Author: Chester Smith

–As PUL Calls for Immediate Dismissal IPNEWS: Controversial Liberia Broadcasting System, Director General Eugene Fahngon is at the center of a major financial misconduct web , including abuse of office and misapplication of institutional funds. According to LBS Deputy for Administration, Konteh-Brohiri Fahngon has been making unilateral financial decisions without management approval or proper oversight. She claimed the Fahngon expended US$20,000 provided by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for the LBS building turnover ceremony without adequate transparency for several weeks. Madam Brohiri further alleged that an additional US$10,000 voucher allocated for the same program was siphoned, while about US$1,500 received from…

By Danicius Kaihenneh Sengbeh I had just stopped at a supermarket in Jacob’s Town on Monday evening (March 23) to pick up a few items when a middle-aged man approached me—someone who seemed to know me far better than I knew him. We exchanged pleasantries. “Mr. Sengbeh… I saw your LRA people today in two pickups, moving around, creating awareness. They said you’re bringing a new tax system… VAT.” I nodded and told him that the awareness campaign is ongoing nationwide. He paused, then asked the question I assume many are quietly holding: “So… will this VAT make things more…

IPNEWS: The Government of Liberia has issued another stern warning to individuals and businesses planning to increase the prices of petroleum products amid the ongoing global energy crisis. Speaking at a Ministry of Information press conference, Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah stated that the Liberian government is closely monitoring global trends to ensure that the impact of international conflicts on local economic activities remains manageable. Minister Piah clarified that while petroleum and other essential goods are currently available in the country, the government cannot fully control prices because they are dictated by global market activities. “If a barrel of crude oil…

IPNEWS: The Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) has commended Sierra Leonean authorities following the arrest of Randy P. Z. Tuweh, Deputy Commander of the Border Patrol Unit (BPU) in Grand Cape Mount County, on narcotics charges. In a statement released over the weekend, the LIS characterized the arrest as a “significant step” in the regional battle against drug trafficking. The agency underscored that the trade in illicit substances remains a grave transnational threat, destabilizing regional security, public health, and economic growth. Deputy Commander Tuweh was apprehended on March 14, 2026, in Jendema Town, Sierra Leone, during a targeted operation by the…

..Mystery Deepens as Police Intensify Investigation into Death of Economist’s Wife By Amos Harris IPNEWS: Mrs. Toni Jackson, the wife of prominent Liberian economist and political commentator Samuel D. Jackson, has ignited intense national debate and triggered a wide-ranging investigation by the Liberia National Police. What began as a private family tragedy has rapidly evolved into one of the most closely watched investigations in recent months, raising troubling questions about the circumstances surrounding Mrs. Jackson’s death and the sequence of events that unfolded inside the Jackson family residence. Authorities say the case remains under active investigation, with forensic examinations, witness…

IPNEWS: A growing controversy is unfolding over Liberia’s national response to drug abuse, as the Global Action for Sustainable Development (GASD) formally calls for a sweeping audit and structural overhaul of the country’s anti-drug framework, raising serious questions about accountability, coordination, and impact. In a submission to the General Auditing Commission (GAC), GASD presented findings from an Independent Impact Evaluation conducted in partnership with Infoquest. The report reviews activities of the Multi-Sectoral Steering Committee (MSSC) on Drug Abuse and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) between January 2024 and June 2025. The findings, while acknowledging government efforts, paint a troubling picture of…

IPNEWS: The Ministry of Labour has given LAC 30 days to explain why it has allegedly failed to pay work permit fees for foreign workers since 1959. Labour Minister Cooper W. Kruah Sr. says records show nearly 70 years of non-compliance, despite previous warnings. Labour Minister Cooper W. Kruah Sr. stated that records indicate nearly 70 years of non-compliance with work permit regulations, despite the company paying immigration residence permit fees. The Ministry has warned that if LAC fails to provide a satisfactory explanation within the 30-day window, the government is prepared to pursue the matter in court. LAC has reportedly claimed it…

..Warning from former Warlord “General Butt Naked” By Amos Harris  IPNEWS: Controversial former warlord-turned-evangelist Joshua Milton Blahyi, widely known by his wartime alias “General Butt Naked,” has ignited a wave of public debate across Liberia after warning that the country could face another armed conflict if tensions along the Liberia–Guinea border are not urgently addressed. Blahyi’s remarks, delivered during a gathering with followers and community members in Monrovia, come at a time when concerns are mounting over reports of confrontations along Liberia’s northern frontier in Lofa County. Residents in several border communities have alleged that soldiers believed to be from…

IPNEWS, WASHINGTON: The State Department has slashed by about 80% the fee for Americans to formally renounce their U.S. citizenship. After years of legal battles with several groups representing Americans wanting to give up their citizenship, the department on Friday published a final rule in the Federal Register that reduces the cost from $2,350 to $450. The new fee, which took effect on Friday, had been promised in 2023 but had never been implemented. The cost is now the same as it was when the State Department first started charging Americans to formally renounce their citizenship in 2010. Renouncing U.S.…

IPNEWS: The House of Representatives of Liberia’s 55th National Legislature on Friday held a diplomatic engagement with members of the international community accredited to the country, aimed at strengthening cooperation and enhancing dialogue on issues of mutual interest. The engagement, organized by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs of Liberia in consultation with the Speaker, Richard Nagbe Koon, brought together lawmakers and representatives of the diplomatic corps including United States Ambassador Mark C. Toner and Chinese Ambassador Yin Chengwu at the Capitol Building in Monrovia. According to the House Authorities, the meeting was intended to foster stronger relationships between Liberia’s legislative…