The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

The Government of Liberia and the World Bank signing of a US$24.7 million grant to reduce poverty in the country, USAID/Read Liberia workshop for Primary schools and Principals and teachers’ five-day workshop and World Bank delegation and Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor’s discussion are the dominant stories on today’s newsstand.

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia Secures US$24.7m World Bank Grant

The New Dawn newspaper says President George Manneh Weah's government has secured its first World Bank grant of US$24.7m, with further assurances from the bank that more support will continue to flow in. World Bank Country Manager for Liberia, Ghana and Sierra Leone, Mr. Henry G.R. Kerali said Friday, 2 February at President Weah's residence in the Rehab Community during the signing ceremony that the grant amount of US$24.7m was the first grant being signed for Liberia. Mr. Kerali said the grant is meant to support the government in its development activities, and emphasized that it will not be repaid. According to him, it is the government that will decide about the utilizing of the grant. The World Bank Country Manager pledges commitment to working with President Weah and to continue supporting Liberia. For his part, Liberia's Finance Minister Samuel Tweh said the visit by the World Bank has reconfirmed its commitment to development here on the president's vision.

Related Captions: Liberian Government, World Bank Sign US$24.7M Grant Agreement For Poverty Reduction (FrontPage Africa), World Bank, GoL Sign $24.67 Million Grant (INSIGHT), For Poverty Reduction: Weah’s Gov’t Bags US$24.7M (Heritage), and GOL/ World Bank Sign US$24.7M Grant Agreement (In Profile Daily)

USAID/Read Liberia to conduct Workshop for Primary School Principals & Teachers

The New Dawn newspaper says USAID/Read Liberia, in collaboration with the Liberia Ministry of Education, will conduct a five-day Teachers Training Workshop for Grades 1 and 2 teachers and principals from selected public primary schools between February 5 and 9, 2018. The workshop, which aims to equip primary teachers and principals with the relevant knowledge and skills to improve early grade reading instruction using materials developed by USAID and the Ministry of Education under previous joint projects, is expected to be held simultaneously in six counties; Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Bassa, Lofa, Bong and Nimba. Read Liberia is a five-year USAID-Funded Project with the goal of ensuring that public primary school students will read fluently and comprehend grade level text in English after two years of schooling, and that pre-primary students will develop the oral vocabulary lexicon required for emergent literacy skills.-Press release-MOE

Related Captions: USAID/Read Liberia To Conduct Workshop For Primary School Principals And Teachers (FrontPage Africa), Workshop Planned For Primary School Principals And Teachers (INSIGHT), and For Primary School Principals And Teachers: USAID/Read Liberia 5-Day Training Workshop (Heritage)

WB Delegation Holds Talk With VP Taylor

A delegation of the World Bank has held discussions with the Vice President of Liberia, Her Excellency Ms. Jewel Howard-Taylor at her Capitol Hill Offices. The delegation headed by the Country Director of Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Dr. Henry Kerali, discussed a number of key issues including identifying new priorities of the Bank's partnership for the coming five to six years, which will be reflected in its new Country Partnership Framework. According to the New Dawn newspaper, during the meeting VP Howard-Taylor raised several queries specifically bordering on youth empowerment, jobs creation and infrastructure developments. The CDC-led government as part of its development agenda, has committed to introduce new legislations and policies intended to achieve sustainable economic growth, develop and expand agriculture. Vice President Howard-Taylor, who thanked the delegation for the visit, spoke about policy notes from the bank to inform the government about the different projects being implemented across the country, over the years. Speaking earlier, the head of the delegation Dr. Dr. Henry Kerali, informed the Vice President about the different projects being implemented by the World Bank in Liberia.

Related Captions: World Bank Delegation Holds Talks With Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor (FrontPage Africa), and World Bank Delegation Holds Talks With VP Jewel Howard-Taylor…Commits To Liberia’s Development Agenda (Heritage)

OTHER STORIES

Salvation Army Dedicates Modern School Building in Margibi County

The Liberia Command of the Salvation Army has dedicated and opened a modern Elementary, Junior and Senior high school building in Kakata City, Margibi County. The building contains 12 ventilated classrooms, four offices, Library and a basketball court among others. Making a summary report on the Albert Orsborn School project over the weekend, the Project and Property officer of the Salvation Army, Captain Abraham K. Collins, said the construction of the School derived from numerous appeals from parents because of the quality of education being offered by the Salvation Army School in Kakata. Captain Collins noted that after said discussion, it was agreed and approved that the project be written so as to solicit fund for the construction of the Institution that will provide quality education for the people of Margibi adding that it met the approval of the international headquarters and donors as fund was sent and legalized to have the structure built, reports the FrontPage African newspaper.

Related Caption: Salvation Army Boosts Margibi’s Education System…As International Leadership Dedicates Modern High School (INSIGHT)

Christopolis University in Liberia to Reopen After Years of Closure

After several years of closure due to poor infrastructure and land space, Christopolis University is set to reopen its doors to students. Dr. Nicodemus M. Solomon, head of the university, told FrontPage Africa the university will begin admitting students March this year. Dr. Solomon said all is now set to resume operation of the institution, adding that the university is bringing on board well-trained professors and experts to boost the prestige of the institution. The university will offer degrees up to BSc level base on the area of discipline, he said. 

Incoming Mayor Assures ‘Clean & Green Monrovia’... Calls for cooperation of all

The Mayor-designate for the City of Monrovia, Jefferson Tamba Koijee, says he will work with every employee and partner to make Monrovia one of the best cities in the world. Koijee also assured employees of MCC that he is not taking over the institution to take jobs from Liberians rather to create more job opportunities. The Incoming Mayor spoke on Friday, February 2, 2018, at a colorful ceremony organized by the outgoing Mayor Madam Clara Doe-Mvogo, reports the Insight newspaper.

Sinkor Fire Disaster Leaves 37 Homeless

According to the Heritage newspaper, an early evening fire disaster on Friday, February 2, 2018 left homeless and out of basic needs in the Sinkor Community of 9^th Street, Monrovia. According to eyewitnesses, the fire started about 5:30pm and quickly consumed the six-room house, and threatening nearby houses. Eyewitnesses reported that the fire started from the room of one Prince, where the LEC breaker is kept. Residents reported that the community hand been without electricity for about a month, and fire probably started with the sudden restoration of power.

TRANSCO CLSG, Sierra Leone Gov’t To Launch RAP

To give way for the construction of 1300Km transmission line from Côte d’Ivoire into Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, TRANSCO CLSG, in collaboration with Government of Sierra Leone will formally launch the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) to settle families, who are within the corridor of the project. The symbolic launch of RAP for Project Affected Persons (PAPs) within Lot 2 from Kono to Bumbuna, was held in Makeni, Sierra Leone on February 1, 2018, reports the In Profile Daily.