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Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Frontpage | Page 5
DIRECTOR OF MINES AT MINES AND ENERGY MINISTRY
APPOINTS ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR MINES
USURPING THE
PRESIDENT’S FUNCTION
“This is to inform all sectional heads of the Ministry of Mines
and Energy that Mr. Arma George Fully, Jr. has been appointed
as Acting Assistant Minister for Mines, Ministry of Mines and
Energy.” – Excerpt, Memo from Arthur C. Gotolo
By Lennart Dodoo, ldodoo@frontpageafricaonline.com
MONROVIA – FrontPageAfrica has in its possession
a memorandum circulated by the Director of Mines
at the Ministry of Mines and Energy announcing the
appointment of Mr. Arma Fully as the Acting Assistant
Minister of Mines, an appointment that did not come
from the Executive Mansion.
The Memo which was written by the Director of
Mines, Mr. Arthur Gotolo reads:
“This is to inform all sectional heads of the Ministry
of Mines and Energy that Mr. Arma George Fully, Jr.
has been appointed as Acting Assistant Minister for
Mines, Ministry of Mines and Energy.
In view of the above, you are asked to please accord
him all necessary cooperation for smooth operation of
the Ministry.”
When contacted for comments, the Public Relations
Officer at the Ministry said the appointment of Mr.
Fully met all the requirements of the Ministry to fill the
void created by Mr. Emmanuel T. T. Swen who was in
the United Kingdom pursuing a master’s program.
When questioned whether the appointment of such
a position was authorized and announced by Executive
Mansion, he said, not all appointments are announced
by the Office of the President.
He, however, said, Mr. Fully has returned to his
previous position due to the return of Mr. Swen.
Also speaking to FrontPageAfrica, Mr. Fully who
originally serves as the Director for Hydrocarbon at
the Ministry said his appointment was made through
a written recommendation from the Minister of State
for Presidential Affairs to the Minister of Mines and
Energy, Mr. Gesler Murray. He said, based on the
recommendation from Min. McGill, the Minister and
Energy Minister served him a letter of appointment to
the position of Acting Assistant Minister for Mines.
A copy of the letter from Min. McGill to Min. McGill
reads:
Mr. Minister:
I extend warmest greetings and write to kindly
request that you consider Mr. G. Armah Fully to act as
Assistant Minister for Mines. When considered, he will
act in the stead of Hon. Emmanuel T. T. Swen who has
been granted study leave in pursuance of his academic
sojourn.
As you are aware, Mr. Fully is currently the Director
of Hydrocarbon at your Ministry and has the requisite
technical and professional skills to administer the
Bureau of Mines accordingly.
Kind regards.
Sincerely yours,
Nathaniel McGill
Minister and Chief of Staff to the President
It can be recalled that President in April suspended
the Director-General of the National Bureau of
Concession (NBC) for dismissing his deputy, Nathaniel
Bracewell.
President Weah described the action by the NBC boss
to terminate the services of Mr. Bracewell as arbitrary
and without due regard to the Office of the President.
At the same time, President Weah warned all public
officials to immediately refrain from exercising any
power, function, and duties assigned to the President
of Liberia, and to act within the confines of their
authorities.
U.S. AMBASSADOR TO LIBERIA
TOURS APM TERMINALS LIBERIA
MONROVIA
Ambassador
of the United
States of
America
to Liberia Michael A.
McCarthy and a highlevel
delegation from the
US Embassy and USAID
visited APM Terminals
Liberia on June 9, 2022.
The visit gave the
Ambassador the
opportunity to see the
workings of Liberia’s
largest seaport, as well
as to receive firsthand
updates on macroeconomic
business
development, ongoing
improvement initiatives,
and the Port Digitization
partnership between
APM Terminals Liberia
and the Liberia Revenue
Authority. Likewise,
the Ambassador learned
about the critical concern
of the port channel and
dredging requirement.
The delegation then
boarded tugboats and
participated in the
docking of a large clinker
vessel to the berth to see
in-person the marine
services provided by APM
Terminals Liberia in the
Freeport of Monrovia.
The challenges associated
to the lack of dredging
were made visible by
the need for specialized
maneuvering of the
Marine Pilots and the Tug
Masters to bring in vessels
safely and efficiently.
Commenting on the
operations of APM
Terminals Liberia and
its importance to trade
facilitation for the Liberian
economy, Ambassador
McCarthy stressed the
need for continuous
collaboration between
Liberian government
agencies and private
concession holders to
provide the most efficient
operations for Liberian
businesses and ultimately
consumers.
“The Freeport of
Monrovia is critical
to Liberia's future.
The United States
and Liberia's other
trading partners believe
efficient and transparent
operation of the port is
vital to Liberia's future
growth and prosperity.
We support the efforts by
APM Terminals Liberia
to fully digitize customs
and port processes to
help achieve that goal.
We are pleased with the
progress we have seen
with digitization so far,
and we expect to see it
completed without delay,”
Ambassador McCarthy
said.
As a multinational
port operator with 75
ports globally, and
specifically operations
in the United States
ports of Los Angeles,
Newark, Miami and
Mobile, APM Terminals
global has a long-lasting
relationship with the
United States of America
dating back decades. That
relationship includes the
use of a US Guard Coast
ISPS program active in
nearly all global seaports,
including the Freeport of
Monrovia, which better
facilitates global trade.
The Managing Director
of APM Terminals
Liberia highlighted
the importance of
such collaborations,
especially regarding
the Port Digitization
implementation.
“The journey we have
embarked on to partner
with the Liberia Ministry
of Finance, Liberia
Revenue Authority,
Liberia Custom
Brokers Association,
Liberia Shipping Line
Association, and Liberian
Commercial Banks to
implement digitization
at the Freeport required
strong partnerships with
a clear vision of benefiting
Liberia consumers. The
US government has
been a strong partner
in this direction and
is fully on board in
supporting the process.
We are very pleased to
have such an important
partner providing such
great support to this
improvement initiative.
And most importantly
support to an initiative
that will bring such a great
benefit to the Liberian
business community
and to the Liberian
population.” Mr. Graham
commented.
During the visit, the
Ambassador and his team
interacted with various
management and staff
members and received
hand on instructions on
how tugboats function
and the extreme level
of teamwork needed
for complex marine
operations.
APM Terminals Liberia
marine coordinator
Sam Jabbah, who led
the visit on the tugboat
operations, commented
“It is great to see the
appreciation for the skills
and teamwork of the
APM Terminals Liberia
marine team. The Marine
Pilots and crews of the
tugboats and pilot boats
perform on a daily basis,
and it was a real pleasure
to show a delegation like
this the great work that
goes on the Freeport of
Monrovia.”
The visit is part of a
broader effort by the
Ambassador to strengthen
the relationship between
the United States of
America and Liberia,
especially in the areas of
trade facilitation.
ALL THINGS AFRICA