THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2016

Stories dominating today’s newspapers includes the 70% completion of the Mount Coffee Hydro and the intervention of the Senate in the House of Representatives’ division.

Other stories include Vice President Joseph Boakai’s donation to Redemption Hospital, and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s congratulatory messages to Indonesia and Congo.

Dominant Stories

HYDRO CONTRACTORS RAISE HOPE

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf says the ongoing Mount Coffee Hydropower project is “just absolutely so pleasing,” after foreign engineers briefed her that the first turbine would be turned on, on December 16 this year, and the second in mid-2017. “And our hydro is just absolutely so pleasing because we were here in December. There were something going on but today we can really see now that when we say big lights tomorrow, tomorrow is almost at hand,” Mrs. Sirleaf said outside the hydropower plant Tuesday, 16 August. The Mount Coffee Hydropower Project Director working with Liberia Electricity Corporation’s project implementation unit (PIU), Mr. Bill Hakin had said one of the most important features of the project is ensuring that Liberians can maintain and operate the facility within the next five years period. Already, he says training is ongoing in Zambia, and that further training will continue in Europe and the US as well, the New Dawn newspaper reports.

Related Captions: Ellen: ‘Big Light Almost At Hand’ Contractors Assure Liberians That Dec 16 is D-Day (Daily Observer), 70% Of Hydro Project Completed (Inquirer), Hydro 71% Complete (FrontPage Africa)

Senate To Intervene In House Conflict

The Senate yesterday called off its 53rd day sitting and went into Executive Session to discuss the ongoing conflict between the two factions within the House of Representatives. The Senate’s decision followed a motion proffered by Maryland County Senator H. Dan Morais in which he requested his colleagues to suspend discussions on yesterday’s agenda items, and instead discuss in executive session what they can offer to remedy the situation in the Lower House. Following a one-hour, closed-door executive session, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Armah Zolu Jallah, told Legislative reporters that the Senate has decided to play a mediatory role in the split that is hampering the normal Legislative work at the House of Representatives. “The Liberian Senate in its Executive Session, made a decision to play a mediatory role in resolving the conflict which has engulfed the House of Representatives. In so doing, the Senate has constituted a six-man mediatory Committee headed by President Pro Tempore Armah Jallah, to constructively engage both parties and aid in the resolution for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.” Members of the House again convened at two separate locations within the Capitol Building: the breakaways in the Joint Chamber, while Speaker Alex Tyler and his faithful occupied the Constitutional Chamber, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: House Still Divided… Senate Sets Up C’ttee To Intervene (Inquirer), and Senate To Mediate House Conflict (In Profile Daily)

Other Stories

VP BOAKAI DONATES TO REDEMPTION HOSPITAL

In order to build a resilient health sector in Liberia, Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has donated medical supplies to the Redemption Hospital in New Kru Town, a Monrovia suburb. The donation was made possible through the instrumentality of Liberia’s honorary Consul in Atlanta, Georgia. The country’s health sector over the years has been very weak, causing any disease or virus to penetrate easily. The deadly Ebola Virus Disease struck in early 2014 and killed over 4,000 Liberians, including Doctors, nurses and health workers. Making the donation on Tuesday, 16 August at the Redemption Hospital, Vice President Boakai reassured Liberians of government’s resolve to building a resilient health sector. He said health workers across the country have worked tirelessly under very difficult circumstances and he reassured the sector remains one of government’s top priorities, writes the New Dawn newspaper

Ellen Hails Indonesia, Gabon On Independence Anniversaries

The In Profile Daily quotes a Foreign Ministry release: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent two separate messages of congratulations to the Governments and peoples of the Republic of Indonesia and the Gabonese Republic on the occasions marking the 71^st and 56^th Independence Anniversaries of the two countries, respectively, on Wednesday, August 17. According to a Foreign Ministry release, in her message to her Indonesian counterpart, President Joko Widodo, the Liberian President conveyed warmest felicitations to the Government and people of Indonesia on this historic event and prayed that the cordial and bilateral relations subsisting between both countries will be further strengthened and cemented for the mutual benefit of the two nations and peoples. In a related development, in her message to President of the Gabonese Republic, His Excellency Mr. Ali Bongo Ondimba, President Sirleaf, on behalf the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name, extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the Gabonese leader, and through him, to the Government and people of Gabon as they celebrate another milestone in their national history.

NEC Ends Media Training

The National Elections Commission (NEC) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) has concluded a five-day professional development training for media practitioners in the country. A NEC release says the workshop was conducted under the Media and Elections Module of the Building Resources In Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) training framework. It was intended to improve the skills, knowledge and confidence of the media in the electoral process as well as broaden journalists’ knowledge on elections reporting. The roles and responsibilities of journalists to other electoral stakeholders and the provision of equal and equitable access to all electoral contestants were highlights of the training, which took place from August 8-12, 2016, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Zimbabwean, Guinea Bissauan Arrested With L$9M Illicit Drugs At RIA

The Daily Observer reports that Vennia Hwedenga, a Zimbabwean and Toni Mendes, a Guinea Bissau national were arrested by officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) at the Roberts International Airport on (RIA) on Sunday, August 14, for illegal possession of narcotics and other illicit substances they allegedly brought into the country. The two suspects are currently detained at the LDEA, undergoing investigations. The 26-year-old female, who arrived on a Kenyan Airways flight, was apprehended after LDEA officers searched her belongings and discovered the illegal substances concealed in a black bag. LDEA Acting Director-General Gwee K. Porkpah made the disclosure during a press conference at the agency’s headquarters in Monrovia yesterday. The illegal substances, which weighed three kilos and 142 grams, were tested to be heroin with a street value of L$9,048,960 (US$94,260). The LDEA also confirmed the arrest of Toni Mendes, a holder of a Guinea Bissauan passport, who entered the country on board a Royal Air Moroc flight on August 14. Meanwhile, Acting Director Porkpah has appealed to Liberians and foreign nationals to report any incident of drug trafficking as well as any information regarding illegal drug activities within the borders of Liberia to the LDEA

Related Captions: Drugs Ring Busted (FrontPage Africa), and LDEA Nabs Drug Traffickers (In Profile Daily)

NHA Wants US$3M To Resettle 21,000 West Point Dwellers

The final solution to the Township of West Point residents’ resettlement to the VOA community could be in sight if the National Housing Authority’s (NHA) annual budget is increased from less than US$1 million to US$3 million by the National Legislature. According to Prince Anything Wreh, NHA Deputy Managing Director for Administration, with an annual budget of less than US$1million, and through the support from the NASSCORP and the Ministry of State, 1,700 erosion affected residents of the township have made voluntary commitments to be relocated. The new location is VOA, near Brewerville, outside Monrovia, which over 240 residents from the township have already been resettled, and many more are expected to follow, Mr. Wreh said. He told the Daily Observer during a tour of the NASSCORP Village and VOA Community by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf yesterday that the NHA wants to resettle the entire township, but that could happen only if the Legislature could increase NHA’s annual budget to more than US$2 million. The President’s entourage included Monrovia City Mayor Clara Doe Mvogo, and NHA Managing Director Samuel Wlue, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: NHA Allots US1M For Permanent Homes for West Pointers (Heritage)

PPAL Launches Reproductive Health Service

The Daily Observer reports that the Rapid Response Mechanism Project aimed at strengthening community involvement in sexual reproductive health services known as family planning (FP2020) has been officially launched in Monrovia. According to a press release, Dr. Joseph L. Kerkula, Director of Family Health Division at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, who served as the chief launcher, underscored the need for a comprehensive approach in addressing the infant and maternal issues in Liberia. The release, signed by Planned Parenthood Association of Liberia’s (PPAL) Executive Director Miatta Kiawu-Cojolo, stressed the need for the availability of resources and human capacity building to tackle pre-natal problems in the country.

Sweden Equips Liberia’s WTO Enquiry Points

As part of efforts to boost Liberia’s trade regime, the Swedish International Development Assistance (SIDA) through its National Board of Trade (NBT) has turned over three computers, accessories and internet facilities to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) to operationalize enquiry points established by Liberia’s World Trade Organization (WTO) Post Accession Plan. At the turnover ceremony over the weekend, Marcus Hansen–Fure, Advisor at the Swedish National Board of Trade (NBT) said the computers and accessories will enable the enquiry points of the Ministry respond to queries and provide information regarding Liberia’s trade regime to WTO members. He disclosed that the equipment is valued at US$4,400 but was more concerned about the impact of the donated items, especially information about WTO members. According to Mr. Hansen-Fure, the equipment is one important step towards taking advantage of Liberia’s WTO membership as well as living up to some of the obligations that come with the WTO membership, which includes the establishment of enquiry points and authorities that allow other WTO members, businesses in and out of Liberia, and other stakeholders to receive and request specific information about measures and procedures in those areas, reports the Daily Observer. 

Market Supt Urges Banks to Give Out Loans

The president of the Pleebo Branch of the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA), Paul Nimson, is urging commercial banks operating in the area to give loans to business people, who are depositing with them. “We want the Ecobank and International Bank (IB) to open corridor for loans,” Nimson said. The previous leadership of the LMA Pleebo branch, was getting loans from the two banks but it broke ties with the bank for failing to pay back the loans. This is suffering our people; traders should be given loans to improve the business he stressed, asserts the INQUIRER newspaper.

Chinese Envoy Bids Farewell to 2016 Chinese Government Scholarship Students 

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yue says nowadays, the comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and Liberia is developing both in scope and in depth. According to Ambassador ZHAN, China’s cooperation in education and human resources is also having an encouraging momentum and broad prospect. Speaking Tuesday, August 16, 2016 at the program marking the Farewell Reception for the 2016 at the Chinese Government Scholarship Students held at the Chinese Embassy, Congo Town. The Chinese Envoy pointed out that as a reliable partner, China has made its contribution to the Education sector of Liberia, reports the Heritage newspaper.

Liberia Gets Lab that Determines Diseases

Deputy Health Minister for Disease Surveillance and Epidemic Control, Tolbert Nyenswah, says Liberia now has the laboratory capacity to test specimens to determine any diseases, including Ebola. Deputy Minister Nyenswah made the disclosure on Monday at the start of a two-day Public workshop of the Committee on Clinical trails during the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak fourth Committee Meeting for Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone in Monrovia.  He maintained that the laboratory has afforded Liberia the capacity to test any specimen in less than an hour, compared to during the heat of the Ebola outbreak, reports the FOCUS newspaper.