The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017

Today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies highlights news of President Sirleaf’s warning to Education George Werner against his recent statement on Social Media; the Liberia Council of Churches commendation to the National Elections Commission for its conduct of a transparent and peaceful election; the call by a visiting Islamic Cleric, Shaykeh Khalid Yasin for religious groupings and non-believers to foster genuine peace and unity in the country.

President Sirleaf Warns Education Minister George Werner on Social Media Post

The INQUIRER newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has told Education George Werner that his recent statement on Social Media is unbecoming and inconsistent with his position as a senior official of government. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf made the statement on Monday during a conversation with the Education Minister. The Liberian leader indicated further that the Minister’s Social Media statement is also a contradiction to and undermines her recent Special Statement on vulgarity, abuse and spread of hate messages by some Liberians during the Electoral process.  The President concluded by accordingly warning Minister George Werner and all other officials of government to stop such attitude and act in ways consistent with their status as Public officials.

Related Caption: President Sirleaf Warns Minister Werner On Social Media Post (Daily Observer)

LCCC Commends NEC, Political Parties, Others For Peaceful Elections Advises Runoff Contenders And Their Supporters To Refrain From Acts Or Statements That Undermine Peace And Stability

The Liberia Council of the Churches (LCC) has commended the National Elections Commission for conducting transparent and peaceful elections on time. A statement issued by the President, Bishop Jonathan B.B Hart said the enthusiasm and patience exhibited by voters clearly demonstrate Liberians’ commitment to ensuring that the country remains peaceful and stable. “We call on all political parties and their supporters to continue to maintain the spirit of political maturity and seek legal means to address any grievance they may have. “ We also call on the NEC to put into place proper mechanism to avoid the reoccurrence of those discrepancies. That happened during the October 10 elections on November 7, “the statement said the LCC further called on the NEC to expeditiously investigate all complaints brought before it by aggrieved parties for election irregularities.

Related Caption: LCC Warns CDC, UP…Calls For Expeditious Probe Of Election Irregularities (The INQUIRER)

No Muslim Or Christian God’…Visiting Islamic Cleric Asserts…Cautions Liberians To Sustain The Country’s Peace

The well-known Islamic Cleric, Shaykeh Khalid Yasin visit to Liberia under the auspices of  the group, “Muslim United to invited Scholars.” registered that his coming to country is not only intended to deliver a peace to the Islamic community, but for members of all religious groupings, including non-believers to foster genuine peace and unity in the country. The Islamic scholar, in his message, cautioned Liberians irrespective of our religious backgrounds, to help sustain the peace and stability of the country. “You should be grateful both Muslims and Christians to God that sent a woman, who for 12 years, has worked to bring relief and stability to the country; you should also thank God that she supervised a peaceful transition of government,” the Shakeh noted, reports the INSIGHT newspaper.

Promote Peaceful Elections…ECOWAS Tells Liberian Journalists

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reiterated its call on Liberia journalists and media institutions to help promote peaceful election in the country. The sub-regional group strongly believes that media practitioners are major stakeholders in the consolidation of peace and democracy in Liberia. The Project Coordinator of ECOWAS office Monrovia also urged journalists to be cautious and professional as it relates to reporting conflict sensitive issues during the electioneering period. Mr. Nat Walker made these remarks on Monday when ECOWAS conducted training on elections and peaceful transition of power for Liberian journalists at a local hotel in Monrovia. Mr. Walker also noted that ECOWAS considers the media in Liberia as a strategic partner in the promotion of peace and democratic governance. According to him ECOWAS never wanted to have another conflict sensitive reporting forum or workshop because it is aware that Liberian journalists have had a number of training in that area, writes the INSIGHT newspaper.

Crusaders For Peace Launch Civic Education

The Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP) has commissioned it commissioned it County Supervisors to engage in active civic and voter education ahead of the presidential runoff scheduled for November 7, 2017 in the country. The runoff involves the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the governing United Party (UP) of Senator George Manneh Weah and incumbent Vice President, Joseph Nyumah Boakai respectively. CDC and UP accumulated the highest number of votes cast for a presidential candidate to be declared a winner as requires by law. The civic and voter education move, according to the LCP Executive Director, Julie Endee, is against the backdrop of the over 84,000 “invalid votes” accrued from the October 10, 2017 polls, reports the INSIGHT newspaper.

Ellen Submits USM Loan Agreement For Gbarnga-Salayea Road

The Senate at its 61st day sitting Tuesday received from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf a   request to ratify a loan agreement for the Gbarnga-Salayea Road Project between Liberia and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. President Sirleaf’s communication dated October 6 noted that the agreement was signed on March 21, 2016 and is in the amount equivalent to US17 million. the Daily Observer quotes President Sirleaf’s communication as saying that the objective of the loan is to support the government’s effort for the construction works of the all-weather asphalted road of an approximate length of 81 kilometers and width of 75 meters, between Gbarnga and Salayea to enhance the economic and social development of the country’s central region, and st the same time link Liberia with Guinea and Sierra Leone.”

Miss Liberia In China For Miss World

The Daily Observer says Miss Liberia, Wokie Dolo has arrived in Chia for the  Miss World beauty pageant scheduled for next month in the city of Sanya.  The daily says Miss Dolo is joining over 130 other beauty queens from around the world and hopes to become the first from Liberia to win the crown.

LCS Free Screening Finds Several Women With Breast Cancer

According to the Daily Observer, the just ended Liberian Cancer Society LCS free breast screening done in partnership with the seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Cooper Hospital has reportedly discovered dozens of women with late and early stages of cancer.  The daily says half of fifty women screened were discovered with stage 3 breast cancer, with a few in the early stages of cancer.