THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015

Today’s summary of the local dailies included news of the passage of the 2015 Electricity Act, the National Elections Commission certification of two new registered political parties in Liberia and the Liberia Council of Churches’ decision to launch a Fund Drive, targeting more than seven thousand United States dollars.

DOMINANT STORIES

Electricity Bill Passed

Barely 24 hours after staging protest against the passage of the 2015 Electricity Act, the House of Representatives Thursday concurred with the Senate on the new electricity law. The law received unanimous backing from members of the House of Representatives after the Senate passed it latest Thursday, 17 September, 2015. The new electricity law, which seeks to create an independent body that will control the production of power (current) in the country, is expected to be sent to the President for approval before it is finally printed into handbill and subsequently declared as a law governing the nation’s energy sector, if she approves it. The President also has the right to veto the bill, but there’re no indications President Sirleaf will reject a bill she already admires, New Democrat newspaper reports.

Related Captions: Legislature Passes 2015 Electricity Act Into Law (Heritage), House Ignores LEC Bill Protestors-Concurs With Senate Following Committees’ Report (The New Republic), Electricity Bill Passed (New Democrat), House Concurs On Electricity Bill - Ignores Public Request (FrontPage Africa)

NEC Certificates More Political Parties

The New Dawn newspaper reports that the National Elections Commission (NEC) has certificated two new registered political parties in Liberia. The two new political parties are the New Liberia Party (NLP) and the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE). The parties were certificated at a ceremony held Thursday, September 24, 2015 at the headquarters of the Commission in Monrovia. During the ceremony, the Chairman of the Commission, Cllr. Jerome George Korkoya, said the parties were certificated in concert with Article 77(a) of the Liberian Constitution and Section 21.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which, among other things, emphasize the right of all persons to participate in the governance of their country and the right of free competition of ideas by political parties and individuals. Chairman Korkoya called on the parties to include Liberians from all spheres of Life in their political activities in line with the laws of the country. Article 77 of the Liberian Constitution requires each political party in the country to have a membership of not less than five hundred qualified voters in each of at least six counties in Liberia. The two new political parties bring to twenty, the total number of registered political parties in Liberia.

Related Captions: 20 Political Parties For 2017 As Two More Certificated (Daily Observer), Political Parties Swell To 20…Two More Certificated (The Inquirer), NEC Certificates MOVEE And NLP As New Political Parties (Heritage), Ahead Of 2017 Elections: NEC Certificates MOVEE, NLP (The INFORMER), 2 More Political Parties Cleared (New Democrat), NEC Certificates Two Parties (Hot Pepper)

Council Of Churches Launches Nationwide Consultations

The Liberia Council of Churches has disclosed plans to launch a Fund Drive, targeting more than seven thousand United States dollars. Money raised from the exercise will be used to educate Liberians on the importance of Liberia becoming a Christian Nation, in terms of widening the scope of the discussions. The Program is organized by the Technical Committee which is an offspring of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC). It was founded by LCC in 2015 in response to work done by the Constitution Reform Committee (CRC), in Gbarnga, Bong County. The Council of Churches was asked by the CRC to give its position on "Liberia becoming a Christian Nation".  The Liberia Council of Churches said the Initiative is intended to gather the views of all Liberians and equally provide information and awareness of the importance of Liberia becoming a Christian Nation. "This is important to ensure that there is no misunderstanding and confusion about Liberia becoming a Christian Nation, as a decision overwhelmingly taken at the recently held Constitution Review Process held in Gbarnga, Bong County" stressed LCC Officials, according to the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: LCC Earmarks US$70,000…For Nationwide Consultation (The News), Liberia Council Of Churches To Launch Nationwide Consultations (The Inquirer), Liberia Council  Of Churches To Launch Nationwide Consultations…Over 70,000 Earmarked For The Process (Heritage), Liberia Council  Of Churches To Launch Nationwide Consultations…Over 70,000 Earmarked For The Process (Hot Pepper)

OTHER STORIES

Liberian On Path To ‘Irreversible Progress’ – Ellen Tells General Assembly

Achieving an average annual growth or over 7 cent and improving governance and accountability has put Liberia on the path to “irreversible progress”. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has told the 68^th session of the General Assembly. Liberia has returned to the comity of nations as a “respectable and responsible partner” over the last 10 years, and while the country has come a long way “we have a long way to go”, added President Johnson Sirleaf in her address to the Assembly’s General Debate which began at UN Headquarters today and runs through 1 October, the NEWS newspaper reports.

Ellen  Addresses International Confab on Sustainable Dev.

The INFORMER newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has implored participants at the International Conference on Sustainable Development to become part of a global partnership and strive to support a more sustainable, just and inclusive world. According to a dispatch from New York, President Sirleaf made the call when she delivered the keynote address at the International Conference on Sustainable Development held at the Alfred Lerner Hall, Columbia University in New York, USA, on Wednesday, September 23, 2015. The 2015 International Conference on Sustainable Development was organized the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (a global initiative for the United Nations), Global Association (focused in development practice programs) and Columbia University. The event was a part of the Kapuscinski Development Lecture Series of the University and was moderated by international journalist, writer and moderator, Femi Oke.  

Related Caption: President Calls On World Leaders For Sustainable Development (New Democrat). At the same time, the New Dawn newspaper writes under the caption “Sustainable Development Goals To Be Launched Today“ that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), intended to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, fix climate change, is expected to be launched today in Monrovia. The SDGs goal is to ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmer and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions, as well as Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions. The SDGs goals are; No poverty; End Hunger, Good health and well-being, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Clean Water and Sanitation, as well as Affordable and Clean energy. Others are Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Reduce inequalities, Sustainable cities and communities, Responsible consumption and production, Climate Action, Life below water, life on land, justice and peace and Partnership for the goals.

Related Caption: UN Launches Sustainable Development Goals Today (Daily Observer)

Senate Concurs With House On Axle Load Bill

The Liberian Senate has concurred with the House of Representatives in passing the Draft Axle Load Bill into law. The Liberian Senate took the decision during its regular plenary session held on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at the Capitol Building in Monrovia. The Bill is now expected to be forwarded to the President of Liberia for executive approval and subsequent printing into handbills, Heritage newspaper reports.

Related Caption: Axle Load Bill Sails Through (New Democrat)

VP Boakai On Liberia's Health Sector

According to the INFORMER newspaper, Vice President Joseph Boakai has re-affirmed government's commitment to building a vibrant health care delivery system. VP Boakai said healthcare remains a major priority of the Unity Party-led government as a major aspect of the country's development. Speaking when he proxy for the Vice President at the official launch of "Riders for Health" in Gbarnga, the Chief of Staff in the office of the Vice President, Sam Steve Quiah, said the Vice President was grateful to Riders for Health for coming to Liberia to help with service delivery. Quiah said Vice President Boakai was aware that the Ebola crisis broke down the struggling health system of the country and all was being done by government and its partners to revamp the system. He noted that Ambassador Boakai is optimistic that Riders for Health will help the government revitalize the shattered health sector left behind by the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the country. "Riders for Health" is an international non-governmental organization that does Fleet Management and has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health and the General Services Agency to manage all MOH vehicles and motorcycles.

Liberian Muslims Pray For Peace At Eid – As Hundreds Die In Horrific Stampede In Mecca Hajj Pilgrimage

Thousands of Muslims in Liberia yesterday celebrated the Eid al-Adha, one of the holiest holidays in the Muslim calendar, praying for peace in Liberia and the world and progress for their community. At the D. Tweh Memorial High School sports pitch in Monrovia, Alhaji Muhamad Sesay, conducted the service, leading thousands in the shout of Allahu Akbar (God is Great) which Sheik Ishmail Fofana, deputy chief Imam of Duala Eastern Community Mosque described as the ‘slogan of the day’, Daily Observer reports.

Related Caption: 700 Killed In Hajj Stampede (New Democrat)

2 New Judges Commissioned

Two lawyers Joseph S. Fayiah and Yarmie Quiqui Gbesay, Sr., were commissioned on Wednesday as a Resident Circuit Judge of Criminal Court ‘E’ for Montserrado County, and Relieving Judge of the Republic of Liberia respectively by the Chief Justice, Francis Korkpor at the Temple of justice. The two judges were nominated by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and subsequently confirmed by the Senate, Daily Observer writes.

Nigerians Begin Observing 55^th Independence Day

The Federal Republic of Nigeria will on October 1, 2015 celebrate its 55 Independence Anniversary as a federal nation. Meanwhile, Nigerians in Liberia led by their Ambassador, Chigozie F. Obi Nnadozie have kicked off the celebration with series of activities from September 21-23. The Nigerian Ambassador appeared on various talk shows explaining the relationship between the two countries and recommitting the Federal Government’s commitments to Liberia, the Inquirer newspaper reports.

EPA Holds Validation W/Shop On Climate Change Today

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the United nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), will today, Friday September 25, 2015 conduct a day-long National validation workshop on Liberia’s climate change Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDCs) at the Bella Casa Hotel in Sinkor. The workshop is meant to review and endorse Liberia’s INDCs in the run-up to the December 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference due to be held in Paris, France. According to the national Climate change Focal Point at the EPA and the country’s Lead Negotiator on climate Change, Ben Karmoh, presentations will be made by national and international experts to be followed by deliberations among difference Stakeholders, In Profile Daily reports.