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According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian leader has also directed that all former officials who had purportedly purchased vehicles from the General Services Agency (GSA) to submit these vehicles to the Special Task Force for verification.

President Weah has further directed that the vehicles should be submitted to the Special Presidential Task Force on the Executive Mansion grounds. The submission of the vehicles took effect immediately after the pronouncement made by President Weah upon his arrival in country on Friday February 23, 2018. The circular has accordingly mandated that failure on the part of former officials will result in the forwarding of their names to the Minister of Justice for prosecution.

Those named to the Task Force include Mr. Benedict E.E. Reeves, Chair, Hon. Patrick Sudue, Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sam Worzie, Member, Mr. Garmondeh Glaydor, Members, Mr. Isaiah T. Harris, Fleet Specialist and Robena L. Brown, Member.

source: Emansion

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There are reports that some former officials of the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf-led administration are still in possession of the government cars though they have been warned to turnover those cars more than a fortnight ago.

President Weah gave the ultimatum Friday, February 23rd, following his return from Paris, France, where he had fruitful discussions with President Emmanuel Macron.

Before departing for Paris, the President had earlier made stops in Dakar, Senegal and Rabat, Morocco, where he also had bilateral discussions with leaders of those nations.

The President returned Friday and an intercessory service was for him and his entourage at the Dominion Church along the Tubman Boulevard on the Old Road.

It was at the service that the President Weah warned former officials of Government to turn over all government vehicles in their possession.

The President accused some of these former officials of damaging the vehicles and or stealing them while others were hiding the vehicles in bushes and warned that government will go for these vehicles if they don’t honorably return them.

Pres. Weah said: “Our government is having problem and these are just simple problems.”

“People who worked with the former government are hiding and scraping vehicles they used in the past government.”

“They are stealing all the cars leaving this new government with the burden to buy new vehicles. What is s car that you cannot be honorable enough to leave behind?

“All of you who took government properties, you have two weeks to bring them back if not we will come for them. You have two weeks.”

“We have to be true to our government. I am glad that I am saying it in a church. You got two weeks or we will come for them to be used for the benefit of our country.”

Afraid that his government will be accused of witch hunting, Pres Weah noted – “We don’t want people to start to accuse us of witch hunting and the best thing to do is to bring government property back. I am not a professor. I am a practical person.”

“I am not here to make the news but to make an impact if I am given the chance.”

Allaying the fears of Liberians that there President has turned his back on the United States of America, he acknowledged that the US is and will remained Liberia’s tradition friend and in the coming days he hope to pay a visit to the U.S.

“Our friend and big brother the United States will soon call us”.

“They are our partners we will soon be going to them and we want to maintain our partnership with America in the interest of our government. “

He blamed cynics who believe that Liberia has benefited nothing from their long existing friendship with the U.S.

According to him, the U.S. government has always assisted Liberia but past governments failed to make these benefits have trigger down effects on the lives of the ordinary Liberians.

“There is no way you can suggest that the U.S. is our problem. America is our ally and France is America’s ally so the friends of America are our friends.”

“How can we blame America when we have failed to manage billions of dollars given to this country by America?

“Why do we want to blame people when we are in charge. Let us change our attitude. Everything that comes is for the Liberian people.”

“We want to succeed and we want Liberians to succeed. W we want our people to benefit so we cannot blame America, China, and France for our setback”.

He cautioned officials of his government, who have being given the opportunity to serve to do it with due diligence”.

“Those of you with the opportunity to serve, you need to do due diligence and for Liberia to change we must change our attitude.”

The post Pres. Weah Issues Ultimatum to Former Officials to Return Government Vehicles first appeared on OK FM.

Nearly all the stores in vicinity of Randall – from Benson to UN drive were closed as traffic piled and firefighters fought to contain the blaze. Eagle Electrical and Marconi, two other retailers of electrical supplies are also located in the area.

Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the fire but bystanders were left puzzled as only one fire truck was seen at the scene.

One firefighter told FrontPageAfrica that they were waiting for trucks from the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company to help put out the blaze.

A few meters away on Gurley Street where the fire station is located, two trucks were seen parked. Workers there told FrontPageAfrica that the trucks had no fuel and battery and were inoperable.

At the time the fire station was built, Monrovia had less than 300,000. That number has now swelled to more than 1.4 million. Today, most of the major locations in the city lack fire trucks or tools to put out fires, leaving key areas like Duala, Paynesville, Sinkor, Brewerville and central Monrovia vulnerable to incidents like the blaze gutting Randal Street.

Powertech Incorporated came on the scene in Liberia in 1994 and is regarded as one of the leading stores for electrical supplies. Powertech also provides a sustainable flow of products, backed by Spare Parts and other Technical and Manpower Support and is one of a handful of stores meeting market demands for electrical products.

Tuesday’s fire is said to have damaged a large inventory of various sizes of Power Generators which runs on average of US15,000.

The post Fire Rages Busy Shopping District in Liberia first appeared on OK FM.

The regime of former President Johnson Sirleaf has come under serious criticism over alleged massive corruption.

President Weah told the West Africa Democracy Radio in Dakar, Senegal that the audit is to balance the financial records of the country.
According to him, those accused of corruption will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
He added that the measure is to curb the recurrence of corruption under the Weah- Taylor administration.

In another development, the Liberian Head of State has renewed calls to grant dual citizenship in the country.
He maintained that dual citizenship promotes economic growth and infrastructural development.
President George Weah however termed as racist the failure of the Liberia government to grant dual citizenship especially to its citizens who are in the Diaspora.

CDC is not for sale, new Monrovia City Mayor Koijee warns against financial influence ahead of Montserrado senatorial race

Jefferson Koijee’s comment comes amidst allegations trending in many quarters that former Finance Minister Amara Konneh and others are interested in purchasing the CDC for an undisclosed amount.
But speaking in Monrovia Jefferson Koijee noted that the CDC cannot be traded to any individual no matter the position served in past regimes in Liberia.

He added that the CDC as an institution is bigger than any interest group in the country adding that the party’s dream will remain alive forever.
Jefferson Koijee who is also the National Youth League Chairman of the CDC then encouraged members of the party to remain committed to the CDC agenda.

Civil servants President raises alarm over moves to dismiss legal civil servants, calls on new appointees to desist from such act

Speaking to this station in Monrovia Sunday, Moibah Johnson said any Presidential appointees seeking to remove any civil servants from the different government’s ministries and agencies must be with the acquiescence of the Civil Service Agency of Liberia.
According to Johnson, such dismissal plan when instituted will undermine the government of Liberia’s pro-poor agenda.

He however disclosed that recent action by Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor to remove civil servants who served in the office of former Vice Joseph Boakai has been addressed by the Civil Service Agency of Liberia.

The Civil Servants Association of Liberia President meanwhile called on the Liberian government to fast-track its payment scheme for civil servants in the country.

Leave your comments to these OK News snippets February 19, 2018 news presentation and we will read them on OK FM 99.5 MHz

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Report by Lennart Dodoo, ldodoo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Sebwe was arrested by the LNP last Saturday in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County for alleged misapplication of entrusted property.

However, the former national football team’s defender believes his arrest was orchestrated by members of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) as a means of humiliating him due to his political views about the President during the campaign trail in 2017.

He’s one of several former Lone Star players and teammates of Pres. Weah who pledged support to former Vice President Joseph Boakai’s Presidential bid before the elections in 2017.

Explaining his ordeal to FrontPageAfrica, he recalled that he had gone to Buchanan to pay some workers of a Ghanaian company – BCM International – which he has been representing as their country manager.

“I arrived in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, to pay current employees of BCM International and former employees of OSC.”

“ We arrived in Buchanan (around the Monrovia parking area) at 6p.m. to travel along with Hon. Thomas Goshua to make the payment,” he explained.

According to him, he had gone to the Police depot near Monrovia Parking in Buchanan to seek the company of at least two Police officers to accompany him to the payment site.

“As a precaution, we decided to request a Police officer from the nearest depot to accompany us. When we arrived at the Police depot within the Monrovia parking area, I was told by the Police that their bosses had issued instruction for my arrest.

In less than five minutes, the commander of the LNP regiment in Buchanan, Alex Saye, showed up to enforce the instruction from their bosses at Central Police Station,” he explained.

He told FrontPageAfrica when he inquired about his arrest – the crime he had committed and on whose orders he was being arrested – he was told by the Buchanan LNP Commander, “It’s above my head; I was just instructed to have you arrested.”

Sebwe was then informed that Unit 106, Deputy Police Commissioner Charles Blake, was the focal person coordinating his arrest from the Police Headquarters in Monrovia.

Dionysius: “I called Unit 106 immediately.”

He informed me that his bosses had also instructed him to arrest me. When I inquired about the charges, he said I was being charged for ‘Misapplication of Entrusted Property.’

“I said whose property? He cautioned me to comply with the instruction and would find out when I got to the Central Police Station in Monrovia. I pleaded with Unit 106 to allow me accomplish the task for which I was in Buchanan but he refused and insisted that I must leave everything and come immediately to Monrovia along with the LNP officers.”

Dionysius, who once served as Deputy Minister of Defense for Operations and also Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports during the regime of Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, said he and the Police officers drove back to the Police headquarters in Monrovia and arrived at about 9:30 p.m. that Saturday evening.

Commissioner Blake arrived 30 minutes later, he said.

“When Unit 106 arrived, I was escorted to his office where he informed me that I had been charged with misapplication of property and misuse of funds for personal use. I said to him that this information was certainly inaccurate.

He replied by saying his bosses informed him that I had taken funds from a company and prevented the company from taking away its equipment out of the country. I, again, informed him that the information was inaccurate,” he narrated.

Dionysius went on to explain that he then suggested to Commissioner Blake to call one of the managers of BCM International, who is based in Ghana to ascertain the facts of the matter.

According to him, the manager, Joseph Edmund, was recently in Liberia to arrange the hiring of a 100-ton crane from Bollore to lift BCM equipment, including excavator, bulldozers, among others on the low-bed trailers.

He said when called, Edmund speaking on speakerphone denied ever filing charges against him.

Dionysius: “He [Edmund] mentioned that their management is appreciative of the support I have provided them over the past four years, including supervision of the payment of their employees and other tasks. Unit 106 replied by saying that Joseph’s boss, the head of BCM, was the one who filed the charges.

“Again, Joseph said he was shocked to hear this. He said he’s confident that his boss would not make such a charge against someone who had been helping their company. He therefore appealed to Unit 106 to release me.”

He continued that at about 11:30 p.m. that evening he was asked by Commissioner Blake to write a statement about what had transpired.

He was also informed by Blake that the statement would be taken to his (Blake) bosses upon, which they would advise him on the next steps forward.

Dionysius lamented: “We left his office and asked me to sit on the suspect’s bench in some office on the same floor.”

“At this moment I really felt humiliated because I did not do anything wrong to deserve this. At their mercy, he instructed the officers to move me from that area to another area instead of having me wait in the jail cell.”

“Again, I was shocked that I could have been in a cell that night for an alleged crime I did not commit.”

He said the head of the BCM called Commissioner Blake several times to clarify that at no time did the company press charges against him but to no avail.

“Around 3:00 a.m., Sunday morning, the head of BCM International called me to inquire about what she was hearing.”

“She confirmed that at no time did she file charges against me; especially with the satisfactory work I’m doing for their company in Liberia. She apologized for the incident and asked for the phone number of Unit 106.

She called him but there was no answer. She informed me that a text was sent. I also called Unit 106 around the same time but to no avail,” he explained.

According to him, he was released to his brother Kelvin Sebwe at 8:30 a.m. the same Sunday morning without any explanation about the cause of his arrest.

Suspicious of CDC

Dionysius said he was of the conviction that his arrest was orchestrated by the ruling CDC due to his political differences with President George Manneh Weah.

He said, prior to his trip to Buchanan, the former chairman of the CDC, now Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, confronted him via mobile phone on the removal of the equipment.

“He called and said, my man the President is concerned about the people’s equipment, when are you getting them out of here,” he said.

According to Dionysius, the head of BCM, who is also a friend to President Weah was in Liberia during the inauguration and apparently explained the difficulties she was going through getting the equipment out and settling their financial obligations to employees of the company.

“So far since my release, I have contacted lawyers who are determined to seek justice on my behalf. They are considering all legal options.

Absolutely, nothing was proven by the Police to justify my arrest; not even a communication from the company which allegedly filed the complaint,” he said.

He expressed fear that if the act of unwarranted arrest and intimidation is not checked, Liberia may end up as a Police state.

Blake Confirms Arrest

Upon inquiry, Deputy Police Commissioner Blake confirmed the arrest of Dionysius.

He told FrontPageAfrica that Dionysius was wanted by the Police because a complaint was filed against him. He, however, could not show FrontPageAfrica a copy of the complaint.

He said, Dionysius was charged with misapplication of entrusted property based on his “failure” to pay employees of BCM and also make preparations to get the company’s equipment transported to Guinea and Ghana.

According to Blake, he was instructed by his bosses to arrest Dionysius, but he failed to name who exactly gave the command.

McGill Confirms Involvement

Minister McGill told FrontPageAfrica that he had received complaint that Dionysius was extorting money from the company and holding their equipment hostage and therefore, he asked the Police to intervene.

source: FrontPageAfrica

The post Pres. Weah’s Former Teammate Accuses CDC of Wrongful Arrest, Police Intimidation first appeared on OK FM.

Minister McGill said his decision to relinquish CDC’s chairmanship is to allow him focus on his current ministerial post.

“As chairman of this party, I believe that my responsibility is huge. You cannot be Chairman of the Cabinet and be chairman of the CDC. I have decided that I give one of the positions so that the party can continually move forward.

“After consultation with party leaders, I have decided to step aside and allow Mulbah Morlu, vice chair for operations, to act as Acting Chair of the CDC until the pending convention,” McGill said.

He called on partisans to lend their full support to Morlu. McGill expressed confidence in Morlu’s ability to run the party effectively.

Former Chairman McGill, who now chairs the Cabinet in the absence of the President, pleaded with partisans to be patient as the President forms his government.

The Minister of State for Presidential Affairs also promised partisans that even if they are not given appointed positions, the government will create programs, which will put money in their pockets.

“I ask for the greatest unity of this party; don’t allow people tell you we are divided in the CDC.”

“When there are consultations and partisans are having different views that do not suggest that there is division in our party.”

“This party is fully united; we are many and have to give other the opportunity to play other roles.”

“Don’t listen to street gossips, everyone will not be appointed by the President. Opportunities will be given you to go to school and empower you in other areas.”

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Morlu promised unflinching loyalty to President Weah.

“Until I leave the face of this earth, my loyalty is with President Weah even after his two terms. I will remain loyal to him, to his children.”

“Those thinking otherwise should think the other way,” he promised.

Mr. Morlu promised to always respect and protect the values of CDC and to defend the agenda of the President.

“By extension my job is to defend this government, to defend ministers of government that perform in keeping with the President’s agenda and stand with the Minister of State.”

According to him, those that he might offend will people of other political institutions and not partisans of CDC.

Mulba Morlu used the occasion to call on his fellow partisans to leave the radio talk shows and go into communities to work in order to actualize the agenda of the President.

Source: Front Page Africa

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