The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s nomination of the Chief of Staff and his deputy of the Armed Forces of Liberia, her order of a full investigation into all standing contracts between Public Works Ministry and construction companies in the country,  the frozen account of the Liberia Telecommunication Authority and the U.S Government US$ 2.2 million equipment donation to the Liberian Coast Guard are dominant stories in our selected dailies for today, Wednesday, February 5, 2014.

Dominant Stories

President Sirleaf Nominates New Army chief Of Staff, Deputy

The Daily Observer newspaper reports that the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has nominated a Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia. According to an Executive Mansion release, those nominated to the Liberian Senate are: Col. Daniel Doe Ziankban as Chief of Staff, and Col. Eric Dennis as Deputy Chief of staff. The newly nominated Chief of Staff is currently Brigade Commander of the AFL. If confirmed by the Liberian senate, Col. Ziankhan will replace the Nigerian Command Officer-In-Charge, Major General Suraj Alao Abdurrahman. The nomination were made in keeping with Article 54, Section E of the Liberian Constitution which authorizes the President to nominate and, with the consent of the Senate, appoint and commission members of the military from the rank of Lieutenant or equivalent and above.

Related stories: President Sirleaf Nominates New AFL Chief of Staff, Deputy(Inquirer newspaper), Pres. Sirleaf Seals AFL’s Integrity- Nominates Chief of Staff, Deputy(Analyst newspaper), New AFL Chief of Staff nominated(Insight), President Sirleaf Nominates New Army Chief of Staff, Deputy(Daily Observer)

All Public Works, LTA Contracts To Be Probed…Dep. Min. Victor Smith Resigns

President Ellen Johnson has ordered a full investigation into all standing contracts between the Ministry of Public Works and construction companies in the country. President Sirleaf has directed all current and former officials of the Ministry of Public Works to cooperate fully with the investigation. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf took the decision following a meeting last evening with Public Works officials. The Liberian leader took the decision to ensure that Government gets the full value for money spent. Meanwhile, President Sirleaf has accepted, with immediate effect, the resignation of Deputy Public Works Minister for Technical Services, Mr. Victor Smith and has directed him to remain in the country and cooperate fully with the investigation. In another development, President Sirleaf has frozen the accounts of the Liberia Telecommunications   Authority (LTA), and suspended the US$1 million lease agreement between LTA and a Chinese company, Qinjian International, for a building it intends to secure as an office, pens the Inquirer newspaper.

Related stories:Investigate “All Standing Contracts”—Pres. Sirleaf Points to Public Works, LTA (Analyst), Public Works goes under investigation-As Deputy Minister resigns(Insight newspaper)

Liberia Coast Guard gets U$2.2m in Equipment

The U.S. Government has donated US$2.2 million in equipment and facilities, including two pursuit boats, to the Liberian Coast Guard to enable it better patrol and protect Liberia’s coastal waters. In addition to the 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement (SPC-LE) pursuit boats, the donation includes two Ford F-350 trucks, two Polaris 800 4x4 utility vehicles, and two containers of additional equipment and spare parts totaling a value of US$1.1 million. Ambassador Deborah Malac said the U.S Government also provided an additional US$1 million to construct a new four-bay boathouse, small office building and to provide electricity and water for the buildings. U S Coast Guard Commander Patrick Clark said the new boats will provide the Liberian Coast Guard with an enhanced capability to better patrol the waters off Liberia’s coast, more rapidly respond to search and rescue cases, and protect maritime critical infrastructure, such as offshore oil and gas operations, the Insight newspaper reports.

Related stories: U.S Gov’t. Donates US$2.2M Equipment, Facilities To Coast Guard, (Daily Observer newspaper)

Other stories

Mano River Union Nations To Benefit From AfDB – Says President Sirleaf

Tthe Daily observer newspaper reports that the African Development Bank (AfDB) has selected the four Mano River Union countries, including Liberia, to  benefit from its new initiative regional integration. The countries of the MRU hope to get interconnectivity infrastructure, power, transportation and telecommunications systems development, said President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, when she touched down at Roberts International Airport (RIA) in Margibi County, Monday, February 4. President Sirleaf made the disclosure upon her return from Malawi following a three day 22^nd Ordinary session of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where several important issues, including a report of activities of the AU Peace and Security Council and the state of peace and security in Africa, were discussed.

BIVAC Trains 30 Custom, Commerce Personnel

A process intended to modernize the operations of Customs officers and employees of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry was recently held in Monrovia under the auspices of the Bureau Veritas (BIVAC) Liberia. The training exercise which was held in Monrovia brought together over 30 personnel from the Bureau of Customs and Excise and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.  Mr. Henry Bernard, Deputy Managing Director of BIVAC Liberia in an interview following the training said the workshop was designed to ensure that customs officers and Commerce Ministry employees involved with inspection are trained to the new technique in the business. Mr. Bernard told the INQUIRER that BIVAC Liberia is happy for the successful conduct of the GATT training as it is a part of BIVAC mandated to upgrade the capacity of customs and Commerce Ministry employees. He further noted that this training will enhance the skills of the participants to manage the inspection regime in the future as BIVAC expires. He said many countries around the world are now managing their own customs and inspection affairs and base on a policy designed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, BIVAC Liberia is committed to empowering Liberians to take charge. The GATT is expected to replace the Brussels Definition of Value (BDV) a system in Liberia currently to calculate goods and their values.

Rural dwellers to benefit eye treatment NSEC Executive Director Discloses

The Insight newspaper reports that the Executive Director of the New Sight Eye Center (NSEC) in Paynesville, Robert Dolo, has disclosed that the main aim for the Center’s Medical and Surgical Outreach Program is to make eye treatment accessible and affordable for rural dwellers across the country. According to Mr. Dolo, NSEC current aim as part of its Outreach Program is targeting dwellers in four of Liberia’s fifteen counties which include Rural Montserrado, Lower Bong, Grand Cape Mount, and Margibi. “Many of the various eye problems in the country are concentrated in the rural areas and people with these eye problems do not have the mean and the financial capacity  to travel  to Monrovia to get treated, thus worsening their conditions”, Mr. Dolo pointed out.

PUL To Dissect $73m District Impact Fund – At Edward Blyden Forum

The Press Union of Liberia will today, Wednesday, resume its intellectual platform, the Edward Wilmot Blyden Forum with a cross sectional discussion on the $73m District Impact fund, being proposed by House Speaker Alex Tyler. Wednesday’s Forum will be held under the theme: Dissecting Propositions for the $73m District Impact Fund, and will hear from House Speaker Alex Tyler as the principal presenter. Informed discussions will come from renowned Liberian economist and veteran politician Dr. Togba-Nah Tipoteh, Mrs. Frances Greaves, Chairperson of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia and former Internal Affairs Minister Blamoh Nelson, the Analyst newspaper writes.

Pres. Sirleaf’s US$100,000 HQ Donation …PUL’s New Leadership Promises Accountability

The Karama A. Karama leadership of the Press Union of Liberia has vowed to redeem the umbrella organization of journalists by ensuring that the Press Union of Liberia accounts for a US$100,000 President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf donated towards the construction of its Headquarter. When accounted for, the Kamara leadership would have ended the long standing public perception that has cast image problem upon the journalists’ union. The US$100,000 was donated to the PUL in 2008 at the end of the George Barpeen Administration of the PUL which recent past President Peter Quaqua served as Secretary General, the Analyst newspaper reports.