed cases were reported
from Montserrado County. It
also stated that nine counties
in Liberia have not reported
a confirmed case for over 42
days and all 7 (100%) of new
confirmed cases arose among
registered contacts; up from
50% of cases during the previous
7-day period.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Frontpage

Page 11

PRESS RELEASE

Over thirty chiefs and traditional leaders from across the country have made several recommendations
intended to bring improvements to the management of Liberias extractive resources and ensure
revenues from these resources benefit all Liberians.
The chiefs and traditional leaders under the banner of the National Traditional Council of Liberia
(NTCL), made the recommendations at the end of a two-day workshop held for them by the
Secretariat of the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) with the goal of
empowering traditional leaders to get involved in the monitoring of revenues from the extractive
sectors.
Amongst others things, the chiefs and elders recommended that:
Government should publish simplified versions of all contracts in the extractive sectors to
ensure that the average citizens understand the terms of the contracts particularly as it relates to the
benefits of the communities
The EITI process in Liberia should be decentralized, particularly ensuring the establishment
of sub offices and recruitment of focal persons in each of the 15 counties
Government should establish a particular fund from the extractive resources to provide a sort
of welfare scheme where people 70 years of age or above can be catered to
A general EITI national conference be held each year to ensure that all stakeholders meet
to continuously reflect on relevant strategies to improve transparency in the management of the
countrys resources
Traditional leaders are represented on the committees responsible to manage the Social
Development Fund or other string of revenues from the extractive sectors allocated for use directly
in the communities.

The Chiefs discussing their recommendations

A view of the chiefs in a brief discussion with LEITI

Head of Secretariat Konah D. Karmo

Monday, February 9, 2015

Page 12 | Frontpage

PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENRT

THIS IS TO INFORM ALL

INDIVIDUALS/INSTITUTIONS
WHO PURCHASED SHARES
FROM THE LIBERIA CEMENT
CORPORATION THROUGH
THE LIBERIAN BANK FOR
DEVELOPMENT
AND
INVESTMENT, THAT THE
SHARE CERTIFICATES ARE
READY FOR PICKUP.

LIBERIA PETROLEUM REFINING COMPANY

P.O. Box 10-0090
1000 Monrovia 10
Liberia, West Africa
Tel: 077-859-002
Web: www.lprclib.com

Invitation for Bids

(FOR THE PROCURERMENT OF STATIONERY)

(IFB. No. LPRC/NCB/001/2015)

1.) The Liberia Petroleum Refining Company intends to apply portion of funds
allotted in its 2015 Fiscal Budget toward the procurement of Stationery;
2.) The Liberia Petroleum Refining Company now invites sealed bids from eligible
registered bidders for the supply of Stationery for Fiscal Year 2015;
3.) Bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding Process as
enshrined in the PPCA
4.) The quantity and minimum specifications of the assorted stationery items are
contained in the Bidding Document:
5.) Qualification Requirements include:
I. Valid Business Registration Certificate
II. Valid Tax Clarence
III. Article of Incorporation

THE CERTIFICATE CAN BE

OBTAINED FROM THE OFFICE
OF THE GENERAL MANAGER
OF LBDI BETWEEN THE
HOURS OF 3-4 PM, MONDAYS
- FRIDAYS
PLEASE BRING ALONG A
CURRENT LEGAL PHOTO/
IDENTIFICATION CARD AND
COPY OF THE LBDI ISSUED
RECEIPT TO FACILITATE
PICKUP.
SIGNED

THE MANAGEMENT
LBDI

IV. Past performance records including names, addresses and contact numbers
6.) All interested eligible bidders may obtain copy of the bidding document from the
LPRC Procurement Unit for a non-refundable fee of US$100.00 beginning Monday
January 21, 2015 from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm daily.
7.) All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security of US$5,000.00 from a reputable
bank.
8.) Sealed Bids must be delivered to the LPRC Procurement Unit not later than
February 23, 2015 at 1:00pm. Late bids will be rejected and returned unopened
to bidders unopened. Bids received will be opened in the presence of bidders who
choose to attend or their representatives on February 23, 2015 at 1:00 pm. In the
LPRC Training Hall. Bids must be submit in six sets. One Original and five copies.
9.) Bids must be clearly marked Bid for LPRC Stationery Supply, (IFB No. LPRC/
NCB/001/2015) and delivered to the below address:
10.)

The address referred to is:

Procurement Unit
Liberia Petroleum Refining Company
Product Storage Terminal
Bushrod Island
Monrovia, Liberia
Email: pkieh@lprclib.com
Website: www.lprclib.com
Mobile#: 231886523397

Signed: __________________________________
T. Nelson Williams, II
Managing Director

9. 0805hrs Arrival of the Guest Speaker

Received by the Minister of

National Defense of R.L & COS,
Page 13
Frontpage
AFL
Received by the Minister of
National Defense
Received by the Protocol

Monday, February 9, 2015

10. 0810hrs Arrival of members of the Cabinet

Ministry of National Defense

Armed Forces Day 2015 Activities Tracking
Series

A.

Date & Day

Friday, February 6, 2015

Event

Jummat Service, Gurley St Mosque

13:00 hours

B.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Cleanup Campaign, Buchanan, Grand Bassa

County

Thanksgiving Services10:30 am
C.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Tubman Memorial United Methodist Church

Duport Road, Paynesville
SymposiumMonrovia City Hall 10:30 am

D.
Monday, February 9, 2015

Theme: Military Support to Civil Authorities:

The Way Forward

Parade Ceremony (Indoor Program) BTC

E.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Theme: Enhancing The Capability of the AFL to

Conduct Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster
Relief Operations.

Sequence of Events for the 58th Armed Forces Day Celebrati on

NO.
(a)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

10.

Barclay Training Center (BTC), Wednesday, 11 February 2015

DATE TIME
EVENTS
VENUE
REMARKS
(b) (c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
11 Feb. 0720hrs Troops on Parade Field

PAO announce
2015

0730hrs Arrival of the Media
B.T.C
Received by Protocol
0733hrs Arrival of Guests and the Public

0740hrs Arrival of Service Chiefs & Heads of National Received by DCOS, AFL
Security Institutions
0745hrs Arrival of COS, AFL
Received by DCOS, AFL
0750hrs Arrival of UNMIL FC, Former Cmdr OUA, Comdr Received by COS, AFL
OUA, AG MING, HOM ASEOWA
0755 hrs Arrival of the Doyen & Members of Diplomatic Received by Protocol
Corps the SRSG UNMIL
0800hrs Arrival of the Honorable Minister of National Received by COS, AFL
Defense of Liberia
0805hrs Arrival of the Guest Speaker
Received by the Minister of
National Defense of R.L & COS,
AFL
0810hrs Arrival of members of the Cabinet
Received by the Minister of

11. 0815hrs Arrival of the Members of the Legislature

12. 0820hrs Arrival of the Chief Justice & Associate Justices of

the Supreme Court of Liberia
13. 0825hrs Arrival of the Honorable Speaker of the House of
Representatives
14.
Arrival of the Vice President

15.

Arrival of the Commander-In-Chief, AFL and

President of the Republic of Liberia

16.

Narrator Announces The Playing Of The National

Anthem of the Republic of Liberia
Invocation

Inspection of Troops

17.
18.
19.

AFL Demonstration
a. Drill
b. Specialized
Keynote Address

22.

23.

-Decoration of Key Note Speaker

-DSO Award Ceremony
-Special recognition


Remarks from DSO Recipients
Remarks

24.

Armed Forces Day Message

BTC

25.

Pass In Review

26.
27.

Narrator: Ladies and Gentlemen, please rise as the

Colors approach the stand
End of the Program

28.

Parade through the main streets of Monrovia

20.

21.

Received by the Minister of

National Defense of R.L
Received by the Minister of
National Defense of R.L
Received by the Minister of
National Defense and COS, AFL
Received by the Minister of
National Defense and COS, AFL
AFL Band
(All Stand)
Chaplain and Imam, AFL
Commander-In-Chief AFL,
accompanied by COS, AFL
AFL

Hon. Samuel Kofi Woods

Former Minister of Public
Works
Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf,
President of the Republic of
Liberia and Commander-in-
Chief, AFL

Honorable Brownie J. Samukai,
Jr., Minister of National Defense
Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Commander-In-Chief, AFL and
President of the Republic of
Liberia
The AFL Personnel vehicles,
equipment and armaments,
Personnel of the LNP, BIN,
LNFS and auxiliaries follow up
in that order (Troops return to
Parade Field)
MC
MC
BTC-Lynch Street-UN Drive
Bassa Community Road-
Capitol Bye Pass-Broad Street
Snapper Hill-Lynch Street-BTC

Page 14 | Frontpage

IN BRIEF

OFFICIAL: UAE SENDS

F-16S TO JORDAN TO
FIGHT ISLAMIC STATE

WORLD NEWS
CONCERNS OVER WHITNEY HOUSTON DAUGHTERS
ESTATE EMERGE AS POLICE INVESTIGATE BOYFRIEND

Monday, February 9, 2015

PAGE
RONT

Concerns over Whitney Houston Daughters estate emerge as police investigate Boyfriend

AMMAN, Jordan (AP)

he
United
Arab
Emirates said Saturday
it ordered a squadron of
F-16 fighters to Jordan,
which an official said would
participate in airstrikes on the
Islamic State group after the UAE
earlier suspended its involvement.
The UAE fighter jets will
participate in airstrikes on Islamic
State targets, said a Jordanian
official who spoke on condition
of anonymity because he was not
authorized to speak about the issue
to journalists.
The UAE announcement, carried
by the state news agency WAM,
did not say what role the Emirati
warplanes would play. An Emirati
official declined to elaborate.
Both countries are members of a
U.S.-led military coalition against
the militants.

s family members
gather
around
a
comatose
Bobbi
Kristina
Brown, Atlanta area police
have reportedly launched a
criminal investigation into
how the 21-year-old wound up
unresponsive in her bathtub
about a week ago.
What initially appeared to be
an eerily tragic homage to
her mother, singer Whitney
Houston, who drowned in a
bathtub almost three years
ago, is now showing signs
of foul play. According to
recent news reports, Brown
apparently sustained injuries
before the bathtub incident.
According to reports, the
police investigation is targeted
at Nick Gordon, Browns
boyfriend, who along with his
friend Max Lomas reportedly
discovered Bobbi Kristina
face-down in the bathtub at
her Atlanta home.
Browns relationship with
Gordon
has been subject

AFRICAN NATIONS PLEDGE 8,700

FOR ANTI-BOKO HARAM FORCE

to both family and public

scrutiny. Not long after
Houstons death in 2012,
Brown revealed she was
romantically involved with
the young man her mother
had taken in about 10 years
earlier. Gordon had lived with
the family since he was 12
years old, but Houston never
officially adopted him a
fact Bobbi Kristina pointed to
in defending their relationship
on social media.
But not all of Browns family
members were convinced by
this rationale. In an interview
with Oprah Winfrey last
year, Whitneys sister-inlaw, Marion Pat Houston,
admitted the relationship just
didnt sit right with me.
I always looked at them as
being, you know, the brotherand-sister type, Houston
said. I just did not see the
relationship moving in that
direction.
As the only child of Whitney
Houston and her ex-husband,

16,600 CHILDREN LOST PARENTS TO EBOLA

IN GUINEA, LIBERIA, SIERRA LEON UNICEF

YAOUNDE (Reuters) frican nations pulling

together a regional
force to fight Nigeria's
Boko Haram militants
on Saturday pledged 8,700
soldiers, policemen and civilians,
an increase from earlier estimates
for the mission.
The African Union had previously
authorised a force of 7,500 troops
from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon,
Niger and Benin to take on
the Islamists, who have seized
large swathes of northeastern
Nigeria and mounted attacks on
neighbouring nations.
Nigeria's military is struggling
against the five-year insurgency,
which has killed thousands of
Nigerians and displaced some 1.5
million people.

ISRAEL WILL TRY TO HALT

'DANGEROUS' NUCLEAR
DEAL WITH IRAN

JERUSALEM (AP)
rime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu says Israel
will do everything it
can to prevent world
powers from reaching a "bad and
dangerous deal" with Iran over its
disputed nuclear program.
He told a weekly Cabinet meeting
Sunday that with the United States
and Iran aiming for a framework
agreement next month, "we will
do everything to thwart a bad and
dangerous deal that will cast a dark
cloud on the future of the state of
Israel and its security."
The United States, the other
members of the U.N. Security
Council and Germany hope
to clinch a deal setting longterm limits on Tehran's uranium
enrichment.

o
fewer
than
16,600
children
are registered as
having lost one or
both parents, or primary caregivers to Ebola in Guinea,
Liberia and Sierra Leone so far,
the United Nations Childrens
Fund, UNICEF, has said.
The UN body said less than
three per cent of this population
was placed outside family or
community care.
This was disclosed in a
statement issued by UNICEFs
Regional Director for West
and Central Africa, Manuel
Fontaine, in New York on
Friday.
Since overcoming their initial
fears and misconceptions
about Ebola virus, families
have been showing incredible
support, providing care and
protection for children whose
parents have died. This shows
the strength of kinship ties and
the extraordinary resilience of
communities at a time of great
hardship, Mr. Fontaine said.

UNICEF said as of midJanuary, nearly 3,600 children

had lost both parents to Ebola
virus in the three countries,
while 16,600 were registered
as having lost one or both
parents.
It stated that the disease also
affected primary care-givers.
Mr. Fontaine said UNICEF was
helping to identify children
without parents or caregivers
with the view to providing
immediate care and protection
to them.
He said the assistance would
either be through extended
family members, community
members or foster families.
In Guinea, for example,
UNICEF said all 773 children
who lost both parents have
been placed with their extended
families. It added that children
and the families looking after
them were regularly given cash
and material assistance.
Mr. Fontaine said UNICEF had
helped in accessing schools for
them and providing counselling

to support their emotional and

psychological well-being.
UNICEF said following up
children who were in new
families was an important
focus as they remained
emotionally vulnerable. It
added that unaccompanied
children who may have come
into physical contact with a
person suffering from Ebola
were provided with centrebased care while under
observation for 21 days
maximum incubation period.
Across the three countries,
UNICEF said the total number
of such children to date had
been just over 250. Out of
this, it said over 90 per cent of
them were taken into the care
of extended family members
shortly after the quarantine
period.
It added that UNICEF had
also developed a network of
Ebola survivors who have been
playing an important role in
supporting affected children.
It said because they had built
up a level of resistance to the
disease, survivors can interact
with children who were under
observation.
UNICEF added that identifying
vulnerable
children
and
providing services to them
had been one of the many
challenges faced in responding
to the Ebola crisis.
As
the
Ebola-affected
countries
head
towards
recovery, we should take the
opportunity to improve child
protection services for all
vulnerable children. We have
a chance to address other
forms of vulnerability that
existed before the Ebola crisis,
such as child marriage, child
labour, sexual violence and
exploitation, Mr. Fontaine
said.

singer Bobby Brown, Bobbi

Kristina is her mothers sole
heir which might explain
why some family members
seem to be pre-emptively
countering
any
attempt
Gordon might make to claim
Whitneys fortune.
Despite their wearing rings
and referring to each other as
husband and wife in public
and on social media, Bobby
Browns lawyer said, in a
statement to ABC News this
week, that Bobbi Kristina
is not and has never been
married to Nick Gordon.
Even before last weekends
tragic events, the Houstons
seemed determined to distance
themselves and Bobbi
Kristina from Gordon.
Houston, who is married to
Whitneys brother Gary, is the
executor of Bobbi Kristinas
trust fund. In April of last year,
she obtained a restraining
order
against
Gordon.
According to the police report
she filed, Gordon made threats
against her and other relatives
after she denied his request
to increase Bobbi Kristinas
monthly allowance. The courtissued protective order barred
Gordon
from
contacting
Houston or her immediate
family for one year.

WHY CHIMERIX STOPPED ITS

EBOLA PROGRAM IN LIBERIA

urham drug developer

Chimerix(NASDAQ:
CMRX) decided to
discontinue a program to test
its lead product against the
Ebola virus in Liberia and
really, that's a good thing.
Basically, Chimerix pulled out
because there are no more new
patients on which to test the
drug.
Over the last several weeks
the number of new cases
of confirmed Ebola Virus
Disease in Liberia has
decreased significantly, with
only a handful of patients
still enrolled in a test of the
experimental Chimerix drug
called brincidofovir in EVD
patients.
Chimerix spokesman Joseph
Scheperssays
Chimerix
reached the decision after
discussions with the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration
and other federal agencies
and "against the backdrop of
a rapidly diminishing pool
of patients with Ebola Virus

Disease in Liberia."
Indeed, USA Today reported
Thursday that President Obama
is all but ending the U.S.
military mission to Liberia
to fight Ebola next month, as
infection rates there fall to near
zero.
"The progress in controlling
the Ebola outbreak in Liberia
is to be commended," said Dr.
M. Michelle Berrey, Chimerix
president and CEO. "Chimerix
will continue to push forward
with
our
development
of brincidofovir for the
prevention and treatment
of serious viral infections
in transplant recipients and
other
immunocompromised
patients."
Chimerix
is
testing
brincidofovir for the prevention
of cytomegalovirus (CMV)
in adult hematopoietic cell
transplant (HCT) recipients. In
addition, Chimerix is enrolling
the Phase 3 AdVise trial of
brincidofovir for treatment of
adenovirus (AdV) infection.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Sports

Frontpage

CONGO-KINSHASA/EQUATORIAL GUINEA: DR CONGO

GET BRONZE AFTER BEATING HOSTS ON PENALTIES

Page 15

SPORTS

CRISTIANO RONALDO
BLASTS 'UNINTELLIGENT'
REPORTER

eal Madrid forward

Cristiano Ronaldo
showed
his
frustration following
Saturdays 4-0 derby thrashing
from city rivals Atletico by
blasting a reporter for what he
perceived as an unintelligent
line of questioning.
Liga leaders Real suffered
their worst defeat since a 5-0
drubbing from Barcelona at
Camp Nou in 2010 in what
coach Carlo Ancelotti labelled
the darkest day of his time in
charge of the 10-time European
champions.

MILNER DEMANDS HOME

IMPROVEMENT FROM MAN CITY

Malabo
he
Democratic
Republic of Congo
won the bronze
medal at the African
Nations Cup on Saturday at the
Nuevo Estadio de Malabo with
victory on penalties in the third
place play-off match.
DR Congo won 4-2 on kicks
after a goalless draw for their
first medal success at the
continental
championship
since they finished third at the

1998 finals in Burkina Faso.

Equatorial Guinea had their
opening two kicks of the
shoot-out saved, including a
squandered effort by their top
scorer Javier Balboa, leaving
central
defender
Cedric
Mongongou to convert the
decisive kick for victory.
Hosts Equatorial Guinea finish
fourth and are expected to
shoot up the FIFA rankings, to
be released next week.
Saturday's match was a

predictable end to a dour affair

devoid of much action as the
bronze medal matches so often
are.
Some scratchy defending
allowed Equatorial Guinea
two chances in the opening
10 minutes with Emilio Nsue
having his effort blocked
and Balboa missing a golden
chance.
But in a tired affair, with both
teams showing the effects of
six matches in the three week

tournament, chances were

never going to be polished
off with aplomb as Yannick
Bolaise showed in the 40th
minute when he had a good
opportunity but hit wide.
Congo's
key
attacker
Dieumerci Mbokani came on
after halftime and missed as
he fluffed in front of goal and
Jeremy Bokila's effort some
15 minutes from time was well
stopped by home keeper Felipe
Ovono.

VAN GAAL: MAN UNITED STARS

ARE PLAYING FOR THEIR FUTURES

ouis van Gaal says

Manchester United
stars are now well
aware they are
playing for their futures at the
club.
The Dutchman oversaw a
difficult start to the season
having taken charge at Old
Trafford, winning just one
Premier League game in
five, but United have since
climbed into the top four and
the race for a Champions
League finish.
A number of first team players
- including Robin van Persie will see their contracts expire
in the summer of 2016, but

The Congolese did try to clinch

a result in the 90 minutes by
turning up the pressure in the
last 10 minutes but could not
force the breakthrough.
Just a handful of spectators
were on hand to watch the
game after the violence that
overshadowed
Equatorial
Guinea's defeat in Thursday's
semi-final against Ghana at the
same venue. Saturday's crowd
was estimated at 4,000.

Van Gaal says they are under

no illusions regarding their
status at the club.
Yes, I think now all of
them are aware that they
are playing for their futures
because a lot of players were
on the bench or in the stands,"
Van Gaal told reporters.
"They know they have to
perform in the training, and
not only on the training pitch
but also in the match. But in
the match everybody knows
you have to perform, but on
the training sessions also give
100 per cent.
"A lot of players were not
aware of that and now they
know."
United face West Ham at
Upton Park on Sunday,
looking to move ahead of
Southampton in third place in
the Premier League table.

anchester City
saviour James
Milner lamented
another failing at
home at the Etihad Stadium as
they left it late to rescue a 1-1
draw with Hull City.
Manuel Pellegrini's side had
been facing a third consecutive
defeat on their own turf without
scoring when David Meyler
pounced on chaotic home
defending to put Hull ahead.
A stoppage-time free-kick from
Milner earned a point for the
champions yet, having slipped
seven points behind league
leaders Chelsea, the England
international
admits
City
cannot afford to drop further
points.

BLATTER SLAMS COVERAGE

OF AFCON VIOLENCE

ifa president Sepp

Blatter has hit out at
media coverage of the
crowd violence that
marred Ghana's 3-0 African
Cup of Nations semi-final win
over hosts Equatorial Guinea.
Play in Malabo had to be
halted for over 30 minutes after
supporters threw missiles at
players and rival fans, causing
police to use a helicopter and
tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Accounts of the trouble were
broadcast and published all over
the world, but Blatter believes
that the gravity of events was
magnified by the media, whom
Blatter accused of peddling
a negative image of African
football.

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com

Sports

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015

VOL 9 NO.25

PRICE L$40

GHANA FALLS IN NAIL-BITING PENALTY SHOOT-OUT

IVORY COAST ARE AFRICA CHAMPS

With both sides battling to a stalemate in the final, spot kicks were needed to decide the
clash and Black Stars goalkeeper Brimah saw his decisive effort saved

ote d'Ivoire goalkeeper Boubacar Barry was

the hero for his side as they defeated Ghana
9-8 in a dramatic penalty shootout following
a goalless 120 minutes in the Africa Cup of
Nations final.
Barry - who appeared to be struck down by cramp on
two occasions during the shootout - was only selected
because Sylvain Gbohouo picked up an injury in Cote
d'Ivoire's semi-final.
He saved the spot-kick of opposite number Brimah
Razak, before stepping up himself to convert the winning
kick as the Ivorians lifted the trophy for the second time.
Cote d'Ivoire's only previous triumph in this tournament
also came against the Black Stars, courtesy of an epic
11-10 shootout success in Senegal in 1992, and history
was to repeat itself at the Estadio de Bata on Sunday.
It was also a repeat success for their coach Herve
Renard, who lifted the trophy in 2012 when his Zambia
side defeated his current employers, also on penalties.
All three of Cote d'Ivoire's previous final appearances
had ended goalless, and it was the same story in Bata
as the two sides could not separated after two hours of
scoreless action.
For Ghana coach Avram Grant, it was yet more penalty
heartache after his Chelsea side lost out to Manchester
United in the 2008 Champions League final.
Ghana looked the more likely to find a winner
throughout normal time, both Christian Atsu and Andre

Ayew striking the woodwork, but otherwise goalmouth

action was scarce.
Both sides were fortunate to finish the game with 11
men on the field. Serey Die was booked for a dangerous
studs-up challenge on Wakaso Mubarak - which could
have resulted in a red - before the Stuttgart midfielder
escaped unpunished for a subsequent cynical foul on
Atsu.
Returning Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan trod on the
foot of Eric Bailly off the ball in the first half in an
incident that went unseen, before his team-mate John
Boye was lucky to get away with a headbutt on the same
opponent after the interval.
Both sides made one change following their semi-final
victories as Barry replaced Gbohouo, while Ghana
welcomed back Gyan in place of Jordan Ayew.
The first effort of note saw Yaya Toure bring a simple
save out of Razak with a free kick in the 14th minute,
before Die was perhaps fortunate to receive only a
yellow card for a high boot which caught Mubarak in a
sensitive area.
Max Gradel fired off target from a difficult angle in the
16th minute, and Gyan was lucky that referee Bakary
Gassama did not spot an off-the-ball stamp on Bailly.
Atsu went agonisingly close to an opener when his
thumping drive got the better of Barry but rebounded off
the right-hand upright and away to safety 25 minutes in.
Die, having already been cautioned for his earlier

transgression, was extremely lucky not to

be shown a second yellow card when he
scythed down Atsu a minute later.
Ghana hit the woodwork again nine minutes
prior to the interval, as Andre Ayew sliced
his attempted cut-back off the left-hand
post.
There was little let-up in the feisty nature
of the encounter after the break when Boye

appeared to headbutt Bailly after the

pair grappled while waiting for a free
kick, but once again there was no action
from Gassama.
Boye headed wide of the target midway
through the second half as Ghana
continued to look the most likely to
make a breakthrough.
In the final minute of normal time,
Serge Aurier broke free down the right
and saw his dangerous cross parried
by Razak, but Jonathan Mensah was
on hand to hack the ball away before
substitute Seydou Doumbia could
provide the finish.
After extra-time proved uneventful,
Ghana looked in control of the shootout
when Wilfried Bony and Junior Tallo
missed the first two kicks for Cote
d'Ivoire.
However, Afriyie Acquah and Frank
Acheampong also erred for Ghana, and
as the shootout reached its 11th round,
Barry saved from Razak.
The Cote d'Ivoire shot-stopper, who had
gone down with cramp earlier during
the kicks, fell to the ground again
but, after receiving treatment, picked
himself up and successfully converted
the winning penalty to spark scenes of
jubilation among his team-mates.

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