The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2018

Dominating today’s newsstand are stories on President George Manneh Weah’s condolence message to the Kingdom of Denmark, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor’s meeting with disabled Organizations, Mano River Union’s Congratulatory message to Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, confirmation of Public Work and Education Ministers including the Mayor of Monrovia are among selected Stories.

Weah Consoles Her Majesty Queen Margrethee II of Denmark

The Heritage newspaper quote a Foreign Ministry release: His Excellency Mr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, has sent a Condolence Message to Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of the Kingdom of Denmark following the demise of His Majesty Prince Henrik, Her Majesty’s Consort. Prince Henrik died aged 83 on Tuesday at Fredensborg Palace, before his coffin was taken on a stately procession through the streets of northern Copenhagen to Amalienborg Palace. In President Weah’s condolence message to the Her Majesty, he stated, “With deep shock and regrets, we have learned of the sudden demise of His Majesty Prince Henrik of Denmark, Your Consort.” The Liberian Leader further stated that His Majesty was an astute personality who served his country and the world with distinction. “Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Government and People of Kingdom of Denmark and the Royal Family for this irreparable loss of a father to many, especially to his family, including his widow and two sons,” the President stated.

Related Caption: President Weah Consoles Queen Margrethe II of Denmark(Insight) and President Weah Consoles Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark(Inquirer)  

Jewel Offers to Employ Physically-Challenged Personnel in Her Office 

According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, the Vice President of Liberia, Hon. Jewel Howard-Taylor has convened a meeting with heads of Disabled Organizations, emphasizing the need for collaboration within the disabled community. In a Press Release from the Office of the Vice President, VP Howard-Taylor called on leaders of Disabled institutions to change their mindset on the objectives of forming these organizations  and focus on the positive impact for all. In the past according to the VP, these organizations were formed for the purpose of   sourcing  donor funding, a situation she noted, no longer exist, thus allowing government to fully shoulder such responsibility. The CDC-led government’s pro-poor agenda under the leadership of H.E President George M. Weah and Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, takes seriously the plight of physically challenged people in the country. VP-Howard-Taylor assured that in fulfillment of this commitment by government, she is considering the employment of female and a male in her office.

Related Caption: VP Taylor Meets Disabled Heads (In Profile Daily), VP Howard-Taylor Meets Head of Disabled Organizations…Offers To Employ A Female and Male In Her Office(Heritage) and VP Taylor Meets Heads of Disable Organizations…Offers To Employ A Female and Male In her Office (Inquirer)

MRU Congratulates Ex-Liberian Leader For Winning Mo Ibrahim Leadership Prize

The Mano River Union (MRU) has congratulated Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on the award of the most prestigious and converted Mo Ibrahim prize for leadership in Africa. In a press release issued at the weekend from the MRU Secretariat in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the Secretary General Ambassador Medina Wesseh, expressed immense pride and joy in the selection of Africa’s First worman elected president for this Continental Prize in good stewardship and leadership and for what the committee said Ellen Johnson Sirleaf during her 12 years as President of Liberia, exemplified transformational leadership, reports the Heritage newspaper.

Related Caption: MRU Congratulates Former President Sirleaf For Winning Mo Ibrahim Prize for Leadership in Africa (FrontPage Africa) and MRU Congratulates Ellen For Winning Mo Ibrahim Award (Inquirer)

Senate Confirms Mobutu Nyenpan As Public Works Minister

Following a deliberation before the Senate Committee on Public Works on Thursday, February 15, 2016, the Liberian Senate on Friday, February 16, unanimously voted to confirm Mobutu V. Nyenpan as Public Works Minister along with his deputy for Technical Services and Assistant Minister for Administration. Two weeks ago, President Weah nominated Mr. Nyenpan to the post of Public Works Minister pending confirmation by the Senate. The confirmation took place at a special Senate session at the Capitol Building. In what the public described as one of the best confirmation hearings, the new Infrastructure Minister promised to institute a robust zero-tolerance attitude towards violators of zoning regulations and those engaged in construction activities without obtaining the requisite permits from the Ministry, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Caption:Senate Confirmed New Public Works Minister(Heritage),and Mobutu Nyenpan Confirmed as Public Works Minister(Insight)  

Ansu Sonii, Two Deputy Ministers Confirmed to Head Education Ministry 

Prof. Sonii was confirmed on Thursday, February 15 by the Senate, along with two deputy ministers, Latim Da-thong as Deputy Minister for Administration, and Alton Kesselly as Deputy Minister for Planning. Prior to being confirmed, the three ministers were called for a confirmation hearing on February 7, 2018 before 13 Senators in a session chaired by Sen. Dallas Gueh, head of the Senate Committee on Education. Other Senators present during the hearing included Sens. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, Peter Coleman, Milton Teahjay, Conmany Wesseh, Oscar Cooper, Jonathan Kaipay, Varney Sherman, Morris Saytumah, Stephen Zargo, Gbleh-bo Brown, George Tengbeh, Jim Tornolah, according FrontPage Africanewspaper.

Related Caption:Prof. Ansu Sonii, 2 Deputy Ministers Confirmed by the Liberian Senate (Heritage), and MoE Minister, Two Deputies Confirmed(Insight)  

Senate Confirms Mayor Koijee 

The Mayor-designate of Monrovia, Jefferson T. Koijee, has been confirmed by the Liberian Senate, making him Mayor of Monrovia. He succeeds Clara Doe-Mvogo, who served for nearly five years after Mary Broh. Koijee is the first mayor to be confirmed by the Liberian Senate since the end of the 14-year civil war. His confirmation followed an articulate presentation before the Senate’s Committee on Internal Affairs and Good Governance on Friday, February 9. At the hearing, Koijee, the powerful influential Youth Wing leader of the ruling CDC, promised to run a participatory system at the Monrovia City Corporation, pens Daily Observer.

Related Caption:Liberian Senate Confirms Jefferson Koijee as Monrovia City Mayor(FrontPage Africa)

FDA Managing Director Rails against Illegal Wildlife Trade

C. Mike Doryen, the new managing director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), has railed against the trade in wildlife in the country terming such behavior as “unwholesome, because it undermines the doctrine of the protection of protected species,” an FDA release has said. Director Doryen said it was unfortunate that dealing in wildlife is a common practice in Monrovia against the law that prohibits it, and therefore expressed disappointment and vowed that under his administration, the protection of wildlife will take precedence. According to the release, Doryen made the remarks among other policy statements during a meeting held Friday, February 16 with FDA collaborating partners in the forest sector. He used the occasion to acknowledge efforts made by the agency’s partners over the years, which have and continue to polish the image of the country positively to the outside world, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Caption:FDA Managing Director Sounds Caveat Against Wide Life Market (In Profile Daily)

Liberia’s Minister of Finance Holds First Meeting With UN and Development Partners

According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper. The Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Samuel Tweah, has reassured the United Nations and other development partners of a more holistic framework is seeing the country move in the right direction. Speaking at the first meeting with the United Nations and other development partners in the country held at the Pan Africa Plaza in Sinkor Tuesday, the new MFDP boss disclosed that over the next few weeks the government and partners will have to design a roadmap for the new framework. This Minister also called on the partners to work with the government to have deadline on how the new framework will be put in place.

Bai Best Named Daily Observer’s New Managing Director

According to the Daily Observer, over the weekend the staff of Liberia’s oldest surviving newspaper, the Daily Observer, witnessed the transfer of authority to Bai Sama G. Best by his father, Mr. Kenneth Y. Best, Sr., publisher. Ken Best, who turns 80 in October, last Saturday said he has the explicit trust and confidence in the ability of his son Bai to lead the Liberian Observer Corporation (LOC) henceforth, despite the many challenges he went through to get thus far. Bai is a graduate of Westmont College (2001), Santa Barbara, California, where he majored in Communication Studies. Between 2002 and 2005 he served as co-director of youth ministry at Christ Church of Washington (DC), until he was called to join his father in Liberia as marketing manager of the Daily Observer.