Author: Chester Smith

IPNEWS: Last week, the Liberian National Police charged Mohammed D. Sheriff, the 54-year-old commander of the National Fula Community Security Services (NFCSS), and sent him to court on March 5, 2026, for allegedly operating an unauthorized paramilitary organization.  Sheriff was charged under Chapter 11, Section 11.5 of the Penal Law of Liberia for paramilitary activities. The investigation by the Liberia National Police began after social media videos from February 13, 2026, showed Sheriff and approximately 70 members in military-style uniforms at the Fish Market Mosque in Sinkor. Authorities determined the NFCSS was not registered as a legitimate private security entity with the Liberian government and operated without formal oversight. The case has…

Carl Rogers: “Man’s inability to communicate is a result of his failure to listen effectively.” Lee Iacocca: “Too many people fail to realize that real communication goes in both directions.” Brené Brown: “If you’re not in the arena also getting your behind kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.” Mitt Romney: “Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.” Henry Ford: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” Bill Gates: “Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose”. He also notes it is more important to “heed the lessons…

IPNEWS: Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sparked a significant debate by calling for the removal of what she described as a “racist provision” in the country’s constitution. During a historic address to the Liberian Legislature, Sirleaf urged lawmakers to lead constitutional reforms, specifically targeting Article 27(b). Key points of the Debate stem from The “Negro Descent” Clause: Article 27(b) of the Liberian Constitution that restricts citizenship exclusively to persons of “Negro descent”. Madam argued that this restriction is outdated, undermines Liberia’s commitment to equality, and is no longer relevant in a modern global context. Sirleaf and other advocates suggest that reforming these…

IPNEWS: Vandalark R. Patricks, a Liberian Human Rights Defender has petitioned the government of Ghana for a formal constitutional demand for the immediate arrest, interrogation, and prosecution of the woman whose calculated and misleading statements that directly led to the brutal murder of a Liberian national, identified as Austin. Patricks warned that failure of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) to take her into custody suggests an alarming selective application of the Ghanaian law, potentially shielding a primary perpetrator of a capital offence under the guise of her pregnancy or social status. The petitioned also mentioned under Section 20(1) of the…

IPNEWS-BUCHANAN CITY, Liberia: Residents of Electoral District #3C in Grand Bassa County are demanding that their lawmaker, Representative Alfred H. Flomo, return an alleged US$12,000 withdrawn from the district’s Community Forest account, escalating a dispute that has stirred tension across several towns. Community members say the money belongs to the Community Forest Management Body (CFMB), the legally established institution responsible for managing forest resources and revenues on behalf of affected communities in Districts 3C and 3B. The CFMB, headed by J. Max Kpelleh, is mandated under Liberia’s Community Rights Law of 2009 to develop and implement community forest management plans,…

IPNEW: The Government of Liberia, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will on March 12, 2026, dedicate a newly completed prefabricated solarpowered cold storage facility for fish mongers in Robertsport City, Grand Cape Mount County. The dedication marks a major step forward in improving the livelihoods of fishing communities and strengthening local value chains under the Accelerated Community Development Programme (ACDP). The $66,597 USD facility, validated earlier this month by a joint team of UNDP solar engineers and representatives of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), is now fully operational and ready to serve hundreds of…

IPNEWS: Transparency watchdog CENTAL says President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s new management structure for the government’s “Yellow Machines” road project is expanding the size and cost of government, warning that the creation of additional boards, committees and minister-level appointments risks widening Liberia’s public wage bill at a time of limited national resources. “It is cost-intensive to continue expanding the government when resources are meager,” CENTAL Executive Director Anderson Miamen said, urging the administration to strengthen existing institutions instead of creating new layers of authority around the project. The criticism comes as Boakai’s “Yellow Machines” rollout, launched after Liberia received the first…

IPNEWS: Liberia’s House of Representatives has begun reviewing legislation that would criminalize gender-based online abuse, after Nimba County District 2 Rep. Nyahn G. Flomo introduced a bill seeking to amend the Kamara Abdullah Kamara Act of Press Freedom to address harassment and insults targeting women and girls on social media. The proposed legislation, titled the Protection from Gender-Based Online Abuse Amendment Act of 2026, was formally submitted to Plenary and subsequently referred to the House Committees on Information, Broadcasting, and Judiciary, which have been given one week to review the measure and report back with recommendations. If enacted, the amendment…

Executive Mansion, Monrovia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has issued Executive Order No. 160, constituting a Technical Committee for the Enforcement and Implementation of the Presidential Decision on the longstanding land dispute in Nimba County, particularly in the Ganta area. The Executive Order establishes a neutral and professional mechanism aimed at ensuring the peaceful, lawful, and coordinated implementation of the Government’s decision regarding the dispute, which has persisted for decades and continues to pose challenges to peace, security, and orderly development in the region. According to the Executive Order, the Committee will be responsible for enforcing and technically implementing…

IPNEWS: President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has issued Executive Order No. 160, constituting a Technical Committee for the Enforcement and Implementation of the Presidential Decision on the longstanding land dispute in Nimba County, particularly in the Ganta area. The Executive Order establishes a neutral and professional mechanism aimed at ensuring the peaceful, lawful, and coordinated implementation of the Government’s decision regarding the dispute, which has persisted for decades and continues to pose challenges to peace, security, and orderly development in the region. According to the Executive Order, the Committee will be responsible for enforcing and technically implementing previous Presidential decisions,…