The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURDSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

Dominating today’s newsstand are stories on President George Manneh Weah’s debut at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commissioners’ Acquaintance Meeting with Donors and Partners.

Other Stories include the celebration of World Tourism Day, the suspicion of Yellow Fever in Grand Kru County; the appointment of Mr. Sherman C. Seequeh as Director of Communications at the Executive Mansion by President George Manneh Weah ; the visit of the Director of the International Mission Department of Ohio, USA to Liberia as well as EOWAS’ expected Tours to the borders between the Minor River Countries.

Dominant Stories

President Weah Pitches Next 5-Yr Agenda at 1st UNGA Address

The FrontPage Africanewspaper reports that President George Manneh Weah Wednesday, September 26, pitched his agenda for the country to the world, through his first address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).Mounting that famous podium to deliver his quota of 15-minute speech as is required of leaders of every member state of the UN, President Weah stated that his agenda, which is under his administration’s Pro-poor Agenda for Development and Prosperity is a policy framework that gives priority to the alleviation of poverty. “This is not an agenda only for the poor; it is for the benefit of all Liberians. Its core objective and focus is to reduce the marginalization of most vulnerable, whilst at the same time creating a conducive atmosphere for the middle and upper income Liberian to grow and prosper,” the Liberian leader stated. Mr. Weah further told the world that through this agenda, his administration wants to build a harmonious society, based on the goal of economic empowerment, especially for the underprivileged; adding: “Our pro-poor agenda is therefore designed to give power to the people, promote economic diversification, protect sustainable peace and encourage good governance.” To successfully achieve his agenda, he used his UNGA address to appeal to friends of Liberia, bilateral partners, and private investors to support his administration’s program.

 In a related story:‘I See Opportunities To Make Things Better’…As Weah Renews Promise To Fight Corruption:

President George M. Weah yesterday at the 73U.N. General Assembly in New York told World Leaders that he sees opportunities to make things better and bring permanent improvement to the people of Liberia.  In his first address to t6he U.N. General Assembly, President Weah acknowledge that the challenges of leadership are enormous, but in each and every one of these challenges, he is going to bring permanent improvement, as his government devises policies and programs that will have lasting positive impacts on the nation.  According to The Inquirer newspaper, the Liberian leader speaking at the UNGA said, “We want to build a harmonious society, based on the goal of economic empowerment, especially for the underprivileged, Pro-Poor Agenda is therefore designed to give power to the people, promote economic diversification, protect sustainable peace and encourage good governance.” President Weah during his deliberation appealed to the UN, World Leaders, friends, bilateral partners and private investors to support the agenda of his government as it aims to alleviate the poverty in the country.

Related Caption: Liberia’s Peace Still Fragile – Weah Tells UN(New Dawn),Weah Presents Liberia’s Case (Heritage)and‘Ours Is Still A Fragile Peace’…. Says Pres. Weah; Vows To Hold Dialogue Throughout The Country(The Inquirer)

Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commissioners Hold Acquaintance Meeting with Donors, Partners

The new Commissioners of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) have held meetings with donors and partners in the energy sector to understand the various aspects of support to the regulator and ensure effective coordination. LERC Chair, J. Aloysius Tarlue, Jr., together with Commissioners Thomas Q. Harris and Atty Toga Nimely met with representatives of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), European Union (EU), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Rural Renewable Energy Agency (RREA), CLSG, National Authorizing Office, Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) as well as officials from the Ministry of Mines and Energy and State for Presidential Affairs. The commissioners earlier met with the Management of the Millennium Challenge Account Liberia (MCA-L) and the former Acting Commissioners of the LERC. The Millennium Challenge Account-Liberia, with compact funding from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) supports the standing up of the LERC, including paying for all the administrative cost, various studies and the setting up of an information Management system that provides current data that the commission will use as a regulator.  

Related Caption: LERC Commissioners Meet with Partners, Donors(New Dawn),LERC New Commissioners Hold Meetings with Donors & Partners(Heritage), and New LERC Boss Holds Meeting With Donors, Partners(The Inquirer)

Others Stories                                                    

Today Is “World Tourism Day”…To Be Observed As A Working Holiday 

The Heritage newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release: President George Manneh Weah has issued a Proclamation declaring Thursday, September 27, 2018 as “World Tourism Day”, and is to be observed throughout the Republic as a Working Holiday. The Proclamation calls on citizens and foreign residents within the Liberian borders, National and International Youth Organizations and Government Agencies concerned to join the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism in executing appropriate programs befitting the observance of the day. The Proclamation further states that Member States of the United Nations have declared September 27^th  of each year as ”World Tourism Day” to foster awareness on the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic values. According to a Foreign Ministry release, this year’s celebration will take place under the theme: “Tourism and Digital Transformation” while Official activities of the celebration will be held at the Providence Island in Monrovia. The Proclamation further added that the importance of supporting tourism has become ever clearer and continues to crystallize today in the world.

Related Caption: President Weah Declares Today “World Tourism Day”… Calls On Liberians To Join Observance(The Inquirer)

President Weah Appoints Seequeh as Communications Director

The Insight newspaper states President Gorge Manneh Weah has made additional appointment affecting the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs. Mr Sherman C. Seequeh is hereby appointed as Director of Communications, replacing Ekena Wesley, an Executive Mansion statement said.

Related Caption: Sherman Seequeh Appointed As Director Of Communications(Heritage)

Yellow Fever Suspected In Grand Kru County

The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and partners is investigating a suspected case of yellow fever in Grand Kru County. According to a release issued in Monrovia, the suspected case is a 2-year-old female from Farina Town, Barclayville Health District. There has been no death and new case reported. The suspected case has been managed and is in good health. Blood specimen has been collected and sent to the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) for confirmation. According to the release, health authority in the county are conducting active case search, risk assessment, and planning for a possible reactive vaccination exercise, pending laboratory result.Since January 2018, this is the second reported suspected case from Grand Kru County. The first was a 29-year old female from Dorbor District. There has been no confirmed case of yellow fever in the country since the 2009 nationwide preventive vaccination campaign. The release also noted that a total of 94 suspected cases of yellow fever have been recorded across the country since the beginning of 2018, asserts the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: Yellow Fever Suspected In Grand Kru County(Heritage)  

ECOWAS Parliament Embarks On Tours 

The New Dawn newspaper  pens that’s a 35-member delegation from the ECIWAS Parliament is expected to visit Liberian- Sierra Leonean (Bo-Waterside) and the Liberian-Guinean (Ganta) Borders, in Grand Cape Mount and Nimba Counties, respectively from September 28-30, 2018. According to a press release, the Head of Delegation of Liberia to the ECOWAS Parliament, Bomi County District #1 Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe, discloses the visit is intended to afford members of the Parliament an opportunity to assess conditions associated with the movement of the peoples of the community transiting from one country to other. Rep. Snow says the visit will help to strengthen trade and commerce across the region.

Related Caption: ECOWAS Parliament To Visit Borders(The Inquirer)  

U.S. Based Clergyman To Raise Funds For PAWLWAC 

According to the New Dawn newspaper, the Director of the International Mission Department of Ohio, the United States of America, Pastor Carlos Morris is visiting Liberia as guest of the Haywood Mission Institute and the Pentecostal Assembly of World Liberia West African Council of PAWLWAC. Speaking during a welcome ceremony at the Haywood Mission Institute School Campus, Old Road Monrovia, Pastor Morris, who heads the Greater Bethel Apostolic Church in Canton, Ohio USA, says he is in the country as a result of the expansion of PAWLWAC. He explains his visit is geared toward accessing facilitates of the PALWAC including, schools and to interact with the church’s membership and leadership. He says after his observation, he will return to the United States to set up a team to raise funds and assist in the reconditioning of facilities of the PAWLWAC and schools in Liberia. He lauded the authorities of the Haywood Mission Institute and the PAWLWAC for their dedicated services to God and the reception accorded him.

Related Caption: Pastor Carlos Morris Assesses PAW’s Facilities(In Profile Daily)

MOH, Partners Celebrates World Rabies Day in Monrovia on

The Insight newspaper reports that on Friday the Ministry of Health (MOH) in  collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) National Public Health Institute of Liberia NPHIL) the environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will  on Friday, September 28, 2018, Celebrate World Rabbies Day in Monrovia. Speaking as a studio guest on the state Radio station, ELBC’s Early Morning Show yesterday, Mr. Carso Kollie of the ministry of Health said the official program will be held at the D. Tweh High School in new kru Town on Bushrod Island, outside Monrovia. According to the Insight  He said there will also be vaccination of animals on that same day at various designated areas in and out of Monrovia. Mr. Kollie named some of the designated places as Duport Health Center, D. Tweh High School Campus, the compound of the National Transit Authority (NTA) and the Unification city Town Hall in lower Margibi County. Mr. Kollie said Rabies is a virus which is transmitted through saliva or brain nervous system tissue and that one can only get rabies by coming in contact with these specific bodily excretions and tissues.

LISGIS Needs US$19m For 2019 National Population Housing Census

The Director of Public Affairs of the Liberia Institute for Statistics and GEO-Information services (LISGIS) , Varfee Holmes, has disclosed that the institute needs US$19 .2 million to conduct the 2019 National Population and Housing Census. Housing made the disclosure on Tuesday at his Capitol Hill Office in Monrovia in an exclusive interview with the Liberia News Agency (LINA). He said UNFPA will work closely with LISGIS to create a pool fund to mobilize donor conference which will take place in Liberia shorty for the conduct of the census. Holmes said President Dr. George Weah will serve as Chief Fund raiser during the donor conference which will bring together partners and organizations that are key sponsor of the national Census, pens theInsight newspaper.  

Arcelor Mittal Launches US$7m Vocational Training Center In Yekepa  

According to the Insight newspaper, Arcelor Mittal Liberia has launched a Vocational Training Center (VTC) in Yekepa, Nimba County to provide improved technical, educational opportunities in several disciplines for young Liberians. The cost of the VTC, which was launched over the weekend, is put at US$7 million, according to an Arcelor Mittal media states… It said the provision of the VTC Arcelor Mittal is in recognition of the entity’s urge to provide opportunity to empower youth, align education as well as to enhance workforce and economic development for a prosperous Liberia. According to the release, Arcelor Mittal Liberia stated the journey to increase technical education by investing US$7million to reopen the technical education center in yekepa Nimba County.

Gbarnga-Mendekoma Road Phase One To Include Voinjama

 Labor Minister Moses Kollie has discloses that plans have been finalized by the government of President George Weah to extend phase 1of Gbarnga-Mendekoma road project to Voinjama city, Lofa county. According to the state owned Liberia News Agency, the first phase of the road project was initially planned to stop in Salayea Lofa County as arranged by the government Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Speaking on a local radio station in Voinjama City at the weekend Minister Kollie disclosed that the road project which is to begin in October will be completed before the end of the remaining years of the president George Weah’s first term. He said the Gbarnga-mendekoma road project is among several development projects earmarked by the Liberian Leader to be completed within four years, asserts the Insight newspaper.