BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA

NEWS SUMMARY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2020

Today’s edition of our daily summary highlight stories on the signing of and host country agreement betweenLiberia and AfricaRice to boost agriculture sector, turning over of 4 Nissan pick-ups, weigh-in-motion scales to MOT by EU, US-based Liberian craves support for youth development, Government’s dedication of mobile tower in Gbarpolu, and voting in four districts in Nimba, Gbarpolu, Grand Gedeh Counties are among other stories.

Government Dedicate Mobile Tower in Gbarpolu

As means of improving the country’s telecommunication sector, the Government of Liberia has officially dedicated the second mobile base station tower in Gbarpolu County through its Universal Access Program. According to The Inquirer newspaper, the University Access Program is a joint initiative by the Liberian Government and its partners through the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA), as the dedication ceremony brought face-to-face several government officials including town and paramount chiefs. Speaking during the ceremony in Gbarngba borqueta, Bokomu District, LTA Commissioner for Government and Consumers’ Affairs, Israel Akinsanya, said the dedication is the milestone achievement for the country as it is the right of every Liberian to have access to telecommunications and internet. According to him, the LTA and other actors in government decided to intervene into areas where mobile phone companies were reluctant to invest by giving them access to telecommunications service, thereby urging community residents to take care of the facility by keeping it safe, clean and well protected.

Four Districts Yet To Cast Their Ballots in Nimba, Gbarpolu, Grand Gedeh Counties, NEC Says

TheAnalystnewspaper reports that following the peaceful conduct of the December 8 special Senatorial midterm elections, referendum and representatives by-elections which witnessed impressive turnout, the National Elections Commission has reported that four precincts in three countries were not opened during the day of elections. The electoral body said while the conduct of the elections were generally successful across the country as counting of ballots began following the closure of the polls in presence of candidate representatives, the media and other observers, there were still challenges. Addressing the press Wednesday, NEC Chair Davidetta Browne Lansanah, said in upper Nimba County electoral district #2 at the Tiapa Public School with precinct number 33100 comprising of two polling places with 706 registered voters did not open because of the “lack of polling staff.” Also, in upper Nimba County electoral district #2 at the Gbe Public School with precinct number 33052 with one polling place of 290 voters did not open as polling staff were lacking to conduct the process. In Gbarpolu County as well, according to NEC chair, in electoral district #3 at Nomodatunon Town Hall with precinct code 45039 comprising of four polling places with 2021 registered voters did not open, “The Town Chief seized ballot boxes thereby denying registered voters of exercising their franchise,” Madam Lansanah said.

Liberia, AfricaRice Sign Host Country Agreement to Boost Agriculture Sector                                                                                                                                                 In support of the country’s flagship national development plan, the Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), the Government of Liberia and African Rice Center (AfricaRice) has signed the Host Country Agreement in Monrovia. According to the Daily Observer newspaper which quoted a Foreign Ministry release, the Host country Agreement will grant, through AfricaRice, the privileges and amenities that they are entitled to under the conventions for international Organization. The signing ceremony took place on Friday, December 4, 2020 in the Conference room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Liberia’s Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., signed on behalf of the Republic of Liberia, while Dr. Harold Roy-Macaulay, Director General of the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), signed for his institution. While signing the agreement, Foreign Minister Kemayah said the Government of Liberia looks towards not only the production of rice but the implementation of the value chain as key in realizing the objective of the agreement signed. “Rice is a very strategic and important commodity for our country which is tied into livelihood throughout the length and breadth of our country. No matter what we as Liberians eat daily, if we don’t eat rice, it means we have not eaten. That speaks volume as to the necessity of this agreement,” Minister Kemayah stressed. The Liberian Foreign Minister disclosed that H.E. President George Manneh Weah is very particular about the agriculture sector.

EU Turns Over 4 Nissan Pick-Ups, Weigh-in-Motion scales to MOT                                                                         The European Union Delegation to Liberia (EU) in collaboration with the National Authorizing Office (NAO) of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) on Thursday, December 3, 2020, donated a four-double cabin Nissan pick-up and weight-in-motion scales to the Ministry of Transport (MOT) for use by the Axle Load Control Unit (ALC) at the Ministry. The vehicle and the weigh-in-motion are to conduct surveys and weigh trucks plying the 3 corridors of Bo-Waterside, Gbarnga and Buchanan highways to ensure compliance with the Liberia ECOWAS Axle Load Laws and Regulations. Also, the cars will enhance the implementation of Liberia’s Axle Law and raise awareness of the negative impact of overloading trucks. As a means of achieving the objectives of the regional programme, GIZ was contracted to provide technical assistance to MOT to facilitate the implementation of the programme. The donation is under the program “Support for governance in West Africa’s transport sector ROC/FED/039.” This project demonstrates how the EU and Liberia are working together in financing road investments, protecting road transport for improvement of trade and business that will lead to the enhancement of socioeconomic conditions in Liberia, Daily Observer writes.

US-Based Liberian Craves Support for Youth Development 

The Heritage newspaper reports that a diaspora Liberian has said that the lack of resources is a major factor affecting the development of the potentials of young Liberians. Madam Aissata Richards noted that in order for youthful Liberians to get the basic skills for the development of their potentials that will accelerate development of the country’s agenda, they must be given the necessary support. The Liberian American entrepreneur, who spoke via mobile interview, also decried corruption in the public space as another factor that is affecting the growth of the country. “Corruption is something that is alarming in Liberia that needs to be tackled by all if Liberia must succeed in its developmental quest that will transform the lives of the citizens and the country a large,” she asserted. “Following my observation about the challenges Liberians are faced with, I established a non-governmental organization called, Society of Unity with the objective of contributing to the lives of Liberians to reach their goals. As the founder of the Society of Unity Executive Director since the establishment of my institution in 2018, I have been working with the underprivileged in Todee District and other parts of the country by providing their basic needs such as food, clothing, among others,” she disclosed.