Advancing Women in the Media: What Really Do We Want?

Fatoumata Nabie Fofana, the author

At the helm of a nation-wide campaign aimed at advancing women to reach the top in the media is a USAID funded Civil Society and Media Leadership Program, being implemented by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX).

At the crux of this initiative is the aim to sharpen, shape and strengthen women capacities to be forceful in transcending leadership disparities as reflected in the ratio of female reporters, editors or media owners to that of their male counterparts. The guiding principle is to ensure that women media practitioners are assertive and vigorous in bridging the gender gap in the Liberian media.

Let's quickly clarify that this is not anti-men, it is pro-everyone, a drive toward equity, industry-wide. Media practitioners across the country must note that advancing women in this field is not only good for women, but good for everyone. It also does not mean that women are not as smart as men. It is an effort aimed at leveling the playing field for each individual, regardless of gender, but by merit, to navigate their way to the top to make the difference they aspire to make.

Liberia's Oil Company Forks over $8M on Training

NOCAL CEO McClain

After being branded “delinquent” by members of the Lower House for snubbing the just-ended budget scrutiny exercise, Liberia’s Oil Company (NOCAL) yesterday released its 2013/2014 budgetary inflows and outflows.

Responding to lawmakers, NOCAL, at the time, argued that its president, Dr. Randolph McClain was out of the country, and so, the company could do nothing in the absence of its boss.

However, the Oil Company yesterday revealed that as part of its budgetary outflows for fiscal year July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, at least US$8,029,848.00 would be spent on manpower training and capacity building. That makes up at least 28% of the Oil Company’s total expenditure during the period under review.

Sanniquellie City

The provincial capital of Nimba County and birth place of the Organization of African Unity (now African Union- AU), Sanniquellie, is situated at 35 minutes north of the commercial city of Ganta.  At a higher elevation than the nation’s capital, Monrovia, Saniquellie is partially surrounded by natural features such as mountain range, wetlands and a dense forest which makes the weather in the area a rather cool. The weather is cool all day, as the sun rises over the misty Nimba mountain range just north of Saniquellie.

Liberia Unveils New Woman Minister

Dr. Weeks

Dr. Antoinette Weeks, the director of exploration activities at the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), a fresh batch of appointees last Friday, August 2, to replace Mr. Samuel Kofi Woods as Minister of Public Works.  The new appointments were made public by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf late Friday evening.

Former Public Works Minister Kofi Woods recently exited the Sirleaf-Administration. His resignation came days after the demise of his mentor, Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis. It took the President over a month to final confirm Wood’s departure from her government. According to her, her former lieutenant exited his post to direct his attention to civil society and human rights issues by revamping the Catholic Peace and Justice Commission (JPC).

Wood’s replacement, Dr. Weeks holds a PhD in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Lehigh University, (Pennsylvania, USA). She holds an M.Sc in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Howard University (Washington, DC, USA) and a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Houston, (Houston, TX, USA).