The New Republic Liberia

By Varney J. Scott

Formal ground breaking and official launch of major roads rehabilitation in Kakata city was over the weekend held, bringing together local officials, civil society movements as well as the county’s legislative caucus.

Giving an overview of the project, Margibi Superintendent John Z. Boway put the cost of the road rehabilitation project at over US1M and added that the project was being funded from the county development funds (CDF).

The project which is expected to be completed in the space of eight months was also being implemented by a Liberian- owned firm Modern Development and Management Corporation (MDMC), headed by Mr. John Youboty.

At the same time, Supt. Boway said that there would be no compensation for squatters along the city limit of the streets or the zooning limit, adding “exiting structure will be demolished.”

For his part, Representative Stephen Kafi of District # 3 Margibi County hailed the project and called on all well-meaning Margibians to take the project as their own by cooperating with the process.

It is becoming clear that the   growing need for energy sector in the country is  becoming an issue of concern to both local and international partners.

Following days of intense negotiations with global financial institutions and stakeholders, Liberia has managed to secure a US$35 million loan from the World Bank to expand the country’s demanding energy sector.
This was  disclosed in a statement  issued over the weekend by the Finance Ministry.

The  deal  was brokered  by Finance Minister, Amara  Konneh during  a recent high level World Bank-IMF Spring Meeting where Finance Minister Amara Konneh, leading a high power delegation, made a sterling case for continued support to Liberia’s medium term development drive, the Agenda for Transformation (AfT).

By George J. Borteh

Judge Boamah Kontoe of the Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice has issued a contempt charge against Finance Minister Armara Konneh for what the Civil Law Court Judge called his defiance to adhere to the court’s order.

According records from the Civil Law Court, stimulation was made by authority at the Ministry of Finance for the payment of US$31,000 to Mr. Samora Wolokollie out of US$77,000 damages of wrong doing lawsuit filed against the Ministry by Mr. Wolokollie.

In 2011, the World Bank through the Ministry of Finance contracted plaintiff Wolokollie as one the internal auditors to conduct an internal audit at the Ministry of Finance during the administration of Augustine Nguafua.

When said contract was approved, Mr Wolokollie in his lawsuit against the Ministry of Finance said he served as Director of the Internal Audit at said ministry, but added that while performing his duty as Director of Internal Audit he was illegally dismissed for no justifiable reason by former Minister Nguafua.

Based on the action of the former Finance Minister, Mr. Wolokollie filed a US$130,000 against the Finance Ministry for breach of contract, mentor anguish and public ridicule among other damages. At the end of the said case, the Ministry Finance was found liable by the jurors who then reduced the said money to US$77,000.00 and Minister Konneh who inherited the burden accepted to the decision and promised to settle the amount but is yet to fulfill the promise.

Liberian delegation in a meeting with World Bank officials in DC

In response to a detailed summation of pos-twar Liberia’s financial growth and development challenges from Finance Minister Amara Konneh, the World Bank has pledged to leverage financial resources needed to jumpstart the country’s medium term development agenda, the Agenda for Transformation (AfT).

A press statement issued over the weekend said.