Editorial

TOP
pg
STORIES
LIBERIAS ANTI-GRAFT
CHIEF TELLS

A BOLD
FACE LIE!!!

Politics

pg

MEASLES
OUTBREAK
Government
on Massive
Immunization

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com

VOL 9 NO.55

FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2015

PRICE L$40

PLEASE PAY YOUR

REAL ESTATE TAXES ON
OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2015
TO AVOID PENALTY
AND INTEREST.
ANY PAYMENT MADE AFTER
JULY 1, WILL ATTRACT
PENALTY AND INTEREST.
(SECTION 2002 LRC).
TAX SENSITIZATION MESSAGE
WWW.LRA.GOV.COM

KUPEES CHANGE FOR WORSE? PETROL DEALERS BEMOAN NEW LPRC

MD FIRST DECISION TO ANNOUNCE INCREMENT IN FUEL PRICES

OPERATING AT A LOSS

The increment in the gas price is somehow embarrassing to us the vendors, looking at the exchange rate
and looking at the $10.00 and 100 they have added to wholesales from LPRC; we are operating almost at a
loss but we just have to do it because of where we find ourselves- Amos Somah; vendor

Business News - pg.

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA

MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES

LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR
BUYING

SELLING

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

L$84.00/US$1

L$85.00/US$1

These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of the foreign
exchange market in Monrovia and its environs. The rates are collected
from the Forex Bureaux and the commercials banks. The rates are not
set by the Central Bank of Liberia.

Source: Research, Policy and Planning Department, Central Bank

Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia

Friday, May 8, 2015

Page 2 | Frontpage

Monroviahe Liberia Anti-corruption which has been applauded

by the public in recent months over the investigation
of several cases of corruption looks to be bowing to
pressure from higher-ups and working to distance itself
from its own report.
Recently a leaked report from the LACC bearing the official logo,
letterhead and other details of the entity hooked the Managing
Director of the National Port Authority (NPA) Matilda Parker and
the Comptroller Christiana Kpabar Paelay for awarding contracts
in violation of the Public Procurement and Concession Law of
Liberia.
The overall irregularities noted in the NPA contract awarding
processes according to the report amounted to more than
US$800,000 and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf acted by
suspending the two NPA officials.
Contradictions in LACC Boss defense

But days after the publication, the Executive Chairperson of the

LACC, Cllr. James Verdier appearing as speaker during a Ministry
of Information Culture and Tourism (MICAT) press briefing
disowned the report in which the NPA officials are accused of
engaging in fraudulent contract activities while at the same
admitting that the LACC is still investigating the NPA boss.
Cllr. Verdier in his disclaimer said the report published by FPA
was not done by the LACC but again said the entity is investigating
how the report leaked to the press.
Let me say here also regarding the NPA report, the LACC has
not released to the press any report on the NPA. Whatever you
saw in the FrontPageAfrica is not LACC report, right now we are
conducting investigation as how they got that report and they
published it that is not the LACC report, said Cllr. Verdier.
The LACC chairperson statement disclaiming the report published
in FPA; while at the same time disclosing that there is an ongoing
investigation on how the report leaked, has been viewed by many
as a major contradiction with some arguing why the LACC chair
will announce investigation into how a report leaked when he had
already said such report is not the work of the commission.
Chairman Verdier further said: Besides, like I said, for
prosecutorial purposes, when we investigate matters like this, we
do not publish our entire report, we publish findings and when
you go to LACC website you will see findings of reports that have

been published. What was carried in the FrontPageAfrica was not

LACC report. That report has not been released by the LACC.
Pressured to talk?

According to sources, the LACC boss was pressured to disclaim

the publication which has already been cited by President Sirleaf
as the basis for her decision to suspend the two NPA officials.
The Executive Mansion on April 22, 2015, sent out a dispatch
announcing that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had suspended
with immediate effect, Ms. Parker and Mrs. Pealay, respectively
based on findings of an investigation by the Liberia AntiCorruption Commission (LACC).
When President Sirleaf suspended the NPA pair, the LACC was
commended in several spheres of the Liberian community but
the comment by the commission Chair that it is still investigating
and is yet to release a final report on NPA MD parker and the
Comptroller is being viewed as a contradiction to the statement
from the Executive Mansion where President Sirleaf announced
that the two were suspended based on findings from the LACC
report.
Sources also hint that the suspended NPA MD is fighting to
maintain her job as inner circle members of the Sirleaf regime are
also backing the NPA MD.
In the 26-page report with a notation at the bottom of each
page inscribed: Final Report LACC case #00147(National Port
Authority), the LACC alleged that the NPA officials were involved
in corruption in the tone of a little more than US$800,000(eight
hundred thousand United States Dollars).
Executive Mansion sources confided in FPA that the LACC
Chairperson held a meeting with President Sirleaf prior to his
appearance at the MICAT press briefing Thursday, something
analysts say undermines the integrity of the head of the anti-graft
institution who is being highly regarded both and Liberia and
outside.
Questions are also being raised over why the LACC boss chose to
submit his findings to the president regarding the NPA saga when
he did not do the same regarding audits with amounts much
smaller the amount in the NPA management saga.
Where is NPA investigation?

During the MICAT press briefing, the LACC Chair mentioned several

other investigations ongoing by the commission, mentioning

names and disclosing some of the details of these investigations
but failed to make more emphasis on the NPA investigation, which
many believe indicates that there is something sinister about the
NPA investigation.
Chairman Verdier in the official briefing notes circulated by the
Commission Public Affairs department while providing details
about ongoing investigations by the LACC listed several cases that
are currently under investigation by the commission but failed to
mention that of the NPA.
Stated Cllr. Verdier: Cases undergoing Investigation-Allegation
of misapplication of 1.2 million USD involving the Deputy
Speaker and four members of the House of Representative and
the Comptroller of the House on the National Consultation on
the passage of a New Petroleum Law for Liberia; Commenced
investigations into GAC reports of the Ministry of Public Works;
Commenced investigation on GAC reports on River Gee County;
Grand Cape Mount County; and Bomi County; Investigation into
the Land Rental Fees of District #1, Grand Bassa County involving
Deputy Speaker.
He also mentioned the LACC investigation into compliant
from citizens of District 17, Montserrado County alleging
misapplication of County Development Fund and allegation of
corruption involving SPARC TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
and Mr. Robert L. Kilby ( Former AG) as some of the ongoing
investigation.
The LACC Chairs failure to mention the NPA in the list of ongoing
investigations after previously announcing that the LACC is still
investigating the NPA, and has not released any report to the
press, cast further doubts on the statement by the head of an
integrity institution.
Said Chairman Verdier the LACC has not released to the press
any report on the NPA.
Observers believe Chairman Verdier is bowing to pressure from
higher ups in government and making comments that could
undermine the good work of the LACC only to maintain his job.
It can be recalled that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf failed
to renew the contract of former Auditor General John S. Morlu,
II because she said she did not like his mode of operations
something many believe could make the LACC chair to dilute his
work for the sake of maintaining his job.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Frontpage

Page 3

FrontPage COMMENTARY
EDITORIAL DISMISSED COL. ABRAHAM KROMAH A
v

LIBERIAS ANTI-GRAFT

CHIEF TELLS

Commentary

JULIUS CAESAR OR A VILLAIN?: SIFTING

THE BLESSING FROM WITHIN THE BANE

A BOLD I
FACE LIE!!!

Dear Readers,
Late last month, FrontPageAfrica got wind that the Liberia AntiCorruption Commission had concluded a report on the National
Port Authority(NPA) alleging a major corruption racket between
the companys managing director Matilda Parker and her
comptroller Mrs. Christina K. Pealay.
The editor immediately placed a call to Cllr. James Verdier,
Executive Chairperson of the LACC in a bid to inquire from him
whether in fact such a report existed. Cllr. Verdier informed the
editor that he was not aware of any report but would inform the
editor when such a report became available.
Only a couple of hours after, FrontPageAfrica received from
a source, a 26-page report detailing serious allegations of
corruption in the tone of a little more than US$800,000(eight
hundred thousand United States Dollars).
Just moments before wrapping production of our print edition
on April 22nd, 2015, the Executive Mansion sent out a dispatch
announcing that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had suspended
with immediate effect, Ms. Parker and Mrs. Pealay, respectively
based on findings of an investigation by the Liberia AntiCorruption Commission (LACC).
The Executive Mansion went on to announce that the President
was directing the Ministry of Justice to collaborate with the LACC,
and all accused persons associated with the investigation, in
order to inform additional actions, should they be required.
The President also took action to suspended all members of the
Board of Directors of the NPA, except for statutory members, and
the Chairperson, who was recently named.
The President instructed the Minister of State for Presidential
Affairs to immediately liaise with all chairpersons of Boards
of all State-owned Enterprises to collate, and report to her, all
resolutions which have been passed by these Boards especially
on board fees, benefits and other compensations.
The president was quoted as saying: "Where it is established
that Boards have assigned emoluments to chairpersons and
members that are inconsistent with established policies of
this administration, it will be my pleasing duty to reverse all
such resolutions." The President also vowed that she will not
hesitate to direct additional remedies, should they be required,
to cure such unacceptable actions, wherever they are found to be
practiced, the Executive Mansion statement noted.
FrontPageAfrica published on April 23, 2015 published the first
in the series of articles based on the document in our possession,
the 26-page report with a notation at the bottom of each page
inscribed: Final Report LACC case #00147(National Port
Authority)
That same day, the editor received a call from Cllr. Verdier who
expressed concerns about our mention in the story stating his
denial that the report existed. The call was followed by a visit to
the LACC on Chairman Verdiers request by the editor.
The meeting in Cllr. Verdiers office was also witnessed by LACC
Commissioner Augustine Toe and Counselor Othello S. Payman, a
legal counsel at the LACC.
The meeting was casual and some jokes were exchange but Cllr.
Verdier and Commissioner Toe were curious to know how the
editor managed to get his hands on the LACCs report of the NPA.
The editor of course did not reveal to the LACC brass how he got
the report and left after a few cordial exchanges and assurances
from the LACC boss that he is relying on the media to help the
LACC fight graft.
At no time during that meeting did Cllr. Verdier, or Commissioner
Toe or Cllr. Payman ever raised issues regarding the authenticity
of the report published by FrontPageAfrica. Their main concerns
centered on the source.
In fact, the editor, did not reveal to FrontPageAfricas readers
until now, a revelation from Cllr. Verdier that the version of the
report published by FrontPageAfrica was more detailed than the
one the LACC chair submitted to President Sirleaf prior to her
recent visit to the United States of America.
Again, it was never about the authenticity of the report but their
queries about how the report was obtained and who in the LACC
leaked the report to FrontPageAfrica.
Early Thursday morning, May 8, 2015, a source confided to
FrontPageAfrica that Cllr. Verdier had held a meeting with the
President and while the contents of that meeting was not made
known to the editor, the editor was informed that Cllr. Verdier

Moses Blonkanjay Jackson (MsEd, EdM)

n my thinking thoughts, I pondered the recent dismissal of

Colonel Abraham Kromah and the celebration it aroused
among bike riders in and around Monrovia. I was baffled
over the construct of people who called on talk shows
expressing relief, and support to young Abes dismissal. It also
struck me that Liberias foremost opposition party, CDC, would
join the noise fray and commend Madam Sirleaf for dismissing
Abe as if his tenure was totally a bane with no speck of blessing.
What a peculiar semblance to Julius Caesars funeral discourse
delivered by his loyal friend Mark Anthony!!
The Bane

Bane is the opposite of blessing; it means bad luck, an omen or

something cursed by God. For example, those presently living in
tombs at the Palm Grove Cemetery are a bane and cursed. There is
also an adage in Liberia, When bad luck (bane) follow you, rotten
banana can break your teeth
In my opinion, the commonplace indication from within some
circles of the Liberian community is that Colonel Abraham
Kromahs service to this nation as Deputy Police Director was a
complete bane wrought by vices and not a blessing.
In some circles, they say young Kromah was ruthless; chased
and knocked down motorcyclists, while in other circles, he beat
up people without reason; he was in the street whereby he was
supposed to be behind his desk spewing instructions; others say
he was a rude and heartless policeman and others, a brute and
former rebel who ordered his policemen to kill motorcyclists.
Before being remiss, note keenly that it is not difficult to decipher
that most of these assertions could be coming from people who
grossly refused to comply with the rule of law that young Kromah
set out to enforce howbeit in a supposedly ruthlessly manner.
Suffice it to say that Abe is a culprit of all of the above; however,
are there anything that we can point to as blessing during his
tenure?
The Blessing
Blessing is something that benefits, that nurtures, that consecrates
and sanctifies. When somebody receives blessing, that means he
or she has benefited from an action or event. Do you recall how
the hi-jackers at the Red Light would sing I see my blessing
coming when they encountered a helpless pedestrian that they
were about to rob? How about the hymn, Count your blessings
name them one by one?
Now, are we saying in Liberia that we did not benefit nor were
blessed by Colonel Abraham Kromahs actions as Deputy Police
Director? Lord have mercy!!!!

Abe Kromah- Julius Caesar semblance

In the Julius Caesar story, Mark Anthony faces a rude mob which
has been agitated and roiled by Brutus et al. against Julius Caesar.
In order to appease the mob, the adroit Mark Anthony first
concurs that indeed Caesar may have been an evil ruler; however,
he stealthily avers there are some good things about Julius
Caesars reign as ruler of Rome. He therefore notes, I have come
to bury Caesar and not to praise him. For the evil that men do
live after them and the good is often interred with their bones. So
let be with Caesar The story ends with the previously escalated
mob becoming de-escalated, the ungrateful minds made grateful,
the fiery tongues assuaged, and hateful hearts made loving and
appreciative; hence celebrating the true legacy of Julius Caesar
became the order of the day.
In my opinion, there are some positive things one can point
to as Abes legacy. Can we sift some blessing from the entire
bane about Colonel Kromah? Can we count the curtailment of
armed robbery and the decongestion of motorcycles and other
conveyances in Monrovia streets as blessing? Can we point to
the decrease in motorcycle accidents and death rate among bike
riders as blessing? Can we say the serenity in the neighborhoods
of Monrovia after 10 p.m. when all motorcycles shut down is
a blessing? If the answer is yes, then Abraham Kromah truly
left behind a positive legacy and blessing in spite of the hate
message against him.
A fascinating and patriotic action point was the manner in which
young Colonel Abraham Kromah saluted and bowed out of office
by thanking the President for allowing him to serve; by leaving
office without being processed for prosecution by the Ministry
of Justice for corruption (at least not yet); and leaving office
without being branded an inept, misplaced appointee, lacking
demonstrable security management acumen, and leaving office
without being disgruntled. These are exemplary and Abe stands
to benefit and be blessed.
Benediction
Now may the Lord continue to bless Liberia with citizens and
leaders who will be able to decipher blessing from bane. May the
Lord make his countenance to shine upon our country and give
us grace and rid us of the vices of our time, and give us the peace
that passes all understanding that Jesus Christ Himself promised.
Amen.
I am simply thinking thoughts.

would be appearing at the MICAT press briefing on Thursday

morning to declare that the report published by FrontPageAfrica
was not a report by the LACC.
The editor informed two other media colleagues about the
revelation, at least three hours prior to Cllr. Verdiers remarks at the
MICAT briefing.
It was no surprise that when Cllr. Verdier took to the podium and
was asked whether the LACC was selective in its recommendations
to the president in that only MD Parker and her comptroller were
suspended, the LACC boss responded:
Let me say here also regarding the NPA report, the LACC has not
released to the press any report on the NPA. Whatever you saw in the
Front Page Africa is not LACC report; right now we are conducting
investigation as how they got that report and they published it;
that is not the LACC report. Besides like I said, for prosecutorial
purposes, when we investigate matters like this, we do not publish
our entire report, we publish findings and when you go to LACC
website you will see findings of reports that have been published.
What was carried in the FrontPage Africa was not LACC report. That
report has not been released by the LACC.
What is Cllr. Verdier saying here?
That all the officials interviewed in the report were not interviewed
by the LACC?
That the recommendations made to the President for the
suspension of Ms. Parker and her comptroller were drummed up by
FrontPageAfrica? If that is the case, why did the President suspend
Ms. Parker and her comptroller? Based on what? A fake LACC report?
In the business of media, the LACC does not have to make a report
available to the press before the press publishes it. Sensitive
documents get leaked to the media every day around the world.
Confidential and classified information is a major part of the
news business. In fact, leaks play useful roles in the functioning
of democracy. For a country emerging from war; a country where
thirteen former officials of the Tolbert era were executed in the
early morning hours of April 22nd 1980 under the guise of ridding

Liberia from rampant corruption, the media is important in

ensuring that those lapses which led Liberia to that ugly past,
followed by multiple civil wars, deaths, destruction and chaos, no
longer show its ugly face in our midst.
It is a challenge we must embrace; a task integrity institutions like
the LACC must encourage if it is serious about curbing graft.
In less than 24 hours, the World Health Organization(WHO) will
declare Liberia Ebola free. As we look back on a painful past few
months in which we lost friends, loved ones, brothers, sisters,
fathers and mothers, we must reflect on the many missteps that
could have helped us avoid the pitfalls.
Karin Landgren, the Special Representative of UN Secretary General
Ban Ki Moon reminded us all of this on Tuesday when she addressed
the Security Council as she cited the lack of accountability and weak
social delivery service as the driving force for the exponential surge
of the virus that killed an estimated 5,000 Liberians.
Landgren noted: Now is the time to address factors which
contributed to Ebolas spread, in particular weak social service
delivery, lack of accountability and overly centralized government.
The UN chief even expressed optimism that the LACCs major
investigations related to state-owned enterprises showed promise.
But all that has no meaning to Liberia right now; not when the
head of its anti-graft body is more concerned about who leaked a
damning report on a major state-owned enterprise.
Cllr. Verdier can do Liberia a lot of good by publishing all of the
return checks signed by NPA MD leading to nearly million dollar
scheme toward a major government security contract and dredging
that was never done.
The irony is unbelievable. An anti-graft body chief who trumpets a
US$10,000 case without informing the president, but in the same
vein allows a more outrageous US$800,000 scheme to remain
shrouded in secrecy and bolts when it is leaked to the media.
Cllr. Verdier has done a disservice to Liberia and integrity institutions
by his shameless display at MICAT Thursday and must do himself
and his country the honors of resigning as head of the LACC.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Page 4 | Frontpage

The Reader's Page

FrontPage

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB

COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE

HOW WOULD A CLINTON

WHITE HOUSE DEAL WITH A
WEAH PRESIDENCY?

SAYKU KROMAH TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT CITY

OF PHILADELPHIA
Professor Wilson Tarpeh, Liberians are worst off today under President
Sirleaf then Samuel K. Doe in every category of development indicator.
Corrugation is at its apex, medical facilities are totally broken down, the
government has no functional accountability indicators or yardsticks.
Despite massive foreign capital inflow, this is truly the era of growth
without development in Liberia. Liberia under President Sirleaf can
be categorized as the era of the sustaining, yea institutionalization
of the "Evolution of Privilege". What was the first large amount of
expenditure of the Srleaf regime? If my memory served me well, it was
the $95 million she expanded on domestic debt of which she and her
friends were the primary beneficiaries. Am sure Dr. Sayeh's resignation
must have been in protest over such gross reckless spending when there
were other priority areas that could have been more beneficial to the
country, and the suffering masses. In the business of governance and
power play, academic knowledge is subordinate to patriotism. Weah
has patriotism in his blood, but these old TWP hustlers have stealing
in their bloodline. We must remember this simple fact in the 2017
elections.
SAYKU KROMAH TOP COMMENTER WORKS AT CITY
OF PHILADELPHIA
A Clinton Presidency will have to deal with a Weah Presidency with
respect, because in politics among nations, there are no permanent
friends; on permanent interests! Given Madam Sirleaf's dismal
performance as President, the Clintons and every succeeding US
Government are embarrassed to even acknowledge that she went to
college here. They may have to help President Weah recover the funds
that the Sirleafs and clique looted from the Liberian people.
MOSES KPAYSER TOP COMMENTER LONDON SOUTH
BANK UNIVERSITY
Hello Mr. Kromah, I beg to disagree with your view that this government
is worst than the Doe's Government. By comparison this government
is better base on the following few facts: We now have freedom of
speech and can exercise it openly under this government. We did not
experience this during Doe's time. Secondly this government has no
polical prisoner behind bar. This government has not killed other
Liberians openly or secretly for political reason as seen under the Doe's
Government. I think you need you to re-assess and reflect on the two
regimes a bit more.
NYEMADE WANI TOP COMMENTER UNIVERSITY OF
LIBERIA, MONROVIA, LIBERIA CAMPUS
Moses Kpayser You should go and eat your freedom of speech. let
freedom of speech put food on your table. Go tell Albert Bropleh
that there are no political prisoners in jail. Please stay in London and
enjoy good governance. What Clinton is legitimizing is that unless
someone is educated in the West, they cannot be a good leader. I say
the Swaziland King was educated in great Britiain, so why do they not
hail him. Ha, ha, oh I forgot, Western education or no, he has more than
15 wives. Oh, wait, some of the worst dictators were educated in the
West. let Mr. Clinton explain that!
OBED NATION TOP COMMENTER
The Clintons are corrupt. How does Bill Clinton criticize a person
but his wife is in E-mails scandal? Why did the Clintons delete those
E-mails? I am of the conviction Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had E-mails
in there in relation to the stolen $260 million used for Ellens image
building. Hillary Clinton played the choir leader for Team Ellen to the
White House and to the Nobel Prize. I think the Clinton Foundation
got a donation from the $260 million image building package.
Campaigning starts next year. I cant wait.
SHANA IER TOP COMMENTER
Thank you Obed, very corrupt. They need to worry about the Clinton
foundation scandal!
STANF BUSHCHICKEN PEAB
TOP COMMENTER
PORTFOLIO MANAGER AT GROW LIBERIA: FACILITATING
INCLUSIVE MARKETS
The Clintons have just made themselves into Public Enemies #1 for
the CDC. However, Clinton made that remark several years ago after
a hard fought election, he did not make the remarks just before his trip
to Liberia in 2015. We may want to hear what his take is now, though I
don't think much has changed.

DISCLAIMER

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

Send your letters and comments to:

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

COLLEGE DEGREE
HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH GREATNESS

The Editor,

hat has college degree/education got to do

with greatness? Come ride with me on a
tour of the world and meet some of the great
leaders in politics and business. Black civil
rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said: "Everybody
can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have to
have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your
subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full
of grace. A soul generated by love."
First, we must give due credit the world leaders with
Doctorate Degrees: 1.) Vladimir Putin of Russia, 2.)
Mohamed Morsi of Egypt, 3.) Elio Di Rupo of Belgium, 4.)
Manmohan Singh of India, 5.) Angela Merkel of Germany,
6.) Hassan Rouhani of Iran, 7.) Abdullah Gul of Turkey, 8.)
Ivo Josepovic of Croatia, 9.) Xi Jinping of China, 10.) Carlos
Papoulias of Greece, 11.) Gurbanguly Berdymuhhamedov
of Turkmenistan, and help me if I left out others.
And now to the United States and the Presidents who have
never attended college or gotten a college degree:

1.) George Washington, 2.) Andrew Jackson, 3.) Martin Van

Buren, 4.) Zachary Taylor, 5.) Millard Fillmore, 6.) Abraham
Lincoln, 7.) Andrew Johnson, 8.) Groover Cleveland, and
9.) Harry Truman. And note that the great Harry Truman
is noted for saying, "the buck stops here," meaning as
President he took full responsibility failures and successes
of his administration, and blame him when things went
wrong. Hello President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia.
And now how ordinary people can achieve the extraordinary
things in life
The following either did not finish high school or college:
Harvey Firestone of the Firestone Rubber/Tire Company;
Raul Castro, President of Cuba; Carl Berstein, Watergate
Reporter for the Washington Post newspaper; William
Shakespeare, poet; Albert Einstein, Nobel Prize physicist
and father of the Theory of relativity, and then he later got
his Ph D at Zurich Polytechnic; Winston Churchill, Prime
Minister of Great Britain; Patrick Henry who said "give me
liberty or give me death" and Governor of Virginia; Mark
Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook; John Glen, US Senator
and Astronaut; Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft; and US
President Woodrow Wilson;
Still, others are: Sony Bono, US Congressmen; Eleanor
Clift, Newsweek reporter; Walt Disney, founder of Walt
Disney World Theme Parks entertainment giant; Benjamin
Franklin, signer of the US Declaration of Independence;
William Safire, veteran columnist of the New York Times
newspaper; Steven Spielberg, movie director; Steven
Jobs, founder of Apple Computer; Rosa Park, Civil Rights
leader who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white
passenger and thus ignited the civil rights movement led
by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ; Rush Limbaugh, the number

conservative one radio host in America; Pastor T.D. Jakes;

millionaire Jay-Z; Queen Latifah; Comedian Chris Rock; Ted
Turner, founder of CNN TV; Peter Hennings, ABC-TV news
anchor; and the list is long.
George Weah can be a great President of Liberia if, and it is
a big if, if he has the HEART to SERVE.
Jerry Wehtee Wion,
Journalist and Political Commentator,
Washington, DC, USA

NOTHING WRONG
WITH A CBL AUDIT

The Editor,

hy is the CBL Governor (Mills Jones) behaving like

a cockroach? Like a cockroach, Jones is running
for cover when lawmakers shine the light on
him! (Re "Probing Mills Jones....") According to
the Governor Jones, the Central Bank is already being audited
yearly by a reputable and professional external auditors
(PricewaterhouseCoopers)..But so what?
Just because the Bank is audited yearly by external auditors,
does that mean that we, the people (shareholders), cannot
require our internal auditors (General Auditing Commission) to
audit the CBL, especially its Micro-freebie Loan program, oops, I
meant to say Micro-finance!?? Please.

Hey, there's nothing wrong with doing an internal audit of

the CBL, especially when you suspect your Bank Governor of
using the micro-finance program to buy votes in the upcoming
presidential elections! Check out "Loans and advances to nonbanking institutions" on the CBL's financial statements from
2012 to 2014! (by the way, Governor Jones' 2017 campaign
slogan is: You Win the Jackpot When You Vote for Jones!)
Look. Money is power. Today, Governor Jones has become one
of Liberia's most powerful (and popular) figure because he has
arbitrary power to spend somebody else's money on somebody
else (market women, political cronies) and reap political
benefits..Look at the mass adulation he gets from the crowd
when he visits the rural counties! Papa na come! Why do you
think all those rural market women want to be Mills Jones' BFF
(best friends forever)?? It's because Jones is giving away "free
money" ! Everybody wants to jump on the Governor's gravy
train to eat government money for nothing!
But it's time to stop the Governor's gravy train. Passing a bill to
audit the CBL would expose Governor's Jones political motives
and give us greater transparency of the Bank's micro-finance
program.
The legislature must honor its Constitutional obligation (see
article 89) by passing a bill to audit the micro-finance program.
After all, he who owns the gold, makes the rules!
Martin Scott
martyretire@yahoo.com
Atlanta, Georgia

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
Danesius Marteh, Sports Editor, danesius.marteh@
frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528
James-Emmanuel D. Cole, Jr, Graphics Designer
& Layout Editor, echange4life@gmail.com;
0886 211 390, 0777 027 030
Henry Karmo, 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
Grand Bassa, Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, 0777432042
Bong
County,
Selma
Lomax,
selma.lomax@
frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-484666
Sinoe County, Leroy N.S Kanmoh, leroy.kanmoh@
frontpageafricaonline.com
0886257528
BUSINESS/ADVERTISING
Kadi Coleman Porte, 0886-304-178/ 0777832753, advertise@
frontpageafricaonline.com

Friday, May 8, 2015

KUPEES CHANGE FOR WORSE? PETROL DEALERS BEMOAN NEW LPRC

MD FIRST DECISION TO ANNOUNCE INCREMENT IN FUEL PRICES

OPERATING AT LOSS
The increment in the gas price is somehow embarrassing to us the vendors, looking at the exchange rate and
looking at the $10.00 and 100 they have added to wholesales from LPRC; we are operating almost at a loss but we
just have to do it because of where we find ourselves- Amos Somah; vendor

Bettie Johnson/ betty.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviaarely weeks after

taking
over
as
Managing Director
of
the
Liberia
Petroleum Refining Company,
former Lofa County Senator
Sumo Kupee administration
announced an increment in the
prices of petroleum products
on the Liberian market during
the week.
While taking over from
former Managing Director
T. Nelson Williams whose
administration kept the prices
of the essential commodity
stable on the market, Kupee
promised to continue on the
same path as his predecessor.
But the announcement of
increment in petrol prices
has been described by several
vendors, retail dealers and
commuters as a major setback
to their business.
The Government of Liberia
through the LPRC Managing
Director Kupee and the
Ministry of Commerce recently
announced an increment in
the prices of diesel fuel and
gasoline.
As per the new price the
retail pump price for a gallon
of diesel has increased from
US$3.01 to US$3.16 or its
Liberian dollars equivalent of
$270.00 while the retail pump
price for gallon of gasoline
has increased from US$3.06 to
US$3.21 or its Liberian dollar
equivalent of $270.00.

According to the Government,

the new petroleum prices
were signed jointly by the two
entities-LPRC and Commerce
Ministry and the prices were
calculated using the Central
Bank approved exchange rate
of 1USD to LD85.00.
Reacting to the new price
structure, the proprietor of
the Gas Cold Filling Station
in ELWA G. Amos Somah
disclosed that he has been
selling petroleum products
since 2006 till present and
there have been fluctuations in
prices on the Liberian market.
The prices always fluctuating
and we vendors dont make
much and there are petty
sellers who are not real genuine
business people sometimes
the official price given by the

government they wouldnt

abide by it. We complain to
the retailer union but they
wouldnt take action against it
and it really embarrasses us,
he added.
He said the increment in
the gas price is somehow
embarrassing to them but
they have to comply with the
regulations just for survival.
We the vendors, looking at
the exchange rate and looking
at the $10.00 and 100 they
have added to wholesales from
LPRC; we are operating almost
at a loss but we just have to do
it because of where we find
ourselves; sometimes you as a
vendor and you have a regular
customer so they help you
with 10 or 15 dollars from the
Government approved price,

and this is how you get small

thing, Somah said.
He added The first thing we
dont know how Commerce
comes up with the retail price
and always we appeal to the
Gas Retailer Association that
Commerce should always work
with the Association because
sometimes Commerce will
take the exchange rate on the
market for $82.00 or 83 that
what Central Bank told them
but in actual it does not work
that way.
The Gas seller further said We
the retailers sometimes go to
Central Bank because we asked
the retailer union to collect our
money from various stations
and take it to the Central Bank
for US dollars at the exchange
rate of 83 and we deposited

Frontpage
almost two million dollars it
took us one month and we
couldnt get the exchange
so we always buying the US
dollars from the black market,.
Somah further said The
exchange rate does not give
us the chance to do a good
business because as you buy
the gas the Commerce does not
price the gas commensurable
with the black market of the
US dollars and as the result
we find it very difficult and we
hardly realize anything on the
gas.
The gas seller said he hopes
that the new LPRC head review
the increment in the petroleum
price.
I hope that the new
Managing Director as he said
the increment is due to the
increment on the world market
but just imagine recently
we were buying 500 gallons
$1,400.00LD it has jumped to
1,500.00 and how much do
they add on the retail $10.00LD
which is less than 10US cent.
I think they should look at
it thoroughly and revisit the
price, he continued.
Commuters
are
also
complaining that the increment
in the petroleum price might
lead them to increase the price
of transport fares.
Saah Kendema who says he

MEASLES
OUTBREAK
IN
LIBERIA
Government on Massive Immunization
Wade C. L. Williams, wade.williams@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviahe
government
of
Liberia
has
announced that ten
out of the fifteen

counties are experiencing

a measles outbreak as the
deadly Ebola Virus slows.
The deputy minister of
health designate and head

of the incident management

system
Mr.
Tolbert
Nyenswah said the measles
outbreak is as a result of the
gaps created by the deadly

Ebola Virus, as the countrys

entire health system was
paralyzed during the deadly
outbreak and children were
not immunized.
You know what happened
here when the routine
immunization
collapsed
because of the Ebola Virus
Disease, thus dropping
the immunization rate of
our country, with all of the
antigens, like polio, measles,
tetanus vaccines and all of
the vaccines that we give,
said Mr. Nyenswah.
Nyenswah continues: That
caused the immunization
rate of Liberia to fall. The
issue of measles affecting
children in Liberia in ten
out of fifteen counties is
very much an important
issue.
He said the government
through the ministry of
health is launching the
Integrated Measles, Polio
and Deworming Campaign
on Friday to be spearheaded
by Vice President Joseph N.
Boakai.

Minister Nyenswah called

on all parents to bring
children under the age of
five for vaccination to avert
what he calls a pending
health crisis.
The same way we fear
Ebola as a nation, Im calling
on the people of Liberia to
fear measles especially for
children and this is why we
are immunizing children
to create what we call
HERD immunity, Minister
Nyenswah said Thursday at
the Ministry of Information
weekly briefing.
We
should
ensure
that every child in our
country
should
have
the vaccines that we are
about to administer. When
immunization rate falls,
HERD immunity can break
down, leading to increase in
the number of new cases of
measles and other vaccine
preventable diseases
He said Liberians should
take
immunization
seriously because proper
immunization
protects
children from diseases and
helps to keep a healthy

Page 5

has been driving for six years

believes the increment could
lead to increment in fares.
Well, it is a problem because
you know we the taxi driver
deals with the public and
sometimes people understand
and people dont understand;
moreover
Government
got prices that they give
us for setting areas for the
passengers, sometimes other
drivers will say with the
increase in the gas price they
will increase the transport
fairs but for me I will abide by
the transport fares.
He added that Government
should have a fixed price and
because the country is made
of laws the Government should
seek the welfare of the people.
What we want is a stable
price which will not embarrass
our business because the
increment is like a setback for
us, said Kendema.
James Obima, a taxi driver
for over five years said the
increment in the gas price by
Government is affecting us,
because now we are carrying
four that is three to the back
and one at the front, and it is
affecting us, if the increment
keeps going we will carry four
at the back and two at the
front.

population.
If at least 98% of us
are immunized fully, we
protect the 2% that are not
immunized thus preventing
vaccine
preventable
diseases. If we have an
immunization rate that is
far below 50% it means we
put the children at risk, he
said.
The
head
of
the
governments
health
crisis management team
said Measles is a highly
infectious illness caused by
a virus and the virus lives in
the mucous of the nose and
throat of people with the
infection.
It spreads like physical
contact with somebody
infected; coughing and
sneezing can infect other
children very rapidly, he
said.
The symptoms are very
high temperature, sore
throat, and sore in the eyes,
dry cough and rashes on
the skin, red eye and eye
infection. Just imagine if
your bouncing baby boy and
your bouncing baby girl,
is infected with a disease
that can cause blindness.
Nyenswah asked.

Page 6 | Frontpage

Monrovia r. Bernice Dahn,

the
Sirleaf
Administration
long time
Deputy
Minister for Health Services
and Chief Medical Officer of
Liberia, who was recently
nominated
by
President
JohnsonSirleaf
and
others have been indicted
by the General Auditing
Commission for financial and
operational
irregularities
in the stewardship of the
Ministry in the 2006/2007
and 2007/2008 audits of the
Ministry. The audits were
part of the requirement for
Liberia to meet the Heavily
Indebted Poor Countries (
HIPC) Completion Point which
led to the waiver of Liberias
external debt by bilateral and
multilateral donors.
The GAC observed in the
2006/2007 audit of the
Ministry of Health that the
Ministry failed to disclosed
Ecobank
10210140220-15
entitled MOH/SW/WHD to
the GAC during the audit.
The account was used by the
Division of Women, Health and
Development. The signatories
to the account were Beatrice
B. Duana,
Phyllis NgumaKimba and Dr. Bernice Dahn.
US$
US$20,250.00
was
withdrawn from this account
during the audit period. The
GAC therefore recommended
that that Madam Beatrice
B. Duana, Phyllis Nguma
Kimba and Dr. Bernice Dahn
account for the amount of
US$20,250.00 withdrawn from
the undisclosed account.
During the 2007/2008 audit
of the Ministry of Health, the
GAC observed that that six
(6) officials of the Ministry of
Health including Dr. Bernice
Dahn were given the total
amount of US$1,250.00 for
incidental allowances when
they travelled abroad. During
the review of travel documents
made available to the Audit
Team, the GAC did not see any
receipts as proof that expenses
incurred while abroad were
retired in keeping with the
Government of Liberia Travel
Ordinance.
The
GAC
therefore
recommended
that
the

Friday, May 8, 2015

LIBERIAS NEW HEALTH MINISTER DESIGNATE

HOOKED IN GAC HIPC AUDIT REPORTS

following
individuals,
Dr.
Moses Pewu, Dr. Robert
Dennis and Dr. Hawa Kromah,
Mrs. Davidetta S. Akiti, Dr.
Bernice Dahn, and Dr. S.
Mohammed Sheriff be made
to fully restitute the incidental
allowances for failing to
liquidate and retire them upon
return from the trips.
The GAC further observed
that Government Financial
Rule 51 stipulates that
Ministries, Agencies and
Public
Corporations
that
receive funds from donors
and the Ministry of Finance
shall maintain proper books of
accounts as well as complete
documentation
for
all
expenses incurred, which shall
be subject to audit on demand.
Contrary to this regulation
according to the GAC, , the
Global Alliance for Vaccine
Immunization (Health System
Strengthening) program at
MOH did not make available
to the GAC the Receiving
Report and Distribution Log to
monitor the utilization of fuel/
lubricant worth US$68,219.80.
The Office of the Financial
Management (OFM) at the
MoH indicated to the GAC that
the Global Alliance for Vaccine
and Immunization (GAVI)HSS

funds were disbursed based

on the activities of individual
programs and departments
without maintaining receiving
reports and distribution log to
monitor the utilization of fuel.
As a result, the GAC could not
certify that the total quantity
of fuel worth US$68,219.80
received was utilized for the
intended purpose during the
period 11 January 2008 to 27
November 2008.
The
GAC
therefore
recommended that
the
Deputy Minister for Planning
Mr. S. Tornorlah Varpilah,
Chief Medical Officer, Dr.
Bernice Dahn and the former
Comptroller, Mr. John T.
Wilson, who were responsible
to manage the GAVI funds, be
made to produce the receiving
report and distribution log for
fuel the used. Failing that, they
should be made to restitute
the amount of US$68,219.80
disbursed on fuel.
The GAC reviewed the updated
personnel listing at National
Aids Control Program (NACP)
from the Secretary, Angeline
Freeman
and
observed
that Dr. Bernice Dahn Chief
Medical ,
Augustin Sartie
IT, Manager, David Kollison
Security, Daniel Saydee Driver

human rights lawyer, Tiawan

Saye Gongloe and his host of
siblings that include broadcast
journalist and former Nimba
County Superintendant, Edith
Gongloe-Weh and others.
For quite a number of
individuals including Tiawan
himself as he is commonly
called, with the exception of
a few family members who
live in the village, most of his
siblings for varying reasons
live in Monrovia or in areas
further afield. But nearly
everyone of the late Teacher

Gongloes children had come

from afar and assembled in
the humble village settings of
Glehyee- Zorpea, home town of
the late teacher to celebrate his
life(92 yrs) and commemorate
his passing.
His life was one of service to his
people and true to his calling
like a shepherd in search of his
lost sheep, he lit a lamp in his
little village beckoning so many
to its light and brightening
their path to fountains of
deeper knowledge lying byond
far beyond Glehyee-Zorpeas
forested enclaves and for
this , the people turned out
in their hundreds to express
appreciation to a man who
touched so many lives.
And so the tiny and winding
road leading to this little
village, just a few days prior
to the funeral,
had been
unusually busy with vehicular
traffic with so many coming
from as afar as Monrovia laden
with a host of individuals,
lawyer colleagues of Tiawan

TEACHER WILFRED GONGLOE, FATHER OF PROMINENT HUMAN

RIGHTS LAWYER, TIAWAN SAYE GONGLOE LAID TO REST

t was both home coming

and home going all
combined with a rich
flavor of tradition and
pageantry and; It all took place
in a little village tucked into the
bosom of a stretch of tropical
rain forest, cut through by the
St. John River, that straddles
the borders of three counties,
Bong, Nimba and Grand
Bassa. And the occasion was
the funeral or should I say
home-going
ceremonies
of the late Teacher Wilfred
Gongloe, father of prominent

and Fallah Daddy names were

found on the payroll but could
not be traced to personnel
listing for the period under
audit. A further review of the
attendance records indicated
that the five personalities were
not signing in/out from work
at the National Aids Control
Program . The GAC noted that
US$15,600 was paid to these
individuals including US$6,600
to Dr. Bernice Dahn without
evidence of work done at the
NACP.
The
MOH
Management
responded to the GAC finding
as follows:
We want to state that the
updated personnel listing
received from the secretary,
Mrs. Angeline Freeman, were
indeed correct and that below
we will state reasons why they
did not match the payroll for
the period.
Dr. Bernice Dahn, as Chief
Medical officer, has direct
responsibilities
over
the
activities at NACP.Because
of this, the grant approves
a monthly incentive of
US$550.00.
As for Mr.
Augustine Sartie, and Mr.
David Kollison , we are sorry
that these names were left off
the personnel listing which

including the President of

the Liberia National Bar Cllr,
Theophilus C. Gould, Mrs.
Comfort Sawyer, wife of former
Interim President Dr. Amos
Sawyer.
Others included River Gee
County Senator, Conmany B.
Wesseh, Former Montserrado
County representative, Dusty
Wolokolie,
former
NEC
Chairman James Fromayan,
Nimba County Superintendent,
Fong Zuagele, former Public
Works
Deputy
Minister,
Johnson Gwaikolo,, among
Governance Commissioners,
Cllr. Ruth Jappah Samukai and
Yarsuo Weh Dorliae and, an
official delegation from Paul
Town, Grand Gedeh County,
led by Paramount Chief------.
Others included a host of his
friends and comrades amongst
them, Peter O. Karr (POK),
Kolopa Spencer, Sando Moore,
The funeral ceremony was
colorful and festive and
steeped in traditional culture.
Traditional
dancers
and
musicians were on hand
adding flavor to the occasion.
First came a procession of
women singing as they carried

was due to the secretary

typing error but these people
were in the employ of NACP
and received their just
incentive for the period under
audit. For Daniel Saydee and
Fallah Daddy, both are NACP
personnel seconded to the
Ministry of health central
office, but again we are sorry
that their names were left off
the personnel listing.
In response, the GAC indicated
the following:
The justification provided by
NACP that Dr. Bernice Dahn
has direct responsibilities
over the activities at NACP
and should be paid monthly
incentive as approved under
the grant does not legitimize
this transaction. Minister
Dahn as Chief Medical Officer
of Liberia is paid from public
resources to perform these
responsibilities. Moreover, for
Dr. Bernice Dahn to be placed
on the NACP payroll as if she
is a regular staff at the NACP
to receive payment of monthly
salary is not a morale and
fair practice. Dr. Dahns job
portfolio is higher than the
Program Manager but on the
payroll the Program Manager
is paid more than the Chief
Medical Officer. Therefore, I do
not see it as financially prudent
that the grant approved the
monthly amount of US$550.00
for Dr. Dahn who is not a
regular staff of the National
Aids Control Program. It is the
responsibility of management
to ensure that monthly
reconciliation is done between
the personnel listing and the
payroll.
All bona-fide employees must
be listed on the institution
personnel listing which is
a prerequisite to be placed
on the payroll. Secretary
typing error as mentioned
in management response is
not an excuse to maintain
individuals on the payroll who
are not on the personnel listing
of the National Aids Control
Program. Moreover, these

bundles of wood on their heads

to the home of the deceased.
Others came with gifts of cash
and goods. A special delegation
from Paul Town, Grand Gedeh
County was on hand to express
solidarity with Cllr. Tiawan
Gongloe who they described
as their adopted son and
they presented 2 goats to the
Gongloe family on behalf of
the people of Paul Town. Other
individuals and groups from
the village and surrounding
areas also made contributions
in cash and kind.
Speaking in a brief eulogy
to his father following the
presentation of gifts, Cllr.
Gongloe or Tiawan as he is
commonly called, thanked
everyone for the wonderful

personnel were not signing in

and out of work but were paid
incentives.
In view of the above paragraphs,
he GAC recommended that this
financial transaction between
Dr. Bernice Dahn and the
National Aids Control Program
be abolished and Dr. Dahns
name be removed from the
payroll of the National Aids
Control Program (NACP).
Moreover, salaries received
from January to December
by Dr. Bernice Dahn from the
National Aids Control
Program totaling US$6,600.00
should be restituted by Dr.
Dahn.
The GAC audit report also
observed that modern medical
practice
requires
health
facilities like the Gbarpolu
County Health Center that
serves as the Governments
only referral hospital in the
county to maintain X-ray,
Ultrasound machines and
other medical and surgical
equipment to assist diagnose
medical cases that laboratory
tests cannot diagnose. Due to
the lack of these equipment at
Gbarpolu only referral hospital,
cases that require the use of
these medical equipment are
referred to Monrovia.
The GAC asked the County
Health Officer, Mr. Charles N.
Kpissay as to whether a formal
request had been made to
the Deputy Minister /Chief
Medical Officer, Dr. Bernice
T. Dahn for the supplies of
these equipment to which he
informed the GAC that a formal
request had been made to
the Chief Medical Officer. The
GAC therefore recommended
that The Management of the
MOHshould ensure that X-ray,
Ultrasound machines and other
needed medical and surgical
equipment are procured for
the Government Hospital.
The MoH management did
not respond to the GAC
observation.
gifts and extolled their
courage for coming so far to
express solidarity with him
and his family. He disclosed
that rather than having his
fathers body interred on the
campus of the village school
which he founded as a mark
of respect and honor to his
memory, the gifts presented
would go to the establishment
of an educational endowment
fund in memory of his late
father from which children of
the village and surrounding
areas could benefit now and
in the future. Later in the day,
the body of Teacher Wilfred
Gongloe was laid to rest amidst
singing and dancing following
funeral rites administered by
the Inland Baptist Church.

Friday, May 8, 2015

INDICTMENT HANGS OVER

DEPUTY SPEAKER BARCHUE
LACCs James Verdier Reveals; Says
90% Students Pay Bribes for Grades

Frontpage

CIVIL LAW COURT CONFIRMS JURORS LIABLE

VERDICT IN EPISCOPAL CHURCH LAND CASE
Kennedy L. Yangian kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 0777296781

Wade C. L. Williams, wade.williams@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviahe Executive Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption

Commission (LACC) has revealed that the deputy
speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Hans
Barchue (District #1, Grand Bassa County) is under
investigation on allegations of misapplication of 1.2 million
United States Dollars intended for the controversial Nationwide
Oil Consultations on the passage of the new petroleum law.
Rep. Barchue who is being investigated alongside the Comptroller
of the House of Representatives is also being investigated for Land
Rental Fees from his district: district #1 Grand Bassa County.
Once you come in contact with public funding you come under
the spectrum; under the spying glass of the LACC, said Cllr.
Verdier.
Allegation of misapplication of 1.2 million USD involving the
Deputy Speaker and four members of the House of Representatives
and the Comptroller of the House on the National Consultation
on the passage of a New Petroleum Law for Liberia is still under
investigation.
Deputy Speaker Barchue spearheaded the nationwide
consultations on the new oil law in 2013 and US$ 1.2 million was
given by the Ministry of Finance. The National Oil Company of
Liberia (NOCAL) has distanced itself from allegations that it gave
the money to the legislature.
NOCAL rejects insinuations and reports emanating from
individuals and institutions to the effect that the entity disbursed
either the amount of US$1.2 million or US$900, 000 to the House
of Representatives to conduct the nation-wide consultations,"
stated NOCAL in its clarification on the matter.
Barchue has acknowledged that his budget for the oil
consultations was US$900,000, which he argued was used for its
intended purpose.
From the onset, I have repeatedly told the General Public that
my budget for the nationwide consultation was US$900,000 and
said amount was used accordingly, Deputy Speaker Barchue
told reporters yesterday at a press conference held at the Capitol
Building.
He continued: Allow me a few moments to comment on the
widely discussed LACCs letter inviting me to appear before
its Chief Investigator to provide useful information and a
comprehensive expenditure on the Nationwide Consultation of
the New Petroleum Laws.
LACC Calls for Cooperation
Cllr. Verdier speaking Thursday at the Ministry of Information
regular press briefing, appealed to the legislative and judicial
branches of government to assist the commission in shaming
people convicted of corruption by relieving or suspending them
from office when they are indicted by the LACC or convicted of
corruption.
We also want to take this appeal further to other branches of
government especially the judiciary or the legislature to also take
administrative actions against officials of government who are in
these branches of government once they are indicted for crime,
he said.
There are some cases coming up, where other members of
the public who are not members of the executive branch of
government are going to be indicted for criminal conduct and
we hope that the two branches of government will take action
to make sure that these people are either suspended until their
trials are completed.
He said the LACC is also investigating the former auditor-general
Robert Kilby for corruption. He alleged that Mr. Kilby used his
position as Auditor-General to divert government contracts into
his personal use.
This investigation also includes issues where the former AuditorGeneral actually registered his own company and then started to
give government contracts from GAC to that company, he said.
He said the number of cases that the LACC is prosecuting is
increasing and the agency is now attempting to beef up its legal
team to be able to withstand this challenge.
He said the LACC is also in the process of organizing and
strengthening its asset disclosure and verification unit.

Page 7

Monroviahe land case involving

the African Methodist
Episcopal
Church
(AME) and Philip
Sayon with other defendants
came to a sudden end at the
Civil Law Court at the Temple
of Justice Thursday when the
court denied the defendants
request for new trial and
confirmed the jurors liable
verdict rendered against the
defendants
The court also ordered the
defendant Philip Sayon and
others to pay a damage of US$
30,000 to the church as part of
its Thursdays ruling.
The defendants are hereby
adjudged liable to the plaintiff
for the amount of US$30,000.00
as general damages for
their illegal occupation and
wrongful detention of the
plaintiffs premises said Judge
Johanes Zogbay Zlahn.
The land feud between the
AME Church and defendant
Phillip Sayon aka (Rambo)

and others started when the

church thru its legal counsels
represented by a Harvard
trained legal practitioner
Cllr. Emmanuel James and
Rosemarie James filed on
February 2014 an eight count
petition to the Civil Law Court
for action of ejectment against
the defendants.
In the petition the plaintiff said
that the church was the owner
of the property occupied by the
defendants lying and situated
between Perry Street and the
Capitol Bypass.
The plaintiff furthered that
through its Bishop William
Sampson Brooks the church
trustee acquired said piece of
property in fee simple from
Benjamin J. K. Anderson and
his wife Adelaide P. Anderson
in 1921.
According to the plaintiff a
one storey flat roof concrete
store building on the land
was leased to a Lebanese
businessman Mr. Wafic Wazni
in 1992 and due to the war Mr.

Wazni abandoned the building

and the church subsequently
cancelled the lease agreement
thru the court and took over
said property.
In his defense on March 2014,
the defendant filed a 15 count
resistance that the defendant
has never occupied the subject
property and that at no time
did the plaintiff ever lease
same to any person including
Wazni.
The defense furthered that
what obtained is that Mr.
Wazni leased said property
from the father of Philip Sayon
the late Robert Sayon.
According to the defendant
the property is his legitimate
property owned by his late
father since 1956 and that he
took ownership of the property
after his fathers death through
letter
of
administration
from the Probate Court of
Montserrado County.
After the case was ruled to
trial and reached its logical
conclusion the jurors found

KONNEH ON HOT SEAT?

- Senate Cites Finance Minister for April 14 Comment

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviainance Minister Amara

Konneh while in the
United States of America
recently is alleged to
have said Liberia has raised
$3.1 billion in revenue with
60% of such money being used
on administrative government
purposes which just account for
only forty thousand people about
10 percent of the countrys
population.
Some Senators have said that
while in the United States of
America attending a Town hall
meeting the Finance Minister
also warned the gathering that
if nothing is done about the
situation Liberia could revert to
another April 14 Rice riot.
Minister
Konnehs
alleged
comment about reverting to
another April 14 has been
described by some senators as
having a very serious security
implication especially when
UNMIL is scaling down its
operations and expected to
leave security in the care of the
Government.
During its Tuesday session a
communication from Senator
Sando
Johnson
(NPP-Bomi
County) was read seeking the
plenary approval to invite the
Minister of Finance to appear and
give reasons for his comments
especially the one with security
implication.
The
communication
was
seriously
debated
among

senators with some senators

claiming that the issue was
insignificant because according
to Senator Varney Sherman
the issue was insignificant
and should not be given any
credence by the senate because
according to him the finance
minister is from another branch
of government.
Still tied up in his legal profession
where he has spent almost 30
year Senator Sherman reminded
his colleagues that every
Liberian has the right to speak
their mind on issues regardless
of their position referencing the
constitution.
He also said, as a lawyer he has
observed that for too long the
legislature has placed itself in
what he called the activities
of the executive branch of
government.
Konneh
speaks
out
of
stupidity?
Senator Sherman told his
colleagues
that
in
some
instances, Liberian officials
speak out of stupidity and as
such their comments do not
deserve attention.
Said Senator Sherman I want
to urge my fellow colleagues let
us not pick up everything that
a minister says sometimes it
can be said out of stupidity and
we come here and enlighten
that stupidity please let us not
put ourselves at a risk of being
ridiculed.

He cautioned his colleagues to

avoid meddling in the affairs
of the Executive Branch of
government.
Too often, the legislature has
meddled into the activities of
the executive and later sits back
and say we should not have
done that, Senator Sherman
observed.
Senator Morris Saytumah (UPBomi County) supported the
statement from Cllr. Sherman
and said it is unnecessary for a
honorable body like the senate
to get involved into what he
described as irrelevant issue.
I
am
disappointed
in
my colleague from Bomi
County to have written such
communication about issue we
have absolutely no jurisdiction
over, Senator Saytumah said.
During the discussion only
Senators Sherman and Saytumah
were on the same side as bulk of
the other senators supported
the communication specifically
comments regarding April 14.
Contrary to the comments
by Senators Saytumah and
Sherman, Senator Steve Zargo
(LP-Lofa County) Chairman
of the Senate Committee on
Defense and National Security
called on his colleagues to look
at the communication from
Senator Johnson from a different
perspective in pointing the
security implication especially
when UNMIL is drawing down.

the defendant Philip Sayon

and others liable when they
claimed that the evidence
provided by the plaintiff was
overwhelming to bring down
the defendants down liable.
The defense lawyer Cllr. Laveli
Supuwood filed a motion for
new trial when he stated in
the motion that the jurys
verdict was contrary to the
weight of evidence adduced
by the plaintiff at the trial
because the deed relied upon
by the plaintiff was issued to
the bishop in his individual
capacity and not in his capacity
as bishop and trustee of the
AME Church.
Quoting from previous ruling
in the same case, Judge Zogbay
said the judge at the time
Peter Gbeneweleh ruled and
declared that the disputed
property was or is not the
property which the letter of
administration was issued by
the Monthly Probate Court to
the defendant.
To these rulings which was
not appealed effectively means
that the land described by
Robert Sayon alleged deed is
not and does not include the
disputed property, this being
the case, the plaintiff has
superior and exclusive title to
the disputed property said
Judge Zogbays ruling.
After the ruling lawyer
representing the defendants
Cllr. Supuwood took an
exception to the ruling an
announced an appeal to the
Supreme Court sitting in its
October 2015 Term.
Double passport Citizen
Senator Zargo said: Coming
from a spring meeting going to
Philadelphia to meet Liberians
does not amount to stupidity
as my colleague from someone
in their right mind ready and
prepare to discuss our country.
Here we are today UNMIL is
drawing down our security
is at stake to compromised
our security is to compromise
everything else and people with
double passport will be out of
here if something happens today
or tomorrow.
Senator Zargo also criticized
the latest decision by President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to institute
changes in the police while the
senate committee on Defense
and security is investigating the
incident between the Police and
motorcyclists.
Here we are investigating
circumstances surrounding the
Police and motorcyclists yet to
conclude that report changes are
made in the LNP. Now I wonder if
we are coordinating as branches
of government, Zargo said.
Like Senator Zargo many other
senators who spoke on the issue
were in favor of the minister
appearing before plenary.
A vote to have the Minister
appear before the Senators next
week Tuesday was taken with
12 senators voting in favor of
the minister appearance, seven
against and one abstention.But
a motion for reconsideration
against the minister appearance
was filed by senator Alphonso
Gay e putting a halt to the
minister appearance until that
motion is tested in keeping with
the senate rules.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Page 8 | Frontpage

A Tribute to a Patriot in his adopted country- Liberia:

The late AL Brown, Sr.

he beloved family, friends loved ones, fellow Liberians ladies and gentlemen. It is
with deepest sympathy that I stand here in the midst of this memorial service to pay
tribute to the late Al Brown Sr. the African-American businessman who, in his life,
manifested nothing short of a devotionto the African Continent and an upliftment of
its peoples, through the insurance business, whether in Liberia, Cameroon, Togo or elsewhere
on the continent, as far back as the 1960s.
My tribute today is in my capacity as former Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Republic
of Liberia over the period of April 2006-2007 September when the Administration of the new
Government of Africas first democratically elected female President Her Excellency Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf was faced with a major crisis that threatened to derail the security of the statethat crisis is referred to as the Rice Saga
In Liberia, as we all know, our staple food rice, was what led to the fall of the first Republic and
mutated into a civil war that lasted some 14 years, destroying in its wake the social fabric of
our country; let alone some 250,000 deaths; destruction of basic infrastructure and services as
well as the flight of our human resources in the wake of the carnage that ensued.
Nature of the Crisis

Upon assumption of my portfolio as Minister of Commerce and Industry on 6 April 2006, I

met with the major Suppliers of rice in the country-primarily foreign traders.
Only 1/3 of the normal monthly requirements of 350,000 bags of rice needed in first half of
the year had been ordered by Suppliers.
There were also no pending orders, i.e. no orders in the pipeline.
The implications were that there would be people in the streets of Monrovia by August or
September, as there would be shortages of rice.
The traditional Suppliers wanted to increase the price of rice (at the time $22.00 per bag for
the popular butter rice) but we refused. It would have been suicidal.
We needed urgent action to source critical supplies in order to avert the looming crisis.
I met with Liberians in Washington, D.C. in July 2006 where I lead the Liberian delegation to
the AGOA conference, at the Liberian Embassy in Washington, D.C.
I also met with Al Brown, the African-American businessman, who was able to meet the
capital requirements necessary to respond to our needs under certain conditions and made
us an offer.
That we were able to weather the storm- nothing short of economic sabotage against the interest
of the nation- what I call commerce under siege by the foreign traders that basically controlled
the economy and in particular rice, a strategic commodity, was due to the implementation of
the offer from the late Al Brown, through his company Sinkor Trading!
Ladies and Gentlemen the late Al Brown saved the day; He provided us 6 months supply of rice
at a stable price when the major importers were holding GOL hostage for an increase in the
price of rice with no orders, in the pipeline, he provided us two months strategic reserves of
rice, that had never happened before; under the arrangement we had a unique opportunity that
was not only 100% Liberian owned but arrangements were worked out for other Liberians to
participate for the first time in the rice market under new modalities.
Above all we were able to make available rice to the southeastern part of the country with the
assistance of the UNMIL vessel Katarina at affordable price as never before, during a period of
heavy rains when there were severe shortages of food in the Southeast, i.e. Cape Palmas and
Sinoe.
At the end of the day, this entire experience that I have just related represents an act of
Patriotism by Al to his adopted country (Liberia). This act avoided a crisis that would have
taken the country back almost 30 years. Indeed not only did he genuinelybelieve in putting the
economy back in hands of Liberians; in Liberians regaining our pride and dignity, but he took
concrete action (that cost him) to make this a reality in a strategic sector of the economy. We
believe then and still believe that is was and remains unacceptable that a strategic commodity
like rice remains in the hands of powerful non-Liberian interest. In this regard, when I left the
Ministry of Commerce in September of 2007, there were 6 importers of rice, 5 of whom were
Liberians a first in the history of our nation!
As I close, I want to say to Al, thank you Al thank you plenty for what you did for our country
Liberia- your adopted country. To the bereaved family, we say never mind yah- To Al, our
nation owes you! May God rest your soul and may light perpetual shine on you!
I ask the congregation to stand and Salute this fallen Patriot by singing twice the refrain of our
foremost patriotic song The Lone Star Forever by the late Edwin J. Barclay, the 18th President
of Liberia!
Refrain:
The Lone Star forever,
The Lone Star forever!
O Long may it float
Over land and oer seas!
Desert it! No Never!
Uphold it, forever!
O shout for the lone starrd banner-all hail!

Tribute by:
Olubanke King-Akerele
Former Minister of Commerce and Industry,
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Republic of Liberia
11 April 2015
Reston, Virginia, 2015

3 Years Term Appointment

Location: Liberia
The Africa unit of the Public Integrity and Openness (PIO) Department of GGP seeks to
recruit a highly organized, energized and experienced professional, capable of operating
effectively in a very demanding fragile, post conflict and capacity constrained environment
to serve as the Country Office Senior Procurement Specialist. This position is geared to
assisting the World Bank staff, Liberia Government and other agencies in implementing
World Bank-financed programs by providing critical procurement advice and support. The
ideal candidate would combine a deep understanding of project procurement in different
sectors with a considerable knowledge of the budget execution issues in Liberia.
Key Responsibilities

The Senior Procurement Specialist will:

Help implement and further develop GGODR activities in Liberia with regard to Public
Procurement;
Work across countries/sectors; be responsible for reviewing and handling the technical,
commercial and legal aspects of procurement at all stages of the project cycle, including
analysis of systemic and other procurement issues, procurement planning, design,
implementation and management, and training.
Provide operational advice to clients and Bank staff on concepts, policies and procedures
for international and local procurement;
Participate in the countrys procurement assessment, prepare background analysis,
collaborate on developing appropriate public procurement legislation and practices and
tailor instrument to meet specific client needs;
Negotiate and resolve difficult procurement issues with Borrower agencies and handle
questions/complaints from senior officials and contractors on bidding and award issues;
Selection Criteria

MA/MS (An advanced degree with a major in relevant discipline (e.g. Engineering, Law,
Procurement, Finance, Business or Commerce).

8 years state-of- the-art knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices which
govern international procurement, the contracting of consultants services, technical
specifications in design, engineering and construction of facilities, the development of
public procurement policies, etc.
Seasoned knowledge and specialized command of all major facets of Bank procurement
policies and practices as applied across a wide range of Bank lending operational at all
phases of the project cycle, and ability to address broader issues at sector/country level;

In-depth understanding of Bank operational policies and practices related to projects/

sector work;
Knowledge of developing country conditions generally and of procurement-related
legislation, systems and practices;

Good understanding of critical linkages and relationships among clients business

drivers, business operations and objectives and Procurement processes;
Applications:

For the full position description and complete selection criteria and required competencies,
qualified candidates are requested to submit an on-line application at www.worldbank.
org/careers. Click on > Current job openings > Job Type > Professional & Technical > Job
Family > Procurement > Job # 150797. The World Bank is committed to achieving diversity
of gender, nationality, culture and educational background. Individuals with disabilities
are equally encouraged to apply. Closing date for receipt of app

Friday, May 8, 2015

Frontpage

Page 9

RENOVATION AND REFURBISHMENT OF

LIBERIA HOUSE IN ACCRA, GHANA
Contract Identification No. IFB No: RL/MFA/FM-ACCRA/RB/001/14/15
1. The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has apportioned funds for the purpose of renovating and
refurbishing the Liberia House in Accra, Ghana: IFB No. RL/MFA/FM-ACCRA/RB/001/14/15.

2. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs now invites interested applicants to submit sealed bids for the performance of said works
(Renovation and Refurbishment of the Liberia House in Accra). Bidding will be conducted through Restricted Bidding (RB)
Procedures as specified in the Amended and Restated Public Procurement and Concession Act (PPC Act), and is opened to
all eligible and qualified bidders. These applicable procurement procedures are consistent with the REPUBLIC of LIBERIA
Amended and restated PPC Act published and approved: September 18, 2010.
3. Qualification requirements include but not limited to the following:
Current Business Registration Certificate (Registrar General);
Current Tax Clearance Certificate with Tax Identification Number (TIN)) (Internal Revenue Service);
Minimum average turnover of 100,000 USD within the last 2 years of operation;
Be a valid member of the Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors of Ghana (ABCECG); and the Engineering
Society of Liberia
Capacity to do at least 30 (thirty) days pre-financing of project;
Experience as a prime contractor in the construction of a similar project within the last three (3) years; and an
Audited financial statements for the last 2 years.

4. A complete set of bidding package including the scope of work may be purchased by qualified and eligible bidders at the
address below upon payment of non-refundable fee of USD$200.00 or equivalent amount in Liberian Dollars). Bid security
must be submitted together with bid document, and must be 10,000.00 USD or its equivalent in Liberian Dollars of the bid
price in Bank Guarantee or Bond.
5. Interested and eligible bidders may obtain further information from 09:00 to 16:30 hours and also inspect bidding documents
at the address specified below beginning May 4, 2015 :
6. Submission must be clearly marked, signed and sealed in an envelope, including other requested information as follows:
Embassy of Liberia, Accra,

7. Ghana, CONFIDENTIAL BID- for the renovation and refurbishment of Liberia House, Year 2015/2016 and addressed
to:
The Deputy Minister for Administration
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Monrovia, Liberia

8. Questions concerning this Project should be submitted in writing and directed to, by E-mail:
Mr. Boakai Kollie
Civil Works Consultant
Ministry of Foreign, Republic of Liberia
E-mail: bokollie@yahoo.com
Phone: +231880636925/+231777339339

9. Bid must be submitted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on or before Monday May 18, 2015 on or before 14:00 GMT
(Electronic Bid would not be accepted). Bid Opening will be done promptly after closing at 14:30 GMT in the Ministrys
Conference room in the presence of bidders representative or those who choose to attend.
10. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reserves the right to reject or accept any bid submitted and to annul the entire process at
any time without incurring any liability and without assigning any reason thereof.
Signed:

Wede Elliott-Brownell, PhD

Deputy Minister for Administration

Approved: Honourable Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan

MINISTER

Friday, May 8, 2015

Page 10 | Frontpage

Invitation for Bids (IFB)

National Competitive Bidding
Supply of Motor Vehicles
IFB No. LRA/NCB/016/014-015

VACANCIES
The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) was established by

an Act of Legislature in September 2013 for the purposes

of assessing and collecting national revenues as specified
in the Revenue Code of Liberia and other related laws;
administering, accounting, auditing,

enforcing revenue

collection laws and regulations; and educating taxpayers to

facilitate tax and customs compliance.

The Liberia Revenue Authority now seeks to recruit

competent, hardworking, and committed Liberians with
integrity for the below positions:
1.

Associate Chief Counsel-Criminal Litigation

4.

Assistant Commissioner- Small and Medium Tax

2.
3.

Associate Chief Counsel- Board Affairs

Associate Chief Counsel- Tax Policy

Division
5.
6.
7.

Manager- Small and Medium Tax Division

Enforcement Manager-Small and Medium Tax Division

Senior Auditor- Domestic Tax

Applicants will be selected through a highly competitive

evaluation process.

Detail of the requirements can be obtained at:

www.lra.gov.lr

Liberia Revenue Authority Social Media Pages

( Facebook ,Twitter and LinkedIn )

Interested individuals are advised that all applicants should

submit their resume Online (www.lra.gov.lr) via LRA job

recruiting link (job portal).

Note: Every ToR downloaded has an opposite corresponding

link to submit related application/resume for said job.

The deadline for application is on or before Thursday, May

14, 2015 at 5:00 pm

The LRA strongly encourages qualified females to

apply.

Note: This announcement and other LRA related information

are also available at www.lra.gov.lr and Liberia Revenue
Authority Facebook page.
Signed:

A.Trokon Tarr
Consultant

Communications, Public Affairs and Protocol/LRA

1. The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has received funds from the Government of Liberia
through its Core Budgetary allocations and intends to apply part of it to fund eligible
payments under the contract for Supply of Vehicles for its FY 2014/2015 operations.
2. This procurement covers the Supply of Motor Vehicles as indicated below, under three
(3) separated lots as indicated below;
LOT
Description QTY
LOT 1
1.
Double Cabin Pickups, 4 door, for rough terrain (4x4 Diesel) 3
LOT 2
2
SUVs, Automatic Transmission (Gasoline)
3
LOT 3
3
SUVs, Manual Transmission (Gasoline)
3

All interested bidders must indicate a current business address where the physical
location of their premises can be found.
3.
The Liberia Revenue Authority now invites sealed bids from eligible and qualified
bidders for Supply of Motor Vehicles with a warranty and availability of spare parts.

4.
Bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding (NCB)
procedures specified in the PPCA and approved by the PPCC, and is open to all eligible
bidders.
5.
Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information from the below
address within the hours of 9:30 am to 3:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday as follows:
Walter J. Dean,
Liberia Revenue Authority
LRA Logistics Management Section
Ministry of Finance & Development Planning,
1stFloor
Broad & Mechlin Street-Monrovia, Liberia
Tel: 231-(0886) -517-891
walter.dean@lra.gov.lr
6.

Qualification requirements include the following:

Signed Bid or Tender Form

A bid security (in the form of Managers Check)
A valid Tax Clearance Certificate
Valid Business Registration
Company profile
Names of current past/clients and their contact details
Proof of similar services provided

7.
All bids must be clearly marked with the address indicated below.
Supply of Motor Vehicles

Ref: IFB No. LRA/NCB/016/014-015
Liberia Revenue Authority ,
NASSCORP House
Paynesville, Liberia
Tel: 231-(0886) -517-891
walter.dean@lra.gov.lr
8.
p.m.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before May 26, 2015 at 2:00

10.

Electronic and late bids will not be accepted.

9.
Bids will be opened on May 26, 2015 2:00 pm, in the presence of bidders
representatives who choose to attend, at the address below:

Liberia Revenue Authority Headquarters

NASSCORP House
ELWA Junction
Paynesville, Liberia
Note: This IFB and other LRA related information are also available at www.lra.gov.lr and
Liberia Revenue Authority Facebook page.
Oliver N. Rogers, II
Deputy Commissioner General Adm. Affairs
Walter J. Dean
Procurement Manager

Friday, May 8, 2015

Frontpage

Deadline for application: May 14, 2015

Page 11

Friday, May 8, 2015

Page 12 | Frontpage

RECENTLY, CLLR. JOSEPH JALLAH, ONE OF NINE SENATORIAL CANDIDATES OF LOFA COUNTY IN THE
2014 SENATORIAL ELECTIONS HELD HIS THANK YOU CEREMONY IN KOLBA CITY KOLAHUN, LOFA CO.

Friday, May 8, 2015

WINDING DOWN: LIBERIA COMPLETES

PHASE TWO OF EBOLA TRIAL VACCINES

W
Monrovia-

ith no Ebola case

reported nearly
two
months
and less than
three days left for Liberia to
be declared Ebola free, the
country has completed Phase
Two of the experimental Ebola
vaccines.
As of April 30 2015, we have
completed the vaccination of
one thousand five hundred;
there were significant concern
worldwide that Liberia could
not conduct a rigorous study,
Liberia
lead
Researcher
Stephen Kennedy said.
Kennedy said, the Clinical
trial is safe based on an
evaluation of the findings from
an independent Data Safety
Monitoring Board review.
Kennedy explained that the
study was initially for six
hundred people but added
that because of the limited
participation of female was one
of the reasons responsible for
the increase to one thousand
five hundred.
The Liberian Lead Researcher
averred that study is the
largest Ebola trial vaccines
globally adding that the
primary winner in the study is
the volunteers.
Kennedy said, that the clinical
trial is safe due to several

phase three of the study may

likely not be done in Liberia
because there is no new Ebola
case. We can no longer do that
here in Liberia because we do
not have Ebola.
Kennedy said discussion is
ongoing to have phase of the
study to be carry out in either
Guinea or Sierra Leone.
Kennedy said a regional
approach is needed to
complete study adding with
such vaccines countries in
region will be better prepared
for future outbreak.
The Liberia lead researcher

said the clinical trial was

not done base on Liberian
standard adding it was based
on international recognize
standard.
The study that was done in
Liberia can be taken to any
country; we did not carry out
a study that was a Liberian
study, it was done based
on international standard,
Kennedy said.
The PREVAIL trial, which began
on Feb. 2, 2015 in Monrovia,
Liberia, is testing the safety
and efficacy of the cAd3EBOZ candidate vaccine codeveloped by NIAID scientists
and GlaxoSmithKline, and the
VSV-ZEBOV candidate vaccine
developed by the Public
Health Agency of Canada and
licensed to NewLink Genetics
Corporation and Merck.
Volunteers are assigned at
random to receive a single
injection of the NIAID/GSK
(cAd3-EBOZ) vaccine, the VSVZEBOV vaccine, or a placebo
(saline) injection.
The trial is also doubleblinded, meaning that neither
study subjects nor staff
knows whether a vaccine or
placebo was administered.
A randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial is
considered the gold standard
in clinical research.
While the initial enrollment
goal in the Phase 2 study has
been met and the vaccines
proven safe, the researchers
are continuing Phase 2 study
enrollment at Redemption

the Ebola Virus Disease had

not only devastated but also
disintegrated and paralyzed
the countrys economy.
To make matters worse, the
BFF statement added, the
current Liberian government,
headed by President Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf, continues to
woefully renege on fulfilling its
previous promises to, among
others, provide anti-Ebola
materials including chlorine,
soap, and other disinfectants
to all schools nationwide in
continuation of the fight to kick
deadly virus out of the country.
The institution added.
Some of the institutions that
benefited from the BFF ongoing
awareness and education
campaign with respect to the
Ebola preventive measures
as well as dangers associated
with the disease include
Bardnersville Public School,
Family Catholic School, Zion A.
G. High School, J. W. A. Richards
Elementary & Junior High

School, James King Freeman
School, and International
Discipline Training Academy.
Others are, Global Commission
International Christian School,
Todee Wesleyan International
School, Todee Presbyterian
Mission School, Sackie Town
Community Day-Care, Markeva
Public School, BFF Forecasts
Collapse of Liberia School
SystemGoba Town Public
School, which currently has
an unattended leaking roof,
caused by rain storm, among
others.
All the beneficiary institutions

immensely lauded the BFF for

the donations, which they said,
came at the most appropriate
time.
They reiterated the urgent need
for the Liberian government to
provide academic institutions
with much-needed subsidies so
as to enhance their operations
in the best interest of Liberian
students.
During a tour of the various
schools, the organization
observed with satisfaction the
adherence to Ebola prevention
protocols by both students
and school administrators
as outlined by the Liberian
government
through
the
Ministry of Health and its
international
collaborating
partners including the World
Health Organization (WHO)
and the US Center for Disease
Control.
However, the group indicated
that most of the schools lack
thermometers to test body
temperatures for students
and instructors, regular and
attractive salaries for teachers.
It further reported acute
lack of assigned teachers for
natural science subjects such
as Chemistry, Physics, and
Biology, in most of the learning
institutions in Montserrado
County, which had been
assessed.
BFF, at the same time,
expressed disdain over the
demotion of other schools in
Montserrado County such as
William D. Coleman School in
Clay-Ashland,
Montserrado
County, which had been

Al-Varney Rogers alvarney.rogersfrontpageafricaonline.com 0886304498

review by an independent
panel adding that they have
given a clean bill, meaning we
have done well.
They have announced that
the study has been relatively
safe, despite the vaccines is
over those who participated
will be followed for one year,
Kennedy said.
Based on the findings the
study has advance to phase
two, the study is sponsored
by the National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases
(NIAID), which is a part of the
National Institutes of Health.

We are grateful to the Liberian

people who volunteered for
this important clinical trial
and encouraged by the study
results seen with the two
investigational Ebola vaccine
candidates,
said
NIAID
Director Anthony S. Fauci,
M.D. Now we must move
forward to adapt and expand
the study so that ultimately
we can determine whether
these experimental vaccines
can protect against Ebola virus
disease and therefore be used
in future Ebola outbreaks.
Dr. Kennedy disclosed, that

Frontpage

BFF FORECASTS COLLAPSE OF LIBERIAS

SCHOOL SYSTEM, EYEING SUBSIDIES
A. Macaulay Sombai, macaulay.sombai@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monrovia etter
Future
Foundation,
BFF,
has
underscored
the urgent need for
the Government of Liberia
to immediately fulfill its
promised subsidies to schools
nationwide.
According to BFF, such
subsidies would not only be
used to sustain the operations
of schools nationwide but also
go a long way in preventing the
countrys educational system
from total collapse.
In a statement issued over the

weekend in Monrovia, BFF

observed that Liberian schools
are currently experiencing low
enrollment of students due to a
number of crucial factors.
The Liberian youth advocacy
organization named fear by
many parents to allow their
children back to school when
the World Health Organization
(WHO), is yet to declare
Liberia freed of the Ebola Virus
Disease.
BFF made the call during the
week when it provided at
least 50 primary, elementary,
junior and senior high schools

in Montserrado County with

Anti-Ebola
Information,
Communication and Education
(IEC) materials including Ebola
prevention protocols and
academic calendars prepared
by the Ministry of Education
which most Liberian schools
acutely lack.
BFF also identified as primary
factor, the acute lack of income
generating capacities owing to
lack of jobs by most Liberian
parents to meet up with the
huge financial costs associated
with their childrens education
in the country at this time when

Page 13

Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia,

through late April 2015.
This would boost enrollment in
the Phase 2 portion of the trial
to approximately 1,500 people
and would be done, in part,
to increase the percentage
of women (currently, about
16 percent) in the study for a
more robust data set overall.
The study follow-up period
would be at least one year,
and two additional blood
samples would be obtained
from all volunteers at six and
12 months post-vaccination
to determine the durability
of the immune responses.
These proposed changes will
be discussed with the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration
and are under review by the
institutional review boards in
Liberia and the United States.
Investigators planned to enroll
27,000 people in Liberia at risk
of Ebola infection in the Phase
3 portion of the trial.
Given this decline in Ebola
infection incidence, the trial
leaders H. Clif ford Lane,
M.D., NIAID deputy director for
clinical research, and Liberian
co-principal
investigators
Stephen Kennedy, M.D., and
Fatorma Bolay, Ph.D.
have determined that it is
scientifically appropriate to
expand the trial to additional
sites in other West African
countries. Discussions are
underway to explore that
possibility.
demoted from Senior High
to Junior High School due
primarily to migration of
teachers of the school to
other institutions as a result
of low incentives particularly
the lack of housing facilities
and commensurate monthly
salaries.
The organization added that
such act, underscored the
importance for the Liberian
government
to
attach
seriousness
to
provision
of
basic
housing
and
accommodation facilities for
its teachers, especially those
assigned in rural communities
Many of the 50 schools,
which benefited from the BFF
presentation of anti-Ebola
materials, lack chairs for use by
students and teachers, water
and sewage systems, hygienic
environments as well as other
basic learning facilities such as
libraries and laboratories.
The schools at the same
time,
highlighted
many
problems faced by them since
the government of Liberia
declared all school reopened
after a prolonged closure as a
result of the Ebola outbreak in
the country.
The ongoing presentation of
the anti-Ebola materials is
a part of BFFs three-month
Safe School Ebola Protocol
Awareness project to impact
14-electoral
districts
in
Montserrado County.
With support from the United
States Embassy accredited
near Monrovia, the project,
which seeks to create safe
school
environment
in
sustenance of the fight against
the deadly Ebola Virus Disease
(EVD), is being implemented
from April 8 to July 8, 2015.

Page 14 | Frontpage

IN BRIEF

CLINTON WADES INTO

DEBATE OVER OBAMA'S
IMMIGRATION ACTIONS

PAGE

WORLD NEWS

Friday, May 8, 2015

WE REGRET THE FACTS

RONT

PROBE LAUNCHED INTO CLAIMS FRENCH SOLDIERS RAPED C.AFRICA CHILDREN

WASHINGTON (AP)
resident
Barack
Obama says his
executive actions
blocking
the
deportation of millions living
illegally in the U.S. go as far
as the law allows. But Hillary
Rodham Clinton says that if
she becomes president, she
would go even further.
Clinton's
aggressive
stance reinvigorates the
debate over the scope of
presidential powers, which
has become a flashpoint in
Washington's
politically
fraught immigration fight. It
also raises questions about
the legality of Clinton's
proposals and sets up a
potential conflict between the
Democratic front-runner and
the Obama White House.
OBAMA LOOKS FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH ISRAEL'S
NETANYAHU, WHITE HOUSE SAYS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) he White House said

on
Thursday
that
President
Barack
Obama looks forward
to working with Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
and his new governing coalition.
"As President Obama has
emphasized, the U.S. places great
importance on our close military,
intelligence
and
security
cooperation with Israel," the
White House National Security
Council said on Twitter.

CLINTON FOUNDATION EVENT

IN MOROCCO BANKROLLED BY
CONTROVERSIAL MINING FIRM

ormer President Bill

Clinton and the Clinton
Foundations
Global
Initiative
are
being
hosted this week at a five-star
luxury hotel in Morocco by one
of the worlds most controversial
mining companies, criticized for
serious human rights violations
by the Robert F. Kennedy Center
for Justice.
The Moroccan governmentowned mining company OCP
operates in disputed international
territory in a remote part of the
Sahara Desert, and the firm has
been criticized for removing the
resources without adequately
compensating the impoverished
people who live there.
Anytime the human rights of a
population are systematically
suppressed in this way, its a
serious concern, and I think its
worthy of attention, said David
McKean, who has studied the
issue for the RFK center.
OCP is paying $1 million to
help host the prestigious event
and throw a private cocktail
reception, to the dismay of
human rights activists.

Paris (AFP) udges in France will

investigate claims that
French soldiers raped
children in the Central
African Republic, the state
prosecutor
announced
Thursday.
Fourteen soldiers have been
placed under investigation
following statements by
six children aged between
nine and 13 that some were
sexually abused by French
peacekeepers
between
December 2013 and June
2014.
The case has been opened
"against unnamed persons
for carrying out the rape
of minors" and "abusing
the authority conferred by

their functions", prosecutor

Francois Molins said in a
statement.
It has been almost a
year since the French
authorities opened an initial
investigation after receiving
a leaked internal United
Nations report in July 2014.
But despite sending police to
the Central African Republic
to investigate in August,
no children or soldiers
were questioned and the
allegations were never made
public.
It was only after they were
revealed by The Guardian
newspaper last month that
the full investigation was
launched.
Both the French government

and UN have denied trying

to cover up the potentially
devastating scandal, but the
UN aid worker who leaked
the report was suspended
from his job for "breach of
protocol".
The French prosecutor said
Thursday he wanted to wait
until he had spoken to the UN
aid worker, Swedish national
Anders Kompass, before
launching the investigation
and that the United Nations
had refused to lift his
diplomatic immunity status
as required for a formal
interview.
The UN human rights office
says Swedish official Anders
Kompass, seen here in 2006,
will face an int

women sit on the ward floor,

leaving the beds to the more
badly injured. Cradled in their
arms, are emaciation, holloweyed children being treated
for severe malnutrition and
dehydration.
- Emaciated children The former hostages were
brought to the hospital on
Tuesday from the Malkohi
Camp on the outskirts of Yola,
where 275 women and children
arrived on Saturday after
their rescue from the Sambisa
Forest in neighbouring Borno
province.
Four other emaciated children
were brought to hospital at
the same time. They, too, seem
too weak to cry, unlike the
"unaccompanied" young boys
and girls, whose wailing cuts
through the air.
"When they (the rescued
hostages) arrived there were
not less than 100 children,"
said nurse Ruth Ugwu, who
works at the camp's clinic.
"When we started screening,
we discovered that 31 were
acutely malnourished, all of
them under the age of five."
Some are now gaining weight
through a diet of powdered
milk, vitamins, juice and
oatmeal supplied by local,
national and international aid

agencies, she added.

The prognosis for all the
children now in hospital is
good, including Mohammed.
"They should be OK," said
Ugwu.
- Up to 15 pregnant More children will be born to
the women in the camp in the
months to come. About 10 to
15 women are in the early to
mid-stages of pregnancy, said
retired midwife Mary Samuel
Galadima.
"They will need attention," she
added.
Meanwhile, women and girls
lined up to receive secondhand clothes donated by the
Adamawa state government
in the courtyard outside
dormitories containing bunk
beds and mosquito nets.
One woman, in the anklelength robe and head covering
common in the Muslimmajority north, held up a pair
of silver, flared trousers with
a mixture of excitement and
bemusement.
Across the dusty compound,
which before the new arrivals
already housed some 850
people who fled Boko Haram's
rampage in northern Adamawa
last year, deliveries of rice were
offloaded from pick-up trucks.
Bags and boxes of foodstuffs

STARVED SURVIVORS TELL OF HELL

AS BOKO HARAM HOSTAGES

Yola (Nigeria) (AFP) ara

Malam's
son
Mohammed was just
five months old when
Boko Haram stormed
their village in northeastern
Nigeria and carried them off
to their stronghold in the
Sambisa forest.
After several months as a
hostage, the boy's head is
enlarged from malnutrition
and crinkled skin sags from the
joints of his tiny, boney body.
"They (Boko Haram) did
nothing for my son and the
same for the other children...
No food, no clothing, no water...
Not a single thing," she says as
she sits nursing him under her
long hijab on the floor of the
Federal Medical Centre in Yola.
Zara is one of 15 women
hostages injured by gunshots
or landmines when Nigerian
troops freed them after
storming Boko Haram bases in
the forest last week.
But even here in the relative
safety of Yola in neighbouring
Adamawa state, they still have
to have armed guards on the
door.
"We were so happy when the
soldiers came. Now, I just want
him to get well," the 25-yearold told AFP.
Zara and some of the other

Molins said he instead

received a written evidence
from Kompass on April 29.
He did not draw any
connection to the fact that
April 29 was also the day the
story was published in The
Guardian.
French NGO Innocence in
Danger, which works with
child victims of violence,
said it would take part as
a civil party in the judicial
investigation.
"(We) intend to verify that
the ministry of defence,
which was advised of this
affair several months ago, has
not treated the case lightly by
not suspending the accused
soldiers," said the NGO's
lawyer, Olivier Morice.
- FRENCH FLAG 'SULLIED' -

"If someone has sullied

the flag, because that is
what this amounts to, they
must say so immediately,
because it is treason against
their comrades, the image
of France and the army's
mission,"
said
Defence
Minster Jean-Yves Le Drian
earlier this week.
The
Central
African
Republic government said
on Wednesday that it would
launch its own legal action
against the French soldiers.
"We regret the fact we were
not brought into these
investigations despite the
cooperation
agreements
we have with France," said

are stockpiled in the warehouse

alongside mattresses, coloured
buckets, instant noodles, salt
and wheelbarrows.
Some former hostages lie on
mats or under the shade of
trees. Others sleep.
"When they arrived on
Saturday, they came directly
to the kitchen for a cup of tea,
bread, milk and water," said
Hassan Bello, of the Adamawa
State Emergency Management
Agency (ADSEMA).
"The women with children
took more."
- Over-stretched? Clearly efforts are being made
to help the former hostages
recover both physically and
mentally. ADSEMA, its federal
equivalent and organisations
such as the Nigerian Red Cross
are all involved.
But the violence in the north
of Adamawa and across Borno

Justice Minister Aristide

Sokambi.
French troops were deployed
to the Central African
Republic
in
December
2013 to help African Union
peacekeepers restore order
after a bout of sectarian
bloodletting triggered by a
coup.
Hundreds of troops were
stationed outside the capital
Bangui at M'Poko airport,
which was transformed into
a giant refugee camp.
Most of the displaced families
living amid the abandoned
planes had lost everything
in the conflict, which pitted
mainly Muslim rebels against
vigilantes from the majority
Christian population.
Thousands
were
killed
and nearly 900,000 people
displaced.
Hunger in M'Poko became so
widespread that riots often
broke out when food was
distributed.
"There was a whole world
that revolved not just around
the French soldiers, but
also the European force,
especially at night-time," a
UN diplomat in Bangui told
AFP last week on condition of
anonymity.
"Everyone knows there
were groups of young
women, especially, who took
pleasure from being with the
European troops based in the
airport area, in exchange for
biscuits or sardines," he said.

and Yobe states has seen Yola's

population swell by hundreds
of thousands because of its
reputation as a safe haven.
Many are staying with host
families or friends in the city.
With no indication of when
it will be safe for refugees to
return, local resources are
stretched, volunteers said,
with more supplies and longerterm support required.
An ambulance wasn't available
to take Mohammed and the
other malnourished children
to hospital, so Turai Kadir did
it herself.
"They were in the camp for
four days without doctors,"
the community worker said,
shaking her head.
"There should be doctors for
women and children to see
them first before camping
them in a room. Health should
be a priority...

Friday, May 8, 2015

Sports

COCA COLA TOURNAMENT

SEMIFINALS DUEL: BYC

MEETS IE, NPA TACKLES
NIMBA UNITED
A. Macaulay Sombai, macaulay.sombai@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monroviahe semifinals of the

ongoing
Liberia
Coca-Cola Bottling
Company (LCCBC)
football tournament will
take place today at the Blue
Field sports ground on Lynch
Street.
The four teams expected to
lock horns with each other
in the two semifinals are

Barrack Young Controllers

(BYC) against Invincible
Eleven (IE) and NPA Anchors
against Nimba United.
BYC will engage Invincible
Eleven (IE) in the day first
clash while NPA Anchors
meets Nimba United to close
the day.
BYC reached the tournament
semifinal
after
three
successive victories against

LISCR FC, Mighty Barrolle,

and Nimba United in the
tournament group A matches.
IE on the other hand qualified
for the semifinals after one
win two draws out of three
matches played in-group
B against Aries FC, NPA
Anchors and FC Fassell.
NPA Anchors will come face
to face with Nimba United in
the last semifinal battle.

NPA and Nimba United both

secured semifinals berth first
and second in the respective
groups.
The two winners from the
semifinal clashes will meet on
Sunday for the grand finale to
decide the tournament first
champions.
IE
Head
coach
Papa
Kamara
described
his
team qualification for the

Funeral Announcement
Gabriel L. Dennis

Frontpage

tournament semifinal as one

step forward and said they
are not taking their semifinal
clash with BYC as joke but
with total focus.
We are ready for the
semifinal and we will play
against BYC with all of our
strength, tactics and energy.
So I am urging my players not
to leave any stone unturned.
BYC head coach Robert
Lartey said his team is ready
for the challenge against
their opponent and that he
is confident that they are
going to be the first to reach
the tournament grand final
through a convincing win
against IE today.
To you my players please
focus on the game and you
must play against your
opponents with all of your
experiences and you should
follow the rules of the game,
said Coach Lartey.
It can be recalled that
the LCCBC Sales Manager
described
the
ongoing
tournament as his company
first step in helping to bring
back the game alive.
Manager Emmanuel Boyefio
said his company agreed to
join hands with the LFA to
organize the tournament in
order to help relief people
off the stress and grieve
they encountered during the
Ebola crisis.
The LFA Vice President for
Operations Cassell Kuoh
told journalists that LCCBC
management has promised
to join hands with the nation
football house in order to
make the tournament bigger
and entertaining as time goes
by.

The Almighty God in his infinite wisdom and majesty reached down and touched our beloved brother
Gabriel L. Dennis, lifting his spirit to the heavens, to dwell among the saints. Filled with personal
sadness, but giving praise and thanksgiving to God, we announce the death of Mr. Gabriel L. Dennis.
This blessed event occurred at 10:25 am on Sunday May 3, 2015 at the John F. Kennedy Memorial
Hospital, Sinkor, Liberia
REMOVAL: St. Moses Funeral Home, Gardnersville: Friday, May 15, 2015 at 4:00 PM.

Page 15

SPORTS

GUNMEN ROB S.AFRICAN EXSTRIKER MCCARTHY AT BARBERS

Johannesburg (AFP) outh Africa's record

goalscorer
and
Champions League
winner
Benni
McCarthy was robbed at gun
point Tuesday while having a
hair cut in Johannesburg, his
agent said.
Three gunmen stormed
a
barber's
shop
in
Johannesburg's
Melrose
suburb robbing the 37-yearold of his wedding ring,
watch and other valuables.
He was not injured.
McCarthy's agent Percy
Adams said the robbers
targeted just the striker who helped Portugal's Porto
to win the 2004 Champions
League under Jose Mourinho
- in a packed salon.

DEPAY: IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE

TO SAY NO TO MAN UTDSAY
NO TO MAN UTD

SV star Memphis
Depay claims it was
impossible to reject
Manchester United
after his 30 million summer
move was confirmed on
Thursday.
The 21-year-old has agreed
personal terms after a stellar
season in the Eredivisie, with
just a medical standing in the
way of linking up with the
Red Devils in July.
Depay played under coach
Louis van Gaal when the
current United coach was in
charge of Netherlands at last
summer's World Cup and is
looking forward to doing so
again at club level.

BARCELONA WILL PLAY LIKE IT'S

OUR LAST GAME - NEYMAR

WAKE KEEPING:
A service of songs, praise and tributes will be held at St. Augustine Episcopal Church, Bardnersville
Road, Gardnersville Township on Friday, May 15, 2015 from 6:00 pm ~ 9:00 p.m. All tributes will
be made during this period
SERVICE FOR THE CELEBRATION OF GABRIELS LIFE:
Service for the Celebration of Gabriels Life and Eucharist of the Resurrection for the peaceful
repose of his soul will be said on Saturday May 16, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine Episcopal
Church, Bardnersville Road. As a tradition in the Episcopal Church, tributes during the service are
limited only to Gabriels family and the church.
INTERMENT: Immediately following the service in Bardnersville
May the Almighty God bless you GaeGae our beloved brother, may he keep you, may he pour his
continence upon you, and may he grant your soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest eternal
in perfect peace. Amen.
Family Contact:
Rufus S. Berry II
+231-886-362332 / +231-770-301071
Aurelia Dennis
+233-205778577
Enid Dennis
(651) 263-9980
Nevonne Dennis
(614) 500-1676
D. Benedict Freeman
+231-555-673241
Wilfred Freeman

eymar
says
Barcelona will treat
the second leg of
their
Champions
League
semi-final
against
Bayern Munich as if it is "the
last game of their lives".
The Catalans won 3-0 in the first
leg at Camp Nou on Wednesday,
with the Brazilian scoring a
late third after Lionel Messi's
brilliant second-half double.
Barca are now firm favourites
to reach the final but, despite
acknowledging their advantage,
Neymar says the team won't take
their foot off the gas.

FrontPage
www.frontpageafricaonline.com

FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2015

VOL 9 NO.55

nai Emery's men have one

foot in the Europa League
final after routing their
Italian opponents courtesy
of an Aleix Vidal double and a late
strike from Kevin Gameiro
Sevilla took a major step towards
retaining their Europa League crown
by routing Fiorentina 3-0 in the first
leg of their semi-final showdown
at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on
Thursday.
Unai Emery's side lifted the trophy
last season thanks to a penalty
shootout victory over Benfica and
are bidding to become the first club
to win the competition four times.
They are now clear favourites to
at least reach the final in Warsaw,
aftern Aleix Vidal double and late
Kevin Gameiro strike put them in
firm control of the tie.
Vidal's first was a low driven shot
from 18 yards, before the Spaniard
made it two with a calm finish early in
the second half, although Fiorentina
goalkeeper Neto made his job easier
with a poor effort to deny him.
Then Gameiro, who came off the
bench to replace Carlos Bacca,
scored with his first touch to cap yet
another strong home performance
from Sevilla, who have now won
nine consecutive matches at the
Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in
this competition.
Fiorentina, meanwhile, will regret
their first-half profligacy, with
Mario Gomez, Matias Fernandez
and Mohamed Salah all spurning
excellent chances either side of
Vidal's opener.
Gomez was the first to waste a
golden opportunity, firing off target
following Joaquin's incisive pass in
the fifth minute.
Fiorentina were left to rue that miss
12 minutes later as Bacca teed up
Vidal, who placed a first-time finish
into the bottom-left corner from the
edge of the area.
The visitors ought to have been level
almost immediately, but, after more
good work by Joaquin close to the
byline, Fernandez somehow stabbed
the former Real Betis man's cutback

Sports

PRICE L$40

EUROPA LEAGUE: SEVILLA 3-0 FIORENTINA:

FINALS IN SIGHT

Rojiblancos run riot to leave Viola on the brink

wide from five yards.

Vincenzo
Montella's
men
continued to look dangerous
going forward and Sevilla
keeper Sergio Rico had to
produce excellent saves to deny
Fernandez and then Salah at
close range.
Deep in first-half stoppage time,
Sevilla thought they should have
had a penalty when Grzegorz
Krychowiak went down under
Stefan Savic's challenge, but
rather than point to the spot,
referee Felix Brych blew his
whistle to signal the end of the
period.
Sevilla's sense of injustice did

not last long, however, as Vidal

doubled his tally seven minutes
after the restart.
The full-back found himself in
space down the right flank and,
after being picked out by Vitolo's
pass, side-footed in at the near
post, with Neto diving too early
in the wrong direction.
Vidal turned provider with 15
minutes left, diverting Benoit
Tremoulinas' cutback goalwards,
where Gameirowas on hand to
slot home from six yards and
compound Fiorentina's woes as
their 12-match unbeaten run
away from home in Europe came
to a grinding halt.

VISIT UNCLE ZEH'S LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING SERVICE ON

CROWN HILL, BROAD STREET WHERE THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST

CALL: 0775 149 376, 0775 149 161