The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017

News of the State of Israel US$20 million investment in Liberia’s energy sector, the National Legislature’s commencement of deliberations on the 2017/18 National Budget and Central Bank of Liberia Governor, Milton Weeks’ assertion that there will be no loan for borrowers are stories dominating today’s edition of our Summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Israel To Invest US$20M In Liberia’s Energy Sector 

Under the MOU signed Saturday, June 3, 2017 between the State of Israel and ECOWAS, Israel’s leading solar developer will invest US$1 billion over the next four years to advance green energy power projects across the 15 member states of the West African economic community. In honor of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s two terms in office, and Liberia’s friendship with the State of Israel, Energiya Global and our international partners will finance and build a commercial-scale solar field at the Roberts International Airport, which will supply 25% of the country’s generation capacity,” says Yosef I. Abramowitz, CEO,  FrontPage Africa newspaper reports.

Related Captions: US$20m For Liberia’s First Solar Field Agreement Inked-While Israeli Solar Also Commits US$1bn To ECOWAS; Israeli MP Neguise Proclaims “Power To The African People” (FOCUS), Israel Pledges US$1b In Solar Energy To ECOWAS…As Liberia Gets $0M Field (Heritage)  

Budget 2017/2018 Hearings Begin Today 

The New Dawn newspaper says the Joint Committee on Ways, Means, Finance & Budget and Public Accounts of the Liberian Legislature has announced that it will begin scrutinizing the 2017/2018 Fiscal Budget on Monday, June 5. The daily quotes a release from the Media Departments of the House and Liberian Senate as saying that the process begins with hearing on the revenue components that brings twenty nine (29) revenue generating Ministries and Agencies on Capitol this week, Monday—Friday, June 5 - 9. The 2017/2018 Draft Budget is in the tune of US$ 526.6 million, with a 12.3% cut of the 2016/2017 Budget.

Related Captions:  Draft Budget Hearings ‘Steam Up’ Today – Lawmakers to Act Before July 1; as Roads, Security, Election top Priorities, (FOCUS), Draft Budget 2017/2018 Hearings Today…Lawmakers To Act before July 1…Roads, Security, Election Top Priorities (Heritage), 2017/2018 Budget Hearings Begin Today, Legislature Set Passage On June 29 (Daily Observer)  

“No Loans For Delinquent Borrowers” – CBL Gov. Weeks 

The Liberia Credit Union National Association (LCUNA) convened its 6th Annual General Meeting in Voinjama, Lofa County with a call by the Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) to members of the Association to honor their debt obligations to the CBL and other lending institutions in the country. Governor Milton A. Weeks said the Central Bank would continue to support the Loan Extension Availability Facility (LEAF) Program under a revised Framework but cautioned that only loan applicants, who have successfully met their obligations, will be considered, FrontPage Africa newspaper writes.

Related Captions: No Loans for Delinquent Borrowers…Declares CBL Boss, (Heritage), No Loan For Delinquent Borrowers-CBL Gov. Weeks (INSIGHT), ‘No Loans For Delinquent Borrowers’ - CBL Gov. Weeks (Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES  

KCMC Mobile Clinic Delivers Free health Care in Gbarpolu County 

More than 6000 residents from 18 communities in Bopulu District, Gbarpolu County have benefited from a weeklong free healthcare delivery service provided by a team of medical practitioners from the Kingdom Care Medical Center Mobile Clinic (KCMC) in Monrovia. The initiative was funded by the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), according to the head of KCMC, Dr. Martha Zarway. Giving an overview of their activities, Dr. Zarway, stated that the healthcare delivery service was intended to fulfill social corporate responsibilities of both NOCAL and his institution. She said her institution was collaborating with NOCAL to ensure that Liberians mainly those in rural parts of the country access free treatment. According to Dr. Zarway, medical circumstances such as pregnancy, anemia, malaria, bronchopneumonia, hypertension and others were considered for treatment at the various centers. The 18 communities include, Daniel Farm, Kenned Town, Kissi Town, Kamas Town, David’s Town, Compounsu Junction, and Gbarma Town, respectively. Other benefiting communities are Henry’s Town, Sabamas Town, Darrisly Town, Dulula, Yalayema, MadinaJuction and Bomboma, among others, reports the Frontpage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: Bopolu Gets Free healthcare-From KCMC Mobile Clinic, (Focus)  

Ellen Calls For Concerted Efforts Against Terrorism…As Israel Prime Vows To Defeat Threat 

The outgoing Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for concerted efforts to combat terrorism in the region and elsewhere. Furthermore to fight terrorism, the Liberian leader said countries should “share intelligence” and that it should be done with urgency to succeed. She used the occasion to call for a minute of silence for those who lost their lives in such terroristic attacks. The special quest at the occasion, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was deeply honored by the hospitality afforded him and his delegation. He reiterated his country’s commitment to fight terrorism, which he described as a “scourge” that is spreading. He said this act would not weaken the resolve of leaders in combatting it, rather it would strengthen them to defeat it, The INQUIRER reports.

Related Caption: PM Netanyahu Wants Joint Efforts To Fight Terrorism, Others, (Heritage)

Senegal, Israel Quash Diplomatic Crisis at ECOWAS Summit

Senegal and Israel have quashed the diplomatic crisis between the two countries on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Summit in Liberia. Senegalese President Macky Sall and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a brief meeting on Sunday in Monrovia before announcing an end to the crisis. Benjamin Netanyahu attended the 51^st ECOWAS Summit in Liberia as the first non-African leader to do so. He called on the West African leaders to join forces with Israel and support its reinstatement into the African Union as an observer, Focus reports.

Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe Is New  ECOWAS Chairperson

Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe has been named the new chairperson of the Economic community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Liberia’s capital Monrovia. He takes over the rotational role from Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who faced a tough task in her 12 month tenure. President Gnassingbe will officially assume the role at the end of the Summit, FOCUS newspaper writes.

Related Caption: Ellen Opens 51^ST Session Of ECOWAS Summit…Outlines Achievements, (Heritage),

Petroleum Product Prices Fall

The INQUIRER newspaper reports that the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) has announced with immediate effect a reduction of ten and six United States cents in the prices of gasoline and diesel fuel respectively. According to a petroleum price circular issued by the government, the retail pump price for a gallon of gasoline has dropped from US$3.24 or its Liberian dollar equivalent of L$340.00 to US$3.14 or its Liberian dollar equivalent of L$330.00. While the retail pump price for a gallon of diesel fuel has also decreased from US$3.17 or its of Liberian dollar equivalent of L$340.00 to US$3.11 or its Liberian dollar equivalent of L$335.00. The decision to drop the prices of gasoline and diesel fuel is a result of a shift in the perimeter that is frequently used to determine the prices of these products in the country.  

Experts Want Political Will To Keep African Cities Green 

The Heritage newspaper asserts that experts at a two-day Greening Africa’s Cities Symposium are calling for the deployment of mechanisms that will keep cities green for their fast urbanizing population. To keep African Cities Green, they said, requires political will as land ownership, usage and allocation are among several other impeding factors that are critical to the attainment of green spaces. “There is a significant risk that Africa’s cities may become locked into a ‘grow dirty now, clean up later’ development path that may be irreversible, costly, inefficient, and welfare-reducing”, said Roland White, Global Lead for City Management, Governance and Financing for the World Bank and lead author of the Greening Africa’s Cities report.

Related Caption: Experts Want Political Will To Keep African Cities Green, But… -Journalists Challenged To Engage The Dar es Salaam Experience, (FOCUS)  

LACC Release New Asset Declaration Process 

The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has released a new asset declaration, verification and regulation process for Liberian government officials. Making the disclosure at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing in Monrovia recently, Aba Hamilton-Dolo, LACC Commissioner for Education and Prevention, said Article 90 of the Liberian Constitution empowers the National Legislature to prescribe a Code of Conduct for all public officials and employees stipulating acts which constitute conflict of interest and penalties of violations. She named those positions as Legislators, Members of the House of Representatives, Senators, and Secretary of the Senate, Chief Clerk, Comptroller and Procurement Officers, departmental directors and Project Managers, Heritage newspaper reports.

Related Caption: LAAC Releases New Asset Declaration Process (INSIGHT)

Orange Opens Employee Training Facility

As an early demonstration of its commitment to prioritizing its employees, the Management of Orange has unveiled a high tech multi-purpose training center in Monrovia.  Leading the tour of the new facilities, Orange Liberia’s Vice president for Administration Madam Sarah Buchanan pointed out key features of the state of the art training center including the ability to conduct live video trainings with experts and trainers from around the world, Heritage newspaper writes.

Related Caption: Orange Opens Training Facility For Employees (INSIGHT)

Ellen To Launch High Level Panel On Migration

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will on 6 June launch the High-level Panel on International Migration on the margins of the ECOWAS Heads of States Summit here in Monrovia. The aim of the panel is to push the migration issues to the top of policy agenda by engaging major stakeholders and partners. Chaired by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the panel comprises representatives from Liberia, Canada, China, Malta, and Norway, as well as the International Labor Organization (ILO). According to the Heritage newspaper, the establishment of the Panel follows a decision of African Ministers attending the Ninth Joint Annual Meetings of the AU Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration and the ECA Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in Addis Ababa Ethiopia in April 2016. Furthermore, the Panel will aim to work on determining the nature and patterns of inter, intra and international migration streams in Africa.   

Vice President Joseph Boakai Outlines Vision For Liberia 

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai over the weekend outlined his vision for Liberia, noting how he intends to use agriculture, road inter-connectivity to rebuild the economy. On resuscitating the economy, Vice President Boakai said Liberia is a rich nation, with the potential to rely on itself. He said the Ministry of Agriculture, which exercises oversight of all food production activities in the country has three primary functions, policy, technology and extension and that these activities or functions have not been executed fully. According to Vice President Boakai, the lack of roads has made it very difficult to implement development programs of the nation that is nearly 170 years old and something has to be done about this situation, adding you cannot have a country that is not accessible to the people. “Interconnectivity of the nation has a positive trickle-down effect on education, health, agriculture and other vital sectors of the economy/nation. Boakai said unless interconnectivity is improved and rural communities are opened up it will be difficult to reach the people and even more difficult to implement development programs, reads the FrontPage Africa newspaper.  

Law To Make Duazon A City Leaves House for Senate 

An Act to make Duazon in Lower Margibi County a city was on last Thursday approved by members of the House of Representatives. The House Plenary took the decision based on recommendations from its Joint Committees on Judiciary, Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning and Lands, Minds, Energy and Natural Resources.  The Joint Committees recommended the passage of the act on grounds that Duazon has several communities, including R2, Duazon and Boys Town Junction, necessary for the formation of a single corporate entity for the purpose of integrating resources for the enhancement, growth and development, and the socio-economic empowerment of the inhabitants, Daily Observer reports.