THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015

Liberia’s 6.2 million gallons fuel storage boost, President Johnson Sirleaf’s congratulatory message to Ireland for commemoration of Saint Patrick’s Day and the Albino Society’s ground breaking ceremony for a US$ 345, 000 housing project in Montserrado County are among stories dominating our summary of today’s local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia Boosts Fuel Security By 6.2 Million Gallons: LPRC Can Now Store Liberia’s Strategic Reserve

The Management of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) has commissioned two newly constructed fuel storage tanks at the company's facility in Monrovia. The commissioned tanks are part of the ongoing Product Storage Terminal Rehabilitation Project. The disclosure was made on March 17, 2015 when the members of Board of Directors were taken on a guided tour of the terminal. The Managing Director, Ambassador T. Nelson Williams, II said the management was happy about the progress and the commissioning of the two new tanks will increase company's capacity to maintain adequate supplies of petroleum products for the commerce of the country. " These new tanks increased LPRC's storage capacity from 12.3 to 18.5 million gallons of mixed petroleum products which will result in increased revenues and dividend to the government of Liberia, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: LPRC Ups Storage Capacity To 2.9m Gallons(INSIGHT)

President Sirleaf Congratulates Ireland on Saint Patrick's

The FOCUS newspaper reports that the President of the Republic of Liberia, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to the Government and People of the Republic of Ireland on the occasion commemorating Saint Patrick's Day. In her message to H.E. Mr. Michael D. Higgins, President of the Republic of Ireland, President Johnson Sirleaf conveyed best wishes to the Government and People of Ireland, on behalf of the Government and People of the Republic of Liberia and in her own name. Madam Johnson Sirleaf said that as the people of Liberia join Ireland in celebrating this very significant day, both countries are reminded of the virtues of forgiveness and benevolence widely reflected in the life of Saint Patrick. President Johnson further noted with much appreciation that the vibrant partnership of mutual benefits subsisting between both countries continue to grow from strength to strength, especially during Liberia's post-war reconstruction period. A Foreign Ministry release says that the Liberian leader also expressed immense gratitude for the Irish support to the fight against Ebola to which the Government of Ireland has committed in direct funding of approximately €17 million to institutions working on the Ebola response in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The Liberian President hoped that the Liberian-Irish relations will continue to enjoy ever stronger ties of friendship and cordiality as the two Governments together strive for the maintenance of global peace and security and for the respect of human dignity.

Related Caption: Ellen Congratulates Ireland On Saint Patrick’s Day(Heritage)

Ellen Consoles PRC, Tanzania

The FOCUS newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release: The President of the Republic of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has extended messages of condolence to the Governments and Peoples of the People's Republic of China and the United Republic of Tanzania following the unfortunate news of a bus which turned over in Guangzgou Province, Southwest China, killing eleven (11) persons and leaving nineteen (19) persons injured and another van which turned over in Linzhou City, Henan Province killing twenty (20) persons and injuring thirteen (13) others and  the death of forty-one (41) persons from a truck accident in the Iringa Region, Tanzania. The release says in separate messages to her counterparts H.E. Dr. Jakaya Morisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, and H.E. Mr. XI Jinping, Madam Johnson Sirleaf extended to both Governments and Peoples of China and Tanzania, especially the bereaved families heartfelt condolences for the irreparable loss sustained, on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia and in her own name.  President Johnson Sirleaf then prayed that the fortitude, courage and resilience which has modeled the Chines character through the ages will see the Government and People of China through this period of national mourning and to the United Republic of Tanzania that the Almighty Allah will grant H.E. Dr. Kikwete and the People of Tanzania strength, courage and fortitude as they go through this period of national mourning.

Related Caption: Ellen Consoles China, Tanzania-Congratulates Ireland On Saint Patrick’s Day(In Profile Daily)

Liberia Albino Society Breaks Ground For US$345, 000 Projects

As evident by development plan, the Liberia Albino Society (LAS) on Monday March 16, 2015 broke ground for a US$345,000.00 housing project in Bentol, Bensonville, Montserrado County. The project which is expected to be built on a two acres land was provided by the Liberian Government through the office of the President, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The project is completed will host the home of persons with Albinism, according to the group Executive Director, Patricia C. N. Logan. Madam Logan disclosed that the said amount will cover the construction of a school building at the cost of US$280,000.00 and an administrative building worth US$65,000.00, the Informerwrites.

Related Captions: Liberia Albino Society Breaks Ground For 4 Projects(FOCUS), Albino Break Ground For US$345,000 Project(In Profile Daily), Liberia Albino Society Breaks Ground For US$345,000 Project(The Inquirer)

LEAD and USAID FED's Partnership on Loan Intervention For Farmers Breakers Financial Barriers

Commercial farming is a new phenomenon in Liberia's agriculture sector as small holder farmers have historically been content with subsistence farming. This has partially been due to the difficulties in accessing money from commercial banks. Banks do not trust farmers' ability to repay and in turn farmers are not willing to take loans at the high interest rates being offered by the banks to them. To promote access to finance for small holder farmers in Liberia, the Liberia Entrepreneurial Asset Development (LEAD) and the USAID Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Program for Liberia have partnered to provide financial assistance to farming organizations. USAID FED provides the project's beneficiaries with training on basic financial management principals and then links them with LEAD for loans, reports the INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Captions: Loan Intervention Breaks Financial Barriers(The News), Loan Intervention For Farmers Breaks Financial Barriers(FrontPage Africa)

Three On Trial For Murder, Criminal Conspiracy – One At-Large

The 13^th Judicial Circuit Court in Kakata, is currently trying a murder case involving several persons for allegedly murdering a man identified as Emmanuel Cooper. The three defendants that are being tried by the court on the crime murder and criminal conspiracy are Sylvester Beyan, Gayflor Beyan and Mark Varney. But, Sylvester is said to be at large. The three culprits on September 8, 2012, the victim, Emmanuel Cooper, (a chain saw operator) left their town and went to saw timbers for the construction of a school there. After cutting the timbers, while on his way back home, there Sylvester Beyan, Gayflor Beyan and mark Varney decided to escort him. After walking few miles away from the town where Emmanuel Cooper had gone to cut timber, the defendants out of a sudden jumped on him with a fight and in the process he was over powered by his assailants, the Informer newspaper reports.

Related Captions: Three Indicted For Murder In Margibi(In Profile Daily), 4 Charged With Theft Of Property(Heritage)

OTHER STORIES

Boundary Dispute Ends In Sinoe

Bannah Worteh and Du-Wolee Nyenue Townships on 12 March 2015 signed a resolution to put an end to existing boundary dispute between the two townships and agreeing to development in both areas in partnership with Golden Veroleum Liberia. The decision was reached at the end of a three-day meeting facilitated by Deputy Minister for Administration, Varney Sirleaf, of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Assistant Minister of Labor, Nathaniel Cisco, New Democrat newspaper reports.

Following The Ebola Outbreak: WaterAid, Health Ministry Launch “Healthy Start”

The British Charity, WaterAid Liberia and Sierra Leone in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has launched its new “Healthy start” campaign showing the devastating impact that a lack of safe water and sanitation has on children in developing countries. The Campaign was officially launched Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at the Careysburg Health Center in Montserrado County. Giving an overview at the launch of the Campaign Tuesday in Careysburg, WaterAid’s Team Leader for Liberia and Sierra Leone, Chuchu K. Selma said the Campaign is not a newly found solution but rather call for coordinated action to end injustice against babies, Heritage newspaper reports.

Related Caption: WaterAid Launches 4-yr Program-In WASH Advocacy(In Profile Daily)

UNHCR To Resume Voluntary Repatriation Of Ivorian Refugees

The Governments of Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have agreed to resume voluntary repatriation of 38,000 Ivorian refugees in Liberia. The New Dawn newspaper quotes a press release issued by the UNHCR as saying that the agreement came at the conclusion of a meeting of the Tripartite Commission held 12 March, in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. The border between Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire was officially closed in July 2014 as a preventive measure in the context of the Ebola crisis, thus temporarily suspending all voluntary repatriation of Ivorian refugees staying in Liberia for the following eight months. UNHCR and the Governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia agreed that the current suspension should be lifted amid the sharp decline of the outbreak in Liberia, and that the voluntary repatriation process resumes as early as 6 April 2015, while security and disease control measures jointly adopted in both countries are put in place. Over 220,000 Ivorian refugees found refuge in Liberia after fleeing their home country during the 2002 civil war and the more recent 2010-2011 post-electoral crisis. Some refugees settled in host communities, while the majority live in three remaining camps located in the counties of Grand Gedeh, Nimba and Maryland, about 30 km or more from the border with Côte d’Ivoire. Since October 2011, when the repatriation process was first launched, about 205,000 Ivoirians have returned to Côte d’Ivoire from Liberia under the auspices of UNHCR.

Related Caption: Ivorian Refugee Repatriation Resumes(New Democrat)

CHAL Boss Wants Health Sector Supported

The Executive Director of the Christian Health Association of Liberia (CHAL), Madam Patricia Kamara is recommending support for the health sector of Liberia and capacity building for healthcare workers. “Due to lack of good healthcare sector, thousands of Liberians lost their lives to Ebola. Therefore, the government needs to focus on building the capacity of healthcare workers to provide a brighter future for us”, Mrs. Kamara indicated. According to her, the group instituted preventive measures to address the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in six counties with support from the German Government, adding that CHAL also addressed the medical, social and economic needs in Liberia. She stated that the project targeted facilities in Lofa, Nimba, Grand Kru and River Gee Counties with funding from Diakonie Katrophenhilife of Germany, In Profile Daily reports.

School Teacher Commits Suicide After Allegedly Killing Colleague

Double tragedy struck the St Mark’s Lutheran School in Gbarnga, Bong County, last week when a physics teacher committed suicide moments after allegedly stabbed one of his colleagues of the same school to death, using a pair of scissors. Residents shockingly found Roland Sumo’s lifeless body hanging from a tree in a little bush around the Alexandria Andrews Academy on the Lofa Highway, with the pair of blood-stained scissors in his hand. He reportedly took his life after allegedly stabbing John O. Sumo, an English teacher to death on Wednesday, March 11. Meanwhile, classes at the St. Mark’s Lutheran School have been suspended following the incident. Police told the Liberia News Agency that they have launched an investigation into the matter, the New Democrat newspaper reports.

Border Surveillance Remains Challenge – Says Dr. Francis Karteh

The Deputy Manager of the Incidence Management System in Liberia, Dr. Francis Karteh has stated that border surveillance is the major challenges in eliminating the Ebola Virus from the country. He believes this is exposing the country to another outbreak, In Profile Daily reports.

Related Caption:Liberia Still At Risk(New Democrat)

Liberians Urged To Remain Steadfast In Ebola Fight

The head of UNICEF Liberia Social Mobilization in Margibi County is calling on every Liberian to remain steadfast in the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease until Liberia is declared freed from the deadly disease. Mrs Sophie Reeves said despite reports from the Incident Management System, (IMS) of no new cases of the deadly Ebola virus disease, it does not means the fight against it is over, the Informer newspaper reports.

NHA Qualifies Six Liberian Firms To Build Housing Units

According to the INSIGHT newspaper, the National Housing Authority (NHA) has qualified six Liberian companies to construct 50 low-cost housing units at the Ellen Johnson Estate in Ben Town Margibi County. Making the disclosure in an interview with the Liberia News Agency Tuesday in Monrovia, NHA Director of Public Affairs T. Maxwell Davis said 48 Liberian Construction companies submitted bids to construct the housing estate but only six were qualified.

Senate Probes Liberia's Preparedness To Take Over National Security

The Liberian Senate Tuesday mandated its security and judiciary committees to ascertain if the security apparatus in prepared to take over from the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in 2016. The committees, which are expected to report within two weeks, would also establish what the sector's shortcomings are and what can be done to address the challenges as 2016 draws nearer. The mandate by the Senate is a result of a March 12 communication from Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Kangar Lawrence calling for the body to invite the security sector heads to brief the Senate on the Security situation, reports the INSIGHT newspaper.