Total Gas Stations Threaten Protected Wetlands

As the rest of the world struggles to come to terms with the effect of climate change, the poorest countries, like our own, are on the front lines. Scientists say the vast majority of climate change is caused by richer countries like the US and China, far out of our control.  But an investigation by…

Oil Crisis Sparks Shift to Renewable Energy in Liberia

It stands one storey tall and is painted in radiant orange and green but that is not what makes Emma’s Fashion perhaps the most noticeable building at V.O.A. Junction on the Roberts International Airport highway. What makes it stand out is 16 solar panels attached to two opposite sides of its roof, providing the modern…

Impact of Global Oil Price on Liberians

https://soundcloud.com/user5687520/impact-of-global-oil-price-on-liberians-tecee-boleymp3 In some of Africa’s biggest oil producing countries like Nigeria and Angola the dramatic global drop in oil prices has had a big impact. Ninety percent of government revenue in those countries comes from oil sales so the drop has been felt by people across the country. Liberia has yet to discover oil and…

No Oil but Chevron Leaves Its Mark on Liberia

As almost all of the oil companies are shutting down operations in Liberia, we look back at what one of the biggest companies Chevron, is leaving behind as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility program in Liberia. This is a special radio production on Radio Gbarnga bringing to the spotlight the impact of Chevron’s  Corporate…

Uncertain Over Payment: Ex-NOCAL Staff Wary of Severance Pay

Monrovia – It has been more than six months since President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ordered a restructure of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) in an effort to prevent bankruptcy. With that came the redundancy of more than 100 employees. The decision sparked a serious dispute between the workers and company over severance payments….

New Narratives Reporters Profiled in Valerie Magazine

After the War, Liberian Women Fight for a New Future MONROVIA, Liberia—As a feminist and reporter based in West Africa, I was drawn to Liberia by the promise of women, who played a significant role in rebuilding a nation left shattered by 14 years of civil war. The international face of the West African country…

NN’s Mae Azango’s Brave Reporting Features on Chime for Change

When Mae Azango wrote her cover story on the health effects of female genital cutting in Liberia’s major newspaper, FrontPage Africa on International Women’s Day in March 2012 she had little idea of the firestorm she would ignite. Within days Mae and her 9-year-old daughter were in hiding – the targets of death threats from…

Child Labor Thrives in Liberia

In 2007, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf introduced a policy mandating that all primary school-age children go to school. Parents risk fines or even being jailed if their children work on the street instead of attending school. Nearly four years later, the streets of the capital, Monrovia, are still crowded with young school-age children who work…

NN’s Rodney Sieh Spells Out the No Bribe Policy at FrontPage Africa Newspaper

Paying Off – The problem of bribes in the Liberian press After two civil wars, Liberian journalists are enjoying unprecedented freedoms but struggling to maintain independence. The business of news is not yet financially viable there: the media market is oversaturated, advertising is weak, and readership is low with a low-hanging ceiling—only 58 percent of the…

NN’s Robtel Pailey makes The New York Times with her piece on Children’s Role in Changing a Culture of Corruption

MONROVIA, Liberia — I remember the first time I stared corruption in the face. It was 2010, and I was chairwoman of a Liberian government committee responsible for reforming the awarding of international scholarships. We discovered that a group of 18-year-old boys had forged their national exam records to become eligible for a scholarship to…