The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

the ongoing training workshop for protocol officers across Gov’t ministries and agencies; the signing of more bilateral aids to grant Liberia with China; the discovery of expired products at the Abi Joaudi supermarket in Monrovia and the selection of Liberia’s first lady, Clar Weah as Ambassador to Champion African Women Football are among stories dominating today’s headlines of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

To Enhance Efficiency And Effectiveness, MOFA Holds Training For Protocol Officers

According to the Daily Observer, in an effort to ensure efficiency within the protocol sector at the various ministries and agencies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has commenced a two-week capacity building training regime for protocol officers,  aimed at enhancing the performance of personnel and protocol officers assigned at the three branches of the government, the workshop officially began Wednesday, March 7, in the Cecil Dennis auditorium where an opening ceremony was held with an objective to sharpen the knowledge and skills of protocol officers and other government staff assigned in the President’s office, office of the Vice President, the Legislature and the Judiciary. Other participants were drawn from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, State for Presidential Affairs, Internal Affairs and Finance and Development Planning. They are being drilled through foreign policy and channels of implementation, national conferences, diplomatic negotiations and functions. George W. Wallace, Advisor to President George Weah on Foreign Affairs, reechoed the importance of having a vibrant team of protocol officers.

Related Captions: Protocol Officers Trained (In Profile Daily), Liberia’s Protocol Undergoes Training (The New Dawn)

China, Liberia Sign More Bilateral Agreements

According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, the Government of the People’s Republic of China, through its Embassy near Monrovia, has agreed to provide more bilateral aids to Liberia affecting the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex (SKD), the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) and National Clinical Reference Laboratory. According to a Foreign Ministry release, at the signing of the MOU for the aids agreements, Tuesday, March 6, Foreign Minister Gbehzohngar Findley, in a very brief comment on behalf of President George Weah, thanked the Government of the People’s Republic of China through their Ambassador, Mr. Fu Jijun, for the many assistance it continues to render Liberia. Responding, Ambassador Jijun stated that his government was glad to sign the agreements with its Liberian counterpart. According to him, the agreement specifically targeting the SKD, is geared toward youth empowerment in the sports area,  adding: “We know the empowerment of young people of Liberia is of major concern of President Weah.

Related Caption: China Signs More Bilateral Agreements With Liberia (The New Dawn)

Poisoning Liberians: Abi Jouadi Supermarket Caught With Expired Food Products

A huge stockpile of expired products was discovered in warehouses at one of Liberia’s leading Supermarket, Abi Joaudi located in Monrovia. The discovery of stockpile of expired products, which include frozen foods, shows the vulnerability of consumers who have been purchasing these products sold across the company’s outlets in Monrovia. Relaying on a tip off, a team from the Ministry of Commerce tailed a truck with the expired goods, which landed them at the Abi Joaudi Supermarket. The FrontPage Africa reads that   Stockpile of expire frozen chicken, meat, cheese, and juices were off loaded from the truck into the warehouse. “We open the truck, we saw 132 cartoons of rotten fish,” said Commerce Inspector General, Josephine Davis. Davis, who led the team, said she was shocked upon entering the huge cooling storage filled with rotten products that had expired three years ago. In the warehouse, local employees were seen repacking expired products.

Related Caption: 2 Containers With Missing Expired Gods Found At Abi Jaoudi (The INQUIRER), Abi Jaoudi Supermarket Booked for Expired Goods As Inspector General Davis Raids Supermarkets Of Expired Frozen Food, Others (Daily Observer)

Liberia First Lady Named CAF Women's Football Ambassador

According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, the first lady of Liberia, Clar Weah has been named Ambassador for Women's football in Africa at CAF's first ever women's football symposium held in Morocco. According to CAF, Mrs. Weah was appointed by the federation's president Ahmad Ahmad during the end of the historic symposium. The two-day event under the theme 'raising our game' was aimed at stakeholders brainstorming ideas towards the development of women's football on the continent. During the symposium, delegates were divided into seven groups. Mrs. Weah was placed in the 'Place of Media & Communication in dynamizing women's football.'  Mrs. Weah who was invited by CAF for the symposium said through additional effort from all stakeholders, women's football in Africa can be pushed to the next level. Liberia Football Association was represented by its 1st Vice President Musa Shannon, Secretary General Emmanuel Deah, CAF Women football Committee member Ciatta Bishop and a representative of female clubs Doris M. Bedell.

Related Captions: Clar Weah Named Ambassador, Champion Of African Women Football

(The New Dawn), First Lady Named Ambassador, Champion Of African Women Football (The INQUIRER)

LEC to Disconnect Debtors, Remove Illegal Connections

According to the Daily Observer, the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) will on Monday commence a major campaign to disconnect customers who owe the corporation large debts and those consumers who are illegally connected to its electricity distribution network. According to the release, the LEC staff will also carry out an inspection of installed electricity meters, which is also intended to disconnect those customers who are illegally bypassing or tampering with their LEC’s meters. It is LEC’s intention to prosecute, in accordance with the full rigours of the law, those consumers found to be stealing electricity or to have tampered with meters.

Related Captions: LEC Begins Disconnecting Debtors, Illegal Connections Mon. (The INQUIRER), LEC Set To Take Drastic Action Against Debtors And Illegal Customers (INSIGHT)

Ghana To Reactivate Permanent Corporation With Liberia

According to the INQUIRER newspaper, the Government of Ghana through its Embassy near Monrovia has assured that it will work tirelessly to reactivate its permanent Joint Commission for cooperation to promote common socio-economic projects and programs in Liberia. Speaking at a cocktail reception to commemorate the 61^st Independence Anniversary of the Republic of Ghana held in Monrovia, Ambassador E. B. Asare-Asiedu disclosed that his country will encourage its compatriots to continue to show a greater commitment to the economic advancement of Liberia through increased investment in the country. The Ghanaian Ambassador said the Embassy shall work hard to promote the confidence and mutual trust that the two countries have nurtured as the basis for addressing common challenges to their development.

Cllr. Gongloe Elected Chair On LCM

The Liberia Coordinating Mechanism (LCM) of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (TGF), March 7, 2018 elected Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe and Mr. Johnson Hinneh of the Liberia Bar Association (LBA) and Ministry of Education respectively to serve as Chair and second Vice Chair of the multi-sectorial organization until July 2018, thus completing the tenure of the current leadership. The two are to join hands with Sister Barbara Brillant of the Catholic who currently serves as first Vice Chair of the LCM. The by-elections were held in the conference room of the Corina Hotel in Monrovia, during the LCM first quarterly meeting for this year, 2018. Both Cllr. Gongloe and Hinneh who represent private/for profit sector and government constituencies were elected unopposed during the by-elections. The LCM is known globally as Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM). It is a national body that submits funding applications to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria on behalf of the country, reads the New Dawn newspaper.

UN Women and Swedish Embassy Launch #WikiGap Campaign

UN Women and Swedish Embassy in Monrovia have launched a campaign aimed at closing the gaps on women content on Wikipedia. The campaign title #WikiGap was launched Wednesday, March 7 when students of the Starz College of Technology, the President of Rural Women Kebeh Monger and Rivercess County District #1 lawmaker, Rosanna Shaack, shared experience on their early life, challenges and key milestone.  UN Women Representative, Marie Goreth Nizigama, said the #wikigap campaign is important to document women because it will help in developing self-confidence, reads the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Indian Minister Urges Liberian Youth to Make Education Priority

India Minister of State for External Affairs, M. J. Akbar who led a delegation to a two-day visit to Liberia (March 1-2) has urged Liberian youths to make education a priority to be able to transform their lives. Addressing a cross section of students on Friday, March 2, at the University of Liberia’s Fendall campus, outside Monrovia, Min. Akbar said individual transformation can only be achieved through the ability to graduate that could lead to the process of transformation by the acquisition of jobs. He said all powerful nations that dominated the world did not do so because of military might but because they were at the forefront of knowledge, reports the Daily Observer.

ORANGE Liberia Celebrates International Women’s Day-100 women receive cash prizes via Orange Money

Today is being celebrated around the world as International Women’s Day, and Orange Liberia has used the umbrella of the global celebration to impact the lives of 100 Liberian businesswomen.  The 100 women who received the prizes had all opened an Orange Money account last Monday. The Corporate Communications Strategist for Orange Liberia, Dr. Kimmie L. Weeks noted that the Orange prizes had been provided in various categories to the women. Ten of the women won LD 10,000, 40 won LD 5,000 and 50 of them received LD 2,000 each.  He encouraged Liberians to activate Orange Money by visiting any Orange Money kiosk or agent, any Total Service Station, Orange POS or store, writes the Daily Observer.