THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

Today’s dominant stories in the local dailies include the Government of Japan and the Liberian National Red Cross Society’s US$68,928 grant agreement for the provision of medical equipment for Ebola Virus Disease control, the Liberian Senate’s election of Senators Varney Sherman and Stephen J. H Zargo as Chairs of the Judiciary and Defense Committees respectively and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection warning to parents to stop sending their children in the streets to sell during school hours.

DOMINANT STORIES

Japan, LNRCS Signed US$68,928 Deal

A US$68,928 grant agreement has been signed between the Government of Japan and the Liberian National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) for the provision of medical equipment for Ebola virus disease control. The project is under a program called, the Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security (GGHSP) which has supported LNRCS over the years. Speaking Tuesday in Monrovia at the signing ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Liberia Kaorn Yoshimura said the agreement demonstrates the good works of LNRCS in the provision of humanitarian services over the years, especially during the Ebola outbreak. Ambassador Yoshimura said LNRCS has played a significant role in tackling the Ebola virus and providing humanitarian assistance to needy Liberians as such, it needs more support. In Remarks, LNRCS Secretary General Emmanuel O. Kparh thanked the Government of Japan for its continuous support to the people of Liberia. He said the LNRCS presence is being felt in the 15 counties, the News newspaper reports.

Related Captions: Japanese Government Signs 68k Grant With Red Cross(FrontPage Africa), Japan Gives More To Red Cross(The Inquirer), LNRCS, Japan Gov’t Sign US$68,000 Grant Agreement (INSIGHT)

Sherman, Zargo Chair Judiciary, Defense C'ttees

Members of the Liberian Senate sitting in Plenary on Tuesday, February 23, 2015 concluded its internal election for various heads of its Statutory Committees with the election of Grand Cape Mount and Lofa Counties Senators Varney Sherman and Stephen J. H Zargo as Chairs of the Judiciary and Defense Committees respectively.  Senator Sherman of the ruling Unity Party and Senator Zargo of Liberty Party were elected on a white ballot Tuesday by their colleagues. Senator Sherman replaces Sinoe County Senator Joseph Nagbe who was recently defeated for the Pro-temp post by Gbarpolu County Senator Armah Z. Jallah, while Senator Zargo replaces Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson who was recently elected to represent Liberia at the ECOWAS parliament. Cllr. Sherman and Senator Zargo will now join their colleagues who were recently elected to assist the President of the Senate and Senate Pro-tempt to steer the affairs of that august body, the News newspaper reports.

Related Captions: Senates SenateLeadership Now In Full(FrontPage Africa), “Judiciary C’ttee Will Be Vibrant, Resourceful…” Sen. Varney Sherman(Daily Observer), Sherman, Zargo Get Top Senate Posts(The New Dawn), “Majority Bloc” Reigns -As Varney Sherman Heads Judiciary (In Profile Daily)

Gender Ministry Threatens To Arrest Parents

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) has warned parents to stop sending their children in the streets to sell during school hours or risk arrest. In a   press statement issued Tuesday, 24 February the Ministry said it is deeply concerned about the failure of some parents to keep their children off the streets of Monrovia and its environs despite the resumption of normal academic activities. Gender Minister Julia Duncan Cassell has calling on parents to heed the warning or risk punitive action. She said children age 17 and below found selling in the streets are subject to arrest with subsequent punishment for their parents, the New Dawn reports.

Related Captions: Gov’t Threatens TO Arrest Parents(FOCUS), Gender Ministry To Penalize Parents Of Child Sellers(Heritage), Govt To Prosecute Parents, If… (INSIGHT), Street Kids, Parents Risk Arrest(New Democrat)

OTHER STORIES

ECOWAS To Mobilize $21 Billion For Projects

The ECOWAS Community Development Programme (CDP) is set to mobilize about 21 billion U.S. Dollars to enable them finance over 200 projects that cuts across various sectors of the economy in the West African Sub-region. Dr. Guevera Yao, Coordinator of the ECOWAS-CDP made this known at a meeting of the Network of Economic Journalists in West Africa, the New Republic reports.

Four New Cases Surface In Margibi

An authority of the Margibi County health sector has disclosed the discovery of four new cases of Ebola in the county. Margibi Community Health Services Director Joseph Korhene told the recent county weekly Ebola Taskforce meeting in Kakata that the new cases can be traced to a lady who brought her sick husband from Monrovia to the county on February 4 this year. Korhene told stakeholders at the meeting that the lady took her husband to a local clinic in Kakata upon their arrival into the county on a commercial motorbike and then to Gaygbah Town in Margibi County where he later died. He disclosed that as a result of the incident, Gaygbah Town and nearby villages were quarantined by the County Health Team (CHT) and that the victims are currently receiving treatment at the Kakata Ebola Treatment Unit, Heritage reports.

PUL Sets March 13 For Mini Congress

The Daily Observer quotes a release from the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) as saying that the union will hold its annual mini-congress on March 13 and 14 in Monrovia. The new dates were reached after an expanded emergency meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) Monday afternoon. The release said the PUL has stepped up preparations that will lead to a successful congress during which a three-year ‘strategic direction’ will be launched. During the congress, the PUL will present a report of its ongoing media monitoring program which will point out ethical and professional issues in the media and lead a discussion on the draft Collective Bargaining Agreement that seeks decent salaries and better working conditions for journalists.

Related Caption: PUL Goes To Congress March 13(The News)

African Media Initiative Launches Project With African Wildlife Foundation

The African Media Initiative (AMI), has entered into an agreement with African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) with the aim of solidifying media involvement in wildlife conservation efforts on the continent. The two organizations signed a 3-year partnership deal to secure funding and technical support for the training and facilitation of journalists covering wildlife conservation and related issues. AWF Vice President, Program Design and Government Relations, Mr. Daudi Sumba termed the initiative as critical to the organization’s role in addressing Africa’s unique conservation needs,  Heritage reports.

Public Works Minister Guarantees Independent Celebration In Grand Kru

Public Works Minister William Gyude Moore has reassured citizens of Sinoe and Grand Kru Counties that everything will be done to ensure that this year’s July 26, 2015 celebration successfully takes place in their respective counties. Speaking to journalists in Greenville City, the Works Minister said he was in the county to find out for himself things that require urgent attention so that roads and building projects are timely implemented, New Democrat reports.

Related Caption: Gov’t Prepares For July 26 Celebrations In Sinoe, Gd. Kru(The Inquirer)

IPC Trains 7,000 Health Workers

The Infection and Prevention Control (IPC) taskforce at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has trained over 7,000 health care workers across the country. The IPC is a taskforce within the Ministry of Health that is tasked to support government’s initiatives in eradicating the Ebola Virus Disease. According to the IPC, during the peak of the deadly Ebola virus, many health practitioners rushed into ETUs without sufficient knowledge of the virus. Speaking Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at the daily press briefings hosted by the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism in Monrovia, the chairperson for the Infection and Prevention Control, Madam Catherine Cooper, said, the IPC is a special taskforce set up by the Government through the Health Ministry last September to respond to various diseases in the country,  the New Dawn reports.

Senegalese Delegation Lauds RIA

A delegation from the Government of Senegal has paid a one day working visit to the Roberts International Airport for first-hand information on the airport’s handling of the Ebola situation. Members of the delegation include General Saliou Ndiay, Ebola Coordinator, Dr. Fadel Kane, Assistant Ebola Coordinator and Mr. Mamadou Mbaye Special Advisor to the Prime Minister and Technical Advisor, among others, New Democrat reports.

Ellen Boasts – Says Ebola Made Liberia Stronger

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has made a big boast of her country’s resilience to beat back the killing stings of the Ebola virus, saying that the epidemic has made Liberia a stronger nation after much confusion, denial and fear. Madam Sirleaf seized an opportunity provided her at the Sahrjah conference in Dubai, UAE, to indicate to the world that the involvement of everyone in combating the epidemic played well in containing it. Above all, she said the social effort, empowerment and ownership by Liberian communities was the key to combating Ebola, but stressed “full eradication of Ebola will not be secured until medication that is preventative and curative is developed”, the New Republic asserts.

Liberia, World Bank Launch Psychological Support Project-To Alleviate Consequences of Ebola Epidemic

The Liberian Government and the World Bank Group in partnership with the Government of Japan, will on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 launch a project to address the psychological effects of Liberia's Ebola crisis and to promote psychosocial health in the country. The project, Supporting Psychosocial Health and Resilience in Liberia, is funded by Japan through the Japanese Social Development Fund (JSDF), a trust fund administered by the World Bank. The Carter Center will implement this three-year project, which is expected to reach approximately 18,000 beneficiaries in Montserrado and Margibi counties. According to a release, participating officials include: World Bank Liberia Country Manager - Madam Inguna Dobraja; Ambassador of Japan Accredited to Liberia, Kaoru Yoshimura; Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer- Dr. Bernice Dah, and Carter Center Project Lead for its mental Health Program in Liberia - Dr. Janice Cooper, among others. In Profile Daily reports.

Related Caption: World Bank, Liberia & Japan Launch Psychological Support Project Today (Daily Observer)