Rivercess Supt/County Attorney in death threat claim

Written by Matthias Daffah

Source: Star Radio Liberia

Rivercess County Attorney Onesimus Banwon has accused Superintendent Wellington Geevon-Smith of trying to kill him.

Attorney Banwon alleged Superintendent Geevon-Smith hired a popular Rivercess juju man known as Wet Leopard to perform the devilish act.

He alleged the juju man was hired under the pretext of performing African science for the Rivercess football team to win the 2010 National County Meet.

Mr. Banwon said while in Cesstos, the juju man confessed that he was brought in to do something about the detention of the County Development Superintendent.

The Rivercess County Attorney told Star Radio, as a result of the alleged threat he was now living in fear but vowed to remain in Rivercess and do his job.

Responding, Rivercess Superintendent Wellinton Geevon-Smith described the allegation as unfortunate because he and Attorney Banwon are second cousins.

Superintendent Geevon-Smith said intelligence gathered suggests that the juju man in question was programmed by Attorney Barwon to harm him or fake a story.

The Rivercess Superintendent has meanwhile threatened to file a one million dollar lawsuit against Mr. Banwon for character assassination.

While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability – Bernard Gbayee Goah

Former Rebel Leader Charles Taylor confidante appointed, Gbarpolu Supt. fired

Written by Robert J. Clarke, Jr.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has made new appointments in Government subject where applicable to confirmation by the Senate.

Those appointed are John T. Richardson, Board Chairman, National Housing Authority and Boima Taweh, Acting Superintendent, Gbarpolu County.

Others are Aissa Bright, Acting Assistant Minister for Tourism, Ministry of Information and Yah Zolia, Acting Assistant Minister for Planning-Health Ministry.

President Sirleaf also appointed Madam Mary Larteh, Acting Commissioner of Salala District in Bong County and Rev. Dr. Yar Gonway-Gono, President-Nimba Community College.

David Barcolleh takes over as Acting Commissioner, Gardnerville Township and Togba Bestman, Acting Commissioner, Butaw District, Sinoe County among others.Source: Star Radio Liberia

While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability – Bernard Gbayee Goah

WHAT DOES IREX WANT? U.S. Taxpayers Money Must Impact Liberian Media

– FPA EDITORIAL Source: FrontPage Africa

Ahead of the 2011 elections in post-war Liberia, the local media is in dire straits in need of tools, practical training and resources in preparations for election coverage. With $US11 million in hand, what does the International Research and Exchanges Board(IREX)has in store to impact the local media? Same old workshops and training? We Have Had Enough!!!

IN JUNE 2010, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), launched a five-year development program for Liberia.

AS PART OF THE FIVE-YEAR plan, IREX has at its disposal US$11 million American taxpayers money aimed at mobilizing the Liberian media development and bolster and hopefully equip them for the 2011 elections.

The media component will also work to extend the reach and enrich the content of community radio stations in the seven targeted counties.

IREX, founded in 1968, has supposedly been involved in similar projects in other countries around the world and according to its website, has since been providing leadership and innovative programs to improve the quality of education, strengthen independent media, and foster pluralistic civil society development. IREX works in more than 50 countries, including Somalia and Rwanda.

THE LAUNCHING of IREX in Liberia comes at a time when at least 80 percent of local print and radio journalists lack the basic skills in typing and computer usage to perform their daily functions. Newspapers find it difficult to transport dailies to some parts of the country due to lack of adequate transportation. Those with their own printing facilities struggle to import technicians from nearby Ghana and Nigeria whenever they encounter problems. Newspapers and radio stations still have to pay high taxes to import their equipment and goods into the country when nearby Ghana has a tax-free program for import of media equipment and goods.

LAUNCHING THE EVENT, media executives and practitioners were informed that the five-year program will be implemented by IREX in seven counties – Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Lofa, Bong, Nimba, Grand Gedeh and River Gee involving training and resources to Liberian civil society and media organizations to increase citizen participation in and ownership of government policy.

SOME ELEVEN media outlets reportedly submitted applications through a vigorous process which required submissions of several documents. After weeks into the process, IREX sent out another communication stating that nine were qualified for review by the CSML Selection Committee. According to IREX, during the application review process, the Selection Committee approved one media outlet for consideration. The remaining eight outlets did not adequately address the issues stated in the RFA, according to IREX.

AS A RESULT the process was extended and applicants once again asked to reapply as IREX explained that the process was being simplified to the dismay of many of those who had originally applied. Some media outlets, in protests have declined to go forward with the IREX plan, still unsure about IREX’s true intentions

WHILE IREX explained that the re-launch was an attempt to ensure that media outlets have the opportunity to take full advantage of this initiative that offers training, mentoring and coaching in media management, business development and basic journalism, we find it difficult to believe how much of an impact IREX hopes to make that would dramatically make the news media coverage of the 2011 elections any different than it was in 2005?

WHAT THE LIBERIAN media needs right now is real practical training in typing, field reporting, computers and modern media technology. Newspapers need assistance in training of technicians to run their presses and get them ready in time for the elections; media outlets need assistance with transportation to transport their reporters between various assignments which will get even worse when election season gets into full blast.

Newspapers could also use assistance with transportation to help boost delivery of papers to other parts of Liberia, other than Monrovia.

IN CONTRAST TO IREX, organizations like the New Naratives has partnered with FrontPageAfrica and other radio stations to offer local female reporters practical training in bringing to light stories very rarely brought to the reading and listening public. As a result, stories like prostitution, teen-age sex, malnutrition and street beggars are being highlighted on a shoe-string budget six-figure below IREX millions.

IT IS NO SECRET that many newspapers and local radio stations are barely getting by. IREX can help relieve these problems by trickling down its millions where it matters most, to the heart and soul of those struggling to put out a daily paper, or finding it hard to find fuel to keep their radio stations on the air. Assistance in business management and practical training will go a long way in ensuring the Liberian journalists are armed and ready to cover the 2011 elections. IREX must ensure that every penny of the $11 million American taxpayers money make a real big difference. Liberian journalists are fatigued when it comes to workshops and training, especially in the classroom. They need more practical training, perhaps exchange programs with journalists from other parts of the world, and lessons in grammar, not more imported lectures and lecturers from abroad.

While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability – Bernard Gbayee Goah

Former NPFL ‘General Octopus’ Heralds Latest Appointments in UP Govt.

– FPA STAFF REPORT
Source:  FrontPage Africa
Monrovia –

John T. Richardson, the head of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia’s ill-fated Operation Octupus blamed for the deaths of five American Catholic nuns with the Catholic Church in Liberia has become the latest former NPFL senior commanders to land a job in the Liberian government.

Richardson, was one of several appointments to government jobs named by the Executive Mansion late Tuesday. Richardson, according to an Executive Mansion statement was appointed as Chairman of the Board of the National Housing Authority. Appointments to agency boards do not require confirmation hearings and only requires periodic meetings in most cases.

Richardson’s appointment follows the recent appointment of Roland Duo by the President as Special Project Coordinator assigned with the National Security Agency (NSA). Richardson is also listed on the United Nations Travel Ban and Assets Freeze list.

Richardson’s appointment comes amid criticisms from various circles in recent months that the ruling Unity Party government has not been doing enough to take members of the Charles Taylor government off the United Nations travel and assets freeze list. Addressing a joint FrontPageAfrica, Star Radio and Power TV interview last week, Charles Brumskine, Political Leader of the opposition Liberty Party said he could not understand why the current government was not advocating for Taylor-era officials to come off the U.N. sanctions.

Said Brumskine: “I do not understand why the travel ban remains on Liberians. I don’t know if they are accused of committing any crime outside Liberia. I believe they’re accused, if they are, of doing things in Liberia. If anyone has been charged with anything, he should be accorded the due process of law so he can regain his life and move forward.”

Adopted March 12, 2004, Resolution 1532 of the Security Council imposed the travel restriction to prevent former President Taylor, his immediate family members, in particular Jewell Howard-Taylor who is now Senior Senator of Bong County and Charles Taylor, Jr. who is currently serving a 97-year jail sentence, senior officials of the former Taylor regime, or other close allies or associates. The intent, according to the Council, is to avoid what it said is the misappropriation of funds and property to interfere in the restoration of peace and stability in Liberia and the West African sub-region. Urey was recently appointed Mayor of Careysburg.

Brumskine took the government to tasks for taking no interest in ensuring that the travel-tied Liberians, most of who are serving in her government dominantly as legislators, are lifted off the ban. Said the Liberty Party leader: “If I was President, I would be pushing on behalf of my fellow citizens to ensure that they get the due process of law. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that one who has committed an offense should be allowed and go sky-free .Charge the person. Let the person be accorded the due process of law. If not, let him go”, the Liberty Party Political Leader stated.

Richardson, a spokesperson for the NPFL, it can be recalled, acknowledged in an interview with the watchdog group, Human Rights Watch in 2008 that the NPFL used children as fighters for their own protection. Said Richardson: “We never conscripted children by force. The kids in the NPFL insisted they wanted to fight and would get into it no matter what. The NPFL has been accused of creating a Small Boys Unit [known as the sbu]. But it is not a Small Boys Unit, it is a Special Bodyguard Unit. The boys in it are assigned to protect NPFL ministers. Five or six boys were assigned to me.”

Richardson explained at the time that the NPFL recruited young boys to protect the kids – to make sure they eat, wash, and read. “These kids wouldn’t go to church or wash if they were left alone. We’ve fed and clothed them.”

Under Richardson’s command, NPFL officers Christopher Vambo and Edward Wowah were blamed for the killing of five American missionaries. Duo has been linked to the wanton killings orchestrated near the Mahare River, an episode of the Liberian War now referred to as “Mahare Bridge Massacre”.

Others appointed Tuesday include:

Mr. David B. Barcolleh, Gardnerville Township, Acting Commissioner; Ms. Yah Martor Zolia, Ministry of Health & Social Welfare; Acting Assistant Minister for Planning, Research Development; Madam Mary Larteh, Salala District, Bong County, Acting Commissioner, Mr. Togba Bestman, Butaw District, Sinoe County, Acting Commissioner, Ms. Aissa D. Bright, Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism, Acting Assistant Minister for Tourism; Mr. Neto Zarzar Lighe, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Assistant Minister for Administration, Mr. Mustapha Kamara, Liberia Produce Marketing Corporation, Member, Board of Directors and Mr. Boima Quaye Taweh, Gbarpolu County, Acting Superintendent.

While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability – Bernard Gbayee Goah