Author: Chester A. Smith

IPNEWS: ‘Budget short’ prediction by Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh has sparked strong pushed back by pro-government gent against Gbarpolu County Senator. The friction escalated rapidly following the Executive’s presentation of the record-high-budget proposal to the Legislature. The Trigger: Senator Konneh’s Warning Senator Konneh—who is the Chairman of the Senate Public Accounts Committee and a former Minister of Finance and Development Planning—issued a public caution to both the Executive and his legislative colleagues. He argued that the government should not “force anything above a billion-dollar budget” given the country’s actual financial capacities, predicting it could trigger structural deficits and budget…

IPNEWS: President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has broken ground for a major electricity expansion project targeting Bomi, Gbarpolu and Grand Cape Mount Counties, renewing his administration’s promise to extend development beyond Monrovia. However, the initiative faces expectations of timely implementation, transparency and improved access to electricity for underserved communities. The groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday, November 6, 2026  at the Commissioner Compound in Clay, Bomi County, where President Boakai declared that “no county will be left in the dark.”  The project is intended to address years of electricity exclusion affecting rural communities across the three counties. The initiative will extend Liberia’s…

Chinese Vice Premier outlines next steps for exporters, pledges continued development support IPNEWS: SHANGHAI, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA – Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang has expressed China’s readiness to import more agricultural products from Liberia, identifying the submission and approval of eligible exporting companies as a practical next step toward expanding trade between the two countries. During bilateral discussions with Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Sr., in Shanghai on November 5, Vice Premier Ding said agricultural products including dried chili peppers, coffee beans and cocoa from African countries, including Liberia, had received guarantee access to the Chinese market. He explained…

–But PRO-GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL BLASTS CDC OVER “FIRE FOR FIRE” 2029 ELECTION THREATS IPNEWS: KINJOR, GRAND CAPE MOUNT COUNTY — Liberia’s main opposition political party, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), has issued a fierce warning to the ruling Unity Party (UP), vowing to heavily resist any attempt to manipulate or rig the upcoming 2029 presidential and general elections. The declaration was made by key party stalwarts during the CDC’s annual Martyrs’ Day commemoration, which concluded this weekend in Kinjor, Gola Konneh District. The four-day event brought together thousands of partisans, national leaders, and opposition figures to honor fallen members who…

IPNEWS: Liberia’s progress in domestic revenue mobilization, institutional accountability, transparency, and digital transformation took center stage at the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) Annual Meetings 2026 and General Assembly in Cairo, where Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah outlined reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to finance its development priorities. Commissioner General Jallah highlighted the progress when he made a presentation during a panel discussion titled “Domestic Resource Mobilization: Differentiated Pathways for a Diverse Continent.” He traced Liberia’s revenue performance from a starting point of approximately US$612 million, which he said was the level inherited when…

—Vows Total Development Following Landmark Agreement IPNEWS: In a historic shift for the country’s extractive sector, a Liberian-owned company is set to take full control of the long-stalled Putu Iron Ore Mining Project. Africa Metallic Resources Inc. (AMR), working in a high-profile consortium with the Conex Group and international financial heavyweights, has signed a landmark agreement to fully develop and operationalize the massive southeastern mineral asset. The breakthrough comes after the execution of a binding Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Government of Liberia, alongside a definitive Share Purchase Agreement with Russian mining giant Severstal. The Liberian government has officially…

IPNEWS: India and Liberia have expanded their defense cooperation and capacity-building partnership through high-level military engagements, training exchanges, and medical infrastructure support. Under the Defense and Capacity-Building Initiatives, the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) training delegations, including a team led by Chief of Training Lt. Col. Eden T. Jally, have engaged with Indian defense institutions such as the Indian Naval Academy in Kerala, India. Also, Liberian military personnel, including Alfreda Poquee of the AFL, will participate in specialized training programs such as the United Nations Women Military Officers Course (UNWMOC) at the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) in New…

—-  Citibank Assures Creditors Amid Central Bank of Liberia Financial Constraints IPNEWS: Cititrust Savings & Loans Liberia Limited has formally assured its creditors, partners, and depositors of an imminent injection of fresh capital to guarantee liquidity and absolute balance sheet stability. In a statement issue in Monrovia, CITITRUST Management states  that Announcement by the CBL serves as a direct intervention following localized operational bottlenecks and growing system-wide anxieties regarding non-performing loans (NPLs) across the Liberian banking sector. The management acknowledges minor transaction delays had occurred due to enhanced regulatory and internal verification procedures. However, leadership strongly refuted allegations of institutional…