The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018

Today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies highlights news of the constitution of a nine-member Special Review Committee to evaluate all concessions/management and other agreements including contracts entered into by and between the Government of Liberia and Concessionaires and/or Contractors, President George Manneh Weah’s trips to Senegal, Morocco, France and the appointment of Mr. Andrew D. Wonplo, Sr. as the new Director of Passports and Visas.

All Concession Agreements Ordered Reviewed

President George Manneh Weah has constituted a nine-member Special Review Committee to evaluate all concessions/management and other Agreements including contracts entered into by and between the Government of Liberia and Concessionaires and/or Contractors. The In Profile Daily quotes an Executive Mansion release as saying that the President formed the committee on Wednesday, February 14, 2018 and mandated it to review and ensure that all contracts entered into by the Government of Liberia and Concessionaires are executed according to agreed principles in accordance with the Laws of Liberia. President Weah further mandated the committee to ascertain and ensure that all contracts meet the legal requirements of the laws of Liberia and are fully implemented.  President Weah has, however, directed all government agencies, public institutions, commissions and state-owned enterprises to fully cooperate with the committee to facilitate its smooth operations.

Weah Constitutes LPRC Board…Departs For Senegal, Morocco, France

President George Manneh Weah has constituted the Board of Directors of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC). Quoting an Executive Mansion release, the Heritage newspaper says the President named Bishop Joseph T. Pah as Chairman of the Board while other members include Mr. Eric Nagbe, Cllr. Dexter Brown, Mr. George Kpawulu , Mrs. Danielette Nimely  and Mr. Ben Sanvee. In another development, President Weah will today depart the country for Senegal, Morocco and France. According to the daily, the Liberian leader will be away from Wednesday, February 14, to Friday, February 23, 2018. On the first leg of President Weah’s visit; he will pay an official visit to Senegal from Wednesday, February 14, to Friday, February 16. The second leg will take him to Morocco on a private visit from February 16, toFebruary 20, 2018. The release further noted that President Weah will also pay an official visit to France where he is expected to meet his French counterpart, President Emmanuel Macron from February 21, to February 23, 2018.

Related Caption: Weah Off to Senegal, Morocco, France…Wants Review Of All Agreements (Daily Observer)

New Passports & Visas Director Appointed

According to the In Profile Daily Foreign Minister Gbehzohngar Findley has appointed Andrew D. Wonplo, Sr. as the new Director of Passports and Visas, a release from the Ministry has said. Mr. Wonplo’s appointment, according to the release, was approved by President George Weah and takes effect as of Tuesday, February 13. Foreign Minister Findley challenged Wonplo to ensure an effective and efficient management of the division to provide quality services to Liberians. The Liberian Foreign Minister then thanked the outgoing director, Marian Sandi, who has been transferred to the Liberian Mission accredited to the Court of Saint James, the United Kingdom. Mr. Wonplo extended gratitude to his predecessor for her “astute leadership quality and dedication to duty.” He promised to retain the statutory function of the division and at the same time restore integrity and a value system of service delivery. In her farewell remarks, Ms. Sandi said she was overwhelmed by the kind words that were said about her while serving as Director of the division. She then cautioned Director Wonplo to encourage team work among staffers for the betterment of the country and its people.

Related Caption: New Passport Director Named (Daily Observer)

For “One Health” Governance Validation Manual and Annual Work Plan: 3-Day Validation Meeting Kicks Off In Buchanan

The Heritage newspaper reads that a 3-day Validation meeting for "One Health" governance manual and annual work plan kicked off in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County and will end on Friday, February 16, 2018. This meeting is sponsored by the Government of Liberia and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the National Public Health Institute of Liberia. According to the daily, the One Health Coordination Platform (OHCP) underscores the Government of Liberia’s commitment to address issues relating to potential threats of emerging and re-emerging diseases of public health concern globally, by strengthening multi-sectorial collaborations. It will also contribute to the operationalization of the OHCP activities.

Senate Notifies NEC

The National Elections Commission (NEC) Tuesday February 13, 2018 said it has received a communication from the Senate notifying the Commission of the existence of two vacancies in the Senate, created by the election of former senators: George Manneh Weah of Montserrado County and Jewel Howard Taylor of Bong County, as President and Vice President, respectively. Article 37 of the Constitution of Liberia provides inter alia: “in the event of a vacancy in the Legislature caused by death, resignation, expulsion or otherwise, the presiding officer shall within 30 days notify the National Elections Commission (NEC) thereof. The National Elections Commission (NEC) shall NOT later than 90 days thereafter cause a By-Election to be held… ”. According to the New Dawn newspaper, the notification from the Senate, dated February 1, 2018 and delivered to the Commission on February 13, 2018, is in consonant with the requirements of article 37 of the Constitution of Liberia.

46 DEOs Assigned Across Liberia

The Ministry of Education has completed recruiting and hiring 46 District Education Officers (DEOs) across the country. The competitive process emphasized the need for gender balance and or women empowerment in the education sector of the country, which is key to the fight against gender-based violence at schools and increasing the retention of girls. The In Profile Daily reads that the appointment of the DEOs is as a result of 46 previous DEOs who were honorably retired in 2016 in accordance with the Civil Service Standing Order on retirement.

Related Caption: MoE Completes Recruitment And Placement Of 46 DEOs (Heritage)

MYS Begins Reform Process

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has begun measures to reform the entity. According to a MYS release, the process, which started Tuesday, February 13 will include an audit of the Finance office and all programs and activities of the Ministry. TheHeritage newspaper quotes the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. D. Zeogar Wilson as saying that the exercise will present a clear status of the Ministry to the incoming administration.

Related Caption: MYS Kicks Off Reform Activities (In Profile Daily)

LPA Seeks Transformation In Agriculture Sector

Liberia Project Africa (LPA), a local group is calling on stakeholders and Liberians generally to work together in transforming the agriculture sector here. Executive Director Buster Hennings says it’s about time Liberians do away with subsistence farming, which he describes as “hand- to-mouth” situation that is not helping the economy and the country at large. According to him, currently based in Grand Bassa County, LPA is trying to come to Monrovia to dialogue with the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders that have a vision of transforming Liberia from one stage to another. Speaking on a local radio station in Monrovia, he stresses a need to aggressively fight hunger now to make the country self-sufficient in food, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Writers Association Installs New Officials…Leadership Calls For Support

The president of the Liberia Association of Writers (LAW) has stressed the need for more support to the organization so it would be more active in its operations as new officers take over the mantle of authority from their predecessors. Samuel G. Dweh made the remarks at the induction ceremony of LAW officials held at the main campus of the University of Liberia. At the end of the program Dweh told journalists that though the organization has a new leadership to steer its affairs, a lot of challenges still lie ahead of them. President Dweh said despite these challenges, he is going to do everything possible to bring LAW to the international scene, and promised to ensure accountability and transparency during his leadership, theDaily Observer reports.

Disabled Community Wants 1 Percent of Every 100 Jobs

The Executive Director of Mission of Hope for the Disabled and the Deputy Director of Disabled of Like Minds, Victor S. Wilson, has appealed to President George Weah to make available one percent of every 100 appointments to the disabled community. In an interview with the Daily Observer on Tuesday, Wilson said the Act that established the National Commission on Disabilities as an autonomous agency in 2005 stated that qualified disabled persons must be employed at government ministries, agencies, and corporations. He further intimated that the Act was geared towards the encouragement and protection of disabled persons based on the merit system; and for every 100 non-disabled employees, 4 percent must either be qualified disabled persons to be employed or funds be provided for their employment elsewhere.