The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2018

Today’s newsstand is dominated with stories on the United States Embassy’s Pronouncement that it will invite independent forensic investigators in Liberia to probe into the alleged missing 16 billion Liberian dollars saga and the Monrovia City Corporation’s  decision to render assistance to Paynesville City corporation aimed at cleaning up the Red-Light Marker’s  garbage. 

Other stories include First Lady Clar Weah’s dedication of a $30K school renovation project; the United Nations Food and Aquaculture Organization’s donation of vehicles to the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority as well as story on President Weah’s Proclamation issued.

US announces independent investigators

Dominant Stories

The United States Embassy announced Wednesday that it has asked an independent, internationally recognized firm with specialization in forensic investigations through USAID to conduct a scoping mission that could ascertain the basic facts of the alleged missing Liberian bank notes and determine to what extent a broader mission would be needed. The US Embassy in its statement said the team of independent investigators would work without the imposition of additional actors from the government, civil society, or international partners. It is not clear would become of the investigative team already established by the government, the Americans statement said the move is to ensure effectiveness and integrity in the investigative process. The disclosure comes barely a day after the Special President Investigative Team probing people of interest delisted at least six names, including Deputy Governor Charles Sirleaf of the Central Bank of Liberia and CBL spokesman Cyrus Wleh Badio, from a travel ban imposed by the Ministry of Justice, pending outcome of the ongoing investigation, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Caption: Independent Investigation For “Missing Billions” (In Profile Daily), USA Agrees To Act In “Missing Billions” Saga(Hot Pepper), EU Wants Transparent Probe …In Missing Billions (News) and  To Discover Basic Facts of “Missing L$16 Billions”: U.S. Embassy Scoping MISSION UNDERWAY (Heritage)

Mayor Koijee vows to clean Paynesville City

According to the New Dawn newspaper, Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee says the MCC will embark on a rescue mission to be taken along 16 cargo trucks to help clean the city of Paynesville, outside Monrovia. The MCC told reporters Wednesday, 10 October that it received a call from President George Manneh Weah to move into Paynesville as part of its efforts to help clean the garbage that has engulfed the city. Mayor Koijee notes that the garbage situation in Paynesville is alarming. According to Mayor Koijee, the MCC’s intervention in Paynesville is not being made to suggest that Monrovia is clean, but simply because the situation in Paynesville is alarming. He says he was confronted by President Weah to make some intervention and find solution to the problem, adding that the sense of solidarity has grabbed their conscience to move into Paynesville. The PPC (Paynesville City Corporation) is struggling. They don’t have the kind of equipment needed to clean the city, this [is] why we want to send this call to all our partners and citizens across the world as a call to duty to help clean our city,” Koijee says.

Related Caption: Monrovia City To Extend Helping Hands To ‘Filthy’ Paynesville(FrontPage Africa), Weah Intervenes In ‘Filthy(In Profile Daily) and MCC Rescues ‘Dirty Paynesville’(News)

Other Stories  

First Lady Weah Dedicates US$30K School Renovation Project 

Liberian First Lady Clar Marie Weah has dedicated the newly renovated facilities of the June L. Moore School in the Monrovia suburb of Paynesville. The school lies in a settlement called Gbengbar Town. Mrs. Weah said her decision to help create a conducive learning environment at the school was triggered by the students’ determination to learn.  “Like any of you would, see students sitting on the floor, I realized I had to do something about it. “Their eagerness to learn and passion for school, as demonstrated in their facial expression, were enough to have prompted my intervention,” said the First Lady, pens the In Profile Daily.

Related Caption:First Lady Weah Dedicates US30K School Renovation Project (Heritage)

Today is “International Day Of Girl Child”…Liberians Urged To Join In Observance

The Heritage newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release: The President George Manneh Weah has by Proclamation declared Thursday, October 11, 2018 as “International Day of The Girl Child” and is to be celebrated throughout Liberia as a Working Holiday. The Proclamation calls on national and International Organizations including UNICEF, Plan Liberia as well as Ministries and Agencies of government concerned to join the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in executing appropriate programs befitting the occasion. The Proclamation is in consonance with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 66/170 which was adopted December 19, 2011 declaring October 11 of each year as the “International Day of the Girl Child”. According to a Foreign Ministry release, this year’s International Day of the Girl Child will be celebrated under the Global theme: “With Her: A Skilled Girl Force” while the event will be nationally observed under the Theme: “Prepared Girls Transformed Workforce” The observance is intended to recognize the importance of investing in Adolescent Girls’ empowerment. Furthermore, the celebration is in recognition of girls’ rights; the unique challenges they face around the world and in acknowledgment of the importance of empowerment and investment in girls which, the Proclamation noted, are critical for the eradication of poverty and breaking the circle of discrimination and violence. The global community continues to make significant progress in improving the livelihood of girls through quality elementary, secondary and higher education, avoiding child marriage, receiving information and services related to puberty and productive health, as well as admonishing them to be cautious about unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease and gender base violence, the Proclamations affirms. 

NaFAA Receives FAO Vehicles

The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority NaFAA has received two Vehicles from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to boost its extension program. Presenting the vehicles Wednesday at the UN Pan African Plaza Building in Sinkor, FAO-Liberia Country Representative Mariatou Njierea firmed FAO’s full commitment to the growth and development of the Liberian fisheries sector. Recounting FAO’s support over the years in the development of the fisheries sector, particularly support youth developing policies and Aquaculture development, asserts the In Profile Daily.

Ghanaian Envoy Stresses Agriculture

Ghanaian Ambassador to Liberia, Ernest B. Asare Asiedu, has urged Liberians, mainly youths, to engage in agricultural activities and stop depending on Government alone. Ambassador Asiedu said Liberians should focus on Liberian staple food, rice production, to sustain them. “Liberians need to wake up and get involved in agricultural activities especially rice production as ad staple food for them; that is the only way the country can be economically crisis free,” he said. Speaking when a civil society group, the Promotion of Peace, National Reconciliation and Reunification honored the Ghanaian Embassy as a very good and reliable development partner to Liberia, reports the In Profile Daily.

LNP Donates To Redemption Hospital, Others

The Liberia National Police (LNP) has exhibited that it is not only limited to the protection of lives and properties but also involved in humanitarian activities through the provision of the items to hospitals and clinics. On Tuesday, October 9, 2018 a team of LNP officers led by Varney Ali Sheriff and Ulf M. Strihl of the Swedish police visited three medical facilities in Monrovia and Paynesville to donate some non-food items. The team of LNP and Swedish police officer made their first stop at the Redemption Hospital in the Borough of New Kru Town on Bushrod  Island where they donated a computer set, toys, used clothes, television set three Phones, and desk among others pens theNews newspaper.’’

Girls, 21, Served As Liberia’s VP As part of Girls Take Over Campaign 

The News newspaper says, ‘’It was a rewarding experience sitting in the chair of the Vice President on the International Day of Girl Child; it made me feel that as a girl, I can do…,’’these were the words of Miss Sonnie Lawrence, 2`, who served as vice President for about an hour. Miss Lawrence On Tuesday, October 9,2018 want allowed vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor to sit in her official chair to perform duties associated with her office during her stay there. The office of the Vice President was one of several offices taken over by girls during this year’s #Girls takeover exercises in celebration of the IDG.

Related Caption: US Takes Control of Alleged Missing Billions Probe( News )

Naffaa Receives Vehicles From FAO

The according to the News, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority NaFAA has received two Vehicles from the United Nations Food and Aquaculture Organization (FAO) to boost its extension program. Presenting the vehicles Wednesday at the UN Pan African Plaza Building in Sinkor, (FAO)-Liberia Country Representative Mariatou Nijie reaffirmed FAO’s full commitment of the Liberian fisheries sector. Recounting FAO’s support over the years in the development of the fisheries sector, particularly support to youth, developing policies, and Aquaculture development , Madam Nijie stressed that ‘’FAO remain a key partner to overall  transformation of Liberia’s fisheries sector’’. The FAO-Liberian Representative outlines number of engagements NaFAA Management has had with the UN body and accordingly these engagements are all geared toward bringing about transformation in the fisheries sector.

Make drugs offense non – bailable

The New Dawn newspaper reports that the Speaker for the Children Parliament in Liberia Jutomue Boetien is calling on the Government of Liberia to make drugs offense a non – bailable. Delivering a keynote address at the National Mental Health Program in Congo Town Wednesday, 10 October, Jutomue says Government should take serious measures on those that are taking in drugs so as to reduce the high take-in of drugs here. Regarding mental health, Jutomue says it is an issue in Liberia that needs to be addressed promptly, saying young people are the ones that are mainly affected. “We the young people need to [be] afraid [of] taking in drugs because we will spoil our own future,” he says  

Police Probing Gruesome Murder of A lady 

The Heritage newspaper has reliable learned that the Lofa Country Detachment of the Liberia National Police (LNP) is current investigating circumstance surrounding the gruesome murder of a woman found dead.  According to the first hand report from the country, the woman identified as Mariamu Kamara, was found dead on the Lavelasu Town road leading to the country’s capital Voinjama. the port averred that the heart breaking incident which has shock waves in Voinjama and the entire Lofa county. The report revealed that the late Mariamu was discovered dead along the road on Monday, October 8, 2018. Preliminary report from the country as forwarded to do the press and Public Affairs section of the LNP has disclosed that police in the country has responded to the scene along with residents of the area and that swift investigation has been launched into matter so as to establish and cause of death.

12 Liberians To Benefit From Intensive Climate Change Training In Isreal

Twelve (12) staff (5 female and 7 males) selected from government institutions are to participate in a two-week intensive Climate change training at the University of Galilee in Isreal. The nominated staff represents sectors at the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Mines and Energy, CARI, University of Liberia, Cuttington University, Forestry Development Authority, and Environmental Protection Agency among others. They were selected across sectors to pursue short term courses in climate resilience agriculture, climate change adaptation, costal and flood engineering among others. The training is related to the advancement to the National Adaption Plans (NAPs) Project with funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) through UNDP Environment Programme in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).