The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, APRIL 10, 2017

News of President Sirleaf’s reflection on her association with fallen female Liberian educator Mother Mary Nema Brownell,the visit of a high power delegation of the African Capacity Building Foundation as guest of Government of Liberia and the death Liberia’s former Solicitor General and a lead lawyer in the ongoing Global Witness alleged bribery case, Cllr. Theophilus C. Gould, are among stories dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Ellen Reflects On Brownell’s Guidance 

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf says she was guided, advised and sometimes criticized through letters sent to her by fallen female Liberian educator Mother Mary Nema Brownell from time to time. During the funeral ceremony over the remains of Mother Brownell at the Trinity Cathedral on Broad Street on Saturday, 8 April, Mrs. Sirleaf said Madam Brownell used those letters to help her (Mrs. Sirleaf) be moderate in some of the decisions she took. Mother Brownell died Tuesday, 14 March at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Sinkor. Mrs. Sirleaf says Madam Brownell will be missed, telling the bereaved family that through the women of Liberia, the women of the world will recognize what Madam Brownell has done here to bring Liberia to where it is. According to theNew Dawnnewspaper, Liberia’s Foreign Minister Marjon V. Kamara cited the contribution of the late Madam Brownell, saying she molded the minds of young people and strengthened the citizens of the nation. Minister Kamara has urged Liberians to pledge to take the baton to run with it, saying “there is still room for us to make our contribution”. 

Related Captions: ‘Dr. Brownell’s Criticisms Taught Me Lessons’(Daily Observer), ‘She Guided Me’: Liberian President Pays Homage to Fallen Educator, Advocate (FrontPage Africa)

African Capacity Building Foundation Head in Liberia

A high-power delegation of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) arrived in Liberia over the weekend as guest of the Government of Liberia. The head of the ACBF, Professor Emmanuel Nnadozie arrived in Liberia on Sunday April 9, 2017 along with Dr. Fola Ayonrinde, head of the ACBF West and Central Africa Region and Miss Joyce Ekuful, Program Officer of the West and Central Africa Region. According to a Ministry of Finance and Development Planning release, Minister Boima S. Kamara on Liberia’s pledge to ACBF and other support initiatives and possible capacity areas of support from the ACBF to Liberia, focusing on areas of improvement in macroeconomic modeling and empirical research as well as support to the agriculture sector, the In Profile daily newspaper reads.

Related Captions: ACBF Team Arrives in Liberia(Daily Observer), ACBF Official Visit Liberia(The New Dawn)

Liberia Mourns T.C. Gould

The New Dawnnewspaper reports that Liberia’s former Solicitor General and lead lawyer in the ongoing Global Witness alleged bribery case, Cllr. Theophilus C. Gould, is dead. Cllr. Gould, 61, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital early Saturday morning April 8, 2017 few minutes after he collapsed at his Sinkor residence. Cllr. Gould served under the Charles Taylor regime as Solicitor General, the same position he held under the late Gyude Bryant during the interim regime from 2003 to 2005. The late T.C. Gould was also a former President of the Liberian Bar Association. A family and a religious man, who also served as chairman of the Monrovia Open Bible Church, located on the Old Road in Sinkor.-

Related Caption: T.C. Gould, Lead Lawyer In Global Witness Bribery Case Is Dead(Daily Observer), Cllr. Gould Is Dead Leaves Big Gap In Liberia’s Justice System(FrontPage Africa)

Tragic Accident Leaves Three Dead, Several Wounded

Police in Monrovia are investigating the cause of a tragic motor accident that resulted into the death of three persons when a truck carrying two 20-foot containers lost control on Johnson Street Saturday. A police statement says eleven persons sustained wounds of different degrees and are undergoing medical treatment at the J.F.K. Medical Hospital in Sinkor. Among the wounded is Super FM program producer Rose Zayzay, who sustained wounds on her both legs, the In Profile Daily reads.

Related Captions: Related Caption: Container Disaster Leaves 3 Dead, 11 Injured(Daily Observer), Container Truck Kills many-Several In Critical Conditions(The New Dawn), Trailer Carrying 2 20 Ft Sea Containers Loses Its Break On Johnson Street Three Killed(FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES

Dep. MOFA Official Preaches Compassion, Integrity as Min. Shoniyin Urges LMA Leadership

An inside story of the In Profile Daily newspaper reads that the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. B. Elias Shoniyin, has urged the newly inducted leadership of the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA), to be leaders with compassion and integrity. Delivering a statement on behalf of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at the induction program of the LMA at the ATS over the weekend in Monrovia, Deputy Minister Shoniyin said leaders with compassion are not those who seek leadership and have unfair advantage over others and keep all opportunities for themselves; instead, they will put the problems of their people first before theirs.

Liberia, EU Sign Voluntary Partnership Agreement To Strengthen Forestry Sector

The Government of Liberia has signed a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union to boost and strengthen the country's forestry sector. The agreement was signed by Ambassador Tina Intelmann, Head of the European Union delegation and Sister Mary Laurene Browne, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Forestry Development Authority during a press conference at the Monrovia City hall on Friday, April 7, 2017. The Voluntary Partnership Agreement aims to improve forest governance, address illegal logging and promote trade in verified legal timber products from Liberia to the European Union, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: Liberia-EU FLEGT VPA Signed(Daily Observer)

Chinese Firm To Build 120 MW Hydropower Dam On St. John River

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reads that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has concluded an interactive meeting with citizens of Grand Bassa and Bong Counties on the environmental and social impact, the construction of a 120 MW Hydropower Dam over St. John River would have on communities near the river.  The meeting, which was held in District # 3 C, Grand Bassa County on Thursday, April 6, 2016 on behalf of HydroChina, attracted representatives from the Ministry of Land, Mines and Energy, Liberia Maritime Authority, Forestry Development Authority, (FDA), Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), Bong and Grand Bassa Legislative Caucuses and local authorities. HydroChina is a Chinese firm involved in renewable energy and hydropower development worldwide. HydroChina was invited by the Government of Liberia to work with Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) to develop hydropower in an effort to increase power generation in the country, P. Nanlee Johnson, Energy Analyst at the Ministry of Land Mines and Energy disclosed.

PATEL ‘Going Ahead With Protest’ Gov’t Deploying Police To MonitorSituation

The government has warned the leadership of the Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia (PATEL) to disengage its planned protest to be held today, April 10. The GOL statement, released late Saturday, April 8, under the signature of Minister of Information Lenn Eugene Nagbe, ordered officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) to monitor today’s situation to ensure that such action is aborted. PATEL issued a statement last week citing the depreciation of the Liberian dollar against the United States dollar; high tariffs and incidental tariffs that are placed on goods imported by Liberian businesses, and constant police harassment of traders, including street sellers. The statement appealed to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to quickly respond to their concerns before today, to avoid any conflict that may arise, according to the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: Gov't Cautions PATEL to Desist From Protest - Says It Threatens Peace

(FrontPage Africa)

MoE, UNICEF Conducts Training For Teachers

According to theNew Dawnnewspaper, the Ministry of Education in collaboration with UNICEF has ended a week-long workshop on Psychosocial and Pedagogy for teachers and school administrators across Maryland County.  County Educational Officer Mr. David Boakai said the workshop is intended to sharpen skills of teachers and school administrators to keep them on par with the active learning process in the sub-region. He said the participants were drilled on professional standards for teachers, teaching knowledge and skills, classroom management, assessment and evaluation, among others. Mr. Boakai stressed that it is important for teachers and school administrators to attend such workshop, because new methods are emerging in the profession and they can only be acquainted with them by if they are constantly attending such workshop.

Tear Fund Launches Reports on Ebola, SGBV

The British Charity Tear Fund has launched a qualitative report on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and the Ebola Virus Recovery programs. The report on SGBV reveals that there is still a degree of impunity for men who perpetrate violence and abuse. The report further discloses that survivors of Sexual Gender Based Violence are still stigmatized in Society. According to the charity report on SGBV, patriarchal norms informed by religion and culture still dominate people’s world views and inform opinions and perspectives on gender relations and SGBV, the In Profile Daily reads.

NATMOTE To Train 100 Women Aspirants

The National Youth Movement for Transparent Election (NAYMOTE) will on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 host a weeklong training for 100 women campaign managers from across the 73 electoral districts in Liberia. The women’s leadership and political participation training is meant to prepare female aspirants for the legislative election. The training will be held at the Development Education Network Liberia Compound, based in Gbarnga, Bong County. The overall goal of the training is to increase women’s representation in the legislature and empower them to participate in competitive politics and governance in Liberia, the In Profile newspaper reads.