Author: Chester Smith

IPNEWS: Attorney General Oswald Tweh has distanced himself from a Justice Ministry probe into Senate finances covering more than $30 million suspicious spending. Prosecutors recently filed a subpoena request with Criminal Court ‘A’ seeking financial records associated with the transactions uncovered in an audit, which the Senate itself commissioned in 2024. In response, Senators rejected responsibility of the unaccountable millions to the management team of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and summoned the Justice Minister to provide legal basis for the probe. He apologized Wednesday to the Liberian Senate, calling prosecutors’ request for documents as an inadvertent legal…

IPNEWS: During its March Term, A.D. 2026, Liberia’s Supreme Court will decide if a lower court’s mistrial declaration in the Capitol Building arson case met the “manifest necessity” standard and whether retrying the defendants would violate double jeopardy protections. The defendants—J. Fonati Koffa, Dixon W. Seboe, Abu B. Kamara, and Jacob C. B. Debbie—have petitioned for a Writ of Prohibition. They seek reversal of the mistrial ruling, a peremptory writ, discharge from further prosecution, or other just relief. Charged with arson, aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, illegal firearms possession, criminal mischief, and related offenses by the Republic of Liberia via the…

IPNEWS: Liberia’s Justice Minister and Attorney General, N. Oswald Tweh, has issued a public apology to the Liberian Senate following a controversial subpoena that triggered tensions between the executive and legislative branches of government. The apology, delivered on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, comes amid heightened public attention on the balance of power and the need for mutual respect among the country’s key governance institutions. Appearing before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims, and Petitions, Minister Tweh acknowledged that the subpoena—issued without his authorization—was a “procedural error” that bypassed established protocols governing interactions between branches of government. He explained that some…

IPNEWS: The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) says it is making significant progress in efforts to upgrade Liberia’s transportation network, with the Japan Freeway Expansion Project receiving a major boost. Deputy Minister for Technical Services at the Ministry, Prince Tambah, is currently in Tokyo representing the Government of Liberia in the bid-opening process and contract negotiations for the extension of the project. The initiative aims to rehabilitate and modernize the key road corridor from Freeport to the Gabriel Tucker Bridge in Monrovia. Planned works include full alignment reconfiguration, elevation of sections of the roadway, and the installation of improved drainage…

IPNEWS-Buchanan, Grand Bassa County; February 16, 2026: In Buchanan, Friday February 13, 2026, something powerful happened—not in a grand hall or on a global stage—but in a quiet retreat room where Liberia’s democracy is shaped every day. As the National Elections Commission (NEC) Board of Commissioners gathered for their annual retreat February 10-14, 2026, and—reflecting, recalibrating, and strengthening their collective purpose—they received a deeply symbolic visitor: UNDP Liberia Resident Representative, Aliou Mamadou Dia. And the timing couldn’t have been more meaningful. The Commissioners were kneedeep in discussions about ethical leadership, institutional reforms, and the kind of teamwork required to safeguard…

IPNEWS:  The National Elections Commission (NEC) of Liberia has taken a major step in strengthening transparency, public participation, and institutional coordination in the country’s upcoming boundary delimitation review. In a dynamic, daylong advocacy strategy session held at the European Union Delegation offices, on Wednesday 18 February 2026, NEC convened civil society organizations (CSOs), media practitioners, and electoral stakeholders to collectively chart the path toward a credible and peoplecentered review process. The gathering—organized under the UNDP Liberia Electoral Support Project, implemented by NEC and UNDP with support from the European Union, Irish Aid, and the Government of Sweden—marked a significant moment in…

IPNEWS: There are moments in a nation’s democratic journey where reflection becomes just as important as action. This week in Monrovia, the National Elections Commission (NEC) embraced such a moment, one defined by honesty, collaboration, and a shared commitment to building a stronger electoral future for Liberia. On 2 March, the NEC, supported by UNDP through the Liberia Electoral Support Project with funding from the European Union, Sweden and Ireland, convened a high-level workshop unlike any other. Not to launch a new initiative. Not to announce a policy shift, but to look inward to review what has been learned, what…

IPNEWS: There are moments in a nation’s democratic journey where reflection becomes just as important as action. This week in Monrovia, the National Elections Commission (NEC) embraced such a moment, one defined by honesty, collaboration, and a shared commitment to building a stronger electoral future for Liberia. On 2 March, the NEC, supported by UNDP through the Liberia Electoral Support Project with funding from the European Union, Sweden and Ireland, convened a high-level workshop unlike any other. Not to launch a new initiative. Not to announce a policy shift, but to look inward to review what has been learned, what…

—- Discusses Ongoing Capitol Arson Trail, Others On Monday, June 2, 2025, U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, Mark C. Toner, paid a courtesy visit to former President Goerge Weah at his Jamaica Resort Office in Monrovia. The meeting was a significant diplomatic engagement that included the following details: Ambassador Toner was accompanied by Stephen C. MacLeod, the Senior Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia. Former President Weah was joined by his Senior Advisor and Chief Special Envoy, Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr.. The officials discussed a range of national and international issues. Specifically, they addressed the political situation on Capitol Hill. Ambassador Toner emphasized that the United…

IPNEWS: Mines and Energy Minister R. Matenokay Tingban on Tuesday defended the government’s renewal of the ArcelorMittal Liberia concession, calling the projected US$3.5 billion investment a transformative milestone for the country’s mining sector and a major boost for economic growth. Speaking at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing after returning from the 2026 Mining Indaba Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, Tingban said the amended concession agreement, recently ratified by the Legislature, will significantly expand iron ore production, increase government revenue, and accelerate infrastructure development along Liberia’s key mining corridor. “This is not just a contract; it is a…