Author: Chester Smith
The National Elections Commission (NEC), with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on April 23, 2026, presented a detailed progress update to its Board of Commissioners on the development of a new, modernized corporate website, an important milestone in the Commission’s digital transformation agenda. The presentation followed an intensive ten-day, hands-on capacity-building training for NEC staff and builds on a series of assessments, consultations, and technical working sessions conducted since December 2025. Collectively, these efforts aim to strengthen the Commission’s digital infrastructure, internal systems, and public communication capacity. The website modernization initiative is supported by the European…
The following quotes highlight the philosophical, moral, and practical distinctions between peaceful demonstration, respect for the rule of law, and the destructive nature of hooliganism or violent unrest. Martin Luther King Jr. emphasized that nonviolence is a powerful, healing force, urging that protest must not “degenerate into physical violence.” Edward James Olmos identified non-violent civil disobedience as the path for sustainable change. “Other perspectives define protest as an act of love, contrasting it with hooliganism, which involves destructive, senseless rampaging.” Unknown Justice Louis Brandeis argued that for law to be respected, it must be “respectable,” noting that government lawlessness breeds…
IPNEWS: The Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander B. Cummings, has called for a major shift in how Liberia negotiates agreements with concession companies operating in the country’s mining sector. In a video message released on Wednesday by the ANC Press and Public Affairs Office in Monrovia, Mr. Cummings argued that the current concession agreements are outdated and no longer serve Liberia’s best interests. According to him, many of these agreements were developed during a period when Liberia was emerging from civil war and was widely considered a high-risk investment destination. As a result, he said, the…
The Ministry of Mines and Energy in the strongest term, distances itself from a Facebook post requesting financial contributions from Liberian citizens home, and abroad, in order to complete the construction of a modern office building for the Liberia Geological Survey (LGS). The Mines and Energy Ministry terms this as faked, and a trick designed by some unscrupulous individuals to extort money from the public, thereby maligning the hard-earned reputation of the Minister of Mines and Energy, Hon. R. Matenokay Tingban. The Ministry cautions the public against remitting any money to the phone number the Fraudsters posted on a fake…
BMMC Is A True Partner, Not A Cheat Liberia’s investment industry is shaking. There is too much noise hovering over the operations of large-scale investments such as AcerlorMittal, Bea Mountain Mining Corporation, and many others, with some Liberians trumpeting review of their Mineral Development Agreements (MDAs), though the reality remains that most of these concessionaires have plenty years at their disposal to operate, and are adhering to the terms of their MDA. Amid long-held concerns about the operations of BMMC in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County, recent visit by Vice President Jeremiah Koung to the company’s facilities has spurred and…
The President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, has announced that the People’s Republic of China has resolved on its interest to support the Senate with US$3 million for the renovation work at the Liberian Senate. This commitment follows a formal appeal made by the President Pro Tempore during a high-level engagement with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), Zhao Leji, on October 15, 2025. She made the pronouncement in session on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, referencing a formal communication from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, who informed the…
Reiterate Made In Liberia Tyris Production in 2028 In a move that could redefine the nation’s economic landscape, Indian-Liberian businessman Upjit Singh Sachdeva, widely known as “Jeety,” has issued a bold challenge to the Government of Liberia to provide his company with unprocessed rubber, and he will produce the first “Made in Liberia” tyres by 2028. Speaking in an interview with Reporters Tuesday, Jeety disclosed that upon the completion of his factory expansion in July 2026, he will begin the process of manufacturing Liberia’s first-ever locally produced tyres, provided the government can ensure a steady supply of raw rubber for…
The expulsion of Representative Yekeh Kolubah on Friday, April 17, 2026, has sparked significant debate regarding its potential negative impact on Liberia’s democracy. Critics and political analysts have raised several concerns about the implications of this rare legislative action: On Friday, the House proceeded with the expulsion despite a Supreme Court stay order issued just a day earlier, which instructed all proceedings to halt until a conference scheduled for April 20, 2026. This defiance is viewed as a threat to the separation of powers and the authority of the judiciary. Lawmakers such as Musa Hassan Bility have warned that the move appears to be a “politically driven”…
Controversy erupted in Representative Yekeh Kolubah’s expulsion hearing after the committee first allowed his lawyers to speak, but later stopped them from representing him. The issue grew when Kolubah’s legal team asked for additional days to gather evidence and prepare his defense. The committee denied the request and said Kolubah himself should respond to the allegations. A recess was then called. After a 30-minute break, the committee explained that under its rules, lawyers cannot directly represent lawmakers during legislative hearings, but can only speak through the accused lawmaker. Although they had earlier been allowed to present arguments, Kolubah’s lawyers were…
The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has taken a significant step toward strengthening the circulation of Liberian coins, with Governor Henry Saamoi announcing a new policy that will require commercial banks to issue a portion of cash withdrawals in coins. Under the new directive, beginning Monday, one percent of every Liberian dollar withdrawal from banks will be disbursed in coins. The move is part of a broader strategy aimed at addressing the persistent shortage and low circulation of coins in the Liberian market. The announcement was made during a formal presentation in which the CBL donated several coin sorting machines…