MONROVIA – The Legislature has approved the state of emergency declared by President George Weah – extending it to 60 days rather than the 21 days declared by the President. Report by Henry Karmo, henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.com The Legislature in a joint resolution also approved the President’s US$25 million stimulus package, but with an agreement that would …

-Many blame ambiguous messages from government The enforcement of a new set of restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus often begin gently in other parts of the world, with warni…

MONROVIA – The former Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, Colonel Gregory O. W. Coleman has cautioned joint security forces of the Government of Liberia (GOL) against the harassment and intimidation of peaceful citizens during this state of emergency period in the country. Report by Obediah Johnson, obediah.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com President Weah declared a 21-day state …

Travelers are finding a wide range of health screenings at U.S. airports, even after repatriation and other international flights. //

The State Dept. has brought more than 45,000 Americans home on repatriation flights, it said earlier this week. The flights came from a wide range of countries, such as Peru, India, Egypt, Nepal and Burundi, according to Ian Brownlee, who runs the department's repatriation task force. Those countries, like Senegal, have not been among the world's hotspots for COVID-19.

The massive repatriation effort is in response to the Level 4 travel advisory the State Dept. issued last month instructing U.S. citizens not to travel internationally — and for those who are abroad, to either return immediately or be prepared to remain abroad indefinitely. //

[Flight from Dakar (DSS):]

"Listen up!" one yelled, according to Honig. "This isn't a normal flight, and we're not flight attendants — we're medical professionals. Our job is to get you home safe."

They had been working for six days straight and had another flight coming up the following day; when someone asked if they were being paid overtime, the medical professional laughed, Honig said.

"We're government employees. No. This is our job," Honig quoted the man as saying. "This is why I signed up for this job. I'm proud to do this — I'm honored to help y'all get home."

Everyone clapped, Honig said.

As the declaration of the state of emergency comes, many people had preempted earlier that without a proper economic plan in place to get low-income earners, extremely poor people and people with disabilities have some basic needs especially food, the state of emergency may turn fiasco as people may force their way out to seek their daily needs. Some Liberians who raised the concern prior to coming into force the state of emergency were Liberian infectious disease scientist, Dougbeh Chris Nyan, and Grand Kru County Representative Fonati Koffa.

However, despite this concern amid economic hardship, there was no measure put in place as to how citizens, many of who rely on street selling and casual labour will get money to sustain their families within the 14 days being declared for people to keep indoors. Some civil servants in the wake of the declaration have complained that they have outstanding arrears with the government.

Kalitta Air about to depart back to Washington (IAD/KIAD) on its second visit to Lisbon in two days!

Aircraft: Boeing 747-4B5F(SCD)
Reg: N705CK full info | N705CK photos
Serial #: 26413
Airline: Kalitta Air
Photo Date: Mar 26, 2020
Uploaded: Apr 09, 2020
Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport - LPPT, Portugal

ADDRESS TO THE NATION BY HIS EXCELLENCY DR. GEORGE MANNEH WEAH PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN LIBERIA THE EXECUTIVE MANSION CAPITOL HILL MONR…

Agricultural Transformation
Currently in Liberia, over 70% of Liberians are involved in farming and yet the country is importing approximately 90% of their food. Thousands of fertile acres lay untouched, their potential longing to be explored. We are committed to seeing the agricultural sector in Liberia transformed. Through our work, we are empowering farmers with the knowledge and practical skills that they need to transform their agricultural enterprises into thriving businesses that will not only be used to feed their own families, but will overflow in abundance so that they can be used to feed their neighbors as well.
Personal Transformation
Although the majority of Liberian’s identify as Christians, many Liberians practice a mixed-faith, picking and choosing the aspects of the Bible they believe in and follow and combining these with certain aspects and practices from their ancient tribal religions that are in direct opposition. The result: a weak gospel, broken communities, and souls hungry for The Truth. Many people know of Jesus, but they don’t know Jesus as their personal savior. We are committed to sharing the true gospel and walking alongside people in their faith as they grow closer and closer to the Lord and live their lives transformed by the power of Holy Spirit.

Capitol Hill, Monrovia – The Minister of Commerce, Professor Wilson Tarpeh has announced the current supply of gasoline on the Liberian market is at an all-time low-and is expected to run out within the coming weeks.

Addressing the Plenary of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, March 24, Prof. Tarpeh blamed the situation to the inability of major importers to finance the importation of gasoline owing to the problem of reconciliation and dredging at the Freeport of Monrovia.

However, Prof. Tarpeh assured the House Plenary that the situation is expected to be addressed within a month following the arrival of 19,000 metric tons, about 6,650,000 gallons of gasoline within four weeks.

Monrovia – The French petroleum giant, which has been involved in market petroleum products and related services in Liberia, has reportedly been sold to the Liberian-owned Conex.

Total arrived on the scene in 2005 after the election of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and boasts more than 30 filling stations across the country.

Conex will take over within six months and will keep the Total insignia for Two years

The infected person is Mr. Nathaniel Blama, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, who arrived in Liberia on Brussels Airlines on Friday night, the 13th of March. Along with several other officials of Government traveling on the same flight, Mr. Blama chose not to be quarantined, in keeping with the health protocols that were in place at the airport.

An intensive tracing exercise is underway to identify and test all persons with whom he came into contact. Meanwhile, all other persons who traveled on that flight and by-passed the mandatory screening protocols, are being made to report to the health authorities immediately and without any further delay, for testing.

Any other persons who attempt to by-pass screening at any port of entry will be arrested and taken into compulsory quarantine.

The construction of the raw water pipeline for the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) is more than 50 percent complete and on schedule to be completed in September 2020, the Millennium Challenge Account-Liberia (MCA-L) has announced.

The US$18 million pipeline will draw water from the dam of the Mt. Coffee Hydropower Plant to the White Plains Water Treatment Plant. The project will save LWSC approximately US$780,000 a year in electricity costs as the water will be transported using gravity instead of pumping water into the treatment plant from the St. Paul River. The undertaking by MCA-L will replace the original 36-inch diameter pipeline that was destroyed during Liberia’s civil war with a new 48-inch diameter pipeline.

According to Jurgen De Moor, project engineer for Belgium-based contractor Denys, all 820 pipes have now arrived on site after being shipped from the manufacturer in India. Denys has also cleared 98 percent of the route along the pipeline and the pipes have been strung along, awaiting the process of trenching, pipe laying, and backfilling, which has already begun in some areas. //

When completed, the pipeline is not only expected to save LWSC money; it will also improve the reliability and quality of water supply to Monrovia. The current location of LWSC’s intake pipe results in poor water quality and salty water during the dry season when the St. Paul River level is low, as water from the Atlantic Ocean washes back into the river. Instead of retrieving water from downstream and closer to the ocean, the pipeline will draw water from the reservoir upstream.

Funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation for the Government of Liberia, the raw water pipeline is part of the Energy project under the compact, which is committed to reducing poverty in Liberia by promoting economic growth and inclusion.

In October 2015, the Government of the United States of America, through its development agency, Millennium Challenge Corporation, provided a grant of US$257 million to Liberia. MCA-L is an independent, legal, and autonomous agency of the Government of Liberia created by the legislature to administer the compact projects, which address the lack of access to reliable and affordable electricity and inadequate road infrastructure.

President Weah urged his partisans to transition from being the winning party to being a more matured and responsible governance machine Monrovia – Saturday, March 7, 2020 retreat renewed hopes for the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) in

Speaking to reporters Tuesday at the Capitol Building shortly after a meeting of legislators and some key petroleum importers, Petro Trade’s chief, Abraham Kaydea said amidst all of the reasons, excuses and/or justifications being given for the excruciating shortage of gasoline, the major cause of the problem is the gross abuse of the provisional lifting exercise.

Provisional lifting is a practice under which the, Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC) would allow one petroleum importer to take the product of another importer with the understanding that the borrower will replace the product in time enough upon the arrival of his own product, a strategy which was designed with good intent to keep the market open and running but has backfired due to either the inability or callous refusal of some seemingly reckless companies to replace petroleum products they took and sold under the provisional lifting program.

Mr. Kaydea maintained that dredging of the Freeport and few other technicalities account for only a small portion of the shortage but the abuse of the provisional lifting by these delinquent companies or individuals who have failed or refused to pay back product given to them is the major cause of the problem.

Kaydea is therefore calling for the suspension and revocation of licenses as well as the prosecution of those whose’ willful actions or inactions led to the gasoline shortage which seriously affected the business of others and pushed the nation to the brink of economic collapse and chaos.

Monrovia – President George Manneh Weah has mandated the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) to give a one-month grace period to all fishermen fishing in the territorial waters of Liberia, beginning Wednesday, March 4, 2020, //

The president’s mandate followed series of consultations with stakeholders as well as the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority and in addition to the one month grace period. NaFAA new fisheries fees adjustment are as follow:

That the 15-horse power (hp) engine will be classified with the first category of motorized boats; hence, the first category will now cover 1-15 HP. This category will pay the amount of US$250;

Motorized boats in the category of 16 to 40 horse power will pay US$475.00 for their license fees.

By William Q. Harmon -March 6, 20202971

(L-r) Atty. Molewuleh B. Gray, Chairman of the National Investment Commission (NIC); Gesler E. Murry, Minister of Mines and Energy; Rohan Patnaik, CEO of Al Khaldiya Mining Private Ltd. at the MOU signing

The government of Liberia on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a Singaporean company, Al Khaldiya Mining Private Ltd., for the transshipment of iron ore from neighboring Guinea.

The deal is expected to see Liberia generate millions of United States dollars annually.

As per the MOU, the company will transship some 789 million tons of iron ore from its Diecké project in Guinea, which is just 2 kilometers north of Ganta, Nimba County, through the Yekepa-Buchanan rail line.

-Fmr. President Sirleaf calls critics “bold-faced liars”, admonishes journalists to be truthful Former President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, yesterday admonished fellow citizens against act…

Petro Trade CCO Recommends  Amidst reports that the Special Presidential Task Force set up by President George Weah to probe the recent shortage of petroleum product has submitted its report to the… //

The Petro Trade boss called on President Weah to attach seriousness to the matter and personally ensure that the LPRC and other relevant state authorities review and/or cancel the provisional lifting exercise, and that those who have deliberately defaulted be prosecuted for causing huge financial losses to other importers and the government and putting the country on the edge of economic instability.

He disclosed that his (Petro Trade) filling stations were selling 3,000 to 5,000 gallons a day but the shortage caused them to sell 1,000 to 1,500 gallons a day. //

In another instance, Liberian businessman Musa Bility who did not name any individuals or groups, recently stated that “two petroleum importers” were responsible for the shortage of gasoline on the market.

“I am here because I thought that it has become necessary for me to make some clarifications surrounding the gas shortage in the country. APM Terminals is right about their position in which they said that no vessel was rescheduled to berth as claimed by the government through the National Port Authority (NPA). Two importers, who were responsible to import petroleum products in December, are responsible for this crisis,” Bility said.

He added, “The two importers expected to have supplied the country, failed to do so. And the reason why only two importers are allowed to bring in petroleum products in a month is because there is not enough space at the LPRC to store the products.” //

In pursuit of seeking the causes of this situation, the House of Representatives’ specialized committee set to investigate the matter has been given the mandate through majority votes to investigate and come out with names of those who are indebted to other petroleum importers in the amount between US$9 million to US$12 million.

Postal History
brief overview of the history of Liberia’s postal system and its stamp issues

Cover Gallery
explanation of postal rates and examples of classic and modern covers sent from and within Liberia

Postal Markings
internal cancelations and registration indicators

Post Offices
historical and current post offices and their locations

Woermann Line
the shipping line and its relation to Liberia; history, labels and postmarks

Stamps
listing of all postage stamps issued from 1860 to 1996

Proofs & Specimens
an (incomplete) listing of essays, proofs and stamp specimens

Revenues
revenue stamps of Liberia

Fakes & Forgeries
forged stamp issues and fake overprints

Postage Meters
covers demonstrating the use of postage meter stamps in Liberia

Souvenir Items
first day and other event covers; designer signed cards; UPU presentation booklets

Paper Seals
official and private paper seals connected with Liberia

Stationeries
postal cards, pre-franked and registered envelopes, air envelopes and aerogrammes

Proofs & Specimens
proofs and specimens of postal stationeries