C Liberia Clearly

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has announced that he is sending former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to Liberia to support the transfer of power peacefully to a democratically-elected president. Another Nigerian former leader, Goodluck Jonathan is at present in the country, at the head of a monitoring group. Guterres, who announced Obasanjo’s appointment as an envoy on Wednesday in New York through his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, also welcomed the peaceful conduct of the second round of the presidential election in Liberia. Liberians on Tuesday, voted in a second round of elections, deciding between Vice-President Joseph Boakai and George Weah, a politician and former soccer star. This would be Liberia’s first peaceful transfer of power from one democratically-elected leader to another in more than 70 years. “The Secretary-General hopes that the will of the Liberian electorate will be respected and that a seamless transfer of power will take place within constituti...

Immediately after the polls closed, election officials counted ballots at a polling center in the West Point slum of Monrovia. (December 26, 2017. Carielle Doe, Monrovia, Liberia.) The National Elections Commission (NEC) says it will today, December 28, begin the announcement of provisional results of the December 26, 2017 presidential runoff election, held between VP Joseph Boakai of the Unity Party (UP) and Senator George Weah of the (CDC). The NEC says tally of votes started immediately following the close of the polls on the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 26 across the country, and it is continuing. Meanwhile, the Commission clarifies that it did not schedule a press conference for Wednesday at 11 a.m., as was earlier announced, and regrets the inconvenience the misinformation may have caused. The progressive counting of votes from 160 polling places out of 382 polling places put Senator Weah ahead of his opponent with 24,054 constituting 65.6% ahead of the Unity Party (UP) Standar...

The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday hailed the "peaceful conduct" of Liberia's presidential run-off election, which pitted former international footballer George Weah against Vice President Joseph Boakai. "The Secretary-General welcomes the peaceful conduct of the second round of the presidential election in Liberia," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. "He commends the government, political parties and people of Liberia for the orderly poll." Guterres has requested that former president Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, a member of the UN chief's high-level advisory board, travel to Monrovia from December 28 to 30 as part of the international body's "good offices engagement in Liberia," Dujarric said.

The National Public Health Institute of Liberia as an autonomous agency under the Ministry of Health, solely responsible for disease surveillance has embarked on a vigorous sanitation exercise in Liberia. According to Jaybah Mubah, Special assistant to Tolbert Nyensuah, the action is aimed at ensuring that Liberians live under a better hygienic condition. Speaking with scores of reporters during the observance of this year's Christmas celebration, Mulbah noted that they've commenced the exercises at commercial swimming pools, garages, water factories amongst others. He however, added that septic tank closeness to wells in the country are among paramount issues NPHIL tend to address. It can be recalled the president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf forwarded an act to the Legislature establishing the National Public Health Institute of Liberia. The act passed by the Legislature brought the full establishment of the National Public Health Institute (NPHIL). Renovation works are now ongoi...

After what has been termed as poor voters turned up during Tuesday's Polls in Liberia Presidential Run-Off Election, the National Elections Commission has started tallying of results at the various NEC Magisterial centers across the country. Preliminary results emanating from parties situation rooms and local media outlets has seen former soccer legend George Weah widely topping Vice President Joseph Boakai. The NEC had earlier on informed Liberians that will start the announcement of provisional results on Wednesday at 4:00pm, but up to press time, the NEC has not been able to come up with any provisional result though the final result is expected in two days. This election will see Liberia passed through its first political transition in 73 years. However, the NEC has warned political parties to avoid early jubilations until the officials results are announced by the commission. Writer: Tarr Garnett 

Writer: Tarr Garnett  Siokin Civicus Barsigiah, an energetic and passing midfielder has finally retired from the soccer pitch. The retirement ceremony took place on the Dark Forest Field soccer pitch in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County.  During his retirement at age 36 soccer encounter, the Liberian soccer star and old friends played against Knight FC in what was seen as a competitive but very fascinating soccer encounter that ended 3-1 in favor of Knights FC. According to the retired soccer star, he has and will always dedicate has time in ensuring that soccer is improved in the country. He has at the same time called on young athletes in Liberia to find alternative careers that will sustain them in case of any injury, age or lack of contracts. He has also pointed out that though he will miss the pitch, it is about time that he build upon what he has acquired in his education. The Liberian star that lastly played in the United States, has returned home to serve his count...

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has passed an Executive Order to establish a transitional team for the transfer of power to the incoming President. Signed on December 25, 2017, the executive order sets up the Joint Presidential Transition Team (JPTT) to “establish mechanism for the proper management and orderly transfer of executive power from this current administration to the incoming President”. “I, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me pursuant to Chapter Two, Article 5 (c) of the constitution of the Republic of Liberia (1986), hereby issue this Executive Order to be called the President Transition Executive Order,” reads the order. According to the order, President Sirleaf and the incoming President-elect shall be co-chairpersons of the JPTT and may designate any member to the team to act in their absence, while the Minister of States for Presidential Affairs shall serve as secretary general. “Decision of the...