The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2017

Today, our summary of the local dailies highlights two dominant news stories including the commitment made by the Civil Service Agency to support the President’s Young Professional Program as well as the call by the United Nations Development Program’s Country Director in Liberia, Dr. Pa Lamin Bayal for honesty to be the hallmark of procurement officers in Liberia.

Our review also presents synopsis of President Sirleaf’s congratulatory Messages to the Presidents of the Republic of Djibouti, His Excellency Mr. Ismail Omar Guellah and the Democratic Republic of Congo, His Excellency Mr. Joseph Kabila on their 40th and 57^th Independence Anniversaries held on June 27 and 30, 2017 respectively.

DOMINANT STORIES

CSA Commits Support to President’s Young Professionals Program

The FrontPage Africa newspaper says the Civil Service Agency has reaffirmed its commitment to support the President’s young professional program PYPP, a premiered capacity building program for youth leadership in public service launched in 2009 by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.  At the seventh induction ceremony of the Program held at a local resort in Monrovia, Civil Service Agency (CSA) Director for Career Management and Development, Claudius J. Broderick lauded the PYPP team for the initiative and promised to work with the organization to bring more young professionals into government. 

Related Captions: CSA Commits Support to President’s Young Professional Program (FOCUS), CSA Commits Support to President’s Young Professionals Program (Heritage)

UNDP Boss Calls for ‘Honesty’ Among Procurement Officers

The Country Director of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Liberia has called for ‘honesty’ among procurement officers in Liberia. Dr. Pa Lamin Bayal said anyone who sees procurement as a money-making profession to earn extra money outside of their salaries must immediately leave. He was speaking recently at the opening of a set of back to back CIPS levels 2 and 3 trainings for public procurement officers. The trainings were organized by the Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC) with support from UNDP for beginners and mid-level procurement personnel from Line Ministries, Agencies, Commissions and UNDP, the INQUIRER newspaper reports.

Related Captions: UNDP Boss Craves ‘Honesty’ among Procurement Officers (FOCUS), UNDP Boss Calls for ‘Honesty’ Among Procurement Officers in Liberia (Heritage), UNDP Boss Calls For Honesty In Procurement (Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES

Pres. Sirleaf Congratulates DRC On Its 57th Independence Anniversary

The FOCUS newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a Congratulatory Message to her colleague, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), His Excellency Mr. Joseph Kabila, on that country’s 57th Independence Anniversary on June 30, 2017. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name, extended warmest congratulations and best wishes to President Kabila, and through him the Government and people of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the occasion of its 57^th Independence Anniversary. The Liberian President said, “As we further strengthen the bond of friendship and ongoing bilateral ties subsisting between our two countries, it is our fervent prayers that the Almighty God will endow Your Excellency with abundant wisdom and strength as you lead your people.”

Prez Sirleaf Applauds Djibouti On 40th Independence Observance

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a Congratulatory message to her colleague, the President of the Republic of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guellah, on that country’s 40th Independence Anniversary on June 27. The Daily Observer quoting a Foreign Ministry says President Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia in her own name, stressed that as they commemorate this occasion, she looked forward to further strengthen the excellent bilateral ties between both countries, for the mutual benefit of the two peoples.

AfDB Convenes ECOWAS Green Investment Catalyst Round Table

The New Dawn newspaper reports that the African Development Bank (AfDB) in conjunction with UNFCCC and West African Development Bank (BOAD) convened the ECOWAS Green Investment Round Table recently at the AfDB Headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, aimed at catalyzing and launching a program of work initiatives that promote private sector finance and investment opportunities in the energy sector in the West African region.  According to a dispatch, the meeting focused on catalyzing green investments to meet objectives of the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The meeting attracted more than 35 participants including representatives from UNFCCC, ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, FONSIS, GuarantCo, West African Development Bank (BOAD), Bouygues, Sunu, a leading insurance company, and the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières. The meeting comes at a time when countries across Africa are working towards diversifying their economies, to encourage investment and move beyond dependence on low value-added commodity exports and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Related Caption: ECOWAS Green Investment Round Table Takes Center-stage AfDB, UNFCCC & BOAD Convened Meeting (FOCUS)

President Johnson-Sirleaf Seeks House Approval On New Revenue Code

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has submitted a draft bill to the House of Representatives for enactment into law seeking to amend the revenue code of Liberia. The purpose of the Act according to the FrontPage Africa newspaper is to develop modern customs processes consistent with international standard and practices that will ensure the full benefits of legitimate international trade. The President indicated that the passage of the act into law will boost the economy and create a systematic approach of effective and persuasive sanctions for violations and fair procedures for penalty assessment and appeals. The act was forwarded to the House’s Judiciary as well as Ways, Means and Finance Committees to advice Plenary for action within two weeks.

Related Caption: Ellen Submits Bill to Reform Civil Service (Daily Observer)

Liberia Observers International Day Of Cooperatives July 1

The Daily Observer reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has by Proclamation declared Saturday, July 1, as International Day of Cooperatives to be observed throughout the country as a working holiday. She called on all Liberians as well as international organizations concerned to join the cooperatives movement of Liberia through the  Cooperative Development Agency (CDA) in executing appropriate programs befitting the observance of the day.

20 Years Road Connectivity Plan Unveiled

The Minister of Public Works (MPW), Mr. William Gyude Moore, has unveiled a 20-year road infrastructure plan to donor partners of Liberia. According to the Minister, the purpose of the presentation was to inform all stakeholders of Liberia’s infrastructure about the long-term road development plan so as to promote coordination, while at the same time mobilize support for long-term planning, increase the efficiency and effectiveness of road project delivery and maximize the impact of road projects across the sector. Minister Moore made the presentation on June 29, 2017 before a huge gathering of stakeholders in the road sector including donor partners at the Ministry of Public Works Ministry’s conference room in Monrovia, the Heritage news daily reads.

Related Caption: US$2.6M Needed To Connect All Primary Roads in Liberia (FrontPage Africa)

LRA To Observe Taxpayers Appreciation Day July 1-31 Taxpayers To Receive Highest Contributions And Most Compliant Taxpayers Awards

According to the Daily Observer, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) will observe Saturday, July 1, as Taxpayers Appreciation Day in Monrovia. July 1, henceforth, known as LRA Day, commemorates the date on which the LRA officially began operations in 2014. The daily says the Taxpayer Appreciation Day is held in collaboration with USAID RG3 Project and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP). The program further seeks to recognize and appreciate taxpayers based on two underlining considerations: tax contribution and tax compliance. Thirty one (31) taxpayers are expected to receive awards under the LRA’s two core business areas of Domestic Tax and Customs, covering the period FY 2015-2016. The theme of the day is “Creating a culture of voluntary tax compliance,” and recognizes taxpayers for their level of tax compliance and contribution to national development by paying their taxes regularly and on time.

Related Caption: LRA Appreciates Taxpayers Saturday (The New Dawn)

UNESCO Stresses Career Vision And Passion

The Secretary General of the Liberia Nation Commission on UNESCO Mr. Sam Harr, Jr. is cautioning students to have vision and passion for what they aspire to achieve that will impact their lives as future generation. He says the lack of vision cannot afford any person the opportunity to fulfill what he or she desires to do for the future, cautioning that “As students preparing to come out of high school I encourage you to have vision for whatsoever you want to do, because with that you can achieve your dreams.” Addressing students on Wednesday, 28 June at the Monrovia Christian Fellowship, in Monrovia at the opening of a Career Development Seminar organized under the auspices of the United Methodist University Alumni Association, the UNESCO Secretary General further emphasizes that it is important for students to recognize their potential and explore their vision, if they are to become useful citizens in the future. The one-day career development brought together nine high schools in Monrovia and parts adjacent, reads the New Dawn newspaper.

 PCC Boss Inducted As President Of AMLOGAL

The Mayor of the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC), Madam C. Cyvette M. Gibson, was on Thursday, June 29, 2017 indicted as President of the Association of Mayors and Local Government Authorities of Liberia (AMLOGAL). The PCC boss who was inducted President of a 10 person leadership, which will steer the affairs of the organization (AMLOGAL) for the next two years. Ceremony marking the induction of officers of AMLOGAL was held at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia, the Heritage newspaper reads.

Related Caption: PCC Mayor Inducted President Of Association On Mayors Of Liberia (Daily Observer)

Climate Change Affects Man’s Survival FDA Managing Director Says

The INQUIRER newspaper reads that the Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), says Climate Change Affects the survival of man noting, it is evidence tat climate change affects our livelihoods, incomes and the environment. Mr. Darlington S. Tuagben made the assertion at the opening of a five-day training workshop in Monrovia of Liberia’s exposure  to forest carbon, it realization from the  forest and calculation of how it could be achieved. Research done according to the FDA Boss estimated that 17.4 per cent of global greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions ae derived from forest degradation. The forests he said are also affected by climate change, but at the same time, play a significant role in the adaptation against climate change, the paper says.

CLSG Breaks Ground For Interconnection Project

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf along with her counterparts from Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Guinea, broke ground for the Cote D’Ivoire, Liberia Sierra Leone and Guinea (CLSG) interconnection project, on the sideline of the high-level ECOWAS Heads of State summit in Liberia, held Sunday 4 June 2017. The launch kick-off with physical construction activities of the 1,303 km transmission line and substations in the four Mino River Union (MRU) countries that constitute the CLSG. The CLSG interconnection is part of the backbone of the MRU

countries and a priority project of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) Master Plan. Speaking on the occasion, the Bank’s Chief Power Engineer, Amadou Diallo Bassirou explained that the project was in line with the New Deal on Energy for Africa as implementation of the transmission line will support the development of the hydroelectric power potential of the MRU countries in pooling the different energy sources, the FOCUS newspaper says.

AfDB Announces Death Of DG For Southern Africa

It is with great sorrow that the management of the African Development Bank announces the death of Dr. Tonia kandiero, Director-General of the Southern Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office, who passed away yester evening in Pretoria. Dr. Kandiero was a highly dedicated, respected and well-loved colleague with an impressive record of achievements at the Bank. A Malawian national, she had worked extensively across Southern Africa and brought deep experience in government, academia and international financial institutions, the paper says.

Related Caption: AFDB Director General Dies In Southern Africa (The New Dawn)