Monrovia –  A representative aspirant in Electoral District #3 in Montserrado County has welcomed the extension of voter registration (VR) period by the National Election Commission (NEC).

Report by Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Atty. Kanio Bai Gbala said the extension is necessary to cover-up for the wasted first week due to logistical problems experienced by NEC.

The VR period, which began on February 1, should have ended on March 7 but NEC chairman Jerome George Korkoya announced a weeklong extension.

Cllr. Korkoya said all centers will be opened on Sundays and holidays from March 7-14 while centers that were closed, having reached 3,000 eligible voters, will be reopened for registration with a new threshold of 4,500 at the 2,080 centers.

He said it will cost NEC a little over US$1 million for the extension with current VR temporary staff being paid 25-percent of their current contractual fees.

Addressing a news conference on February 2, Korkoya blamed the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for having procured “faulty cameras”.

Gbala, however, called on NEC to speedily address the issue of people, who were either rejected on accounts of wearing hijabs or citizenship.

According to article three (eligibility) of an August 2016 VR regulations issued by NEC, a Liberian citizen, who is 18 years and above, may register as a voter except one who has been judicially declared to be incompetent, or of unsound mind, or who has been disenfranchised as a result of a conviction of an infamous crime and has not been restored to citizenship. 

Montserrado County has witnessed the denial of female Muslims (for allegedly refusing to take-off their headscarves) and Mandingos (for allegedly being non-Liberians) at various centers.

Those rejected were never issued a notice of rejection in a prescribed form stating reasons for their rejection and informing the applicants of their right to appeal in keeping with article seven (rejection of application). 

In a particular case, Muslims rejected in the Clara Town community, in keeping with article six, were told to bring either a valid Liberian passport; VR card previously issued by NEC; the sworn testimony by two registered voters who shall appear in person before the registrar and confirm the applicant’s eligibility to register; confirmation by a Liberian traditional leader who shall appear before the registrar and confirm the applicant’s eligibility to register; a birth certificate or certificate of naturalization but were denied despite presenting their past VR cards. 

And Korkoya has admitted that “most of the complaints so far received by the NEC call centers came from Montserrado and its environs”.

Pundits believes those denials point to a grand scheme by NEC to under-register Montserrado, which is the most populated county and one of the strongholds of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).

Gbala is an aspirant on the ticket of the CDC and is a lawyer, with Masters Specialization in democratic governance and the rule of law.

He is also a civil society, political activist and transitional justice expert with many years of leading movements, projects and institutions in Liberia and across Africa.

Monrovia – The Liberia National Police on Wednesday forwarded Montserrado County District #1 Representative aspirant, Amos Siebo, and his wife Margret Siebo to the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice for prosecution.

Report by Kennedy L. Yangian klyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com

Escorted by the police, the couple appeared before the court around 4p.m, following their arrest on Saturday, February 26, and were charged with criminal conspiracy and theft of property.

The defendants were remanded at the Monrovia Central Prison, pending trial.

Family members and friends present in the court yard rained insults and threatened to brutalize reporters who were trying to photograph the defendants.

“I don’t  think  you people will get this special picture for your news, is this action a strange thing in Liberia with the number of corruption case reported all around here?”, a lady claimed to be relative to the defendants wondered as she other  family members stood before the defendants bowed their heads in shame while en route to prison.

According to the LNP, couple was arrested on February 26, 2017 in Kangar Town Johnsonville Community outside Monrovia after a tip-off that they had conspired with another culprit, Alphonso Somwarbi, to allegedly carry on voter registration at a building in the same area.

The voter registration cards which were used by the defendants, according to the police, were materials from the National Election Commission (NEC) destined for Goba Town.

Another defendant, Melton Craig was also jailed alongside Siebo and his wife. According to the police, Craig, serving in his capacity of registrar at the Goba Town Public School conspired with fugitive Somwarbi to also carry on the plot.

Police also claimed that there were multitude of people in and around the house defendant Siebo and his wife Magaret but during the couple arrest all of them escaped the scene into the various communities due the presence of limited police presence at the time.

Siebo’s arrest come amid pronouncement by the National Election Commission  (NEC) to turn over current Montserrado County District $14 Representative Vamuyan Conneh to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution for voter trucking, a violation of the  new election law promulgated.

Gbarnga County – The National Elections Commission local office in Bong County has reported the registration of 166,618 persons in Bong County.

Report by Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com 

As of February 1- 25, the NEC lower Bong County office in Totota reported 61,669 registrants while the upper Bong office in Gbarnga recorded 75,149.

The NEC lower Bong County office in Totota covers Suakoko, Yellequelleh, Salala, Sanoyea and Fuamah districts while the upper office in Gbarnga covers Jorquelleh 1&2, Kpaii, Kokoyah, Boisen, Togbalee, Panta and Zota districts including Menquelleh clan. 

Lower Bong County senior election magistrate, Barsee Kpangbai said all of the ninety five centers in the five districts remain open, though some are nearing the benchmark of three thousand registrants. 

He said electoral #5 and 7 are currently reporting the highest number of registrants in lower Bong County, adding that there have been massive turnouts at centers around the St. Paul River in Fuamah district.

At the same time, the NEC senior magistrate in Gbarnga, Daniel Newland told the Liberia News Agency that five centers in electoral district#3 in the Gbarnga area have been closed after each of them met the benchmark of registering three thousand eligible voters. 

Newland named the centers, as the David Kuyoun sports stadium, Gboveh high school, William V.S Tubman Grey United Methodist School, Wohn-A-Nehn and the Sunday market in Gbarnga.

He said centers at John F. Bakalu, Melekie, Gbaota, Winsue and Gbelekpalai among others remain opened in electoral district#3. 

The two NEC magistrates have meanwhile encouraged residents and natives of the county who have not registered to turnout in order to secure their participation in the elections in October.

The Liberia Institute for Geo-Information Services 2008 population census indicates Bong County as the third most populated county in Liberia with a population of over three hundred fifty thousand residents.

In line with the LIGIS 2008 report, the National Elections Commission has set a target to register two hundred and ten thousand eligible voters in Bong county. 

Of that number, the NEC office in Totota is to register one hundred thousand while the office in Gbarnga has one hundred ten thousand eligible voters to register.

The NEC added 26 new voters’ registration centers to the existing 155 centers in the county before the start of the voter registration, increasing the number to 181 centers in Bong County.

In 2011, the National Elections Commission registered more than one hundred fifty thousand eligible voters in Bong County.

Bong County – Wokie Dolo, Miss Liberia 2017, has embarked on a vigorous nationwide voter registration awareness campaign, beginning with Bong and Nimba Counties.

The voter registration exercise is a significant component of the 2017 Presidential and Legislative Elections. It started on a snail-pace, due to faulty cameras.

Many Liberians have expressed disappointment in the process, which is expected to expire on March 7, 2017.

Some are calling on the National Elections Commission (NEC) to extend the registration period, so as to afford others the opportunity to register.

Considering the significant of the process, Miss Dolo at the weekend initiated an aggressive nationwide voter awareness crusade to enhance NEC’s civic voter registration exercise.

She is NEC Brand Ambassador. As part of her campaign, the beauty queen on February 24, 2017 travelled to Suakoko, Bong County where she distributed countless numbers of voter registration awareness materials. 

She also held interactive meeting with some students and faculty of Cuttington University (CU) in Suakoko, Bong County. 

During the meeting, Miss Dolo stressed the importance of the voter registration exercise and encouraged students of her alma mater, to turn-out to register.

According to our reporter, Miss Dolo was successful in persuading some students enrolled at CU to register.

She also cajoled some eligible voters including market women, members of the disabled community to register, following a talk show on Radio Gbarnga.

On Saturday, Miss Dolo traveled to Nimba County, where she encouraged residents of several towns to register to the nearest registration centers.

She discouraged residents not to allow politicians truck them to different district to register.

Miss Dolo cautioned residents of Nimba against registering twice, because according to her it is an illegal act.

During one of her numerous stops, Miss Dolo registered to vote in Dingamo, a village outside the commercial town of Ganta.

Monrovia – As the voters registration exercise enters its final week, Medica Liberia has launched a week long voter registration awareness campaign to boost women’s participation in the electoral process.

Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh – Gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com

According to the Medica Liberia’s Advocacy Officer, Yah Parwon, the awareness is intended to highlight the importance of women’s involvement in political decision making through the ballot box.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign in Old Road on Monday, February 27, Parwon urged the gathering, comprising mainly of women to amplify their voices in the pending general elections by obtaining their voter registration cards.

“You have to register if you want your voice to be heard.”

“After you have registered, you should ask your aspirants what they have in their platform for you and the community.”

“If we don’t register and vote, tomorrow when leaders who are elected do nothing for the women, we will hold ourselves responsible.

“So your vote is very important. Your votes will decide who will make laws; your votes will decide who will be President. So please go to register and vote,” Parwon asserted.

She said the awareness will be carried out in Medica Liberia’s twelve implementing communities within Montserrado County. including Old Road, Peace Island, Rock Crusher, Congo Town etc.

Also speaking at the start of the awareness in Gaye Town, Old Roald, the community’s Chairlady, Oretha Gd’Almeida, appealed to the National Elections Commission to extend the voter registration period to allow more eligible voters, especially women to register.

She noted that the process was marred by setbacks at the beginning of the exercise and as such there was a need to extend it in order to cover the lost time.

“I am also appealing to NEC to please extend the time.  

The time has been wasted. People trucking people, the camera spoiling, and there are more people who have not registered.  So, we are kindly asking you guys to extend the voter registration,” G d’Almeida urged.

She used the occasion to on her fellow women to register and make independent decisions in October.

“It goes to all our Liberians, girls, women and men, please don’t sell your voting card. Your voting card is your right. Please don’t give your cards up.”

“We are begging NEC to please take proactive action by going to each center to stop aspirants from trucking people. Because when they continue to truck people, then those that we don’t want will end up being elected. So NEC please do this for us.”

Medica Liberia (ML), formerly known as Medica Mondiale Liberia, is a local non-governmental feminist rights organization supporting women and girls in war and conflict regions.

Monrovia – A consultant of the Presidential Delivery Unit, Amos Siebo, has been arrested as part of an illegal voters registration ring at his private home in Johnsonville, outside Monrovia.

The ring was busted with an assortment of National Elections Commission voters registration materials, including cameras, blank voters cards, forms and printers.

FrontPageAfrica has not been able ascertain the how Siebo and his cohorts obtained official materials from the National Elections Commission (NEC) as the Communication Department and other officials of the NEC told this outlet they were not in the know of the arrest.

Siebo who intends contesting the Montserrado County District #1 seat was arrested along with five ladies. Other workers of the NEC believed to be linked to the scheme are to be on the run, as the Liberia National Police has commenced an investigation into the matter.

Based on the police report, the Ministry of State has immediately cancelled Mr. Siebo’s contract. He and his cohorts are being processed for prosecution.

Police Inspector General, Col. Gregory Coleman, has duly apprised the NEC Chair, Cllr. Jerome Korkoyah, of the development and the NEC boss has promised his full cooperation in matter.

The Government of Liberia has reiterated its commitment to the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections and has commended the swift action by the Police.

It urges all Liberians to respect the sanctity and integrity of the electoral process as no effort will be spared in bringing any transgressors to justice.

Amidst the plethora of challenges and constraints the National Elections Commission face from the start of the Voter Registration exercise till now; Challenges such as: inadequate resources, unqualified VR staff, insufficient awareness/sensitization, VR equipment (most especially cameras) not functioning well, lack of security personnel at some VR centers, among others.

The NEC on the 8^th February 2017 (One week after the start) announces and claims that the commission through her VR centers & staff has registered one million Liberians across the 15counties, 73electoral districts, and 2,080 registration centers (source: New Dawn Newspaper Online). From the day this information was released many of us still find it difficult to believed, because as it stands there are still challenges and in fact the NEC is even considering an extension of this process.

But here is the thing about these elections, thousands of our fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters both in rural and urban communities across Liberia who are eligible voters, are very much hesitant about this whole voter registration process and are angry and disenchanted over the entire election.

On the bases of that, their vote being cast from time-to-time hasn’t yielded any positive or tangible results due to their living conditions and the current state of affairs. Some even hold the view that most of our politicians are liars and that they all do not mean well for this country.

In this case, what do we do as ordinary citizens, politicians, advocates, NEC officials, etc? That is the question that we must ask ourselves now and come up with a solution that will mitigate this situation.

In an effort to mitigate this problem, the below recommendations are the keys to unlocking the puzzles of these challenges:

1. More awareness and sensitization needs to be done by political parties, civil society organizations, and faith-based institutions, among others; explaining the significance of the VR process and why we (most especially hesitant voters) should vote in these elections.

2. Political parties, Leaders, Stewarts, and Politicians should be sincere in their thoughts and ideas this time around. They must ensure that their campaign message (s) commiserates with the needs, wants, views and aspirations of the electorates.

3. The NEC should take into consideration the activation and dispatcher of her National Monitoring & Evaluation Teams across the country. This M & E process will put VR staff and personnel on the right path against the odds of error making. Furthermore, the NEC should reach a decision now to extent the VR process.

4. Election Observers must strive to report all electoral malpractices being exhibited at their different VR centers on a day-to-day or weekly basis, via the various media outlets. And ensure that the NEC addresses those concerns.

5. An official apology from our current national leaders and politicians to our distinguished citizens who are hesitant and equally disenchanted over the current political and governmental system for the gross betrayal of their stewardship and confidence, keeping them in abject poverty, denying them the opportunities to succeed and not providing them basic social services that should have improved their lives over the last 12 years.

Towards this end, the supra recommendations are tools we can use to convince our fellow compatriots to stop being hesitant. Let us not take these and many other suggestions for granted in these elections or else the NEC will not reach her projected 2.5M voter registration target. If these issues are not addressed, we ought to have the lowest turnout on Elections Day in our nation’s history.

In the same vein, it is important to again encourage fellow compatriots, those of whom that have not registered and still yet hesitant, to come out in their numbers and register to vote.

Because that is the only way we are going to have a new President, Legislature or a Government. Also be (hesitant voters) reminded that change is a process and not an event and it does not take place out of instance. The change we want to see starts now and begins with us.

With this, I rest my case for now.    

The Author

Bako Korboi Shuaibu, Jr., is Sophomore Student of the African Methodist Episcopal University in Monrovia reading Public Administration-Major and Economics-Minor. He is also an Advocate, Writer, Social Entrepreneur, Pan-African Evangelist, and Global Change maker, Community Organizer, Social Change Activist, Communications Strategist, Motivational Speaker, Innovator and a staunch Intellectual of the Pan-African Conscious Corner. 0777-604-909/886-161-455/shuaibujr@gmail.com

Monrovia –  As the voters registration process nears an end, the special representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission in Liberia has called for a scaling up in civic and voters education.

Report by Bettie Johnson Mbayo, bettie.mbayo@frontpageafricaonline.com

“What we recommend is the need for more civic education on the part of the Civil Society Organizations, National Elections Commission and Government of Liberia because there is the need to continuously educates people on the voters registration.”

Ambassador Babatunde O. Ajisomo said if such is done, it would help increase the number of registered voters.

He spoke when several ECOWAS Ambassadors, including the Ambassador of South Africa to Liberia, Vanapalan Punjanathan MOODLEY on Wednesday toured numerous polling centers in four communities in the country.

The tour was done in West Point, New Kru Town, Logan Town and Duala communities.

Ambassador Ajisomo also called on communities to get involved in the registration process no matter whatever disenchantment against the government, adding that it is their constitutional duty to do so.

He said their observation of the process was smoothly done, commending NEC for the improvement.

“We discover that some people who are not naturalized Liberians went to register but were denied by NEC polling staff. So we hope as they go to polling centers, they will carry their legal documents so as to establish their citizenship.”

He continued: “If you don’t have effective registration exercise, it will be difficult to have transparent and fair election. There is lot of lesson to learn after the exercise.”

He disclosed that at the polling centers, they observed more females registering than males.

 “The four places we visited, we saw more women registering than men; but men need to come out. We hope during the election they will come out and vote because when you register, you have the power to exercise your right.”

He added that the GOL has tried but said more needs to be done mostly on the funding process, calling on donors and partners to help NEC so as to ensure a free, fair, transparent peaceful election.

At the same time the South African Ambassador Vanapalan Punjanathan MOODLEY commended the NEC for creating an environment for Liberians to partake in the election.

“The VR process is an integral part and we must understand that the NEC will make mistake and they are taking over the general election so the support they will have now wouldn’t be like the past,” he added.

Monrovia –  As the 2017 voter registration exercise enters its second weeks, Wokie Dolo, Miss Liberia 2017 has embarked on a massive voter registration awareness campaign, encouraging eligible Liberians to turnout and register.

The 2017 voter registration exercise, which started on February 1, 2017, is experiencing serious hitches, which have slow the process in some parts of the country.

Faulty cameras and shortage of VR forms at some centers across the country have stalled the process, with some individuals being denied registration.

The National Elections Commission (NEC) says it is targeting 2.5 million people to register for the 2017 elections, but about 1 million voters have already been registered, NEC Chairman Cllr. Jerome Korkoyah disclosed last week.       

Amidst the challenge, Miss Liberia has embarked on a nationwide campaign to persuade Liberians to register.

Ms Dolo’s media team has disclosed that the beauty queen would soon embark on a tour of four counties.  

She would encourage Liberians of voting age to turnout en mass to register to vote on elections day.

As part, of her voter registration awareness campaign, Miss Dolo has produced jingles video show casting the importance of the voter registration exercise.

Ms Dolo is also using social media including Facebook, Instagram and twitter to encourage Liberians to get register. In a video posted on Facebook, Miss Dolo is calling on all Liberians, 18 years and above to register at the center closer to them.

Ms Wokie Dolo, a native of Nimba County, northern Liberia was crowned Miss. Liberia 2017.

She emerged winner of Miss. Liberia Beauty Pageant on December 30, 2016, following tremendous exhibitions of her talents at the national event, which attracted hundreds of Liberians and foreign nationals.

Ms Dolo obtained a Bachelor of Art Degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution in 2015 from the Cuttington University in Suakoko, Bong County and also obtained a certificate in leadership and campaign planning from the Youth Political Leadership School in 2016.

She is a humanitarian, who has over the years, helped empowered young people through education and community development. As a campaigner for girl education, Miss. Dolo has provided scholarships to less fortunate girls across Liberia, especially in her native Nimba County.

Former Miss Cuttington University 2012, contributed immensely to the fight against the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, which devastated the country and made donations to orphans in Monrovia and its environs.