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‘Squandered Opportunities’: The Case of Ellen and the Unity Party …Any Lesson for Weah and the CDC?

In 2006, when former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf assumed leadership of the country after winning the first post-war democratic election, I was convinced that she was best suited amongst the over twenty contenders to help drastically deal with issues that have confronted the country over the years under past administrations that have been predominantly males.

My conviction was based on the facts that the former president was an economist and internationally admired. She spent most of her professional life working with international institutions and organizations abroad, and she became venerated for placing premium on accountability and transparency as recipes for governance.

In her inaugural address, if I didn���t believe everything she said, three things that I noticeably recalled and held to my chest, were her promises to tackle the menace of corruption, run a transparent and accountable government. She promised to run the government with zero tolerance on corruption; one of the vices responsible for the backwardness of the country - after one-hundred and fifty-eight years of existence (2012) - would be dealt with fully.

Madam Sirleaf pledged to make corruption “public enemy number one”, telling her officials to think twice, if they ever thought of engaging in corruption under her administration. I believed that her administration would have been the game-changer in the fight against the country’s greatest enemy, corruption, because she had the support of the Liberian people and the international community to fight corruption head-on. She promised to remain forceful in the fight against the menace no matter who was involved.

Madam Sirleaf’s statement, I believed then, was based on the doctrine of equal dispensation of justice and respect for the rule of law. The Nobel Laureate (2011), known also as the iron lady of Liberian politics, gained my admiration for her stance on making corruption a public enemy #1 and the eloquence of her statement raised her profile locally and internationally. However, few years into her administration, later did I know that her stance against corruption was nothing other than a disappointment. Her position on the rule of law was selective and justice wasn’t dispensed equally as promised in her inaugural statement.

Judging from her stance against past regimes on the issues of bad governance (corruption, nepotism and others), I had expected Liberia under a Unity Party led-government to have been very robust on the fight against corruption, nepotism and other anti-good governance vices that derailed the peace of the country over the years. The former Liberian president unarguably has convincing credential that was best suited for a war ravaged country like Liberia.

A country desperately in need of recovery from the ashes of war actually needed someone with the best pedigree to rigorously lead the process. She was former finance minister, president, Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI), senior loan officer, World Bank, vice president, Equator Bank, assistant administrator, United Nations Development Programme, assistant secretary-general of the United Nations, among many others. She also chaired the Governance Reform Commission, now Governance Commission (GC) and led the country’s anti-corruption reform processes. You would agree with me; she was the best amongst all the other 22 contenders. Internationally known as “Africa’s Iron Lady,” the Nobel Laureate was a leading promoter of freedom, peace, justice, women’s empowerment and democratic rule. She was also Africa’s first democratically-elected female head of state.

Is this not substantial enough, a credential for an astute stateswoman to lead a war ravaged nation like Liberia? Yes, it is. So, you see how my admiration for the former president grew.

Indisputably, she attracted lot of international attention and supports. Over $16 billion in foreign direct investment was attracted under her stewardship. More than $5 million in private resources was mobilized to rebuild schools, clinics and markets, and fund scholarships for capacity building. The Nobel Laureate and the Unity Party led-government successfully negotiated the forgiveness of $4.6 billion in external debt and the lifting of UN trade sanctions. The lifting of the sanction allowed Liberia to again access international markets. The national budget was increased from $80 million in 2006 to over $672 million in 2012.

As Africa’s first female head of state and a staunch campaigner and promoter of freedom, peace, justice, women’s empowerment and democratic rule, former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the UP leg-government received the most, if not, the highest support in the country’s history from the international community. It appeared like ‘donors’ floodgate’ opened under the UP administration.

There was influx of investors with million dollars of investments across Liberia, BHP Billiton, Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL), Chevron, Mittal Steel Liberia, Sime Darby Liberia etc. These and many others, I felt, were golden opportunities to have been maximized to the fullest to transform our war ravaged nation into a beacon of hope for other war affected nations. Nearly all projects under the Unity Party led-government were either entirely or partly financed by donors and other friendly nations - Jackson F. Doe Regional Referral Hospital in Tappita, Nimba County; the County Service Centers; Monrovia-Ganta and Ganta-Guinea border road pavement; Monrovia-Buchanan road; the Ministerial Complex; University of Liberia, Fendell Campus and many other projects.

Most government owned projects funded through the national budget were repeatedly captured in the budget for 12 years with some yet to be completed, like the Executive Mansion renovation project.

However, former president Sirleaf and the UP government is credited for the establishment of different anti-graft institutions, GAC, LACC, FIU, PPCC and many others as a means of minimizing wastes and abuse in public service.

My Disappointment In Ellen’s ‘Corruption Fight’

Despite all of these and many other measures aimed at curtailing wastes and abuse in the public sector, the Sirleaf’s administration was embroiled in corruption allegation from its inception, and her critics lashed at her for shielding some of the alleged culprits.

The General Auditing Commission (GAC), for example, conducted and submitted numeral audit reports to the government through the legislature.

In deviation from her initial pledge to have confronted the menace of corruption no matter who was involved, the former Liberian leader chose to selectively prosecute some alleged culprits of corruption, like former Information Minister Dr. Lawrence Bropleh and his brother Albert Bropleh from the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) while at the same time, shielding others like Gender, Children and Social Welfare Minister Varbah Gaflor.

This was the beginning of the diminishing of my admiration for the former president. As if these were not enough, then, the National Oil Company’s (NOCAL) ‘bankruptcy’ saga came. The Company under the leadership of the former president’s son, Robert Sirleaf, was entangled with allegations and counter allegations of corruption, wastes and abuse of the country’s scarce resources; the former president again, did nothing to redeem the situation.

These actions by you, Madam former president, violated declaration made by you and other World Leaders at the ‘High-level Meeting on the Rule of Law’ at the United Nations in 2012 where Member States agreed to support efforts aimed at ensuring access to justice is a core component of the work in the area of rule of law. That delivery of justice be impartial and non-discriminatory. Member States, including Liberia also highlighted the independence of the judicial system, together with its impartiality and integrity, as an essential prerequisite for upholding the rule of law and ensuring that there is no discrimination in the administration of justice. Frankly, you were discriminatory and selective, Madam former president, in your so-called fight against corruption.

Rather than fearlessly and indiscriminately facing the target (corruption), the internationally known ‘Iron Lady’ disappointingly started to give it different names, ‘vampire’, ‘cancer’, after initially terming it as, ‘public enemy #1.’ What even further reduced my admiration for the Nobel Laureate was her admittance to failure against a fight for which she was given the mantle of authority over our country. Throughout her campaigns, she promised to wage war against this disease that has been reportedly responsible for the underdeveloped state of Liberia.

These were what the Africa’s first female former head of state and a staunch campaigner and promoter of freedom, peace, justice, women’s empowerment and democratic rule said: “We must never forget, however, that in our small, interrelated society, where virtually everyone knows everyone, and papa has made too many stops before getting home, it will take the collective will to subject ourselves, our family, our friends and our colleagues to the rule of law.”

She further said: “We have not fully met the anti-corruption pledge that we made in 2006. It is not because of the lack of political will to do so, but because of the intractability of dependency and dishonesty cultivated from years of deprivation and poor governance.”

To me, the former president really dashed the hope of us who trusted and believed that she would have fearlessly dealt with the issues of corruption and nepotism in the country’s governance system. This is why I fully agreed with former vice president Joseph N. Boakai when he said, they (Unity Party leg-government) squandered lots of opportunities.’ Yes, there were lots of glorious opportunities that would have been maximized to transform the country and its people.

Like me, many other Liberians had anticipated tremendous transformation of the country under the abled stewardship of the UP led-government. But, we were disappointed! In further justifications of her dismal failure to take advantage of the opportunity ‘bonanzas’ under her leadership, the former Liberian leader stated: “We could not reap in government what has not been instilled in families, schools, churches, mosques and society in general.” Madam, that’s why we entrusted you to help make a difference as promised during your campaign and inauguration in 2006. Your Excellency former president, with all due respects, Madam; I supposed you had thought it through, the complexities of Liberia’s problems all those years you spoke against other regimes.

Nevertheless, despite all of these, the former president is unarguably credited for some gains in the fight against corruption by setting the pace for her successors to follow in curbing corruption. With all stringent measures in place, the menace, however, lingered in every fabric of her administration and the Liberian society.

After 12 years of rule, the Harvard trained economist left the country in economic recession. She also left a divided country, including her own Political Party- the former ruling United Party.

The Ellen’s Factor in 2017 Elections

In keeping with constitutional requirement, former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf two-term rule came to a successful end when she led the process of ushering the country into elections in 2017. The Ellen’s factor seriously affected the former ruling Unity Party.

Like me, many other Liberians who had anticipated incredible transformation under the UP government refused to allow anyone associated with the immediate former ruling establishment to come near the country’s leadership. Most of these people are non-partisans, including the silent-voters; they are more nationalistic in their electoral decision-making. Not driven by idiosyncratic and/or egotistic benefits. They put country above all else! This group of people, including some disenchanted partisans of the UP and many other Liberians chose to protest against the party’s candidate, Joseph N. Boakai in the elections.

Yes, we were disappointed and disenchanted over the manner and form the former president failed to accomplish issues she had confronted and protested against for several decades under previous regimes. Indeed, we were disappointed and we chose different candidates over the UP. During the second round, others who chose not to vote either way, abstained from the process.

After the second round of the elections, the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) of international football icon, George Manneh Weah got an overwhelming mandate of the Liberian people with a total vote of 732,185 or 61.5% over his rival, former vice president Joseph N. Boakai with 457,579 or 38.5%.

Now, Your Excellency George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, the irresistible mandate given to you through the votes of the Liberian people to steer the affairs of this country of ours is tied around several factors as mentioned above.

Y.E. Dr. George Forky Klon Jlaleh Gbah ku gbeh Tarpeh Manneh Weah, as stated in your inaugural address that the most effective way to directly impact the poor, and to narrow the gap between rich and poor under your administration, is to ensure that public resources do not end up in the pockets of Government officials and that the overwhelming mandate you received from the Liberian people was a mandate to end corruption in public service. I plea with you, Mr. President, please live up to those pledges. The gap between the rich and poor will never be narrowed if we are not true to what we say on paper.

You also told your officials, Dr. Weah, that it was ‘time to put the interest of our people above their own selfish interests; it was time to be honest with the people of Liberia who have yearned for change.

“Though corruption is a habit amongst our people, we must end it. We must pay civil servants a living wage, so that corruption is not an excuse for taking what is not theirs. Those who do not refrain from enriching themselves at the expense of the people – the law will take its course. I say today that you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” these were your exact words on January 22, at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex during your inauguration.

We cheered and never wanted to cease clapping when these commitments were being made. Yes, we cheered because we felt that you, too, have tested and gone through the struggles from childhood. Coming from the slump community of West Point to have climbed the success ladder, you needed no one else to interpret the daunting impact of corruption and bad governance in Liberia. Unlike former president Sirleaf who spent most of her life abroad, Mr. President, I trust that you may have understood the intricacies of Liberia’s core issues very well; especially during the 12-years reign of the Unity Party.

Now, Y.E. Dr. George Forky Klon Jlaleh Gbah ku gbeh Tarpeh Manneh Weah, I strongly believe that, if we must consolidate our peace and sustain our country’s development; corruption, nepotism, impunity and injustice must not find any space under your administration. As a humanitarian and champion for human rights (former UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador), I trust your willingness and commitment to upholding and respecting the rule of law.

The rule of law, Mr. President, is a cornerstone for a better functioning economy that adheres to regulations, greater internal mobility, social cohesion and good governance.

Your Excellency, please ensure that delivery of justice under your administration be impartial and non-discriminatory. Let the independence of the judicial system, together with its impartiality and integrity, be an essential prerequisite for upholding the rule of law and ensuring that there is no discrimination in the administration of justice.

The indiscriminate administration of justice would mean to me, making the law supreme over every other thing, including friendship, status, party-lines, religions, connections, relationships, etc. Mr. President, there should be no one (including you) above the law.

The rule of law refers to a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the state itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated, and which are consistent with international human rights norms and standards. It requires, Mr. President, as well, measures to ensure adherence to the principles of supremacy of the law, equality before the law, accountable to the law, fairness in the application of the law, separation of powers, participation in decision-making, legal certainty, avoidance of arbitrariness, and procedural and legal transparency.

Everyone, Mr. President, must be made to account to the law and not the law accounting to them. When the law is twisted or perceived to be twisted (in whatever form and manner) to favor a particular person or certain group of people, they automatically subject the law to themselves and not the other way around. Never should we allow our laws to be circumvented for any reason, Mr. President.

After leading one of Liberia’s biggest oppositions, the Congress for Democratic Change now Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) for 12 years and watched the former Unity Party ‘plundered the country’s resources’ and ‘misgoverned’ the state, I had strongly anticipated a forensic audit (both financial and assets) of the regime led by the Harvard trained economist, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. It would have vindicated you and your administration from any wrong or perceived wrong doings. However, it’s better late than never. Thanks for the recent pronouncement that you are now planning to do so.

Another area that you dashed my expectation was the Global Witness’ investigation into Exxon’s purchase of Liberia’s oil Block 13 which was suspected to have enriched former government officials who may have illegally owned an interest in the block through the company Broadway Consolidated/Peppercoast (BCP). The Global Witness' investigation also found that US$35,000 payments were made to top Liberian officials after Exxon got the block in 2013.

Your Excellency, thankfully, you wasted no time; you immediately constituted a ‘Special Presidential Committee’ to probe the NOCAL-ExxonMobile alleged bribery saga and report to you.

On Wednesday, May 16, 2018, the Committee submitted their findings to you at your Foreign Ministry offices, recommending, among other things, ‘that officials who were mentioned to have received monies in the form of bonus/honorarium for signing the sale of Oil Block-13 be made to restitute the amounts into government’s coffers.

The ‘Special Presidential Committee’ was chaired by Cllr. Ndubuisi Nwabudike and its members comprised of: Cllr. Pearl Brown Bull; Cllr. C. Alexander Zoe, Rev. Joseph Gardea Johnson, III, and Mrs. Frances Greeves.

The Committee further recommended that failure for accused officials to make said payment or restitution as recommended, they should be charged and prosecuted for receiving unlawful reward under section 12.51 and 12.12 of the New Penal Law of Liberia.

This, I believe, was your first test on your unwaveringness to fight the menace of corruption under your administration as promised. Again, Mr. President, we are yet to get any feedback from you on this matter since it was submitted to you exactly a year ago.

I am cognizant that your intent to have set up a committee to probe the NOCAL reported bribery situation was done in good faith. But, Your Excellency, what happened along the way? You have indefinitely remained silent on the saga. This first action of yours, Mr. President, has created uncertainties about your steadfastness to drastically deal with such a ‘virus’ that has eaten the fabrics of our beloved country and kept us in stagnation for nearly two-hundred years.

Your Excellency Dr. George Forky Klon Jlaleh Gbah ku gbeh Tarpeh Manneh Weah, let absolutely, nothing serve as impediment or be seen as impediment to your quest to ensuring accountability and supremacy of the law at all time.

Least not you forget, Mr. President that you are governing a country lagging behind and its people are eager and anxious for a break from the past to a brighter and better future; a future where people are made to account for their stewardship, where justice is served indiscriminately. They are eager for change and are not willing to accept no for an answer. Yes, you can, Mr. President. Yes, Mr. President, you can make this Glorious Land of Liberty a beacon of hope again where nepotism, impunity and selective justice would find no place. We look up to you saving this general, Mr. President.

I sincerely believe that, if you must succeed in tuning down the high political rhetoric in the country; you must be robust and indiscriminately decisive in dealing with alleged culprits under your regime.

Yes, you promised never to let us down and I still believe in you. In so doing, Mr. President, you must institute measures to ensure adherence to the principles of supremacy of the law, equality before the law, accountable to the law, fairness in the application of the law, separation of powers, participation in decision-making, legal certainty, avoidance of arbitrariness, and procedural and legal transparency be the hallmark in your administration.

My dearest President, the purpose of this article is not to criticize neither your predecessor nor you. It is intended to bluntly share my thoughts on someone whom I had admired and state why my admiration diminished and whether there be any lesson to be learnt.

I leave you with these few lyrics from our National Anthems: “With heart and hand our country's cause defending, we'll meet the foe with valour unpretending. Long live Liberia, happy land! A home of glorious liberty, by God's command!

About the author: Sam Zota is an award winning investigative journalist with many years of experience in mainstream journalism, public relations, human rights and development reporting. He’s the founder and executive coordinator of Rights Media Liberia Incorporated (RiMEL Inc.), an organization delegated to the promotion of peace, human rights, tolerance and media development in Liberia. He believes in equality, justice, respect for rule of law, fairness and dignity for all.

#Liberia_above_all_else!

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Rule of Law, the Bedrock for Sustainable Peace & Development In Liberia

Background:    

Liberia was plunged into one of the most brutal armed conflicts in sDecember 1989 with a rebel invasion led by now convicted former President Charles MacArthur G. Taylor.

It is estimated that at least 250,000 people died and over 1.5 million others were made internally displaced and refugees. The crisis spilled-over to neighboring Sierra Leone where thousands of people were maimed, raped and mutilated by bands of militias.

According to the Human Rights Watch and other international human rights groupings, even though international law prohibits the use of children in armed conflicts, thousands of children, some as young as nine or ten years old were used by the fighting forces during the country’s civil war. The use of child soldiers poses serious threat to the rights of children, including their rights to life, health, protection and education.

It is estimated that over 38,000 children were involved in fighting during the Liberian civil war.  

These children were reportedly given a mixture of cane juice, gunpowder, marijuana and other harmful substances to make them high (tipsy) and unconscientiously courageous to fight. They were said to be the most ruthless and brutal killers in the conflict. Most of the children grew under rebellious orientation. They grew up knowing nothing about civility and respect for rule of law. These estimated 38,000 were demobilized and reintegrated into the society. They constitute present day’s adults who are found in different sectors of the country and are involved with key political decision-making processes.  Anyone who was recruited between nine and ten years grew into adulthood during the revolution where brutality, abuse of human rights, jungle justice and other lawlessness were the hallmark. The war lasted from 1989 and ended in 2003 (14 yrs.) following the signing of a final peace agreement and the exiled of former President and now war crimes convict, Taylor.  From 2003 to 2019, it’s about 16 years, added to a twenty-three or twenty-four-year-old former child soldier makes him/her about 39 years.

On September 19, 2003, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1509 to set up United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) with a mandate of supporting the implementation of the cease-fire agreement and the peace process; protecting United Nations staff, facilities and civilians; supporting humanitarian and human rights activities; as well as assist in national security reform, including national police training and formation of a new, restructured military. At least 15,000 troops were deployed in Liberia making it one of the largest peacekeeping missions in the history of the United Nations.

Following the considerable consolidation of peace in Liberia, UNMIL, in 2015, began the drawn down of its peacekeepers. The draw down process continued until March 30, 2018 when the Mission finally faded away, leaving the affairs of the country into the hands of its security forces.

Why the Rule of Law Essential to Liberia

To find an ostensible answer to this question, let’s take a look at some basic facts. Young people are the source of radical change in society: they are at the heart of social movements, technological

breakthroughs and globalization. Youth are also at the center of most political changes, revolutions, violence, and war. (Abbink and van Kessel 2005).

 About 65% of Liberia’s population is comprised of young people between the ages of 18 and 32. They constitute an estimated 55% of eligible voters in Liberia, (National Elections Commission). Judging from our history and the current state of our society where young people continue to have a great deal of participation in group violence, where the risk of them being mobilized into violence still highly persists, and where interpersonal and gender-based violence are still on the increase; the government has to emphasize on improving the lives of young people by reducing poverty and prevent violence.

 Government’s programming and policies should be focused on employment and empowerment of this generation due to the assumption that they could become prone to violent behavior as a result of economic exclusion (their inability to achieve a stable source of livelihood).

 According to a 2013 World Bank supported study (UNDERSTANDING YOUTH VIOLENCE: Cases from Liberia and Sierra Leone), Liberian and Sierra Leonean youths believe they can respond violently to violence, and their definition of violence includes injustice and disrespect. Unfair decisions, inequitable resource distribution, disrespect, and not allowing someone to “save face” are regarded as forms of violence. The young people considered as acceptable, to respond to one type of violence with another; for example, many of them stated that it is acceptable to respond to disrespect with beating.

Similarly, riots are viewed as an acceptable response to the inequitable distribution of jobs; violence can also be justified in response to corruption.

 In a country like ours, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) has become so widespread and seemingly becoming normalized. Lifetime physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence stands at 39%, physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence (in the last 12 months) is at 35%, while lifetime non-partner sexual violence constitutes 3%, child marriage stands at 36% and FGM is 50% (UN Women Global Databased on violence against Women).

Most young people in Liberia view or regard due process and the rule of law as ‘delays’ and a sign of ‘weakness.’ In their view, violence must beget violence. As a result of this, mob violence and justice has permeated the country to an extent that most people view the rule of law and criminal justice processes as ‘waste of time.’

 They hold different justifications for their distrusts in adherence to the rule of law, including, but not limited to, weak and partial judicial system, delays in adjudication, corrupt criminal justice system (law enforcement, prosecution, defense attorneys, courts etc.) and a compromised judicial system.

However, amidst all of these factors, one of the most effective and efficient stabilizing forces is a strong and impartial justice and rule of law system.    

 A strong rule of law which protects human rights, helps prevent and mitigate violent crime and conflict by providing legitimate processes for the resolution of grievances and disincentives for crime and violence. Conversely, a week economic development and inequality can be a trigger for crime and violence, (UN and the Rule of Law).

 Rule of Law as a Bedrock for Sustainable Peace & Development In Liberia

The rule of law and development are strongly interrelated and mutually reinforcing, that the advancement of the rule of law at the national and international levels is essential for sustained and inclusive economic growth, sustainable development, the eradication of poverty and hunger and the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development, all of which in turn reinforce the rule of law.

 At the national level, the rule of law is necessary to create an environment for providing sustainable livelihoods and eradicating poverty. Poverty often stems from disempowerment, exclusion and discrimination. The rule of law fosters development through strengthening the voices of individuals and communities, by providing access to justice, ensuring due process and establishing remedies for the violation of rights. Security of livelihoods, shelter, tenure and contracts can enable and empower the poor to defend themselves against violations of their rights. Legal empowerment goes beyond the provision of legal remedies and supports better economic opportunities.

 In order for the rule of law to further sustainable development outcomes, it must ensure protection for all human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development. While “rule by law” may provide a legal framework, contractual certainty and dispute resolution mechanisms that support economic growth and development, it is only the rule of law, consistent with international human rights, which can provide for development that is also inclusive and sustainable.

(Declaration of the High-level Meeting on the Rule of Law at the United Nations, September 2012).

According to the World Economic Forum, the concept of access to justice is finally taking its rightful role as a key pillar of international development agenda. It is a historic moment that changes the course of rule of law in some of the world’s darkest corners. The effect is that human rights will be treated as a form of infrastructure development similar to roads, schools, and hospitals – a vital step to improving people’s loves and strengthening their societies. The reason is because the rule of law can be seen as a linchpin right, something on which other rights depend. As access to justice improves, a lot of other things we value improve as well. The rule of law is a cornerstone for a better functioning economy that adheres to regulations, greater internal mobility, social cohesion and good governance.

Liberia like anywhere else especially in Africa, proper management of natural resources, in accordance with the rule of law, is also a key factor in the maintenance of peace and security. It highlights the interconnectedness of the three pillars of the United Nations system.

 The risk of violent conflict is elevated when the exploitation of natural resources causes environmental damage and loss of livelihoods, or when benefits are unequally distributed. To this end, ensuring the accountability of the private sector for its activities, as well as the private sector’s support for strengthening the rule of law, cannot be overlooked.

 As the United Nations system and other donors and development partners have moved from peacekeeping and emergency modalities to peacebuilding and sustainable development, rule of law and access to justice remain fundamental to their projects and programmes. Rebuilding citizens’ trusts in the country’s rule of law and rebranding the justice system remain high on the priorities of these development partners. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for instance, is one development partner that has projects and programmes specifically targeting support and strengthening the country’s rule of law and justice system in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Trainings have been conducted for judicial actors, court houses built, technical and logistical supports provided.

This writer is cognizant of the facts that despite all efforts being exerted by the government and partners in the country’s judicial and rule of law reform process, the challenges still remain huge and daunting. The entire criminal justice system is persistently faced with the menace of corruption, lack of integrity, allegations and counter allegations of compromises and violations of the laws by judicial officials and other negative vises. These vises continue to derail the public’s trust and confidence in the system.

  Goal 16 of the SDGs is a remarkable goal that puts the rule of law at the ‘heart of development’, no longer an optional extra, but at the very core without which no development can be sustained. The goal places strong emphasis on access to justice, on the quality and inclusivity of institutions, and the necessity of a legal identity for all.

It underscores the legal dimension of development, rather than its economic dimension. It speaks the language of rights, in which lies the 2030 Agenda’s transformative potential of all the other goals; thereby making rule of law the underlying philosophy of the entire SDGs document, (International Development Law Organization - IDLO).

Access to justice is a basic principle of the rule of law. In the absence of access to justice, people are unable to have their voice heard, exercise their rights, challenge discrimination or hold decision-makers accountable. The Declaration of the High-level Meeting on the Rule of Law emphasizes the right of equal access to justice for all, including members of vulnerable groups, and reaffirmed the commitment of Member States to taking all necessary steps to provide fair, transparent, effective, non-discriminatory and accountable services that promote access to justice for all, irrespective of their backgrounds.

United Nations activities in support of Member States’ efforts to ensure access to justice are a core component of the work in the area of rule of law. Delivery of justice should be impartial and non-discriminatory. Member States, including Liberia also highlighted the independence of the judicial system, together with its impartiality and integrity, as an essential prerequisite for upholding the rule of law and ensuring that there is no discrimination in the administration of justice.

  Let the law remains the law, no matter who’s involved. When justice is partially dispensed or perceived to be compromised, it creates distrust and has the propensity for citizens to seek other means of redress to their grievances. The sustenance of Liberia’s peace and development is wholly depended a highly independent, impartial and honest judicial system, where upholding and respect for the rule of law remains an essential prerequisite for upholding to the administration of justice.

 In order to achieve the much desired development and sustain the peace of the country, we must allow the rule of law to strengthen individuals and communities voices through the provision of access to nondiscriminatory and affordable justice, ensuring due process and establishing remedies for the violation of rights. Let the people, despite of their colors, religions, political affiliations and economic statuses (poor or rich), have security of livelihoods, shelter, tenure and contracts to enable them gain empowerment through the rule of law to defend themselves against violations of their rights through legal remedies.

 About the author:

Sam Zota is an award winning Investigative Journalist with over 13 years of experience in mainstream journalism, public relations, human rights and development reporting and corporate communications. He is the founder and Executive Coordinator of Rights Media Liberia Incorporated (RiMEL Inc.), an organization delegated to the promotion of peace, human rights and tolerance in Liberia. Former Communications Associate at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Sam currently serves as sub-editor at The NEWS Newspaper. He believes in equality, justice, respect for rule of law, fairness and dignity for all.        

 Published in the vol. 29, number 254, May 3, 2019 edition of THE NEWS Newspaper.  

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Reporter’s Saga With Rotten Fish Dealer

   The management of a fishing company accused of selling rotten fish to marketers in Paynesville, Wednesday threatened to seize the camera of The News reporter for capturing the photograph of cold storage.

  Keep reading

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Helen Clark meets Josephine, Ebola survivor and hero of the crisis in Liberia by United Nations Development Programme Via Flickr: Helen Clark met with Josephine Dolley, an Ebola survivor who lost 29 members of her family including her husband and three children. Josephine has adopted six children whom she met whilst in an Ebola Emergency Treatment Unit, all of them Ebola survivors who lost their parents and siblings. Helen Clark expressed her admiration for Josephine's courage after experiencing such personal tragedy.

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From Buchanan, Grand Bassa County

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Police, CDC Clash Disrupt Schools

    Normal learning and other activities on the Capitol Bye-pass were disrupted Friday when officers of the Police Support Unit (PSU) of the Liberia National Police (LNP) clashed with some supporters of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).

   On Friday, the Youth League of the CDC organized a Peace and Reconciliation Sports Tournament, under the theme “Our Youthful Energy should not make Us Enemies.” 

  The CDCians commenced the event with a “RECONCILIATION WALK” from Broad Street to their party Headquarters where the tournament was scheduled to have been held.

  Immediately following the commencement of the march on Broad Street, the police intercepted the crowd and ordered them (CDCians) to use the Lynch and Carey Streets route instead of Broad Street.

  According to eyewitness, later when the crowd reached on the Capital Bye-pass, they were again intercepted by the police where the tear gas was fired to disperse them.

 Students from school in the vicinity were seen confusedly running in their uniforms to avoid the violence. Some of the students, including children were also seen with tears coming rolling from eyes which they said was as the result of the tear-gas fired by the police.

  The Dean of Student Affairs at the St. Simon Baptist School, Anthony M. Domah, told reporters that classes were disrupted due to tear gas smoke that overwhelmed the school’s campus.

  “Classes were disrupted because the smoke from the teargas could not allow them to remain in classes, so they have to flee the campus,” Mr. Domah narrated.

  Meanwhile, authorities of the Liberia National Police (LNP) have alleged that supporters of the CDC who took to the streets on Friday went violent and severely injured two police officers.

     The LNP identified the two PSU officers as Alfred Williams and Ordella Quiah.

     Police Spokesman George Bardue also alleged that the CDCians took to the streets without permission from the Ministry of Justice to march.

  Mr. Bardue disclosed that the demonstrators blocked the entire street on the capitol Bye-Pass and parts of Tubman Boulevard thereby impeding the free flow of traffic, movement of pedestrians and other road users.

[samzota-blog]

George Bush’s Donation In Limbo

…One Million Textbooks, Furniture Whereabouts Unknown

  Investigation conducted by The NEWS has revealed that the whereabouts of the one million textbooks and school furniture donated by former United States President George W. Bush remains unclear.

   Later that year, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi E. Frazer, formally handed over 10,500 pieces of school furniture and 1.2 million books to the government and people of Liberia at the Montserrado County Learning Resource Center, behind the City Hall in Monrovia.

  On September 16, 2009, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf launched the distribution of more than one million textbooks and school furniture in support of Liberia's free primary and compulsory education program for onward distribution to public schools throughout the country.

  However, nearly four years after the launch of the distribution process by the Liberian leader, the whereabouts of the books and furniture is still unclear, as libraries in various public schools remain viciously empty or with outdated books.   

  The textbooks were not to be sold; however, suspicion to the contrary.

   From investigation, it was revealed that the books may have been sold to various private schools in the country, while some may have been diverted by officials for personal use.

  Students attending various public schools in the country have repeatedly complained of lack of textbooks in line with the curriculum, as books seen on the shelf of their libraries were outdated. The actual beneficiaries of the US President’s donation are yet to be identified.

   According to the 2008 National Housing and Population Census results, there were 27 students to one textbook in Liberia.

   During the launch of the distribution process in 2009, President Johnson-Sirleaf said the distribution of the books would have dramatically reversed the 27 students to one textbook ratio.

   The Liberian leader said the process would have also provided a ratio of two students to one textbook.

   The donation was made during the tenure of dismissed Education Minister Dr. Joseph Korto.

   When contacted Thursday, the Director of Communications at the Ministry of Education, Maxine Bleetahn, said the current Minister, Etmonia David-Tarpeh was not aware of how the books were distributed.

   Mr. Bleetahn said the donation and distribution were made during the administrations of previous Ministers.

   Bleetahn said the ministry has scheduled a meeting with former Minister and others on Wednesday, September 12, 2012.

   He said following the meeting, records on how the textbooks and furniture were distributed would be made public.

   “Call me Wednesday and I will give information on how the textbooks were distributed; but for now, I don’t want to provide you with information that will not be factual,” Bleetahn said.

[samzota-blog]

Cause of Inmate’s Death Probe Necessary, But…

By: Sam Zota, Jr.

 On Monday, August 13, the Government of Liberia thru the Ministry of Justice unprecedentedly announced the demise of an inmate at the Monrovia Central Prison also known as South Beach.

 Suspect Cooper Tamba, 36, was reportedly incarcerated at the prison on August 9, 2012 from the Gardnersville Magisterial Court.

 The inmate allegedly fell sick while in detention and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the John F. Kennedy Hospital in Sinkor, barely three days after his incarceration from August 9 to 11, 2012.

 The Ministry of Justice release issued in Monrovia did not however state whether or not the late inmate was ill prior to his detention.

  However, the Ministry has also announced the conduct of an autopsy of the inmate’s body to establish the cause of his death; less than three days in detention.

 But granted that an autopsy has been announced to be conducted on the deceased body, the ministry needs to go beyond investigating the cause of the death and improve the prison facilities in the country.

  While we do not intend to question the sound judgments of authorities at the Ministry to conduct autopsy on the remains of the deceased, we strongly believe that this case is one in a thousand; it is intended to bring to light happenings behind those thick walls.

  It has been rumored that conditions at the prison is very awful and inhuman and far below standard, and prisoners illnesses and death has been kept as secret.

Rumors also indicated that sodomy and other crimes are usually committed amongst inmates mainly at the Monrovia Central Prison.

 However, some of these rumors have been confirmed by some human rights reports on the country’s prison conditions, including Amnesty International, the United Nations Mission in Liberia Human Rights Reports, among others.

  According to Amnesty International report released in 2011, conditions in Liberia’s prisons are poor that they violate basic human rights. Inmates are crowded into dark, dirty cells, without adequate food, sanitation or health care.

   Some suffer permanent damage to their physical or mental health as a result. Most of the inmates have not been convicted for any crime; with vast majority living in poverty with limited or no access to lawyers.  

 In Liberia, almost 97% of all those in prison are pre-trial detainees.

     Pre-trial detention is when a person is held by the State for an offense committed against the laws of the State prior to trial. Pre-trial detention remains a problem around the world despite international standards and domestic laws cautioning against pre-trial detention.

    Even though the cause of the inmate’s death is unknown, we urge that as the debate surrounding the budget heats up, it is our hope that the ministry would direct significant portion of this year’s budget to the improvement of prison condition to an appreciable international standard to avoid the reoccurrence of inmate’s death in the country.

[samzota-blog]

Serve As Bridge Between Liberia And China

--Chinese Envoy Tells Scholarship Beneficiaries

   The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Liberia has challenged beneficiaries of the 2012-2013 scholarships to serve as bridges between his country and Liberia.

   “You need to serve as representatives of Liberians, sharing your culture and ideas with your classmates and teachers…you also need to know more about China and Chinese culture and serve as bridges connecting the two peoples…” Amb. Zhao said Friday at a farewell reception held in honor of the 2012-2013 Chinese scholarship beneficiaries in Monrovia.

  The Chinese envoy said the Chinese government provided 50 scholarships, 26 for civilians and 24 for officers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).

  He said education is an essential way of empowering young people with knowledge and skills for their future careers and his country remains committed to this process.

 Ambassador Zhao indicated that the provision of the scholarships to young people was in response to the government’s priority placed on education, especially for young people.

 Also, Assistant Foreign Minister Chris Moore told the beneficiaries to take their studies seriously and remain law abiding.

   Assistant Minister Moore expressed appreciation to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for the scholarships.

   For his part, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia Col. Aaron T. Johnson also expressed appreciation to the Chinese Government for the continuous assistance by his government to the Liberian army.

 Col. Johnson asked the Chinese Government, through Ambassador Zhao to also include medical and dental training in future plans for the AFL.

Meanwhile, the scholarship beneficiaries have promised to bring credibility to Liberia from their studies in China.

[samzota-blog]

“Greedy, Corrupted, Selfish Politicians Destroyed NDC”

…Wolokollie Asserts

    A founding member of Dew Tuan-Wleh Mayson’s defeated National Democratic Coalition (NDC) says the greedy, corrupted and selfish politicians have destroyed the party.

   “Most of the so-called political giants in Liberia are like greedy lions who only want to grab…that’s why they usually jump from one political party to another looking for things to eat,” the former NDC official stated in an apparent reference to politicians who abandoned the party for the ruling Unity Party (UP).

  Speaking Monday on a local radio talk show in Monrovia, Madam Wolokollie said the politicians left the NDC to join the UP in order to get their share of the huge money that was allegedly being distributed in the ruling party during the elections.

  She alleged that the UP, as a custodian of the country’s financial resources, used squandered state funds to support the party.

  Madam Wolokollie noted that the alleged squandering of state resources was evident by the campaign materials, including vehicles that were acquired by the Party during the 2011 elections period as compared to 2005.

  However, Madam Wolokollie says she supports the passage of the proposed controversial political parties “Sustainability Bill” that is currently before the Senate for concurrence.

  The House of Representatives recently passed the proposed legislation despite criticisms from the public. If passed, the Bill will provide financial support to political parties, coalitions and independent candidates that would meet a particular benchmark in an election.

  Madam Wolokollie believes that the passage of the bill will help politicians to build and sustain political parties and prevent frequent political cross-carpeting.

  Since its overwhelming passage by the lawmakers, the bill has become very unpopular amongst the Liberian people with civil society groups calling it ‘selfish’.

  Liberians have called on President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to veto the bill whenever it is submitted to her office for signature.

   The NDC was amongst several political parties that contested the 2011 presidential elections and accumulated the total votes of 5,819 equivalents to 0.5 per cent.

[samzota-blog]

Court Grants Prosecution Continuance Request

The Magisterial Court at the Monrovia Temple of Justice has granted a petition for continuance filed by state lawyers in the armed robbery case involving a Reporter from Kings FM Radio and two others.

  The state lawyers pleaded with the court to grant the additional time in order to subpoena witness Kollie, whom they said, is conducting another investigation on individuals who were reportedly arrested in connection with the situation at the Liberia-Ivory Cost border to come and testify for the state.

  The request by prosecution lawyers was resisted by defense lawyers on grounds that the application is intended to merely prolong the case.

  The defense lawyers argued that the state has the right and authority to bring its witness at any time to testify in court, citing 1 LCLR, Page 304.

  The defense explained that the Supreme Court of Liberia has stated that none production of evidence by the state is not ground for the granting continuance.

  They contended that prosecution lacks evidence to prosecute the defendants, and as such, the defendants should be released on bail; even though the crime allegedly committed by the defendants is not bailable under the Liberian laws.

  However, Magistrate Nelson Chinneh, in his ruling on the matter said the statute that established the court calls for speedy and timely trial and is under obligation to take notice of the laws.

  The Magistrate said the procedures also authorized the court to issue subpoena when it is properly pleaded for…with the intent and purpose of ensuring that witnesses appear before court to testify.

   Magistrate Chinneh told the court that the law also provides that there shall be no adjournment for the purpose of securing witness and parties seeking such adjournment should convince the court that it has made all efforts to secure said witness before such application is made or granted.

   “In this instance case, prosecution presented to the court that its witness, Chief Inspector John Kollie is not in court due to state investigation out of Monrovia,” Magistrate Chinneh said.

   Proving a genuine reason for granting the continuance request, the Magistrate said, “The court is under obligation to take notice of historical facts; it is not a hidden secret that the Ministry of Justice and other securities are investigating individuals arrested in connection with situation at the Liberia-Ivory Cost border…”

   He indicated that state lawyers have cited genuine legal grounds that its witness is on national duty, and based on the fact of the application and the unfolding situation at the Liberia, Ivory Coast borders, the court considers and grants said application for what he called, “national security.

  Henceforth, Magistrate Chinneh therefore ordered the clerk of court to subpoena authorities of the LNP for the officer to appear in court to testify for the state.

   Darlington Palenah and two others were arrested by officers of the Liberia National Police on July 29, 2012 for their alleged involvement in an armed robbery that occurred on July 25, in the GSA road community in Paynesville, outside Monrovia. Writes, Sam Zota, Jr.

[samzota-blog]

Pondering Over Funding Political Parties Through National Budget

  Members of the House of Representatives, in the 53rd National Legislature Tuesday, overwhelmingly voted in favor of a bill seeking the provision of funding to political parties in the country that would meet the benchmark. The passage of the bill by the majority members of the House was done amidst controversies and public outcries, including members of their constituents that the bill was not in their interests.

 This same legislation was passed by members of the 52nd National Legislature but vetoed and described as ‘discriminatory’ by President Sirleaf few years ago.

The Bill when approved will set aside a minimum of four million, eight hundred ninety eight United States dollars annually to be distributed among parties based on the percentages in the elections.

  The Bill proposes an annual allocation of two million dollars for the ruling party, one million dollars for the party which emerges as runner-up in the elections, and five hundred thousand dollars to the party which comes third in the elections among others.

    But the President in a letter to the Legislature than 52nd Legislature said she vetoed the Bill because it discriminated blatantly against persons who are not members of political parties, coalitions and alliances contrary to the equal protection requirements of Chapter II-Article 7 and Chapter III-Article 11 of the constitution.

  The above Chapters and Articles of the Liberian Constitution states: “The Republic shall, consistent with the principles of individual freedom and social justice enshrined in this Constitution, manage the national economy and the natural resources of Liberia in such manner as shall ensure the maximum feasible participation of Liberian citizens under conditions of equality as to advance the general welfare of the Liberian people and the economic development of Liberia”…..  “All persons are born equally free and independent and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, among which are the right of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of pursuing and maintaining the security of the person and of acquiring, possessing and protecting property, subject to such qualifications as provided for in this Constitution.”

    However, following the elections in 2011, the lawmakers who swore like the president to protect and defend the Constitution of Liberia, including these provisions, reintroduced the same Bill on the Floor of 53rd Legislature amidst criticisms and outcries from the Liberian people these lawmakers claimed to represent.

   The Bill was specifically reintroduced by two lawmaker of the ruling Unity Party (UP) and the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), amidst high rate of unemployment and poverty in the country.

  Majority, if not, all members of the legislature promised during the campaign period to adequately represent their constitutes and constituencies at that August Body through representation, oversights and proper lawmaking.

   They also promised to regularly consult the people in their decision making processes. But as it stands, there is not a record to show that a single member of the 53rd National Legislature consulted members of their constituencies prior to the passage of this Bill. It leaves one to ponder over interest was this Bill overwhelmingly passed? What impact does this Bill have on the population majority (85%) of whom lives in abject poverty?

    Liberia is ranked second (2nd) among the 20 poorest countries in the World and third (3rd) in Africa with about 85% of the 3.5 million population living on less than one United States dollars ($1:00) a day; according to the International Monitoring Fund (IMF) report 2011.

   Its neighboring countries, Sierra Leone and Guinea are ranked numbers eight (8) and thirteen (13) respectively.

    Of Liberia’s 3.5 million population, 1,798,930 (878,482 or 49% females, 920,448 or 51% males and 84,979 ages 18-35 years) registered in the 2011 General and Presidential elections. 

  At least sixteen (16) candidates contested the just ended legislative and presidential elections on various political parties’ tickets.

    Political parties that contested the 2011 elections were, the Unity Party (UP), Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), National Union for Democratic Progress (NUDP), Liberty Party (LP), Liberia Transformation Party (LTP), Grass-root Democratic Party of Liberia (GDPL), Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Original Congress Party of Liberia (OCPOL), Movement for Progressive Change (MPC), Citizens Unification Party (CUP), Victory for Change Party (VCP), Union of Liberian Democratic (ULD), National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Freedom Alliance Party of Liberia (FAPL) and the Liberian Empowerment Party (LEP).

   Laws regulating elections in Liberia requires that a ‘political party’ should be an association with a membership of not less than five hundred (500) qualified votes in each of at least six (6) of the fifteen (15) counties whose activities include canvassing for votes on any public issue or in support of a candidate for elective office. And should establish and maintain a functioning standardized office in the capital of the Republic of Liberia and at least one functioning and furnished local office in the capital of each of the existing counties of Liberia during elections and throughout the period following elections. But on the contrary, this regulation is merely on the book, as it is not being actualized by our so-called politicians.

  Records have shown that nearly all of the political parties in Liberia are individualized rather than being institutionalized; as they have been centered on certain individuals, for instance, it is undisputable that the UP would not have survived without Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf likewise the CDC and NUDP without George Weah and Prince Johnson among others.

     It is clear that if the proposed Bill meets the President’s approval, the ruling UP will receive on an annually basis US$2 million while the CDC and the NUDP get US$1 million and US$500,000.00 respectively.

 The Bill as passed by the House of Representatives I believe is not only discriminatory but raises questions around the true representation roles of the lawmakers, and exposes how selfish and insensitive they are to the social and economic condition of the population who are living abject poverty and can barely get a day’s meal.

  Already, these lawmakers have passed the National Budget with an annual allocation of 13.6million representing US$15,000 and US$12,500 to each Senator and Representative respectively with no increment in civil servants’ salaries, even though they are the engines of the government.

  Why would these lawmakers be so insensitive and selfish to spend taxpayers’ money on political parties that have not demonstrated any form accountability and transparency to their own membership; as members of these parties are yet to understand how monies expended in these parties? Who stand stands to benefit? Is it a plan to make the rich richer and the poor poorer?

  Some of those parties who are poised to benefit from this proposed ‘Wealth Increment Strategy’ (WIS) designed by the lawmakers have refused to make public their campaign finance reports from the 2011 elections.

 The proposed Bill sets multiple thresholds ranging from 5% to 100% that a party, coalition or independent candidate must win to be eligible for the country’s scarce and limited finance resources.  

 Madam President, if this law was not good than in your first term, let it not even be good now in this second and final term of yours; because it discriminatory, selfish, insensitive and cruel.

 I feel that this Bill be thrown in the dust bin and never to return.

 Let that money be redirected to other priorities of government, including roads, health, education, energy, water, infrastructure among others.   

  I am therefore of the strongest convection that funding political parties from the country’s scarce and limited resources is another breeding ground for rampant corruption and a clever attempt to certain individual rich in these parties.

[samzota-blog]

LEC Demands Letter From Management, Not Reporter

   The Management of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) says it would rather honor a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from the Management of The NEWS Newspaper and not a reporter of the institution.

    However, nearly two weeks following the submission of the request, the LEC management, through its Communication Director said it would rather prefer the request from the Institution and not a reporter, even though the FOI law empowers everyone to make a request.

   “The LEC is managed by a CEO and you represent an institution, so it would be better that your institution request from the CEO and not you as reporter…” the LEC Communication Director said.

    According to the law, “everyone has a right of access to information generated, received and or held by public bodies, subject only to such limitations as necessary and narrowly established for reason of an equally or more compelling public interest”.  But despite the law requiring everyone, including reporters and private citizens the right to access information, the LEC management still demands request from institution and not a reporter.

    Also, since the FOI request was submitted to the Ministry of Education on September 18, the FOI Focal Person at the Ministry said he had not been informed about the request.

    “Give me copy of the request and I will contact the relevant authorities and you can check back here on Thursday and let’s see what happens…”  Magnus Mabande, MOE FOI Focal Point said.

   Mabande who has been working in the Ministry’s Legal Department for several years, was said to have been appointed as the FOI Focal Person at the Ministry for more than a year now.

    A reporter of The NEWS Newspaper formally submitted two separate Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the Ministry of Education and the Liberia Electricity Corporation on September 18, 2012.

 The FOI requests separately sought to obtain data on institutions and other beneficiaries of former United States President George W. Bush’s one million textbooks and school furniture donation.

  The donation of the over one million textbooks and school furniture was announced by the former US President following a visit to Liberia in February of 2008.

   Later that same year, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi E. Frazer formally handed over 10,500 pieces of school furniture and 1.2 million books to the government and people of Liberia at the Montserrado County Learning Resource Center, in Monrovia.

   On September 16, 2009, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf launched the distribution of the textbooks and school furniture in support of Liberia's free primary and compulsory education program for onward distribution to public schools throughout the Country.

   But nearly four years after the launch of the distribution process by the Liberian leader, the whereabouts of the books and furniture are still unclear; libraries in various public schools remain viciously empty or with outdated books.

    On the other hand, the Liberian government signed a management contract with MHI Limited in 2010 for the foreign company to manage the LEC for five years.

   But nearly three years after the signing of the contract, not much is seen with some local managers at the LE C expressing concern.

[samzota-blog]

For Selling Rotten Fish: Govt. Shuts Down Fishing Company

   The Ministry of Commerce and Industry Friday shut down the Sierra Fishing Company (SFC) in Paynesville for selling rotten fish on the Liberian market.

  Following the publication, the Ministry led an inspection team headed by Deputy Minister for Public Affairs, Rufus Dio Neufville to the premises of Sierra Fishing Company to verify the report and complaints.

  The Ministry's inspection team was greeted with stench smells upon their arrival on the company's compound.

  As the inspection was being conducted, supervisors at the company refused to open one of the cold storage, thereby creating suspicion among the Commerce Ministry’s team of inspectors.

  When Assistant Commerce Minister Sei W. Gahn asked the supervisor to open the cold storage believed to be containing the rotten fish, the supervisor only identified as Jabas declined to do so.

  According to him, the key to the cold storage was not available because his boss (the Manager) had taken it and travelled to Monrovia.

  However, when the Manager was contacted via phone, he admitted to Assistant Minister Gahn that the cold storage in question contained rotten fish.

  But the Manager said they were storing the rotten fish separately to dispose of them later. The Manager did not give his name but he claimed that a letter was written to the Ministry of Commerce informing it about the rotten fish.

  When asked who he addressed the letter to, the Manager said the letter was addressed to the Ministry of Commerce. But Assistant Minister Gahn denied that a letter was sent to the Ministry of Commerce because according to him if such a letter was sent to the Ministry, he would have been the one to receive it considering his position as Assistant Minister for Industry.

  Assistant Minister Gahn along with Deputy Minister Neufville then ordered that SFC be shut down until further notice. The Commerce Ministry’s inspectors were instructed to lock the entrances of the cold storages pending further notice. Marketers, mostly women, who had prepaid for their fish were left in bewilderment.

   Those who had bought their fish earlier said they dried them before taking them to the market. A colony of flies besieged the entrance of the cold storage as offensive odor oozed out. Writes, Sam Zota, Jr. (Published June 11, 2012)

[samzota-blog]

Reporter’s Saga With Rotten Fish Dealer

   The management of a fishing company accused of selling rotten fish to marketers in Paynesville, Wednesday threatened to seize the camera of The News reporter for capturing the photograph of cold storage.

   A source hinted The News Wednesday, June 6, 2012 that the management of the Siera Fishing Company (SFC), situated on the Bob Taylor road in Paynesville, was allegedly selling rotten fish to the public.

  The source also alleged that the company was also populating the surrounding communities with the unpleasant odor of the decayed fish. Following the information, The News visited scene to inquire about the alleged sale of decayed fish to the public by the SFC management.

  The reporter was referred to a man believed to be a member of the management team who escorted and permitted the reporter to photograph the scene.

  The situation later changed when the reporter was capturing the photograph of the bags of fish and marketers who were all seen in rush purchasing them.

   With anger, the man left his disk saying; “delete the picture that you took, delete all the pictures from that camera…or else you will not go until you delete them…” He then ordered his securities not to allow the reporter leave the facility without the photos being deleted.

  After nearly thirty minutes of though exchange of wards, the hostile fish seller, later told the reporter that the management had no comment to make on the matter.

  The cold storage was seen crowded with market women buying and taking the fish away in hurry.

  The fish was said to have been in stock and on sale at high cost since last month (May), but the management later decided to auction the fish after noticing that it has decayed.

  When the Ministry of Commerce was contacted to comment on the reported sale of rotten fish by the fishing company, an aid in the Office of the Deputy Commerce Minister for Information Services said the issue has already been addressed by the ministry since last week.

  He then told our to reporter search for journalists who attended the Ministry’s press conference last to get the ministry’s decision on the matter. Writes, Sam Zota, Jr. (Published June 7, 2012

[samzota-blog]

Armed Robbers Raid Homes, One Severely Wounded

   Group of men believed to be armed with pistols, cutlasses and other machetes Friday morning walloped the Telecom Community and raided several homes, leaving one person severely wounded.

   Some community members told The News that the robbers burst into homes and robbed the occupants of several valuables, including cell phones, cash, laptops, among others.

    According to one of the victims Abraham Zota, two men armed with cutlasses entered his room and demanded that he surrenders all of his belongings or be killed.

  “One of them (robbers) had the light pointed straight in my eyes, asking me, where is the musical set? Where is the money and phones that you have here? While the other man was checking around the room…” Abraham narrated.

   He said while he attempted to tell him to take the light from his face and also to inform him that the set was not there, the robber immediately called his colleague and they started chopping him (Abraham) with cutlasses on his head, hand and other parts of his body.

  Abraham said he and the two robbers were tussling while he screamed for help…the other robbers besieged the nearby rooms in order to prevent occupants from coming to his rescue and to allow them escape the scene.

   Armed robbery is said to be on the increase in Monrovia and other parts of the country, despite the police promise to robustly deal with the situation in the country.

  Police Inspector General-designate Chris Massaquoi promised to deal drastically with armed robbery and other crimes in the country.

  However, observers believe that the criminals, especially armed robbers, are gradually overwhelming the police, as residents in Monrovia and its environs are reportedly leaving in constant fear of their lives.

   Article 11 of the Liberian Constitution guarantees, among other things, the fundamental rights of every person to: “life, liberty and security of the person and of acquiring, possessing and protecting property….”

[samzota-blog]

Sex For Grade, Extortion Must Be Criminal Offense

   A member of the 53rd National Legislature says if the country’s educational system must compete with other systems in the subregion and other parts of the world, “sex for grade” and extortion in institutions of learning must be made criminal offenses.

  Rep. Anderson, also a professor at the University of Liberia (UL) said students are being denied quality education in Liberia by instructors, teachers and other authorities by extorting money and other things from them.

   Speaking at program organized by Journalists for Human Rights Students Chapter in Monrovia, Rep. Anderson noted that students are equally liable of the acts by offering bribes to instructors in the country.   The program was held under the general theme: “quality education for all” and Representative Anderson spoke on the topic: “The Role of the Legislature in Quality Education”.

  Prof. Anderson said as an educator, he would introduce a bill that will make all forms of extortions and sex for grade criminal offenses in the country.

 The lawmaker stated that the proposed legislation would seek to make both giver and receiver liable of the crime.

  He said the future of Liberia depends on the young people, and if care is not taken the country’s future would remain bleak.

  For his part, the Program Associate of the International Justice and Education, a United States based NGO, Ahmed Sheriff, said drastic policies are also needed to compel parents and guardians to send their children to school.

  Mr. Sheriff said policy should ensure that parents and guardians are arrested by the government for failing to send their children to school.

  Similar call was recently made by a District Education Officer (DEO) in the country.

  Voinjama DEO, Anthony Arzoaquoi told The News recently that despite efforts by the government, through the county leadership to educate and sensitize the citizens of the free and compulsory primary education policy, parents are still not willing to send their children to school.

  Mr. Arzoaquoi said dozens of school going children are usually seen wandering the streets while others are seen serving as bread winners for their families during school hours.

  He also recommended that the government put into place proper mechanisms that will compel parents to send their kids to school.