GBARNGA, Bong County, May 15, 2026 — The Liberia Opportunities Industrialization Center (LOIC) in Bong County is set to graduate 223 students from various vocational and technical programs during its 2026 graduation ceremony scheduled for today, Friday, May 15, at the institution’s campus in Gbarnga. The graduates include 81 females trained in disciplines such as agriculture, electricity, general construction, tailoring, and computer studies. Speaking ahead of the ceremony, LOIC Manager Rachel M. Paye praised the Bong County administration, development partners, and other supporters for their significant contributions to strengthening vocational and technical education in the county. “We want to thank the county leadership, Superintendent Loleyah Hawa Norris, the senators, representatives, and the County Council for supporting our young people,” Madam Paye stated. According to her, Bong County authorities provided approximately US$21,000 in assistance to support students enrolled at the institution, a move she described as historic and impactful for vocational...

TAPPITA, Nimba County, May 15, 2026 — Businessman William F. Kotee Jr. has called for increased national investment in Liberia’s health workforce, warning that persistent shortages of nurses and midwives, coupled with ongoing maternal health challenges, continue to threaten the country’s healthcare system and future development. Kotee made the remarks during the International Nurses and Midwifery Week celebration held at the Jackson F. Doe Memorial Regional Referral Hospital in Tappita, Nimba County. Speaking as guest speaker at the event, Kotee described nurses and midwives as the backbone of Liberia’s healthcare system and urged the government and stakeholders to prioritize improved salaries, training opportunities, staffing, and working conditions for health workers across the country. “You are not just hospital staff. You are the backbone of Liberia’s survival system,” Kotee stated while addressing health workers gathered under the theme: “Our Nurses, Our Future: Empowered Nurses and Midwives Save Lives.” He praised Liberian...

MONROVIA, Liberia, May 15, 2026 — Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has issued a strong public defense of women in leadership, condemning what she described as the growing use of propaganda, character attacks, and misinformation against women holding positions of influence in Liberia’s political space. In a public statement, Madam Howard-Taylor argued that women who rise to positions of leadership are often targeted through smear campaigns and personal attacks aimed at damaging their reputations rather than addressing their records or achievements. “Let it be said plainly: when a woman rises in power, the first weapon thrown at her is not truth, it is propaganda,” the former Vice President stated. According to her, political opponents frequently resort to misinformation and character assassination when they are unable to challenge a woman’s competence, leadership, or public service record. Madam Howard-Taylor warned that such practices undermine fairness, discourage women’s participation in national leadership, and...

LAAR TOWN, Porkpa District, Grand Cape Mount County, May 15, 2026 — Residents of Laar Town in Porkpa District are raising alarm over growing food security concerns after a herd of elephants reportedly invaded community farmlands and destroyed large portions of crops, leaving several families facing serious economic hardship ahead of the rainy season. Speaking about the incident, affected farmers and community leaders said the overnight invasion severely damaged cassava, plantain, rice, and other food crops relied upon by residents for daily survival and household income. According to local residents, the destruction has created fear and uncertainty within the farming community, especially since many families depend entirely on agriculture for food and livelihoods. “We are calling on the Forestry Development Authority and the government to help us,” one affected farmer appealed. “We need immediate food support, and we also need a safe solution to prevent these elephants from returning.” Community...

FISH TOWN, River Gee County, May 15, 2026 — The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) River Gee County Detachment has arrested two suspected drug dealers in separate operations carried out between May 8 and May 10 in Fish Town and surrounding communities, authorities have confirmed. Speaking on the arrests, River Gee County Detachment Commander, Special Agent Bill M. Cooper Jr., disclosed that the operations form part of ongoing efforts by the LDEA to combat the illegal drug trade and substance abuse within the county. According to an official LDEA report, the first suspect, identified as Emmanuel Blawon, 34, a Liberian of Kru ethnicity, was arrested on May 8 in Fish Town at approximately 12:30 p.m. Authorities alleged that Blawon was found in possession of 20 strips of Tramadol pills with an estimated street value of about L$140,000. He was subsequently detained at the LDEA Fish Town headquarters pending preliminary investigations....

By Lincoln G. Peters Paynesville, Monrovia, May 15, 2026: Just days after his acquittal in a high-profile economic sabotage trial, former Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah, Jr., has once again been summoned, this time by the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force (AREPT). Tweah has been asked to answer questions regarding the US$20.5 million rice subsidy fund implemented by the former Coalition for Democratic Change government. In a communication dated May 13, 2026, and signed by Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, AREPT Chairman, Mr. Tweah was extended formal compliments and notified of an active investigation into the rice subsidy funds appropriated between September 2021 and October 2022. AREPT instructed Mr. Tweah to appear with his legal counsel at the Asset Recovery Head Office, Golden Key Compound, King Gray, Paynesville, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 11:00 AM for questioning. “The Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force...

Nairobi, Kenya, May 15, 2026: Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called on women across Liberia to remain united and committed to advancing women’s rights and protecting womanhood as the country observes Unification Day. In a message released on the occasion, Sirleaf said, “On this Unification Day, this is a call to action by the women of Liberia. We have a duty and an obligation to continue our collective effort for the promotion and protection of women and womanhood.” Sirleaf, who is currently in Nairobi, Kenya, attending a meeting of The Elders, said the struggle for women’s dignity and equality must continue despite longstanding social and historical barriers. “Our cause is just, our common purpose is right, and our commitment remains strong against historical inequities and injustices,” the former president said. She warned that actions or statements that undermine the shared struggle of women could weaken years of progress...

By Stephen G. Fellajuah Monrovia, Liberia, May 15, 2026 – The Indian Embassy in Liberia has announced that India will host the 4th India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV) and the inaugural International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit in New Delhi from May 29 to June 1, 2026. Ambassador Shri Manoj Bihari Verma made the disclosure on Thursday, May 14, 2026, during a press briefing at the Embassy of India in Monrovia, presenting the two upcoming events as landmark gatherings aimed at strengthening cooperation between India and African nations while advancing global environmental collaboration. Ambassador Verma noted that the Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit will take place on May 31 under the theme: “IA SPIRIT: India-Africa Strategic Partnership for Innovation, Resilience, and Inclusive Transformation.” According to him, the summit will bring together African leaders, representatives of the African Union Commission, and regional economic communities for the first India-Africa summit in more than a...

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Monrovia, May 15, 2026 – Fresh questions are being raised here over where millions of United Nations rent payments for the Pan African Plaza in central Monrovia are actually going. Reports claim that more than US$50 million was paid over nearly two decades to a company whose legal status and ownership remain unclear. The findings compiled by The Sentry, an organization that traces Libyan assets, placed the Pan African Plaza, an office building reportedly constructed in the 1980s with Libyan funding, at the center of the controversy. In 2004, the United Nations Mission in Liberia negotiated a lease for the property at an annual rent of about US$2.8 million. By December 2023, total payments had reportedly exceeded US$50 million, but it has never been publicly established who ultimately benefited from the money. Findings cited in the Sentry report indicate that the rent was paid to Pan African Real Estate Company,...