THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2019

Stories dominating today’s media summary include news about government’s readiness to receive petition from June 7^th protesters if presented to Government; the congratulatory message sent by President George Manneh Weah to Republic of Portugal; the Winning of the 2018/2019 Football Association Championships by LPRC Oilers as well as stories concerning the call by Liberian women for 30% women participants in politics in Liberia amongst other news headlines. 

Dominant Stories  

Government Ready to Receive Petition If…. 

A front page story of the Heritage newspaper reads that despite the refusal of the Council of Patriots (CoP) to present its petition, to the Government of Liberia says it is ready and willing at any time to receive the petition. The COP comprises mainly four opposition political parties, namely: the immediate former ruling Unity Party (UP) Liberty Party (LP), Alternative National Congress (ANC) and the All Liberian Party (ALP). Presidential Press Secretary Mr. Solo Kelgbeh said nothing is going to stop the government from receiving the petition from the organizers provided only if they (organizers) are willing to engage their leader. “Nothing is going to change the government from listening to her citizens; nothing is going to stop the government from receiving a petition if the petition is going to be given. Any group of Liberians having a legitimate concern, the government headed by President George Manneh Weah is willing to listen to them. I think that is what matters”, the Presidential Press Secretary added.

Related Caption GOL Frowns at COP ‘Unwillingness’ to Present Petition (Heritage) Gov’t to Receive COP’s Petition, If…. (Inquirer)

(Heritage)

President Weah Extols Portugal on National Day Observance 

Quoting Foreign Ministry Press release, the New Dawn newspaper writes that President George Manneh Weah has congratulated the Government and people of the Republic of Portugal on the occasion commemorating the National Day of that country.  In the message to His Excellency Marcela Rebelo de Sausa, President of the Republic of Portugal, President George Manneh Weah, on behalf of Liberia, conveyed heartfelt congratulations and sincere best wishes to the Government and people of Portugal as they commemorate this historic milestone.  According to a Foreign Ministry release, President George Weah recalled that Portugal and Liberia have had longstanding interactions which predate Portugal’s recognition of Liberia’s sovereignty in 1865.  The Liberian President further noted that both countries have worked in sync on the global stage; promoting crucial issues such as human rights, peace and justice. While reflecting on the bilateral ties between Liberia and Portugal, the Liberian leader stressed:   “as we join you in celebrating this historic milestone, it is my ardent desire that we will work to strengthen our already cordial relations in the areas of forestry, fishery and education.

Related Caption: President Weah Extols Portugal on National Day Observance (Inquirer), (New Dawn), (Heritage)

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Oilers Win Championship, FC Fassell Relegated 3-0 

LPRC Oilers have won the 2018/2019 Liberia Football Association (LFA) first division league with two games left to be played in the coming days. Oilers needed three points to confirm their championship, which they secured by defeating Keitrace FC. Sunday’s victory for coach Cooper Sannah and his boys increase their points tally to 50 out of 20 unbeaten league games, maintaining their seven points lead ahead of LISCR FC.   Terry Sackor’s   hat trick was the ultimate decider as the  ‘Oil Boys’ begged home their 6^th league title after 14 years, the Daily Observer newspaper writes.

Related Captioned: Oilers Triumph! Breaks 14-Years Deficit Wins LFA’s Championship without Conceding Defeat (Inquirer)

JFK Needs US$10M

 According to the Inquirer newspaper, the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital authorities say it needs US$10 million annually for the facility to function to its pre-war status, but in the absence of that, it would be difficult, if not, impossible, for the hospital to run smoothly. Jerry Brown, JFK’s Administrator told the media recently that the hospital is the country’s referral hospital and that they were under serious constraint to make room for in-patients who troop to the hospital daily for medical treatment. He named some of those problems affecting the hospital to include but not limited to dysfunctions elevator, limited space for new patients, the use of 750 KVA Generator which has to be regulated at some point, many times. Brown however could not state the amount allotted to the hospital in the fiscal year 2018/19 budget, but believes that more needs to be done for the hospital to improve its capacity so as to be able to accommodate more sick people whenever they seek for treatment, the paper says.

Fiscal Experts to Control Exchange Rate

In an effort to reduce what appears to be the perpetual hardship the ordinary Liberians are faced with as the result of the unnecessary hiking of the exchange rate between the foreign dollars and the local banknotes, President George M. Weah has instructed his fiscal managers to institute a robust measure to drastically drop the exchange rate. President Weah laid special emphasis on the decline of the depreciation of the Liberian dollars to US dollars, a situation the Liberian leader indicated, is affecting Liberians, especially the business people. President Weah made the passionate call for action when he chaired his latest cabinet meeting at his Foreign Affairs office on Wednesday in Monrovia, the Inquirer news daily reports.

EPS June 7 Performance Sparks Public More Commendation

The Executive Protection Service (EPS) continues to receive commendations from members of the public over its performance when thousands of protesters occupied the back of the Executive Mansion to present a petition to the government. Prominent among those who have sent verbal and written communication to the EP Director, Trokon Roberts, praising his institution for the professional manner in which it dealt with the protesters are journalist Samuel Hasay and Civil right activist, Philip B. Somah. In separate letters, the two men praised the EPS Director and his Deputy, Sodjaht Wolo for the professional tolerance of their men and women in the face of verbal provocation, theInquirer newspaper asserted.  

Economic Sabotage Case Returns to Criminal Court ‘C’ 

Judge Peter Gveneweleh of Criminal Court ‘C’ is expected to continue to hear the case, involving five former employees of the Central Bank of Liberia, as Justice in Chamber, Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe, had denied the motion of the government lawyers to remove him from the case. Associate Justice Nagbe made the decision during a conference held last Tuesday between the Defense lawyers and Government Lawyers with Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe at the Supreme Court of Liberia.  Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe’s decision allow Judge Gveneweleh to cdontinue to preside over the case in Criminal Court C had somehow thwarted the May 31, 2019’s petition filed by Montserrado County Attorney, Counselor Edwin Martin, for a writ of prohibition as provided by chapter 16, section 16.21 of the Civil Procedure Law of Liberia, theInquirer news daily asserts.

UN Women Push for 30% Participation in Politics

An inside story of the Daily Observer news outlet reads that as Liberian prepared to cast their votes in the Montserrado’s Representative and Senatorial by-elections, the UN Women has recently engaged stakeholders to give serious consideration to women leadership and political participation in political participation in politics. UN Women Liberia director, Marie Goreth Nizigama, said the current disparity between men and women in Liberia’s politics is not only scary, but also poses a serious challenge to Liberia meeting its international obligations on gender equality and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Madam Nizigama made these remarks on last Friday at a By-elections consultative Meeting held at a resort in Sinkor, organized by the UN Women Country Representative, the paper says.  

CoP Releases Final Petition, Gives Government One Month to Respond 

A front page story of the Daily Observer newspaper writes that in what could be summed up as a “Thank You” press conference held at the headquarters of the All Liberian Party (ALP) in Monrovia, the Council of Patriots (CoP), on June 9, finally released its final list of demands for President George Manneh Weah’s action. The COP says it is giving the President one month to fulfill the demands. Present at the press conference were former Vice President of Liberia, Joseph N. Boakai; ALP Political leader Benoni Urey; Liberty Party Vice Chair for political affairs, Darious Dillon; SUP; Henry Costa, and other supporter of the CoP the release says.

Related Caption: CoP Releases Petition Unceremoniously (The News)  

Heavy Storm Ravages Nyor Butuo Town 5 Children Wounded, 73 houses, churches, schools destroyed 

June 7, 2019 downpour characterized by hailstones has destroyed 73 residential buildings, the only government school, a private school, the two churches, which, upon collapse of the Lutheran Church, injured five children in Nyor-Butuo Town, near Buutuo Headquarters in Buuyao District near the Liberian-Ivorian border in Nimba County, the Daily Observer newspaper writes.  

“Air Pollution Threatens Humanity” Experts, medical Practioners say at World Environmental Day 

An inside story of the Daily Observer newspaper reports that Liberia and its partners on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 joined the rest of the world in the celebration of this year’s World Environmental Day with the most important message being the existent danger that air pollution poses to humanity. Air pollution is gradually becoming a global crisisi and this year’s global theme for the celebration, “Beat Air Pollution,” is a call to action to this global crisis. Chosen by this year’s host, China, the topic, in the words of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, invites us to consider how we can change our everyday lives by reducing the amount of air pollution we produce, and thwart its contribution to global warming and its effects on our own health.”  

Court Rules over Controversial Ownership of A.M. Fofana Islamic High School 

Following years of intense legal wrangling over the legitimate ownership of the A.M. Fofana Islamic and English High School, the Civil Law Court ‘B’, in Monrovia on Tuesday, June 4, ruled by placing the property in possession of the Foleboli K. Komara (petitioner), one of the . The property is situated around the Fish Market Community, in Sinkor. Ms. Mawata Fofana (respondent) and one of the administrators of the Intestate Estate of the Late Alhaji Mohammed Fofana, had argued that her late father and the petitioner, Komara, entered into a lease agreement on July 15, 1997 and said agreement should have expired in July 2017,  Daily Observer writes.

UBA Liberia Wins As “Most Reliable Bank of the Year”

According to the Daily Observer newspaper, The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Liberia bagged another award, being named the “Most Reliable Bank of the Year”  from the Liberty Young Achievers Awards (LYAA), Liberia’s biggest platform that celebrates young achievers and institutions making a difference in the society. Accepting the awards on behalf of the management and staff, Melody Mezay-Ketter, Head of UBA Liberia Marketing and Corporate Communications, thanked the awards committee for the recognition and use the opportunity the Bank’s contribution to the society over the period, the paper says.  

Ecobank Hosted by London Stock Exchange After Successful $500M Eurobond Issuance 

A back page story of the News daily writes that following its successful $500 million Eurobond issuance, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’), the Lome-based parent company of the Ecobank Group, was hosted by the London Stock Exchange to a market opening ceremony to celebrate the successful listing of the Eurobond on the London Stock Exchange main market. The bond was oversubscribed with strong demand from international investors in the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa. It follows on from Ecobank’s 2017 convertible bond issuance on the International Securities Market, the paper reads.

Related Captioned: Ecobank Hosted by London Stock Exchange (Daily Observer)

Culture Ambassador Extols GoL, Protesters

Following the conduct of a peaceful mass protest by citizens here, Liberia’s Culture Ambassador Juli Endee has commended the people of Liberia for their recognition and commitment to peace in spite of their diversity. In a press release dated 8 June, Madam Endee says it was pleasing to note that despite apprehensions and concerns about keeping the country peaceful and civil on June 7, every Liberian, including the government, protesters of the Council of Patriots (COP) and the national security service, demonstrated full restraint on Friday. Amb. Endee says the push by her institution, the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP), with support from its national and international partners, will continue to remain engaging all Liberians and stakeholders, beyond June 7, promoting the message of love, peace and tolerance in society, the New Dawn newspaper reads.

Related Caption: Ambassador Endee Extols Liberians (Inquirer)