The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONAY, MAY 16 , 2017

News of the President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS’ condemnation against the acts of violence which are being perpetrated by mutinous soldiers in Côte d’Ivoire in their demand for compensation allegedly promised them by their government and Liberia’s win of four medals at the just-ended West Africa Region II Senior Championships and the ECOWAS Junior Tournament in Conakry, Guinea are news dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Pres. Sirleaf Condemns Violence in I. Coast 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is also Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, has vehemently condemned the acts of violence which are being perpetrated by mutinous soldiers in Côte d’Ivoire in their demand for compensation allegedly promised them by their government. In a Statement issued here Monday, May 15, 2017, the Liberian leader, acting on behalf of the ECOWAS Authority, called upon the mutineers to end their shootings and threats to civilian lives, remove the roadblocks which obstruct the free movement of people and the conduct of normal commercial activities in cities and town. She admonished them to return to their barracks and resume negotiations for their compensation peacefully. The ECOWAS Chair renewed the firm commitment of all ECOWAS Member States to the maintenance of peace and stability in the Community, which are indispensable for the achievement of the aspirations of the ECOWAS citizens for development. President Sirleaf urged the mutineers to fulfill their obligation to protect the citizens of Côte d’Ivoire and to refrain from any actions which could result in further deaths and injuries, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: ECOWAS Chair Condemns Violence In Côte d’Ivoire (Daily Observer), and ECOWAS Chair Condemns Violence Of Mutinous Soldiers in Côte d’Ivoire(INSIGHT)

Liberia Wins Gold, Silver And 2 Bronze Medals

The national athletics team won four medals at the just-ended West Africa Region II Senior Championships and the ECOWAS Junior Tournament in Conakry, Guinea, from Friday to Sunday, May 12 to 14. On Sunday, May 14, Kadmiel Enders won a gold medal in the men’s high jump. Coach Samuel Cooper told the Daily Observer via mobile phone that the team attributed the gold medal to the Unification Day celebration in Liberia, even though it fell on Sunday and was formally observed yesterday, Monday. On the opener on Friday, May 12, Richard Mayango won a silver medal when he finished 2nd in the shot put junior men’s final, while Lucy Massaquoi received a bronze medal for coming 3rd in the 1500m junior women’s final. On the second day, Saturday, May 13, Nancy Saah was the third highest jumper and received a bronze medal. Athletes Anis Faraj, Sunnyboy Barcon, Emmanuel Kartus, Andrew Kpehe, and others finished above 6th place in their respective events, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Liberia Returns With Gold, Silver and Bronze(INSIGHT) and Liberia Returns With Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals(FOCUS)

OTHER STORIES  

Ellen Launches Zero Hunger Strategic Review Report 

According to the New Dawnnewspaper, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is expected to launch the Liberia Zero Hunger Strategic Review Report today, Tuesday, 16 May at the Monrovia City Hall. A joint Ministry of Agriculture and World Food Program or WFP release issued in Monrovia on Monday, 15 May says the Report to be launched today establishes the root causes of hunger in Liberia and sets a baseline for addressing the challenges and gaps in a holistic government-driven national response to food and nutrition security. The Report is a result of nearly nine months of a government-led, transparent and consultative process involving all relevant stakeholders from civil society, private sector, government technical agencies and the United Nations Country Team in Liberia, the joint release adds. It recalls that in September 2015 at the Special Summit of the United Nations in New York, President Sirleaf and other Heads of State and Government collectively agreed on the Sustainable Development Goal or SDG - 2 which manifests the prominence of food security and nutrition. The SDG - 2 aims to end hunger, achieve food security and promote nutrition sensitive sustainable agriculture by 2030. Earlier on Friday, 12 May, a one-day national stakeholders’ conference was held to validate the Zero Hunger Strategic Report under the leadership of Prof. Amos C. Sawyer, the Lead Convener.

Related Caption: Ellen Launches Zero Hunger Strategic Review Today…Following National Validation Workshop(In Profile Daily)  

Joseph Boakai Gets Vote Rich Bong County Endorsement 

Standard bearer of the ruling Unity Party, Vice President Joseph Boakai is becoming the new political sensation as the country counts less than 150 days to elections.Vice President Boakai over the past few weeks has been amassing support from various sectors. Last Thursday, 19 senators pledged their support to his candidacy, noting in a signed resolution that their decision was based on his experience in public service and his maturity in handling matters, especially when it comes to conflict resolution and reconciliation. Vice President  Boakai’s candidacy which was said to be suffering setbacks as a consequence of the failures of the Unity Party to meet the aspirations of citizens after 11-year rule – with many campaigning against continuity – has begun gaining momentum. The UP standard bearer stormed vote-rich Bong County with a special petitioning ceremony over the weekend, asserts the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

3,900 Persons Enroll in Ebola Natural History Study

According to the Daily Observer, at least 3,900 persons have enrolled in the Ebola Natural History Study being conducted by PREVAIL – the Partnership for Research on Ebola Virus in Liberia, in Margibi County. The number includes about 1,000 Ebola survivors and 2,000 of their close contacts, people who took care of the survivors at the time they came down with the deadly Ebola virus, according to PREVAIL Social Mobilization Manager Bartholomew Wilson, during a community engagement in Worhn, the administrative headquarters of Gibi District in Margibi County. The community engagement meetings, organized by the Liberia Crusaders for Peace in collaboration with PREVAIL, are meant to rally Liberians’ support for the scientific research being conducted by the joint US-Liberia clinical research partnership.

Related Caption: PREVAIL Enrolls 3900 Persons For Ebola Natural History Study(In Profile Daily)

EU To Announce Drawing Competition Winner Today

The European Union (EU) will today announce the winner of drawing competition at the launching ceremony for the official launch of a book sponsored by the European Union in recognition and appreciation of Liberia’s rich cultural heritage. The EU says the production of the new edition of the book entitled “Legends of Liberia”, which is the collection of stories from each of the nation’s tribes originally collected by the Australian traveler Peter Pinney in encounters with storytellers. The new edition is illustrated by Liberia-born Italian artis Luca Bai Varaschini, reports FOCUS newspaper.  

ECOWAS Makes Insurance Affordable 

The Heads of States and Governments of ECOWAS Assembly has reduced the cost of liability insurance for motor vehicles from US$75 to US$10. According to the executive committee of the Liberia National Bureau of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme, the decision is enshrined in the ECOWAS Brown Card Protocol. In a recent assembly held in Bamako, Mali the committee said the ECOWAS Brown Card can be obtained only from insurance companies who are registered members of the Liberia National Bureau of ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme. The ECOWAS Brown Card Certificates can be obtained by owners of company vehicles, motorbikes and locomotive machines, not individual owners. ECOWAS resolutions 13 of the 29th General Assembly held in Monrovia, Liberia and 15 of the 32nd General Assembly held in Mali-Bamako, reiterated calls for participants in the scheme to implement the Automatic Issuance of the ECOWAS Brown Card Certificate to give additional benefits through an ECOWAS one-community insurance certificate, reports the Daily Observer.  

Judiciary To Hold First Retreat 

According to the FOCUS newspaper, the Supreme Court of Liberia says it has finalized plans to hold a three-day retreat for Justices and Judges. The retreat, which will run from May 17 to 20, is in execution of the plan developed by the judiciary to enhance its core values of competency, integrity, transparency, diligence and tolerance. The retreat takes place in Gbarnga, Bong County and is the First of its Kind in the History of the judiciary for Justices of the Supreme Court, Judges of Circuit and Specialized Courts as well as Magistrates from across the country to gather to evaluate and critique their own performance to enhance effectiveness and efficiency within that branch of government. The daily quotes a release as saying that the retreat will strategize a credible system for accountability, reflect on and discuss issues on the way forward for the Liberia judiciary.

Foya-Borma, Other Hospitals Receive Medical Supplies

The Foya Borma Hospital in Foya Statutory District, Lofa County, has received a large consignment of medical supplies including equipment. The donation was an initiative of the Friends of Foya-Borma Hospital in partnership with Medshare and other partners, including the United Parcel Service (UPS) and several contributors based in the USA. the medical supplies, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), gloves, masks, syringes, needles were distributed among several other medical facilities, reads the Daily Observer.

Grand Gedeh-Sinoe Road At The Brink Of Collapse…If Not Rehabilitated

The stretch of road linking Grand Gedeh and Sinoe in the southeastern part of Liberia is likely to collapse during the rainy season if it is not rehabilitated. At some locations, the road is in a deplorable state and in desperate need of immediate intervention, or there will be a serious shortage of food and other major supplies. This will also definitely hamper the movement of electoral materials to and from the region. The most affected areas are on the Grand Gedeh side of the road, where there are substantial ditches and muddy areas that cause damage to vehicles and threaten the safety of travelers plying the road, according the Daily Observer.

Kids’ Educational Project Dedicates Reading Room In Grand Gedeh

The charity organization, Kids’ Educational Engagement Project (KEEP), has dedicated its 3^rd Reading Room in the Gbokolen Community, in Cavalla District, Grand Gedeh County. Making remarks at the program, the County Education Officer, Harrision Darwolo thanked KEEP and its team for the Reading Room. He said that education is the backbone to any developing nation and commended the Executive Director of KEEP for her efforts and noted that it takes someone with a special heart to do what she does and has done for the community and the public school, reports the FrontPage Africa.

Nimba Superintendents In Ducted

The Superintendent of Nimba County, Mr. Dorr Cooper, and his Assistant Superintendent for Development, Macpherson David, have been inducted into offices in Sanniquellie, Nimba County.  Inducting the two officials over the weekend, Internal Affairs Minister Dr. Henrique Tokpa urged the two men to work together in unity in a bid to move the county forward.  He said the entire county along with its human population rest on the head of the county’s administration in terms of development and reconciliation. The newly elected Superintendent promised to foster peace among the citizens void of tribalism, favoritism and nepotism as a way of bringing about unity in the county, reads the INQUIRER newspaper.