As part of its tradition each year since 1991, the Inquirer Newspaper bestows honor on individuals as well as entities in its year-end edition for the year under review and that is simply due to their roles and or services rendered to the public or in the society in general.
It is in this direction that our editorial team liaises with the public seeking opinions and making judgments on whom or what should be captured in its special personality’s edition.
To this end, the paper is without doubt in selecting the below listed as our ‘achieved personalities’ of the year 2021 and we look forward to said individuals making more strides in their work in the coming years so that they continue to win the admiration of the media as they serve humanity and the society.
You will notice that some of our honorees will be receiving our recognition twice because this paper deems it expedient as those who will be fortunate have continued to make gains in their achievements which cannot go unnoticed while some are not repeated because they have failed to live up to such expeditious esteem.
Therefore, those worthy of our recognition for this year under review are:
Most Recognized Public Servant of the year
-Mary Taryonnoh Broh; Benevolent of the Year-Upjit Singh Sachdeva (Jetty); Diplomat of the Year-Laurent Delahousse;
Ministers of the Year
-Ruth Coker-Collins; Commissioner of the Year-Thomas Doe Nah; Lawmaker of the Year-J. Fornati Koffa; Courtroom of the Year-Civil Law Court;
Our Most Recognized Public Servant of the Year award goes to Mary Taryonnoh Broh, Head of the Citizen Engagement Board (CEB) who fits in any role given her perform and at a short notice restored sanity and order to the capital by regulating petty traders or street sellers who were bent on using the sidewalks as their kitchens.
The CEB, which she chairs was constituted by the Monrovia City Government in October in an effort of giving Monrovia a facelift for the festive season, but most importantly, for January 2022, the bicentennial celebration is expected to be held here.
It hired 1,000 young people or communities’ residents for short term service to help clean the city with the promise that Monrovia City will be beautified and decorated with an effective community-based mechanism coordinated to sustain long term health and sanitation as well as urbanization.
When Broh and her team jump-started the campaign one Monday morning, to the surprise of Monrovians and the entire capital, the news spread far and wide thereby sending residents amok in identifying those bent on misusing the city ordinances as well as keeping themselves in check.
Had it not been for CEB and the selection of Broh as its chairperson, Monrovia would have been called “No-Go-Zone” and that is because of the problem with sanitation as residents were throwing filths or wastes in the street.
Her zest to perform any role ascribed to her to serve her people and country with visibility and results has won for her our admiration to award her as the most recognized public servant, 2021
India’s former Consul General in Liberia, Upjit Singh Sachdeva (Jeety) is our Benevolent of the Year and under our spotlight, as the CEO of the Jetty Trading Corporation which continues to render invaluable services to Liberia, he has personally outstretched not only as an entity doing business in Liberia but he has won for himself a space in the country’s social, political and economic systems.
During this ongoing pandemic (covid19), Jeety was instrumental in ensuring that almost 1,000 foreign nationals (visitors or residents) like the Indians, Pakistani, Syrians, Lebanese and others get vaccinated at the Gurwara Sahib Temple in Mamba Point so as to keep the country safe.
Jetty reached out to Monrovians in various communities including the wayward or Zogos as well as institutions both private and public like the Monrovia Central Prison, John F. Kennedy Medical Center, St. Joseph’s Catholic, ELWA, Redemption and Benson Hospitals including the 14th Military Hospital with medical supplies and also non-food items.
He restored to the South Beach Central Prison in Monrovia the aged-old damaged running water and electricity systems which are now fully functional and are being enjoyed by the inmates as well as the prison staff.
Diplomat of the Year is-Laurent Delahousse; Head of the European Union to Liberia. Indeed, this man has won not only the paper (INQUIRER) but Liberians in general admiration for his frankness on issues that are of concern to international partners.
He has been consistently candid while speaking truth to “power” on issues ranging from reconstruction or the recovery of Liberia after its decade and half years of a civil war that had left the country struggling for leadership and governance.
The EU now with 27 memberships following the exit of the United Kingdom, is one of Liberia’s largest partners and its representative has not minced his words while his country is hugely supporting Liberia’s reconstruction and rehabilitation envelope in the interest of the poor people.
Had it not been for Delahousse’s undiplomatic outburst on environmental matters like the “dirtiness” of the capital, the government would not have been alerted or taken as a serious matter to have acted swiftly and promptly in trying to sustain a neat Monrovia for the upcoming bicentennial celebration.
Minister of the Year-Ruth Coker-Collins; the first female but longest serving Acting Minister of Public Works is our Minister of the year, 2021. It is no secret that Madam Coker Collins has served diligently for almost 16 months since Friday, September 3, 2020; she has proven to be up to the task in terms of performance judging from the post she served as Deputy Minister for Technical Services before her elevation as Minister.
The Acting Minister at Public Works is perhaps the first female in Liberia’s contemporary government’s administration and her commitment, dedication and hard work cannot be underrated in the true sense of continuity.
Ruth has been on top of the Ministry’s gain in the pavement and upgrading of ongoing road reconstructions nationwide including the Coca Cola Factory to ELWA corridor in Paynesville; Coca Cola Factory to Omega Road; Robertsfield to ELWA Junction Road expansion; Madina to Robertsport Road, Grand Cape Mount County, etc.
Others are the Ganta to Yekepa Road; Saclepea to Zwedru Highway for which the US$41 million financing agreement was ratified by the Legislature following submission by the executive after the government reached agreement with the International Development Association (IDA).
Reformist of the Year-Charles Gibson. The Labor Minister has brought visible reforms to that Ministry mainly to the labor and the trafficking sectors during the year under review.
His achievements were through using social dialogue in resolving labor matters and disputes in the sector to effecting policies because many of the workers are vulnerable and do not have the time and resources to sustain labor cases in most instances.
Whenever complaints are taken to the Ministry, he uses diverse methods in dealing with them; deferring some to the Assistant Minister for Labor Standards which sometimes ends up before the Hearing Officer and the policy is evoked.
All of these have helped in preventing industrial strikes at various companies or concessionaire sites by agitating workers for arrears or current salaries.
The Labor Ministry along with partners have made companies or concessionaires to create over 500 jobs for universities, colleges, Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) graduates and are screening 6,000 more applications from job-seekers to take up assignments with various companies or concessionaires in the country.
Minister Gibson, also as head of the Anti-Trafficking Taskforce has been engaged in ensuring that those involved in human trafficking are prosecuted. Currently, he is seeking partnership with Sierra Leone and Guinea to ensure the hosting of a mini summit organized in the Mano Union basin aimed at combating regional human trafficking.
Commissioner of the Year-Thomas Doe Nah
Mr. Nah has been consciously voted as the institution’s commissioner of the year following names of nominees submitted by the editorial team for vetting.
The LRA Commissioner General’s selection followed thorough vetting processes by the institution’s Editorial Board.
Commissioner Doe-Nah won the Inquirer’s recognition due to the aggressive reforms he brought to the Liberia Revenue Authority, which among other things, have drastically increased productivity to the LRA.
Under the leadership of Thomas Doe-Nah, the Liberian national envelope continues to upsurge progressively, amongst other developments and the stern policy designed meant to radically abridge corruption and improve tax collection is among other things enhancing the Pro-poor Agenda for Posterity and Development under the Weah-Taylor’s administration.
Already, the current draft national budget which was recently passed by the House of Representatives, increased from US$600m to US$786m. In our minds, all of the commendations for robust tax collections go the LRA.
Recently, the LRA under Mr. Thomas Doe-nah launched his latest policy program intended to further increase National budget to a billion dollar, an unprecedented amount, President George Weah termed as commendable.
We think, all of this would have been possible if the former CSO official was not at the helm of power at the Liberia Revenue Authority.
Lawmaker of the Year:
This paper’s 2021 lawmaker of the year award goes to Grand Kru Representative, J. Fonati Koffa now Deputy Speaker of the Republic of Liberia.
Representative Koffa’s selection is due to his incriminatory humanitarian posture as records detailed showed that every cent Rep. Kofa gets as lawmaker, goes to his kinsmen residing in Grand Kru and Montserrado Counties.
This honoree is poised to dedicate a second major school project worth US$60, 000 school and has earmarked over L$8.1Million development projects in Grand Kru County following a construction of the district’s project he undertook two months ago.
District 2 Representative Koffa announced that the dedication of the George Tugbeh Worjloh Elementary School in Sasstown, Jroah Statutory District, Grand Kru County is finally set for the end of December.
The first project was the John Fannoh Karpeh (Chemgbetee) Elementary School in Dorboh Statutory District.
The L-shape 10-classroom building funded by Rep. Cllr. Koffa is aimed at improving the quality of education and promoting more conducive learning environment in the county. Also, the District 2 Representative has announced eight major development initiatives to be undertaken across Grand Kru County in continuation of the massive boost of development.
The eight development projects are a part of other projects, some of which are already completed and furnished-which among other developments include the John Fannoh Karpeh (Chemgbetee) and George Tugbeh Worjloh Elementary Schools, five hand pumps, and the procured 100 solar street lights for Borlloh, all costing about US$180,000.00 (L$25.2m).
On December13, 2021, he announced the implementation of eight major projects at the cost L$8.1m with a US equivalent of $57,840; payments of US$4,680 for Grand Kru students at the United Methodist University (UMU); US$8,700 for local scholarship affecting students in Buah, Barclayville, Bolloh, Jloh, Forpoh and Sasstown; US$10,000 to secure drugs and equipment for the opening of Buah Jlateken Clinic, and US$12,000 for the first phase of the rehabilitation of Dweken to Parluken Road are part of his legacy in the county to date.
Our honoree is also an executive member of the ruling Congress for Democratic Change, who is being hailed for ensuring peace and stability among partisans even those in the Legislature.
In 2018, Koffa introduced the Domestic Violence Bill and the most-talked about Dual Citizen Bill; in 2021, the Dual Citizenship was reintroduced on the floor of the Representatives’ plenary through his instrumentality.
Deputy Speaker as a lawmaker and Chair of the Judiciary Committee at the House of Representatives, where he was regarded as a reservoir acknowledged that august body and relied on, even before he was elevated to the Deputy Speaker post.
Highest Contributor to Government’s revenue-ArcelorMittal Liberia:
We tap on the Liberia Revenue Authority by capping its recognition of ArcelorMittal as the highest in the government’s revenue “all tax categories” which was announced for the fiscal year 2019-2020 which falls within our year under review.
ArcelorMittal Liberia Holdings Limited and ArcelorMittal Holdings A.G. was awarded the honor of biggest taxpayer and presented the LRA’s Gold Award for extraordinary performance in taxes and other payments to the Government of Liberia.
Despite the traded criticisms and bad mouthing of the ArcelorMittal Liberia’s need deal, the company won “gold” in the category of “Highest Contributor Overall”, ranking first ahead of Monrovia Breweries and Orange Liberia Incorporated.
ArcelorMittal’s act of compliance made the LRA stand out among all government entities; a recognition that was dedicated to all taxpayers while calling for more to be done to increase revenue for the Government.
AML is said to have paid a total of more than US$30 million to the Liberian Government in taxes and this award as the largest taxpayer in Liberia comes on the heel of the Government of Liberia and ArcelorMittal preparedness to strike another US$800m deal which was signed in September to amend the company’s Mineral Development Agreement (‘MDA’) for the expansion of the Company’s mining and logistics operations in Liberia.
The agreement will meaningfully ramp up production of premium iron ore, generating significant new jobs and wider economic benefits for Liberia encompassing processing, rail, and port facilities and is expected to be one of the largest mining projects in West Africa at the cost of approximately $0.8 billion, according to the company.
The expansion project will include the construction of a new concentration plant and “substantial expansion of mining operations, with the first concentrate expected in late 2023, ramping up to 15 million tonnes per annum (‘mtpa’).”
Under the agreement, the company will have a reservation for expansion for at least up to 30mt, and also invest in upgrading the rail facility for additional capacity and provide more than 2000 jobs and as the largest foreign investor in Liberia, ArcelorMittal Liberia has invested over $1.7 billion in the country over the past 15 years.
It is the second largest steel producer in the world, with an annual crude steel production of 78.5 million metric tonnes as of 2018. It is ranked 120th in the 2019 Fortune Global 500 ranking of the world’s largest corporations.
Our courtroom of the Year is the Civil Law Court due to its tidiness. The court is observed to be one of the best courts on the ground of the Temple of Justice in terms of timeliness as well. That court has always been opened and on time to hear cases as the sheriffs are in readiness to perform their duties with the best records-keeping system.