Monrovia, Liberia – Curated Cultural Gifts, a Liberian-owned business founded by entrepreneur Brenda Brewer Moore, has expanded its operations with the opening of a new kiosk at Roberts International Airport (RIA), located in the Departure Hall.

Established in 2021, Curated Cultural Gifts was founded with a mission to showcase African arts and crafts, celebrate cultural heritage, and provide meaningful gifts that reflect Liberia’s rich history, creativity, and traditions.

The business currently operates a store on Old Road in Monrovia and is preparing to open another location at Kpatawee Waterfalls in Bong County.

According to founder Brenda Brewer Moore, the airport expansion represents an important opportunity to introduce Liberian and African craftsmanship to an international audience.

“Although the kiosk is a small space, we see it as a big opportunity to share our culture with the world. Our goal is to promote Liberia positively through arts and crafts while creating greater visibility and economic opportunities for local artisans,” Moore said.

Curated Cultural Gifts is also inviting talented Liberian and African artisans to submit their products for consideration as the business expands its collection of culturally inspired gifts and souvenirs.

Moore expressed appreciation to customers, partners, and supporters who have contributed to the business’s growth over the past five years.

“Every purchase, referral, and word of encouragement has helped us reach this point. We are grateful and excited about what lies ahead,” she added.

Curated Cultural Gifts continues to position itself as a destination for authentic African crafts, meaningful cultural gifts, and products that celebrate Liberia’s heritage.

Summary:

• The trial of Moses Wright, 73, a former senior Liberian army commander accused of lying to immigration agents about his involvement in Liberia’s civil conflict has been postponed to February. It was set to start in November. The court has yet to give a reason for the delay.
• U.S. prosecutors allege that Wright concealed his involvement in wartime atrocities when seeking immigration benefits and citizenship. He faces immigration-related charges, because the U.S. did not have laws in place to try citizens for war crimes committed in international jurisdictions when the alleged crimes took place.
• Wright faces a maximum possible sentence of 165 years in prison and a US$7 million fine.

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives 

The U.S. trial of Moses Wright, a former senior Liberian army commander accused of ordering and overseeing the 1990 St. Peter’s Lutheran Church massacre in which an estimated 600 men, women and children were killed, has been postponed again.

Wright’s trial, previously scheduled for November in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, has been rescheduled for February, the latest in a series of delays.

“We see it as a setback to our quest for justice,” said Marcus P. Quoigoah, executive director of the Lutheran Massacre Survivors Association, in a phone interview. “We are frustrated. Looking at the lives of so many that have been shattered as a result of Wright and his men, delaying this, we feel that justice is still being halted.”

The postponement comes more than 36 years after the massacre, for which no one has been criminally convicted in Liberia. It also comes as legislation to establish a War and Economic Crimes Court has stalled at the Liberian Legislature, while survivors continue to pursue accountability through legal proceedings abroad.

Wright, 73, faces federal immigration fraud and perjury charges over allegations that he concealed his involvement in atrocities during Liberia’s first civil war to obtain immigration benefits and eventually U.S. citizenship.

According to a June 2022 indictment announced by the U.S. Department of Justice, Wright allegedly committed atrocities against civilians or ordered troops under his command to carry them out, including the persecution of members of the Gio and Mano ethnic groups, murder, assault, unlawful arrests and imprisonment.

Wright is believed to be a cousin of the late President Samuel Doe, and his alleged role during the First Liberian Civil War was General Commander of the Armed Forces of Liberia, which would make him one of the most prominent figures in the conflict.  Liberia’s 2009 Truth and Reconciliation Commission report also named Wright, Moses Thomas, James Chelly and George Dweh in the June 1990 massacre of 27 Gio and Mano family members of Armed Forces of Liberia personnel living at the Barclay Training Center barracks in Monrovia. The killings were carried out “reportedly under orders of Samuel Doe,” according to the report. The commission also implicated Chelly, an army captain, in military operations against civilians in Nimba County, stating that he and Edwin Voker “commanded the onslaught.”

Dweh, a senior figure in the Movement for Democracy in Liberia, rebel group who became Speaker of Liberia’s transitional legislature in 2003, died in April 2020 without facing prosecution for his alleged involvement in the massacre or other wartime abuses.

The massacre occurred in July 1990, when soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia attacked civilians sheltering at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Monrovia during the country’s first civil war. Although it is not explicitly mentioned in Wright’s indictment, he commanded the army when the massacre took place. He oversaw Moses Thomas, a more junior commander, who was found civilly liable for the massacre in a 2021 case. The court ordered him to pay $84 million in damages to four survivors and relatives of victims. He fled the United States for Liberia avoiding enforcement of the fine.

“We still hold him responsible for the over 600 lives that were murdered,” said Quoigoah. “Wright had a hand; he had a big stake in it.”

Prosecutors say Wright obtained asylum in the United States in 2000, permanent residency in 2008 and applied for citizenship in 2013. He allegedly concealed his wartime conduct during the immigration process and repeated false statements under oath during an August 2016 naturalization interview.

Wright is not being prosecuted directly for violations of international law including war crimes or crimes against humanity because of limitations in U.S. federal law. The United States enacted so-called “universal jurisdiction” laws that allow government to prosecute people for crimes committed outside the country, after the alleged atrocities in Liberia in 1990. Those laws cannot be applied retroactively to conduct that occurred before they took effect.

Instead, prosecutors have brought immigration fraud and perjury charges, an approach previously used against other Liberian war criminals, including Mohammed Jabateh and Thomas Woewiyu, who were convicted in Philadelphia in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Jabateh is serving a 30-year sentence. Woewiyu died while awaiting sentencing. In 2026 former Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy commander Layee Sekou Camara, known as during the war as “K1,” pleaded guilty after being charged with immigration offenses. He is serving a nearly five-year sentence.

Other former Liberian rebel commanders have also been deported from the United States over immigration violations linked to their wartime activities. They include George Boley, former leader of the Liberia Peace Council, who was deported in March 2012 after a U.S. immigration court found that he had engaged in extrajudicial killings and recruited and used child soldiers. Mayama Sesay, known as “Black Diamond,” a former commander of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy rebel group, was deported in September 2025 after an immigration judge found that she had lied about recruiting and using child soldiers during her immigration applications.

Wright has denied the charges. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum sentence of 165 years in prison and $7 million in fines.

The proceedings against Wright have been accompanied by security concerns involving Liberian investigators. In September, the Global Justice and Research Project, a leading Liberian war crimes investigation organization, relocated a senior investigator following repeated death threats allegedly linked to Wright’s sympathizers.

Among the survivors still seeking accountability is Rufus Kartee, 65, who says a bullet struck his left hip during the massacre, damaging the bone and leaving him dependent on a crutch for more than three decades.

Kartee spoke to FrontPage Africa/New Narratives before undergoing surgery at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center in Monrovia this month. He said he hoped to see those responsible brought to justice before more survivors died.

“The main, main people them dying on a daily basis,” he said. “Even people from our side too are dying on a daily basis.”

Kartee said seeing alleged perpetrators face trial remains a priority.

“So, we that are alive today, if I will survive, I will still be happy to see the people going through court process.”

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigating Liberia project. Funding was provided by the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union. The funders had no say in the story’s content.

Front row: Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry Hon. Stephen Yekeson (second from left), with Mr. Emmanuel Rugomboka, Counsellor in WIPO’s Division for Africa, and Hon. Garmai Koboi, Director General of the Liberia Intellectual Property Office.

The Government of Liberia has begun the validation of its draft National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy (NIPPS) to guide short-, medium-, and long-term actions in the protection, administration and commercialization of intellectual property rights.

The ongoing validation exercise, which runs from October 15 to 16, comes as President Joseph Boakai’s administration has made intellectual property protection and development a key policy priority under Pillar One of the ARREST Agenda.

Opening the validation workshop, Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry Hon. Stephen Yekeson said the exercise represents a step toward a national framework that recognizes the economic value of knowledge and protects the legitimate interests of creators and innovators.

“In today’s increasingly knowledge-driven global economy, national competitiveness depends not only on the natural resources a country possesses or the goods it produces, but also on its ability to generate ideas, protect innovation, develop valuable brands, commercialize creative works, and transform knowledge into economic value,” Hon. Yekeson added.

Min. Yekeson further noted that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry sees the NIPPS as an important document that connects to Liberia’s wider trade, investment, and economic development priorities, as an effective intellectual property system is key to a more supportive business environment, encourages responsible investment, and reinforces Liberia’s broader efforts to improve trade competitiveness and private sector growth.

“Today’s validation workshop is particularly important because the success of a national policy depends not only on the quality of the document, but also on its relevance to national priorities, its responsiveness to practical challenges, and the commitment of the institutions and stakeholders responsible for its implementation,” the Minister also noted while stressing the importance of the validation exercise.

Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry Hon. Stephen Yekeson opens the validation workshop on Liberia’s draft National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy.

The ongoing workshop, which brings together stakeholders from government circles, the creative industries, the business community, higher education institutions and civil society, is convened by the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with technical assistance from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

It comes after a national review of the IP Audit findings last year, which identified gaps in institutional capacity, infrastructure, coordination, and access to intellectual property services as constraints that continue to limit the use of the intellectual property system.

The draft NIPPS responds to these findings by seeking to strengthen the country’s intellectual property system and increase its usage and responsiveness. The document, which was developed by experts in intellectual property, aligns with the Government’s national development priorities in the ARREST Agenda and brings coherence to the work of LIPO and other government institutions, while positioning Liberia to take full advantage of regional and global opportunities.

Speaking earlier, LIPO Director General Hon. Garmai Koboi said the draft was made possible through high-level engagement with WIPO in order to align the country’s IP regime with international intellectual property standards and frameworks administered by WIPO, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), and others.

Hon. Koboi noted that the workshop gives stakeholders an opportunity to confirm that the draft reflects their experiences, challenge impractical measures and examine institutional responsibilities.

“We extend our profound appreciation to the World Intellectual Property Organization for its invaluable technical and financial support. This partnership reflects WIPO’s long-term commitment to helping member states build intellectual property systems that serve their development aspirations, and Liberia is proud to count WIPO among its steadfast partners,” Hon. Koboi added.

“I also recognize both the national and international consultants, whose expertise guided the preparation of this draft; the members of the Technical Steering Committee, who gave their time and recommendations; and the many institutions, enterprises, creators, and individuals who participated in the National IP Audit and the stakeholder consultations,” noted the Director General.

Also speaking, WIPO Representative Emmanuel Rugomboka, a Counsellor in the organization’s Division for Africa, said the document could help connect intellectual property protection with economic diversification, stronger local enterprises and opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs.

He illustrated this potential with a hypothetical Liberian cocoa or coffee cooperative. “Imagine a Liberian agricultural cooperative producing high-quality cocoa or coffee. With the right policy framework, the cooperative could receive support to develop a distinctive brand, protect its trademark, meet quality standards, and explore geographical indication protection where appropriate,” Mr. Rugomboka said.

“By combining intellectual property protection with improved production, processing, packaging and market access, the cooperative could differentiate its products, negotiate better prices and reach higher-value domestic and international markets,” he added. “The resulting benefits could include increased incomes for farmers, new opportunities for young entrepreneurs, and jobs in processing, packaging, marketing and distribution.”

According to Mr. Rugomboka, WIPO stood ready to support implementation of NIPPS in line with Liberia’s priorities and available resources, including efforts to help businesses build competitive brands, researchers bring discoveries to market and creators benefit from their work.

By Joyclyn Wea, gender and health correspondent with New Narratives

Summary:

• The 5th Emmet A. Dennis National Scientific Conference opened in Monrovia this week, bringing researchers and policymakers together to examine evidence from Liberia’s health system.
• Organizers said the conference is helping young scientists present and publish research. Officials promised to take its findings into health policy discussions.
• Experts said new research on Ebola preparedness and previous findings on Lassa fever show why local evidence matters, and the measure of success is what changes in communities afterward.

CONGO TOWN, Monrovia — Scientists, health workers and government officials gathered for the Emmet A. Dennis National Scientific Conference,  a national gathering of Liberian researchers presenting evidence they hope will shape how the country prevents disease and cares for patients. This is the fifth annual conference.

The three-day meeting at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex brings together Liberian researchers, students and health policymakers to discuss infectious diseases, maternal health, health financing, climate-related health threats and other challenges. Organizers said nearly 100 research paper summaries were submitted for the conference, with roughly 90 accepted for oral or poster presentations.

“We want to find Liberian solutions for Liberian problems and perhaps for global problems as well,” said Dr. Sia Wata Camanor, acting director general of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, in her opening remarks.

The conference offers a snapshot of Liberia’s growing research community since the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic, the biggest outbreak anywhere of the deadly disease which left nearly 5,000 Liberians dead. Experts said it also poses a test: whether findings presented before government officials will become decisions that make health services safer and more effective for ordinary Liberians.

The Ebola epidemic exposed serious weaknesses in disease detection, laboratory testing and emergency response. Liberia established the National Public Health Institute in its wake in 2016. Two years later, the Institute and its partners launched the scientific conference, named for Dr. Emmet A. Dennis, a pioneering biomedical researcher and former University of Liberia president.

One goal was to help district and county surveillance officers turn information gathered in clinics and communities into research they could analyze, present, and publish. Another was to develop younger Liberian scientists and ensure that national health priorities were not set entirely by foreign partners.

At the opening, Camanor said the conference now connects students, universities, laboratories and public health agencies. She announced that organizers would issue a communiqué after the meeting and share it with the government, the Ministry of Health and partners.

Bode Ireti Shobayo, the Institute’s director of public health and biomedical research and chair of the conference planning committee, said selected presentations can be turned into policy briefs and scientific manuscripts. The Institute will also mentor researchers to prepare papers for international academic journals.

“We want to go beyond just presenting for presenting’s sake,” Shobayo said in an interview before the conference.

Uriah Harrington, speaking on behalf of President Joseph Boakai, said the conference is key to helping the country shift away from responding only after crises emerge.

“We must transition from reactive passive response to proactive science-driven governance,” he said. The administration pledged to support domestic research capacity, mentoring and evidence-based health policy, but the remarks did not specify new funding amounts or plans.

Partners said the success of the conferences to date could be seen in changes in Liberia’s scientific workforce. A representative of the African Field Epidemiology Network, a non-profit network that trains African health workers to be “disease detectives,”  said its field epidemiology training work in Liberia has expanded since it was established in 2015 from frontline to intermediate training, with some professionals pursuing advanced courses abroad. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention representative said Liberian epidemiologists now lead outbreak investigations and produce their own research.

Dr. Stephen B. Kennedy, a University of Liberia researcher and Institute board chair, said Liberians have developed the skills to study infectious diseases and contribute to international vaccine research, even as shortages of money, laboratory infrastructure and supplies limit what they can do. “We have the expertise, we have the capacity.”

But the ability to present a paper is different from changing policy or action. Shobayo could not say how many recommendations from earlier editions had been adopted or provide a public record showing which decisions and services had changed.

He pointed to recent work on Lassa Fever as one example of the promise offered by Liberian researchers. A 2022 study co-authored by Shobayo found the disease appearing outside its traditional hotspots in Nimba, Bong and Grand Bassa counties and contributed to the government’s decision to expand its activities to other counties.

But some experts have questioned whether the conference’s contributions to national policy and actions have been enough. Joseph Somwarbi, a pharmacologist and former chair of the House Committee on Health, said policymakers should make those links visible to the public.

“What are the indicators?” he asked, calling for evidence of the decisions taken and benefits to affected communities.

Alpha Tamba, with the World Health Organization, urged organizers to publish the findings and make them accessible, including to the communities they are meant to serve. He said that would give health workers, journalists and residents a way to follow what happens after the speeches and presentations.

This year’s presentations included The National Public Health Institute’s nationwide Ebola preparedness assessment done earlier this year. Officials previously reported a 69 percent overall readiness score and 47 percent for logistics. The Institute has not published the detailed scoring method or facility-by-facility findings that experts said were necessary to fully interpret them. When the results were released in September, health workers welcomed the assessment but said the government needed to follow up to close the gaps to make sure they feel safe.

For three days, the conference will put Liberian evidence before people with the power to act on it. Its larger measure will come later: which recommendations the government accepts, what resources follow, and whether patients and communities can see the difference.

This story was produced in collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigating Liberia project. The funder had no say in the story’s content.

MONROVIA – What started as a political controversy over remarks by Montserrado County District 10 Representative Yekeh Y. Kolubah has grown into one of the most consequential confrontations between Legislature and judiciary in recent years. On Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., the Supreme Court will hear his appeal against an expulsion that 49 lawmakers approved on April 17.

By Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com 

The Court’s October 14 notice, signed by Clerk Cllr. Sam Mamulu, schedules arguments. It does not announce a decision, and it does not promise a judgment on the day. Nearly six months after the vote, the case is returning to the full bench, and its outcome may turn less on politics than on a question of procedure.

A border comment becomes a disciplinary case

The dispute traces back to statements attributed to Kolubah during a sensitive period in the country’s territorial disagreement with Guinea. According to communications later presented to the House, he suggested that contested territory belonged to Guinea. Some lawmakers and security officials reacted with alarm.

Inspector General of Police Gregory Coleman wrote to the House warning that such statements, made by an elected official without an established legal, diplomatic or treaty basis, could unsettle border communities. He also reported that Guinean authorities and affiliated actors had begun referencing the remarks, which he feared could lend weight to claims unfavorable to Liberia. In his view, lawmakers carry a heightened responsibility when speaking about sovereignty, and reckless statements could raise concerns about breaches of the peace.

That argument immediately raised a competing constitutional question. Can an elected legislator be expelled for a controversial opinion on a national issue? Or can such statements, depending on their nature and consequences, amount to misconduct serious enough to justify the harshest sanction a chamber can impose?

The matter reached the House through two communications: one from the Montserrado District 3 Representative, Sumo Mulbah, seeking expulsion for alleged misconduct and violation of his oath, and the other from Coleman. Montserrado District 4 Representative and lawyer Michael Thomas then moved that the Committee on Rules, Order and Administration investigate and report to Plenary during the special session. Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon urged Kolubah to cooperate with the process.

The vote

On April 17, the House voted to expel Kolubah. Article 38 of the Constitution lets each chamber set its rules, maintain discipline and expel a member with the concurrence of two-thirds. Forty-nine votes clear that threshold in a 73-member chamber, so the numbers have not been the weak point of the House’s position.

The more contested question is whether the process leading to the vote met constitutional and procedural standards. Expulsion differs sharply from a reprimand or suspension. It removes an elected official from the institution and strips a constituency of its chosen representative, which is why the safeguards surrounding it matter as much as the count.

The hearing Kolubah left

The House’s lawyers say he was given the opportunity to answer the allegations but walked away from the hearing convened for that purpose. Having left voluntarily, they argue, he cannot credibly claim he was denied due process.

Kolubah’s challenge disputes the legality of the process. Accounts of the proceedings have also raised questions about whether his lawyers had a real chance to participate, obtain evidence and prepare a defense. Those allegations would require examination of the disciplinary record before anyone could draw firm conclusions.

The disagreement illustrates a distinction between holding a hearing and providing a meaningful opportunity to be heard. Article 20(a), which protects due process, generally requires adequate notice, understanding of the allegations, access to relevant evidence and a fair chance to respond. Yet an institution is not necessarily obliged to halt its proceedings whenever an accused member declines to take part. The legal weight of Kolubah’s departure depends on the circumstances around it.

The order and the vote

While the disciplinary process was underway, Kolubah’s lawyers sought help from the Supreme Court. According to accounts of the dispute, Associate Justice Yussif D. Kaba issued a directive on April 16 concerning the continuation of the House’s proceedings. The House voted to expel him the next day.

That sequence became the foundation of Kolubah’s case. His lawyers argue the Legislature acted in disregard of judicial authority. The House replies that it was never properly served with the relevant documents and cannot be accused of violating an order it did not legally receive.

The dispute thus moved from legislative discipline into a question about the authority of the courts. Article 2 establishes the supremacy of the Constitution, and no branch of government has unlimited power. But showing that an institution defied an order requires proof of the order’s legal effect and of notice delivered in the manner the law prescribes. Acting after a directive was reportedly issued does not, by itself, establish deliberate defiance.

The Bill of Information and the House’s defense

Kolubah’s lawyers filed a Bill of Information alleging violations of judicial directives and due-process protections. On April 29, the House’s lawyers asked for its dismissal. They argued that the House has constitutional authority to discipline and expel members, that Kolubah received due process but abandoned the hearing, that the judicial documents were not properly served, and that he failed to exhaust internal legislative remedies before going to court.

The service argument proved the most powerful. A government institution, the lawyers said, cannot be held responsible for an order never communicated to it through recognized procedures.

May’s ruling

In May 2026, Justice Kaba dismissed the Bill of Information for improper service. According to accounts of the ruling, the House had not been properly served with the writ and stay order. The Sergeant-at-Arms was identified as the official authorized to receive documents for the Legislature, and the papers had not reached that office through the required channel.

The decision was a significant setback for Kolubah, but its limits matter. It did not hold that the expulsion was constitutional, and it did not find that the allegations justified removal. It addressed the narrower question of whether the procedural conditions for enforcing the directive against the House had been met.

That means a procedural ruling can settle one legal challenge without resolving the underlying constitutional dispute. If the Supreme Court upholds the dismissal, it will not necessarily have examined or endorsed the disciplinary proceedings. Likewise, a win for Kolubah on service would not automatically prove the expulsion unconstitutional.

What legal practitioners expect

FrontPage Africa asked legal practitioners how the appeal might fare. Two lawyers, neither of whom authorized publication of their names, pointed to service as potentially decisive.

One said court documents must be served on officials legally authorized to receive them, and that delivery to anyone else may not establish that an institution got proper notice. He expressed doubts about Kolubah’s prospects. The other explained that service guarantees a party legally sufficient notice, ordinarily through a sheriff or marshal delivering papers to the right recipient. He called the earlier finding a serious weakness in Kolubah’s position.

Both framed their views as personal predictions, not knowledge of how the justices will rule. The justices must decide independently whether the earlier finding was correct and what follows from it.

The constitutional view

Political and social commentator Dr. Clarence R. Pearson Sr. has looked past service to the wider stakes. He sees the case as a test of whether the Court can avoid two dangers: letting legislative independence become immunity from constitutional scrutiny, and letting judicial oversight erode the Legislature’s legitimate authority over its own affairs.

Pearson notes that Article 38 must be read alongside Article 15 on freedom of expression, Article 17 on assembly, association and petition, Article 20(a) on due process and Article 2 on constitutional supremacy. A power to expel, he argues, does not make every use of it lawful. He cautions against treating dissent or controversial criticism as grounds for expulsion without examining the actual conduct, evidence and applicable rules, while acknowledging that free expression does not shield unlawful threats or serious misconduct.

He also insists the case should not become a referendum on Kolubah’s popularity or combative style. The analysis must rest on constitutional provisions.

District 10

The people of Montserrado County Electoral District 10 have been living with uncertainty since April. Article 37 provides for filling legislative vacancies through by-elections, but applying it is difficult while the legality of the removal is under challenge. If the expulsion stands, the vacancy questions return. If it is invalidated, the consequences differ.

One lawyer told FrontPage Africa that the by-election timetable should not be confused with the Supreme Court’s own scheduling, noting that cases can wait extended periods before assignment and that no general rule requires the Court to hear matters within the vacancy period. That is a legal point, but it does not remove the public-interest concern about prolonged uncertainty over an elected seat.

What the justices might do

The Court could uphold the dismissal, leaving the Bill of Information closed and the expulsion unexamined. It could instead find that the earlier ruling needs reconsideration and order further proceedings. It could also address the operation of the April 16 directive and the circumstances of the vote.

A favorable procedural ruling would not necessarily mean immediate reinstatement, since the Court might grant limited relief or direct a remedy aimed at a specific defect. An unfavorable ruling would not endorse every allegation against him. Predictions that Kolubah will automatically return or permanently lose his seat are premature.

A precedence that outlives the dispute

Whatever the result, the case is likely to be cited. A ruling on the limits of expulsion could shape future disciplinary proceedings and clarify when judicial review is available. A ruling stressing service could affect disputes involving ministries, agencies and other public bodies that become parties to litigation.

It is also a chance to reaffirm that constitutional protections apply regardless of political identity. An outspoken opposition lawmaker and a member aligned with House leadership are entitled to the same safeguards, and the House’s authority to discipline should not depend on the accused member’s popularity.

When the justices convene on October 22, the question will reach beyond whether Kolubah should have been expelled. It will be whether the process complied with the Constitution and whether the institutions wielding public

power stayed within the law. For a country that depends on the separation of powers, the answer may matter far more than the fate of a single seat.

Summary:

• A family in Monrovia was forced from their home because the landlord believed her five-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy, a disability caused by damage to the developing brain, was cursed.

• Liberia has laws and a government agency to protect people with disabilities, but they do not do outreach campaigns that would have alerted the mother to her rights and provide no services to thousands of families with children with severe disabilities.

• The National Commission on Disabilities says just US$210,000 is allocated to its public sector investment program. The Commission says it needs at least US$1 million to meet demand.

By Tetee Gebro, gender and health correspondent with New Narratives 

ELWA, Monrovia — Rachel cried as she packed her family’s meagre belongings. The rain from the sky matched the pain in her heart that early Sunday evening in June 2024. Rachel said her landlord had ordered her and her five children to leave. He called her daughter, who has cerebral palsy, a “dragon” and said children like her should not live in his house.

“It broke my heart and took tears from my eyes,” Rachel said. “Up to now, when I think about it, I can still cry.”

Rachel is one of thousands of parents of children with disabilities struggling to survive in Liberia, with a government that, experts say, has failed them. A previous New Narratives/FrontPage Africa investigation documented other families who said they had no government support, faced extreme discrimination and exclusion from schools.

Liberia has laws, a government disability commission and international commitments to protect people with disabilities. But in practice, the government does nothing. Its National Commission on Disabilities, the government agency tasked with assisting these families, does not know how many children have conditions such as cerebral palsy, a disability caused by damage to the developing brain, and profound autism. It has a small fraction of the funds it needs to meet demand. Most families do not even know a government agency exists.

The gaps come as the Human Rights Measurement Initiative released its latest global human rights data in June. The globally recognized measure assesses countries’ performance on economic, social, civil, and political rights. On “empowerment,” an assessment of how well the government is respecting rights, the country ranked “fair” but people with disabilities were ranked fourth most “at risk” of violations of their rights. 

Liberia’s 2022 census found more than half a million people aged five and older  – or about 11 percent of the population – had some level of functional disability. While there is no national data, in 2022 Unicef  estimated about 1 in 7 children in West Africa had moderate to severe disabilities.  

Doctors have expressed heartbreak and frustration at the number of babies they see with cerebral palsy in Liberia. Most cases are preventable and happen when the baby is deprived of oxygen during an emergency birth. Because many women avoid hospital because they do not have the funds to pay for it, and medical staff do not know the signs, there are a higher number of these injuries in Liberia than in countries with better functioning health systems. Rachel said this was exactly the case with her daughter. After a long labor the baby was rushed to hospital but it was too late. (New Narratives withholds the names of children in its reporting to protect them from stigma)

Advocates said that with support services children with severe disabilities and their families can see improvement in their quality of life.

Discrimination and stigma are illegal but there are no protections for families

The discrimination that Rachel and other families have suffered is illegal. Liberia has committed to protecting the rights of people with disabilities. The government established the National Commission on Disabilities under a 2005 law. It has also ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the country’s Children’s Law includes protections for children with disabilities.

But in practice laws are not enforced. Mohamed Sackor, program manager of the National Commission on Disabilities said lawyers advised the Commission it cannot prosecute someone solely on the basis of Liberia’s international treaty commitments without the relevant protections being incorporated into national law.

He said the Commission is working on proposed disability legislation that would strengthen protections, including requirements for schools to provide accessibility and accommodation for children with disabilities. That would need to go to the Legislature but lawmakers often need an active lobbying campaign to agree to such laws. No such campaign is happening now.

Meanwhile cases are widespread according to Urias Pour, executive director of Liberia’s Independent National Commission on Human Rights. He said its monitors have documented children with disabilities being called “dragons”, bullied in schools and having their complaints dismissed.

In one case, Pour said, a 12-year-old girl with a speech impairment went to police to report abuse by a relative. Officers gave her a biscuit and sent her home. “No one looked into the matter because they could not hear her,” Pour said.

Bowoulo Taylor Kelley, vice president of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia, said responsibility cannot rest with the disability commission alone. She said ministries responsible for education, health, gender and justice need systems and funding that allow people with disabilities to exercise their rights.

“Fund and enforce disability rights as a legal obligation and not as charity,” Kelley said. “Our people are not beggars.”

Families also desperately need services to avoid poverty, illness and death

Rachel’s daughter turned five in August. She cannot walk or speak and depends on her mother for almost everything. But when her four siblings talk and play with her, she laughs.

The child’s father stopped supporting his daughter after members of his family called her a witch. Rachel once took him to police and a relative promised he would provide support, but she has received none. Rachel used to earn money washing other people’s clothes but she can no longer easily leave home because her daughter needs constant care. “I can’t turn my back on my child,” Rachel said.

“I carried her for nine months and I suffered, and I am still suffering for her,” said Rachel. “Sometimes I can lock myself up in the room and cry, cry, cry.”

Rachel said her daughter recently became seriously ill and was taken to hospital because Rachel was not able to feed her. The girl will only eat Cream of Wheat mixed with peanut butter. But a small packet of peanut butter costs L$180. When she could not afford it, Rachel softened rice and tried to feed it to her. Her daughter refused to eat.

Rachel said she pawned the deed to her property to a shopkeeper to get a US$5 pack of diapers after the shopkeeper refused to give them to her on credit. Rachel is now starving herself.

“So for that reason my daughter’s body is dropping and it’s hurting me,” Rachel said. “I can’t see my daughter in that condition where she has not eaten and then I take food to eat.”

She wants help starting a small business she can operate from home. The family lives in a makeshift house, and Rachel said she also needs money to repair its floor. Her other four children are also suffering from the financial challenges brought on by her situation.

Government doesn’t know how many children need help 

Sackor said the lack of data on how many children in Liberia have severe disabilities makes it harder for the Commission to identify people who need help and plan services for them. But even if it had the funds, it could not do much.

The Commission has a budget of US$573,00 of which US$210,000 is allocated for its public sector investment program across the entire country. Sackor said it provides educational and technical-vocational assistance and is currently supporting about 150 people in various ways.

“There is a huge pressure on the Commission currently to accommodate more people,” Sackor said.

Sackor said the Commission needs at least a million a year and is hoping the Boakai administration – that recently trumpeted an increase in revenue to more than $1 billion – will agree to an increase in the Commission’s budget next year.

The Commission is working with international partners to improve screening and data collection, including for people with cerebral palsy and profound autism, a severe developmental condition that usually leaves children without language and with limited control of emotions, and requiring constant care.

But there is no coordination of the services that do exist. JFK Medical Center operates a pediatric neurology clinic that treats children with neurological conditions including cerebral palsy. Sackor told FrontPage Africa/New Narratives it did not know about the clinic but would follow up.

For now, Rachel and thousands of other families like hers are battling to survive day by day, afraid for their children and for themselves.

This story was produced in collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigating Liberia project.

MONROVIA — Senator Emmanuel Nuquay, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Corporations, has raised concerns over delays in disbursing Social Development Funds (SDFs) to counties, warning that the government’s handling of the money is undermining decentralization and slowing development across Liberia.

By Obediah Johnson

Nuquay, who represents Margibi County in the 55th Legislature, said millions of United States dollars paid by concession companies for development in their operational areas had been deposited into the government’s Consolidated Account and subsequently used by the government, leaving counties awaiting their allocations.

He made the remarks during a regular session of the Liberian Senate in Monrovia on Thursday, October 15, calling on his colleagues to engage the relevant authorities to ensure that counties receive the funds intended to finance local development projects.

Social Development Funds are payments made by concession companies to the Government of Liberia for allocation to counties where the companies operate, supporting development initiatives in affected communities.

According to Nuquay, local authorities in Margibi County have repeatedly followed up on their outstanding allocations but have yet to receive the funds. He disclosed that officials of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning had assured them that the money deposited into the Consolidated Account would be appropriated to the counties through the 2027 national budget.

“Funds intended for the counties were paid into the Consolidated Account and in time past, the government used those monies,” Nuquay said.

The senator argued that delaying the release of the funds until the next budget cycle could further slow the implementation of projects intended to address the needs of communities across the country.

He urged the Senate to intervene and ensure that concession-related development funds reach their intended beneficiaries rather than remain tied to the centralized budgetary process.

Centralized Funding Under Scrutiny

Nuquay questioned whether the centralized appropriation and disbursement of funds could deliver the decentralization Liberians outside Monrovia have long anticipated.

He argued that counties would be better positioned to identify and address their development priorities if local authorities had timely access to the resources allocated to them.

“One of the ways to ensure that the different counties are developed and different development projects are undertaken in time is to also ensure monies intended for those counties are given to them,” he said.

The senator stressed that lawmakers should prioritize county-level development projects during the scrutiny and passage of the 2027 national budget, ensuring that allocations respond to the needs of communities across Liberia.

He maintained that development planning and implementation should not be concentrated in Monrovia, where national ministries and agencies often make decisions affecting communities far removed from the capital.

According to Nuquay, officials administering the national budget from Monrovia may not fully understand the everyday challenges confronting residents in rural counties, potentially limiting the effectiveness of development programs designed without adequate local input.

He called for greater responsibility to be placed in the hands of local authorities, arguing that counties are better positioned to identify pressing needs and determine which projects require urgent attention.

Nuquay said timely access to county development funds would help local authorities implement projects more efficiently and make decentralization more meaningful to ordinary citizens.

Colleges, Universities Face Funding Disparities

Beyond the delayed disbursement of Social Development Funds, Nuquay raised concerns about what he described as significant disparities in government budgetary allocations to community colleges and universities across Liberia.

He specifically cited institutions operating in Margibi County, arguing that their allocations were inadequate relative to the county’s population and educational needs.

The senator called on his colleagues to establish a fair and consistent standard for distributing government support among public colleges and universities, warning that uneven allocations could leave some institutions struggling to meet their responsibilities.

“We should ensure that everyone or every county is accommodated appropriately,” he said.

“When you look at the budget currently, there are big counties in human population but the support for their universities is far less than other counties. And I think we should be able to address that.”

Nuquay argued that population and educational demand should be considered when determining how public resources are distributed among tertiary institutions.

He also raised concerns about substantial salary disparities at some colleges and universities, urging lawmakers to examine the issue as part of the broader review of public funding for higher education.

His concerns add to the questions facing legislators as they prepare to review the 2027 national budget, particularly how available resources should be distributed among counties and public institutions to promote equitable development.

However, the senator did not provide specific budget figures or identify the institutions whose allocations and salary structures he cited, leaving the precise scale of the disparities unclear.

Road Projects Await Procurement Decisions

Nuquay also expressed concern over delays in road construction and rehabilitation projects funded under the 2026 national budget, accusing the Ministry of Public Works of failing to move the projects forward quickly enough.

He said although funding had been allocated for road works in various counties, the ministry had yet to complete the procurement processes required to select contractors to undertake the projects.

The delays, he warned, could undermine implementation, particularly as Liberia approaches the dry season, when road construction and rehabilitation activities can be more practical in many areas.

Nuquay called on the Senate to invite officials of the Ministry of Public Works to explain the status of the projects, outline the reasons for the delays and provide a clear timeline for implementation.

He also urged the ministry to expedite procurement procedures so that contractors can be selected and work can begin without further delay.

The senator’s concerns highlight the gap between budgetary allocations and actual project implementation, raising questions about whether resources approved by lawmakers are translating into visible improvements in communities.

For residents in counties where roads remain difficult to navigate, delays in awarding contracts can prolong transportation challenges, restrict access to markets and essential services, and hinder local economic activity.

Nuquay’s call for a Senate inquiry would provide lawmakers an opportunity to assess the progress of the projects and determine what administrative or procurement obstacles may be preventing their implementation.

Pressure Builds Ahead of 2027 Budget

The senator’s interventions on county development funds, higher education financing and road construction point to broader concerns about the distribution and execution of public resources.

As the Legislature prepares to scrutinize the 2027 national budget, Nuquay is urging lawmakers to look beyond the figures approved for ministries, agencies and counties and examine whether the resources are reaching the intended beneficiaries in a timely manner.

His position is that decentralization cannot be achieved solely through policy commitments or budgetary provisions. Counties must also receive the funds allocated to them and have a meaningful role in determining how those resources are used to address local priorities.

The delayed Social Development Funds, unequal allocations to tertiary institutions and stalled road procurement processes, he argued, require greater legislative oversight to ensure that development commitments are translated into action.

The Senate has yet to publicly outline any specific action resulting from Nuquay’s concerns, including whether it will summon officials of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning or the Ministry of Public Works to provide further explanations.

For now, the central question remains whether the government will release the outstanding county development funds, address disparities in educational financing and accelerate road projects already provided for in the national budget.

The outcome could have significant implications for the government’s decentralization agenda and its efforts to ensure that development resources are distributed more equitably across Liberia.

MONROVIA – A senior executive of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and former Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Cllr. Dr. Tolbert G. Nyenswah, has called on the Government of Liberia to make concrete financial commitments to healthcare, scientific research, innovation, technology and the development of the country’s public health workforce.

Speaking virtually as a guest speaker at the Fifth Emmet A. Dennis National Scientific Conference, Dr. Nyenswah said Liberia must move beyond its heavy dependence on external assistance and establish reliable domestic financing mechanisms to support healthcare delivery, disease surveillance, laboratories, research institutions and the training of Liberian scientists.

The conference, held under the theme “Strengthening Health Security in Liberia Through Research and Innovation,” brought together scientists, researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, academic institutions and development partners to discuss the future of public health research and health security in Liberia.

Dr. Nyenswah, who currently serves as Director of the Africa CDC Center for Public Health Emergencies Management and is also leading Africa CDC’s work in South Sudan, delivered his address from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he was participating in institutional meetings on the Africa Pooled Procurement Mechanism and Africa CDC’s third-quarter performance review.

Liberia Must Finance Its Own Health Security

Dr. Nyenswah emphasized that one of the greatest weaknesses in Africa’s public health systems remains the lack of predictable domestic financing for disease prevention, preparedness, research and healthcare delivery.

He observed that governments and international partners frequently mobilize substantial resources during major disease outbreaks, but financial support often declines once the immediate emergency ends, leaving essential public health institutions struggling to maintain operations.

“Preparedness cannot depend on the arrival of the next epidemic—or the next donor grant,” Dr. Nyenswah told participants.

He called for increased national budgetary allocations to NPHIL, laboratory services, surveillance systems, public health research and the payment of healthcare workers.

The former NPHIL Director General also proposed the establishment of a National Public Health Research and Innovation Fund, supported by transparent and competitive financing arrangements. Such a fund, he explained, could provide grants to young Liberian scientists, universities and research institutions to investigate priority health problems affecting the country.

He further encouraged serious national discussions on innovative healthcare financing, including national health insurance and universal health coverage, to reduce the financial burden of medical treatment on ordinary Liberian families.

Dr. Nyenswah stressed that international development assistance remains important but should complement, rather than replace, the government’s responsibility to finance essential public services.

Government Must Take Greater Responsibility for Healthcare Delivery

Beyond epidemic preparedness, Dr. Nyenswah challenged Liberia to confront persistent weaknesses in basic healthcare delivery, particularly in rural communities.

He said investments in sophisticated laboratories, emergency operations centers and advanced technologies must be accompanied by government commitments to ensure that health facilities have trained personnel, essential medicines, reliable electricity, functioning equipment and adequate operating budgets.

According to him, Liberia cannot claim meaningful progress in health security while rural clinics remain without essential medicines and families struggle to obtain affordable medical care.

“A child in rural Liberia deserves treatment before a disease becomes an emergency. A pregnant woman deserves skilled care without facing financial ruin,” he declared.

He urged the government to prioritize healthcare worker salaries, medicine procurement, facility maintenance and equitable access to essential health services.

Building on Liberia’s Ebola Experience and the Establishment of NPHIL

Reflecting on Liberia’s experience during the devastating 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic, Dr. Nyenswah recalled the extraordinary sacrifices made by healthcare workers, surveillance officers, laboratory scientists, contact tracers, ambulance drivers, burial teams and community leaders.

As Liberia’s National Ebola Incident Manager, he helped coordinate the national response and subsequently played a leading role in the establishment and operationalization of NPHIL as its founding Director General.

He explained that the establishment of NPHIL was intended to ensure that Liberia would maintain permanent national capacity for disease surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, emergency management, research and workforce development.

During his administration, efforts were undertaken to strengthen emergency operations and incident management capacity across Liberia’s 15 counties, expand field epidemiology training, improve disease surveillance and advance laboratory and biomedical research capacity at the former Liberia Institute for Biomedical Research (LIBR).

“NPHIL was never meant to be an institution that becomes active only when an epidemic begins. It was established to protect Liberia every day,” he emphasized.

He called for continued investment in NPHIL’s institutional capacity, scientific leadership and operational independence within its national mandate.

Investing in Liberian Scientists, Universities and Research Institutions

Dr. Nyenswah devoted a significant portion of his address to the importance of developing Liberia’s own scientific workforce.

He recalled how, during his leadership at NPHIL, the institution worked with the University of Liberia, Emory University, the African Field Epidemiology Network, the United States CDC, WHO and other partners to support curriculum development for the University of Liberia’s first Master of Public Health program.

He also highlighted contributions to the development of Liberia’s first PhD program, recalling that he delivered the keynote address at its official launch.

He said these initiatives were intended to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign institutions for advanced scientific education and create opportunities for Liberians to conduct research on their own national health priorities.

“A country that wants to lead in science must be able to educate its own scientists, support its own faculty and investigate its own health problems,” he stated.

Dr. Nyenswah urged the Government of Liberia, NPHIL, universities and development partners to provide scholarships, research grants, mentorship, laboratory infrastructure and clear professional career pathways for young scientists.

He identified epidemiology, biostatistics, genomic surveillance, bioinformatics, digital health and laboratory sciences as important areas requiring sustained investment.

From Liberia’s Ebola Response to International Scientific Research

Drawing on his professional journey from a young cadet in Liberia’s health sector to senior national and continental public health leadership, Dr. Nyenswah encouraged young Liberians to pursue scientific careers with discipline and determination.

He recalled his earlier work in Liberia’s National Malaria Control Program, where he contributed to reforms that replaced chloroquine-based treatment policy with artemisinin-based combination therapies and expanded malaria prevention and control interventions.

He noted that national malaria prevalence estimates declined from approximately 66 percent in 2004 to 28 percent in 2011, reflecting the combined contributions of government, healthcare workers, communities and development partners.

Following his service in the Liberian government, Dr. Nyenswah pursued advanced academic and research work at Johns Hopkins University and the United States National Institutes of Health.

A graduate of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he earned both Master of Public Health and Doctor of Public Health degrees, he has contributed to 108 peer-reviewed scientific publications, including research published in internationally recognized journals.

He also co-authored Collapse and Resiliency, published by Johns Hopkins University Press, documenting the leadership decisions, challenges and lessons from Liberia’s Ebola epidemic.

He urged Liberian researchers to document and publish their scientific work so that the country’s experiences can contribute to international knowledge and future public health policy.

Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Emmet A. Dennis

Dr. Nyenswah described the scientific conference as particularly meaningful because he helped organize its inaugural edition in 2018 while serving as the founding Director General of NPHIL.

The first conference was organized under the theme “Fostering the Culture of Evidence-Based Public Health Practice and Research in Liberia.”

He said the conference’s evolution toward research and innovation demonstrates the importance of moving beyond scientific discussions to practical applications that improve healthcare and protect lives.

Dr. Nyenswah paid tribute to the late Dr. Emmet A. Dennis for his contributions to biomedical research, the University of Liberia and the development of Liberia’s scientific institutions.

He recalled that Dr. Dennis served as a founding member of NPHIL’s Board and that the molecular biology laboratory at LIBR was named in his honor.

He also highlighted Liberia’s research partnerships, including the Partnership for Research on Ebola Vaccines in Liberia (PREVAIL), and initiatives supporting Lassa fever research and vaccine development.

He stressed that international research partnerships should leave behind functioning laboratories, trained Liberian scientists, stronger ethical review systems and opportunities for national research leadership.

Africa CDC Executive Calls for Stronger Regional Cooperation

Addressing the growing threat of infectious diseases across Africa, Dr. Nyenswah emphasized that health emergencies cannot be effectively managed by individual countries acting alone.

He cited Africa CDC’s ongoing work with African Union Member States on disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, rapid response, laboratory systems and cross-border coordination.

Referring to the ongoing Bundibugyo ebolavirus disease outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the surrounding region, he explained that Africa CDC has been supporting preparedness and readiness in 11 high-risk countries.

He said Liberia must continue strengthening practical public health cooperation with Guinea, Sierra Leone and Côte d’Ivoire, particularly through shared surveillance systems, cross-border alerts, laboratory referral arrangements and coordinated emergency response mechanisms.

He reminded participants that infectious diseases do not respect national borders and that cooperation agreements must be operational before emergencies occur.

Five Priorities for Liberia’s Scientific Future

In concluding his address, Dr. Nyenswah outlined five priority actions for the Government of Liberia, NPHIL, universities and development partners:

1. Strengthen NPHIL through predictable domestic financing, qualified leadership and sustained investment in laboratories, disease surveillance and emergency preparedness.
2. Invest in scientific education and workforce development, including Liberia’s MPH, PhD and field epidemiology training programs.
3. Establish transparent research and innovation financing, with competitive grants and opportunities for young Liberian scientists.
4. Translate scientific evidence into national policy, ensuring that research findings inform healthcare financing, disease prevention and public health decision-making.
5. Strengthen regional and international scientific partnerships that transfer technology, build institutional capacity and promote Liberian leadership in research.

Dr. Nyenswah also challenged the organizers to assess the conference’s long-term impact by measuring how many young scientists receive research grants, how many scientific papers are published, how many research findings influence government policy and how much domestic financing is committed to science.

He said these measurable achievements would determine whether the conference becomes a genuine instrument for improving public health rather than simply an annual scientific gathering.

Addressing students and young researchers, Dr. Nyenswah encouraged them not to underestimate humble professional beginnings, recalling his own journey from a cadet in Liberia’s health sector to leading the national Ebola response, helping establish NPHIL and serving in continental leadership at Africa CDC.

He thanked Interim NPHIL Director General Dr. Sia Wata Camanor, the organizing committee, participating scientists and academic institutions for sustaining the conference and preserving the legacy of Dr. Emmet A. Dennis.

The Africa CDC senior executive concluded by calling for stronger national commitment to healthcare, research and scientific development, emphasizing that Liberia’s future health security will depend on the investments and policy decisions made today.

END

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Liberia has officially opened 15 offshore oil exploration blocks to international petroleum companies, launching a new licensing round aimed at attracting investment and accelerating exploration of the country’s offshore petroleum resources.

The 2026 Offshore Direct Negotiation Licensing Round was launched on Wednesday, October 14, at African Energy Week in Cape Town, South Africa, by the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA), bringing together senior government officials, international oil companies and industry representatives.

The offering covers 12 blocks in the Liberia Basin and three in the Harper Basin. Interested companies are being invited to participate in the process which is scheduled to close on April 15, 2027.

In a video message, H.E. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, President of Liberia, reaffirmed his administration commitment to attracting credible investment transparently and ethically. Boakai assured investors of contractual certainty, emphasizing that Liberia’s laws are clear and enforceable and that agreed terms would remain valid “today and in the future.” However, he stressed that investment agreements must be mutually beneficial. “No agreement is worth signing unless it works for all parties to it,” the President stated.

Reaffirming his administration’s backing for the licensing round, Boakai declared: “Today, I assure you that the journey you are about to begin with Liberia- through the LPRA- carries the full support of the Liberian government.”

LPRA Urges International Companies to Explore Liberia’s Petroleum Potential

Speaking at the official launch, LPRA Director General Marilyn T. Logan expressed confidence in Liberia’s offshore petroleum potential and encouraged qualified international oil companies to take advantage of the investment opportunities presented by the new licensing round.

“Our petroleum system works,” Logan declared, urging interested companies to submit letters of intent before the April 15, 2027, deadline. “Whichever company makes the first discovery will play a significant role in the history of our country,” she added.

Logan also underscored the LPRA’s “Explore or Release” principle: companies granted offshore blocks must meet their agreed exploration commitments or relinquish acreage in accordance with their contracts and applicable law. The approach is intended to discourage speculative holding of blocks and keep opportunities open to companies prepared to explore.

The 15 blocks being offered include LB-1, LB-2, LB-3, LB-7, LB-12, LB-13, LB-14, LB-18, LB-19, LB-20, LB-21 and LB-23 in the Liberia Basin, along with LB-25, LB-28 and LB-33 in the Harper Basin.

The licensing round is supported by extensive geological and geophysical information, including more than 50,000 line-kilometers of two-dimensional seismic data and approximately 31,000 square kilometers of three-dimensional seismic coverage. Technical data provider TGS has also reprocessed approximately 12,000 kilometers of 2D seismic data and 5,100 square kilometers of 3D data to improve subsurface imaging and assist prospective investors in assessing Liberia’s offshore exploration prospects.

Industry geoscience specialist Jason Robinson, Managing Director of ENARJI, said geological evidence indicates the presence of a working petroleum system offshore Liberia, with significant deepwater exploration opportunities along the Atlantic margin.

LPRA Assures Investors of Predictable Fiscal Terms

Under the direct negotiation framework, companies interested in the offshore blocks must demonstrate the financial strength, technical competence and relevant offshore exploration experience required to undertake petroleum operations. Qualified companies may subsequently negotiate block-specific exploration programs and contractual arrangements in accordance with Liberia’s 2014 Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, as amended in 2019.

LPRA Deputy Director General for Finance Robert Sonkarlay assured investors that Liberia’s fiscal framework was designed to provide competitive terms while maintaining the predictability necessary for long-term petroleum investment.

“Investors are not just looking to find attractive fiscal terms; they’re also looking for fiscal predictability,” Sonkarlay said, emphasizing that Liberia’s terms are benchmarked against international industry practices.

LPRA Board Member Cllr. Kou Dorliae also highlighted the Authority’s commitment to investor engagement and regulatory predictability, noting that prequalification remains valid for five years, allowing eligible companies to pursue investment opportunities within that period.

The new licensing round follows Liberia’s successful conclusion of eight petroleum production-sharing contracts with TotalEnergies and Atlas Oranto Petroleum in 2025, marking an important step in renewed international interest in the country’s offshore petroleum sector.

Preparations for the 2026 round included an investor engagement event in Houston, Texas, on August 19, followed by the opening of the prequalification process on August 28.

With the latest offering, Liberia is seeking to build on that momentum, attract additional exploration investment and advance its efforts toward a commercial petroleum discovery.

Interested companies can obtain further information on the licensing round, available offshore blocks and prequalification requirements through the LPRA website at https://lpra.gov.lr/liberia-2026-licensing-round/ or by emailing lpra2026submission@lpra.gov.lr.

The democratic development organization is calling for an integrated national identification system to reduce duplicate registrations, improve public service delivery and strengthen payment verification, while demanding financial transparency and independent oversight.

MONROVIA, Liberia — Naymote Partners for Democratic Development has called on the National Legislature to ensure that the proposed US$52 million national identification agreement establishes an integrated, affordable and accountable system that improves public service delivery and provides measurable benefits to Liberian citizens.

In a statement issued October 15, 2026, the organization said the proposed investment presents an opportunity to reduce repeated identity enrollment across government institutions, strengthen the verification of public payments and improve access to essential services.

However, Naymote stressed that these benefits would depend on clear contractual obligations, appropriate legislation and independent oversight to ensure that the system serves the public interest and does not impose unnecessary financial burdens on taxpayers.

The organization urged lawmakers to subject the agreement to thorough scrutiny, emphasizing the need for transparency in financing, effective data protection and a practical framework for integrating the national identification system with existing public services.

African Experiences Offer Lessons

Naymote pointed to national identification systems in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana as examples Liberia could examine as it considers the proposed agreement.

In South Africa, national identity documents, including smart identity cards and valid temporary identity certificates, are accepted for voter registration. However, citizens must still register on the electoral roll, a distinction Naymote said Liberia could consider when determining the relationship between national identification and electoral processes.

Kenya provides another example of cooperation between identity and electoral institutions. Its electoral commission verifies national identity details through the National Registration Bureau and recognizes passports as statutory identification documents for voter registration.

Ghana, meanwhile, uses the Ghana Card personal identification number as the tax identification number for individual taxpayers. The country’s National Identification Authority also provides identity verification services to institutions, demonstrating how a common identification infrastructure can support multiple public and private services.

Naymote said these experiences offer practical lessons for Liberia but cautioned that the examples alone do not establish how much the country could save by adopting an integrated system.

Legislature Urged to Demand Integration and Affordability

The organization wants lawmakers to require a clear framework for connecting the national identification system to key government services, including payroll, pensions, taxation, social protection and banking.

Under the proposed arrangement, a common National Identification Number and secure verification mechanisms could help institutions confirm identities without repeatedly collecting the same biometric and personal information.

Naymote argued that reducing unnecessary duplication could improve administrative efficiency and help identify duplicate or improper payments. However, it said the anticipated savings must be calculated against the full costs of financing, maintenance, verification charges, cybersecurity and system integration.

The organization also called for a legal and technical pathway through which the national identification system could support voter registration and polling-day identification, potentially reducing the need for a separate voter card.

It emphasized, however, that the National Elections Commission (NEC) must retain authority over electoral eligibility, residence verification and management of the voters’ roll.

A national identity document, Naymote maintained, should not automatically confer voting rights, as possession of an identification credential is distinct from meeting the legal requirements for voter registration.

Calls for Financial Disclosure and Independent Assessment

Beyond technical integration, Naymote urged the Legislature to demand full disclosure of the agreement’s financial and contractual terms before completing its consideration.

The organization wants the government to publish details of financing costs, the duration of any concession, service fees, government guarantees, revenue commitments and termination obligations.

It also called for an independent value-for-money assessment to determine whether the proposed US$52 million investment is justified by the expected benefits and whether alternative arrangements could deliver similar results at a lower cost.

Such scrutiny, Naymote suggested, would help lawmakers establish the agreement’s long-term implications for public expenditure and determine whether projected savings are realistic.

The organization further called for measurable implementation targets and public reporting on enrollment, identity credential delivery, the number of connected government agencies, complaints received, total costs and independently verified savings.

It said these indicators would allow citizens and oversight institutions to assess whether the system is delivering on its stated objectives.

Data Protection and Public Control

Naymote also raised concerns about the governance and security of national identification records, calling for government ownership and control of identity data, secure access arrangements, restrictions against misuse and independent audits.

It urged lawmakers to ensure that the agreement contains enforceable provisions for transferring system control and relevant assets to the government when required.

The organization stressed that integrating identity verification across public services should not give every participating institution unrestricted access to citizens’ personal records.

Instead, agencies should be permitted to obtain only the information necessary to perform their legally authorized functions, with appropriate safeguards to prevent unauthorized access and misuse.

The proposed safeguards, Naymote said, should be supported by clear legal obligations and effective oversight mechanisms.

Nationwide Access and Citizen Protection

Naymote further urged the Legislature to ensure that the system remains accessible to citizens throughout Liberia, including people in remote communities and those who face difficulties obtaining official documents.

It called for free first-time enrollment and basic identification credentials, mobile enrollment services across all 15 counties, accessible service points and timely procedures for correcting errors in identity records.

The organization warned that administrative failures should not prevent eligible citizens from accessing essential public services or exercising their voting rights.

It said the system’s design and implementation must account for citizens who encounter registration difficulties, incorrect personal information or delays in receiving their identification credentials.

Naymote also encouraged lawmakers to ensure that the agreement establishes clear procedures for addressing complaints and correcting errors without imposing unreasonable costs or delays on applicants.

Public Hearings Recommended

As legislative consideration continues, Naymote called for public hearings involving the National Identification Registry (NIR), NEC, relevant government ministries, technical experts, civil society organizations and members of the public.

The proposed consultations, it said, would give stakeholders an opportunity to examine the agreement’s technical design, financial obligations, data protection provisions and potential implications for elections and public service delivery.

The organization said Liberia needs an identification system that citizens can access, institutions can trust and taxpayers can afford.

Naymote reaffirmed its willingness to support policy analysis, public education and independent monitoring as the government and Legislature consider the proposed agreement.

The central question, the organization said, is whether the US$52 million investment can deliver a secure and accessible national identification system that reduces unnecessary duplication, strengthens public administration and produces demonstrable benefits for citizens.