http://9999.tigblog.org/ What's on the minds of young leaders from around the globe? en-us http://9999.tigblog.org/post/440509
Let us go straight to the point. Reduce by half the proportion of people with out access to safe drinking water. That is Goal 7 Target 10 of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Lack of access to clean water is a major problem that is causing diseases , sicknesses, and Death in post conflict Countries. Developing Countries are losing more than 50,000 a day due to Water related diseases.

The Right to Water is implicit in the right to Food and Health. This Right Should not be taken away by any government or International Financial Institutions . In Protecting this right governments and the international community must ensure that Water facilities /services be accessible to everyone regardless of their status or location. State must never interfere directly or indirectly with the enjoyment of the Right to Water.

In Africa were weaker governments especially those that heavily indebted surrender the Right To Water through Privatization initiative. Water Privatization are conditions used by World Bank and IMF in order for poor countries to get Debt Relief or Loan.

In Liberia only 4.1% of the rural household has access to safe drinking water. In rural Liberia women and girls are responsible to get water . Women and Girls continue to walked hours searching for clean water. Hundreds of these women and girls are attacked and rap while in search of Water. Majority of them refused to report these rap cases while other live in silent pain among their rapist. Let us look at the Home of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, which is Bomi County .

A private Company is producing Safe Drinking Water in Bomi County. Safe Water that is produced by this private company in Bomi County are not for the citizen of Bomi . Majority of the Citizen and ordinary people in Bomi are locked up in Chronic Poverty making it clear that they can not afford the cost of the Water that is Produced in their County.

Clean Water that is produced by private companies in Liberia are for the handful of Elite. The proliferation of private water company in Liberia have prevented millions of Liberian from enjoying the Right to Water. With nearly 80% of the Liberia population living in poverty water born diseases remain Pervasive in poverty stricken Communities.

Excluded and Marginalized Groups in Liberia can not afford the high cost of clean water that is been push down the on helpless Liberian causing them to turned to unsanitary sources to fulfill their needs leading to water born diseases.


Our Government claimed to represent the interest of the People . According to LWSC each o f the 15 counties with the exception of Montserrado will need just a little of 2 Millions to revamp Water Facilities/Services in these Counties. I was shocked to note that LWSC received less than one Million in the proposed Draft Budget. This is a SLAP in the FACE of the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs). A government that came from the belly of the United Nations should give priorities to Key MDGs Sectors in the Draft Budget.

Access to clean Water will achieve goal 123456 and 7 of the MDGs.

We must reject Privatization when it is proposed and ensure that Water remain accessible and safe for ALL MEMBER OF SOCIETY.


Zolu Gobah
+2316539342
]]> Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:58:00 EDT http://9999.tigblog.org/post/440509 http://9999.tigblog.org/post/440381
Let us go straight to the point. Reduce by half the proportion of people with out access to safe drinking water. That is Goal 7 Target 10 of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Lack of access to clean water is a major problem that is causing diseases , sicknesses, and Death in post conflict Countries. Developing Countries are losing more than 50,000 a day due to Water related diseases.

The Right to Water is implicit in the right to Food and Health. This Right Should not be taken away by any government or International Financial Institutions . In Protecting this right governments and the international community must ensure that Water facilities /services be accessible to everyone regardless of their status or location. State must never interfere directly or indirectly with the enjoyment of the Right to Water.

In Africa were weaker governments especially those that heavily indebted surrender the Right To Water through Privatization initiative. Water Privatization are conditions used by World Bank and IMF in order for poor countries to get Debt Relief or Loan.

In Liberia only 4.1% of the rural household has access to safe drinking water. In rural Liberia women and girls are responsible to get water . Women and Girls continue to walked hours searching for clean water. Hundreds of these women and girls are attacked and rap while in search of Water. Majority of them refused to report these rap cases while other live in silent pain among their rapist. Let us look at the Home of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, which is Bomi County .

A private Company is producing Safe Drinking Water in Bomi County. Safe Water that is produced by this private company in Bomi County are not for the citizen of Bomi . Majority of the Citizen and ordinary people in Bomi are locked up in Chronic Poverty making it clear that they can not afford the cost of the Water that is Produced in their County.

Clean Water that is produced by private companies in Liberia are for the handful of Elite. The proliferation of private water company in Liberia have prevented millions of Liberian from enjoying the Right to Water. With nearly 80% of the Liberia population living in poverty water born diseases remain Pervasive in poverty stricken Communities.

Excluded and Marginalized Groups in Liberia can not afford the high cost of clean water that is been push down the on helpless Liberian causing them to turned to unsanitary sources to fulfill their needs leading to water born diseases.


Our Government claimed to represent the interest of the People . According to LWSC each o f the 15 counties with the exception of Montserrado will need just a little of 2 Millions to revamp Water Facilities/Services in these Counties. I was shocked to note that LWSC received less than one Million in the proposed Draft Budget. This is a SLAP in the FACE of the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs). A government that came from the belly of the United Nations should give priorities to Key MDGs Sectors in the Draft Budget.

Access to clean Water will achieve goal 123456 and 7 of the MDGs.

We must reject Privatization when it is proposed and ensure that Water remain accessible and safe for ALL MEMBER OF SOCIETY.


Zolu Gobah
+2316539342
]]> Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:41:00 EDT http://9999.tigblog.org/post/440381 http://9999.tigblog.org/post/437643
This is Zolu Gobah From Liberia. I am a Youth Activist and a former Delegate to the 3rd World Youth Congress that was held in Scotland United Kingdo. I also serve as member of the Thimun Youth Network Delegation to the UN World Summit On Information and Society that was held in Geneva , Switzerland.

With the knowledge gained from the 3rd World Youth Congress that was held Scoutland , We were able to expand our activities in liberia on the MDGs. Today in Liberia , I am serving as coordinator for the Millennium Campaign(www.millenniumcampaign.org).
we are engaging policy makers on the proposal budget, lobbying to ensure that our budget reflect the achievement of the MDGs.

As a former Delegate I did not receive travel support for the organizers of the 4th World Youth Congress but was able to lobby to with relevant stake holder and other organizations in liberia to get my round trip ticket to Canada.

As experienced as shown me , Please we need to ensure that there are logistice from the organizers of 4th World youth congress in promoting the policy document that will be signed by more than 400 activists.

I remembered , during my returned from scoutland. I walked hours to institutions offices giving the policy to them.

Thing were very difficult for me to reach all policy makers about the Policy document from UK.

I hope this will not be the same.

King Zolu]]> Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:51:00 EDT http://9999.tigblog.org/post/437643 http://9999.tigblog.org/post/373907
If Africa is to achieve the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs), the current trading system presided by the World Trade Organization(WTO) must be drastically changed . Like IMF and World Bank, the WTO proclaims itself as a transparent and democratic organization with one country one Vote.

The reality is difference , Meeting are h held behind closed door with small groups of members hand –picked by the most powerful developed countries.

WTO is one of the Institution in the world where the wishes of the poor and weak are ignored by few. The Powerful –USA, Canada, and EC represent a minorities of Membership, Despite this, they were able to get what they want during the Doha process. WTO promote trade rules that is multiplying the number of poor people around the globe , particularly in Africa .

These inhumane rules demand members mainly poor Africa countries to change their industrial and Agriculture policies, basic service provision , and some time their constitutions. WTO will soon be telling poor African government what types of food to eat, what types of cloth to put on etc.

Goal 8 of the Millennium Development Goal also called for FAIR TRADE. Unfortunate WTO rules FREE TRADE. FREE TRADE is against the MDGs , its continue to push millions of poor farmers in the developing world into Chronic Poverty denying them basic social services(Health, Water, Cloth, Housing, education ).


For Africa to make progress toward the MDGs ,USA and other developed countries must changed the UNFAIR TRADE RULES that is only benefiting the Rich and the Strong..

USA must also adopt innovative approaches that it adopted after world war which help build European economic through non-reciprocity , allowing European, and Japanese markets having access to its market without insisting on reciprocal access to European and Japanese markets.

Poor Farmers in the developing world are unable to compete against Rich Farmers in the Developed World.

Zolu Gobah
]]> Mon, 19 May 2008 14:25:00 EDT http://9999.tigblog.org/post/373907 http://9999.tigblog.org/post/372879
In Liberia we(YOCADS) have written Dr. Antoinette Sayeh
Minister
Ministry Of Finance



To give us a comprehensive analysis on the implementation of the Budget on Program relevant to the MDGs for Fiscal Year 2007-2008. We also requested for the Minister to provide us with details information on government ministries and agencies that did not spent all of their allotment given to them in Financial years 2007-2008 and types of support receive from development partners(Donors).



Such information will enable us to lobby with parliamentarian and other stakeholders in Budget preparation to increase Budgetary allotment on Health , Education , Water , and other MDGs Sectors.

If we can secure increase budgetary allotment on MDGs related sectors for fiscal year 2008-2009 it will be a boot for meeting the MDGs 2015.



Zolu Gobah



]]> Sat, 17 May 2008 12:14:00 EDT http://9999.tigblog.org/post/372879 http://9999.tigblog.org/post/368721
My name is Zolu Gobah, I am a liberian and a student at the University of LIberia . I am also a Youth Activist . I participated in the 3rd World Youth Congress that was held in scotland United Kingdom. with the knowledge gained from scotland ,we was able to expand our MDGs clubs in Liberia . I am als the coordinator for the Stand Up and Take ACtion 2008 in Liberia . I am still Lobbying for support yet . ]]> Fri, 09 May 2008 11:39:00 EDT http://9999.tigblog.org/post/368721 http://9999.tigblog.org/post/51665 In the wake to remind government of their promised to poverty reduction thus by freeing humanity from the dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty the Youth for Community Academic and Development Services (YOCADS) distributed MDGs materials to seven schools in the Country. High profiled journalists from some of Liberia ’s leading media institutions covered the distribution exercise. The schools lauded YOCADS for the exercise and said that these materials will provide them with information to add their voices against poverty and provide them more insight on the MDGs.

The exercise was climaxed at the STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY event that took place on October 15, 2006 beginning 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Prior to the day, press releases, radio talk shows, promo and an abridged version of the Stand Up Action was carried on both the print and electronic media. The event took place few yards away from one of Monrovia’s fast growing slums and opposite the residence of the current President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, at the I.E. soccer practice ground in Airfield, Fish Market. Participants included members from YOCADS’ MDGs school clubs, other high schools, youth groups, religious groups, drivers union and many civil society organizations. Commercial drivers sounded their vehicle horns for two minutes on Monrovia streets at 10:00 a.m. marking the official commencement of the program. High profiled guests included Ambassador Jordan Ryan, Deputy Special Representative for Recovery of the Secretary General of the United Nations (Kofi Annan), United nations Mission In Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Development Program (UNDP-Liberia), Policy Advisor Mr. Cleophas Torrorri and UNDP-Liberia National MDGs Analyst Mr. George Gould. Liberian traditional cultural dancers, musicians, slum dwellers nearby residence and members of the media were all in attendance

]]> Sun, 15 Oct 2006 10:52:00 EDT http://9999.tigblog.org/post/51665 http://9999.tigblog.org/post/34987
Making remarks at the program held at SSDMI was the Assistant Minter for Youth services, Min. Robert Tamba lauded the efforts of YOCADS and stressed that the just ended National Youth Policy Conference was that he called “MDGs focus” adding that the MDGs overshadowed the entire conference. Commenting was Mr. Alphonso K. Weah, Executive Director of YOCADS, who admo nished his fellow youth counterparts to join the campaign and not only rely on the politicians to achieve these goals, he also emphasized that only with their voices that the MDGS can be achieved. Meanwhile Mr. Weah said with YOCADS will continue raise the awareness as we enter 2006 and beyond.

In this light, YOCADS wishes to appeal to the Government of Liberia, UNDP, UNICEF, OXFAM, Action aid-Liberia, and the International organizations as well as Donors to support its advoc acy campaign on the MDGs]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2005 08:10:00 EST http://9999.tigblog.org/post/34987