The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2017

Ellen Seeks Lawyers’ Intervention

According to the New Dawn newspaper, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is pleading with lawyers here to look at Liberia’s Justice System to address inadequacies and delay of justice, taking note of year on year human right report on the nation that are not favorable. “Today, we have over one thousand or some more people in the Monrovia Central Prison for a facility that should have not more than two or three hundred,” Mrs. Sirleaf said Saturday, 2 September when she dedicated a government funded Sanniquelle Judicial Complex in Nimba County. She said mot times the Chief Justice would personally go around prisons to order the release of some pretrial detainees who have been trained over time without trial.

Foreign Minister Bids Farewell to Korea’s Ambassador to Liberia

Foreign Minister Madam Marjon Kamara has praised the outgoing ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Liberia, His Excellency Mr.  Noh Kyu-duk, for maintaining and further strengthening the excellent relations subsisting between the two countries. “In my own estimation, you have done very well, despite the fact you are not resident here; but you have kept the relationship between our two countries very much alive,” she noted, adding, “Relationship is indeed longstanding.” According to a Foreign Ministry release, Foreign Minister Kamara made the assertion when Mr. Kyu-duk paid a courtesy visit to officially take leave of her after a little over two-year stint as the Republic of Korea’s Ambassador to Liberia. Ambassador Kyu-duk began his assignment as his country’s ambassador to Liberia when he presented his Letters of Credence to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on June 25, 2015. Foreign Minister Kamara praised Ambassador Kyu-duk for the efforts he made in galvanizing enormous support to Liberia, especially during the Ebola crisis and continued even during the post-Ebola era. “There’s a lot that you can be proud of Ambassador [Kyu-duk]. You’ve made your mark and government is continuity. In terms of our relationship, you have done enough, played your part, made your contribution to ensure that it’s anchored on a very sure, safe foundation that your successor will just take it forward. We thank you for that,” she re-echoed, the Insight newspaper asserts.

ECC Wants Political Parties Comply with Electoral Guidelines

The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) says if the National Elections Commission (NEC) is to cultivate public confidence in the upcoming electoral exercises, then the commission should not only ensure that all the phases of the electoral process are executed in a more transparent manner, but also within the confines of the laws governing the elections. At a press conference in Monrovia on Friday, the ECC urged the NEC to ensure that none of the country’s laws are circumvented but rather adhered to by all stakeholders, especially political parties and independent candidates—with specific reference to the Constitution (Article 83d). ECC chairman Oscar Bloh called on the NEC to prevail upon all registered political parties who have not submitted detailed statements of assets and liabilities and published same in the local dailies, in compliance with Article 83(d) of the Liberian Constitution, to do so before the elections are held, the Daily Observer states.

Elections not Popularity Contest Boakai Warns Liberians

Liberia’s Vice President and Standard Bearer of the ruling Unity Party (UP), Joseph Nyuma Boakai, has warned Liberians not to see the ensuing elections as a popularity contest, but should view it as that thing will redefine their future for the better. He said Liberians should vote wisely making him their choice because he remains the most stable candidate in the 20 candidate race. The UP’s standard bearer sounded the warning on Saturday, September 2, 2017 when a group of citizens and community leaders under the banner of “Like-minded Paynesville Citizens” endorsed his Presidential bid. Ceremony marking the endorsement of the Vice President’s Presidential bid was held at the Willis Knuckles Memorial Sports Pitch in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, the Heritage newspaper reads.  

Supreme Court Decides Snowe’s Electoral Fate Today 

According to the Daily Observer, the Supreme Court will today, September 4, decide whether or not Edwin Melvin Snowe, who is the current Montserrado County District #6 representative, is qualified to seek election for the same post in the Legislature for Senjeh, Bomi County District#1 during the October 10 elections. The court’s decision comes a week after three of the five justices had listened to legal arguments between Snowe’s lawyers and those representing Senator Sando Johnson and Representative Samuel Gayah Karmo, both of Bomi County. The two Bomi lawmakers had challenged the legality of the Montserrado County District#6 representative’s participation in the electoral process. Johnson and Karmo had initially appealed against the ruling from the authorities at the National Elections Commission (NEC), who denied their complaint on grounds that Snowe was qualified to be registered by the electoral body to contest for the district representative seat, a decision the two men claimed was unconstitutional.  

UN Women Supports LBS to Promote Gender Equality in Liberia 

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) have signed an agreement with the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in Liberia through the ‘Women’s Radio Project.’ Led by the LBS, the 4-month agreement will support, the production of live radio talk-shows on women’s political participation, coordination of community outreach activities, establishment of women listening clubs and production of radio dramas on topics relevant to the wellbeing of women and girls. Speaking during the signing of the Letter of Agreement, UN Women Liberia Representative Madam Marie Goreth Nizigama highlighted the important role media can play in advancing the rights of women and girls by availing platforms for women to speak out on issues affecting them, and providing information they need to transform their lives, the Heritage reads.

Teenage Aspiring Engineer Makes Request to Ellen

16-year-old Emmanuel Kollie has told President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf that the aspires to be an engineer, displaying a plank and cartoon made vehicle and motorbike to the President during her visit at the Ganta Rehab Center at the united Methodist facilities in Nimba County. The NEW DAWN states that, speaking Saturday, September 2, Kollie said he has only attained 6^th grade education at the United Methodist School in Ganta, citing lack of support as reason for being at such academic level.  

GROW, Partners Validate RSS Curriculum for Liberia 

GROW in collaboration with stakeholders in the rubber sector have introduced a new module or program in an effort to not only resuscitate the struggling rubber sector in Liberia, but to also make it more vibrant and sustainable on a long-term basis. Many stakeholders in the sector believe that with the future of the sector uncertain, there can be no better innovation for Liberia than the introduction of Ribbed Smoked Rubber Sheets, known as RSS, on a larger scale in the country. It was in this regard that GROW, an innovative market development platform, along with partners on Thursday validated the RSS Curriculum Program that is meant to teach/train agriculture students in various colleges and TVET institutions across the country in RSS production. The initiative is meant for Liberia to make maximum use of this rubber processing method that has been making headway in rubber producing countries in Asia and other parts of the world, because it improves productivity and the quality of farmers’ produce, the Daily Observer states.

MSF Starts Mental Health Activities Here

The President of the International humanitarian medical organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) France, Dr. Mego Terzian, visited Monrovia to meet with the Government of Liberia, represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Marjon V. Kamara. In his address, Dr. Terzian’s visit comes one day before the opening of the first MSF mental health project in Liberia. it will allow MSF to continue providing assistance to some of the most vulnerable populations in Liberia, including children under 15 years old, people suffering from mental health issues, and victims of natural disasters, violence, or epidemics, the Heritage reads.  

Lone Star to Depart Monrovia Wednesday 

With less than five days to the kickoff of the 2017 Fox Sports sponsored West Africa Football Union (WAFU) tournament in Ghana, the national team, Lone Star, is expected to depart the country for Ghana on Wednesday, according to deputy coach Thomas Kojo. Making the disclosure in a live phone-in interview over the weekend, coach Kojo said the team is currently facing financial difficulties, adding that the team is yet to go camping since the start of their preparation. The Daily Observer reports that Lone Star on August 21 began training sessions with locally based players and some inactive players including Marcus Macaulay, Sekou Jabateh, Isaac Pupo and Solomon Grimes. Coach Kojo said the four players were only afforded the opportunity to train with the local players based on the recommendation of technical director, Henry Brown.

Ellen Concludes County Tour Dedicates Development Projects

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has concluded her County Tour, with the dedication of several development projects in Todee District, rural Montserrado County. The dedication concludes the Final Leg of County Tour. The tour took her to Kingsvile, Morris Farm, Goba Town, Gbonee Town, Miatta Town, Yarkpazua Town, Pleemu Clan and Nyehn, the district headquarters where she held Town Hall Meetings and dedicated the Pleemu Community Health Center and Kingsville Town Hall. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf, on Thursday, August 31, 2017 received traditional welcome from chiefs and elders who were joined by Montserrado County District # 1 Representative, Josephine George Frances, local officials led by the County Superintendent Mrs. Florence Brandy, women, youth, students, and partisans of the ruling Unity Party, the Heritage reads.

CBL Expresses Serious Concern Over House Agenda on single Currency

According to the Daily Observer, the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has expressed serious concerns over the recent passage of a bill in the lower House looking to make the Liberian Dollar the only currency in the country. In a statement issued last Thursday, the CBL said it viewed the process of forced de-dollarization without the due consideration of the fundamental pre-conditions as being in the wrong direction. “The sponsors of this bill obviously had good intentions; however, the approach is wrong and will not produce the desired results. The nature and the structure of the current monetary arrangement for Liberia, the dual currency regime is complex; therefore, a decision that intends to alter such as regime should not be driven by mere public perceptions or should not be propelled by political persuasion, rather it should be anchored on empirical findings and the structural dynamics of the economy,” the CBL said.

Proposed LHP, Others, Vow to Collaborate for VP Bokai’s Success

The proposed Liberia Heritage Party (LHO), several auxiliary groups in support of Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s Presidential bid and the ruling United Party (UP) Grand Bassa County Branch have agreed to work collaboratively for the election of the Vice President. The groups made the commitment to work together following almost a two-hour meeting held in Dekoiti Village on the outskirt of the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. Speaking to this paper following the meeting, the Organizing Chairman of the LHP, Dr. Q. Somah Paygai, said forum was meant to bring all supporting groups of the Vice President’s quest to work together as a team, the Heritage reads.

Phebe Hospital Set to Diagnose Many Sicknesses Gets World-Class Equipment

Phebe Hospital, one of Liberia’s oldest medical centers has received a boost in its health services through a donation of modern laboratory equipment. The equipment was donated by Africabio Enterprise Incorporated with support from the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL). The cost of the equipment is put at US$11,200 and follows and follows a project initiated by Africabio Enterprise Inc., which aimed at identifying the best Laboratory in Liberia for the year. The total cost of the project was placed at US$15,000 an amount fully provided by NOCAL. Speaking Tuesday in Suakoko, Bong County at the endowment ceremony, Africabio Enterprise Incorporated Vice President Clarine Simpson Vaughn said the project is aimed at improving the laboratory condition of the Hospital, the Insight newspaper says.

AfDB Trains 129 Young “Agripreneurs”

The Daily Observerstatesthat the African Development Bank (AfDB), which is supporting the Government of Liberia to provide entrepreneurship training to young people in the agriculture value chain, has trained 129 persons to be agripreneurs. The objective of the training is to encourage young entrepreneurs to take the bull by the born, embrace risk and start thir businesses to become successful agripreneurs.

MOP Graduates 65 Adolescents, Youth as Peace Ambassadors

With the quest to maintain Liberia’s peace, Messengers of Peace-Liberia Incorporated (MOP), has graduated 65 adolescents and youth to assist in propagating peace messages to ensure that the country’s peace is maintained before, during, after the 2017 elections. At the graduation exercise yesterday, held at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism in Monrovia, the graduates put on an impressive performance, including public speaking and drama towards sustaining Liberia’s peace, and selection. “We learnt how to implement the UNSCR # 2250, resolve conflict, mediate and how to conduct ourselves before, during and after the elections,” said  Ms Gwendolyn Myers, founder and executive director of Messengers of Peace-Liberia Incorporated (MOP). “We all had fun during the peace camp; we played, danced our traditional style of dancing, salsa, acquired new language skills-French, Spanish and local dialect Kpelle,” according to the Daily Observer newspaper.  

NSEC Concludes Curriculum Validation 

The New Sight Eye Center (NSEC) located in Paynesville, a suburb of Monrovi, has concluded a one-day Curriculum Validation Session for its Ophthalmic Training Program. The session which was held at the New Sight Eye Center in the 72^nd Community brought together individuals from the Health Ministry and Nursing Institutions as well as international health partners in Liberia. when the curriculum in validated, the New Sight Eye Center Ophthalmic Training Program will be the first institution to offer Advanced Diploma in Ophthalmic Nursing (ADON) in the country, the Insight news daily asserts.

NAYMOTE Electoral Peace Awareness Goes to Bong

The Daily Observer newspaper says that Naymote Partners for Democratic Development in partnership with the Liberian national Police (LNP) completed the fourth community dialogue forum at the security hub in Jorquelleh District, Bong County with support from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). The initiative, according to a release, is promoting civic participation of the youth, community residents and diffusing potential electoral violence at community levels, while building trust and linking communities with the LNP.

GOL Launches National Codex Committee

Since joining the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in 1971, Liberia has for the first time launched a National Codex Committee, a body with the primary responsibility of guiding national policies on food standards, safety and international food trade issues. The CAC is an intergovernmental body with over 180 members within the framework of the Joint Food Standards Program established by the Food and Agricultural Organization and World health Organization with the purpose of protecting the health of consumers and ensuring fair practices in the food trade, writes the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: GOL Launches National Codex Committee (The New Dawn)