THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015

Stories dominating today’s edition of the local dailies include the National Port Authority’s revelation of US$26.9 million revenue generation during the year 2014, the House of Representatives committee members’ reshuffle and the election of the new National Chairman of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).

The dailies also highlights President Johnson Sirleaf’s cautions to government officials to either perform their duties and responsibilities in the interest of the state or quit public service.

DOMINANT STORIES

Tyler Drops ‘Bomb’

In keeping with Rule #7 of the House of Representatives, House Speaker J. Alex Tyler yesterday announced a major reshuffle of Statutory and Standing Committees affecting Co-chair, Chairman and members, respectively. The new committees’ Chairpersons and members are expected to serve for three years, according to the House Rules and Procedures. The Speaker’s axe fell on three of the Committees in the leadership -- Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning; Foreign Affairs and Rules, Order and Administration. Margibi County Representative Emmanuel J. Nuquay, has been removed from the Chairmanship of Ways, Means and Finance and was appointed as member on three committees; Post and Telecom, Human and Civil Rights and Resettlement, Repatriation, Relief and Re-adjustment Committees. Montserrado County lawmakers, Edwin M. Snowe and Henry Fahnbulleh, were removed from the positions of chairmen on Rules, Order and Administration and Foreign Affairs, respectively. Lofa and Maryland Counties’ Representatives Moses Y. Kollie and James Biney are the new chairmen on the Committees on Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning and Foreign Affairs; while Jeh Byron Brown is the Chairman on Rule, Order and Administration. Snowe is now a member on Health and Social Welfare, Foreign Affairs and Maritime Committees, while Fahnbulleh is a mere member on Foreign Affairs; Public Utilities, Information, Broadcasting, Culture and Tourism as well as Good Governance and Government Reform. The Speaker also made some major overhauls on three key Standing Committees -- National Defense; Education and Public Administration and Agriculture, Forestry & Fishery. Maryland County Representative Dr. Bhofal Chambers replaced Bong County lawmaker George S. Mulbah as chairman on National Defense; Rep. Matthew Zarzar of Sinoe County substituted Montserrado County lawmaker Bill Tweahway as Chairman on Education; while Rep. Fofi Saah Baimba of Lofa County replaced Montserrado County Josephine George Francis as Chairman on Agriculture and Forestry.

Representative Gabriel Nyenka was awarded the ‘lucrative’ committee of Lands Mines, Natural Resources and Environment, a committee he is providing oversight on at the moment based on his persistent defense of Speaker Tyler, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: House Reshuffles-Rep Snowe, Others Demoted(The Reporter), Speaker Tyler Hammers Snowe, Nuquay, Others As Reps. Kollies Brown Head Greasy Committees(The Informer)

NPA generated US$26.9M-MD Parker Says; Express Hope  For Expansion Of  Ports Facility

The Management of the National Port Authority (NPA) yesterday disclosed a total of US$26.9 million as revenues generated during the year 2014. NPA which was established by an Act of National Legislature in 1967 Port Act of Liberia has its primary functions to supervise sea ports across the country. NPA Managing Director Madam Matilda Parker confirmed a relatively increase in the institution’s annual revenue generation, Speaking during the Information Ministry regular press briefing on Thursday, January 15, 2015. Madam Matilda Parker said the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus created a slight setback in the revenues generation process, which forcibly put them at the point of waiving some important custom duties,  but said they were still able to generate such huge amount. Madam Parker disclosed that one of the ways her institution generates more revenues is through storage. She said when items overstayed at the various ports of the country; the owners are mandated to pay customary fees to the Government of Liberia before exiting the port facility, according to the INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Captions: NPA Generates US$26M(New Democrat), NPA Gives Us$2m Budget Support(The News), NPA Breeds US$26.9M Revenue(FOCUS), NPA Gives Gov’t 1 M(The Reporter), Despite Ebola, NPA In Profit(The Informer)

CDC Gets New Chairman

Partisans of the main opposition party, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), on Wednesday elected Mr. Nathaniel McGill as their new National Chairman. CDC also elected other officers to steer the affairs of the party for the next two years. Mr. McGill, who earlier served as National Secretary General of CDC, was elected unopposed in Bentol, upper Montserrado County, during a two-day special convention, which was scheduled from January 14-15, 2015. Chairman McGill replaces Mr. George Solo, who was ousted last year with a vote of no confidence from the party’s Executive Committee.  Daily Observer

Related Captions: CDC elects Nathaniel McGill as its new Chairman(INSIGHT), White Ballot: Mcgill Elected CDC Chair At 6th Congress(FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES

President Sirleaf Challenges Public Officials To Perform Or Quit Gov’t

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has challenged public officials to either perform their duties and responsibilities in the interest of the state or quit public service. She said during the last three years of her administration, she will leave no stone unturned to ensure that her government realizes its goals, adding, “as such any public official, irrespective of who it may be, will be dismissed from public service if he or she fails to perform to expectation”. According to the Liberia News Agency, President Sirleaf proffered the challenge Thursday at a program marking the induction into office of Justice Minister Benedict F. Sannoh at the Ministry of Justice in Monrovia, INSIGHT reports.

Related Caption: Perform Or Quit Gov’t…Ellen Challenges Public Officials(Heritage)

Kebbah Rescued

Oldman Joseph Gissie, father of seven, has been living along the Kebbah Community Road for the last five years. He never though he would ever see his community road rehabilitated until the Engineering Company of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) took on the project a few days ago. Kebbah Community is located behind Barnersville Estate. According to the AFL Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Daniel Ziankhan, the road is just one of the projects the AFL is undertaking without any intervention from the Ministry of Public Works, even though there are plans to collaborate in the future,  In Profile Daily reports.

Related Caption: ‘Tired With Dust’: Liberian Army Rehabilitates Kebbah Road (FrontPage Africa)

Pro Temp Vacancy Announced – No Timetable Yet For Election

In accordance with the standing rules of the Senate, the Secretary of the Liberian Senate yesterday announced to the Plenary that the position of President Pro Tempore of the Senate was vacant, along with three Statutory (Leadership) Committees. The Secretary then announced vacancies for the chairs on the committees of Executive; Ways, Means, Finance & Budget; and Rules, Order & Administration. Former President Pro Tempore Gbehzohngar Findley was lost the December 20^th Special Senatorial Election, after just serving the post for three years, Daily Observer reports.

“LWSC Lacks Leak Detector” …Management

The Deputy Managing Director for Technical Services at the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) Franklin Cassell says the entity is in need of leak detector to address continued revenue losses. He said LWSC is losing millions of dollars annually in revenue because various water sources across the country are experiencing leakages. Addressing a news conference Thursday in Monrovia, Mr. Cassell said if the citizens must be provided adequate water, a detector is needed to determine the quality of water pipes in the country. Cassell said there has been series of leakages on pipes intended to distribute water to the people because most of the pipes are damaged due to the civil war. The LWSC Deputy Managing Director said most of these pipes are corroded and need changing. “He said the distribution system of water has been a serious challenge for the corporation because some of the pipelines have lasted between 40 and 50 years, reports the News newspaper.

USAID/Fed Program Trains Women In Leadership, Business Development

About twenty (20) women have graduated with certificates from the USAID Food and Enterprise Development (FED) in Leadership and Business Development for women entrepreneurs in Kakata, Margibi County. USAID/FED- sponsored six month women leadership and development training brought together women entrepreneurs dealing in agro-business from Montserrado and Margibi Counties.. Speaking at the graduation ceremony Thursday, January 15, 2015, the graduating class President, Rebecca Larblah, asserted that they who are engaged in animal raise and vegetable planting acquired basic knowledge in leadership skills, strategic planning, communication and customers’ negotiation skills, among others, In Profile Daily reports.