The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY NOVEMBER 16, 2017

News of the Supreme Court of Liberia citation for the appearance of the legal teams of the Liberty Party, Unity Party and the National Elections Commission, President Sirleaf call for African women to consolidate and expand the gains made in various spheres of leadership, the United States Embassy in Liberia statement on the October 10, 2017 elections in Liberia and the a pinning of three distinguished officers of the ECOWAS Advisory Training Team assigned to the Armed Forces of Liberia are stories dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia's Supreme Court Summons UP, NEC Legal Teams

The Supreme Court of Liberia has summoned the two parties in the case, Charles Walker Brumskine and Harrison Karnwea, Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates of the Liberty Party versus The National Elections Commission (NEC) and Unity Party as Co-complainant. The Court, Wednesday, 15 November 2017, issued the writ through a sheriff. The writ is a result of a complaint filed to that body by Co-complainant Unity Party of being denied necessary information requested from the National Elections Commission, through a subpoena. According to the co-complainant, after being denied by the hearing officer Muana Ville, the request to subpoena documents, which include the Presiding Officers worksheets and addendum listing amongst others of precincts across the country, they took appeal to the Board of Commissioners and it has been more than a week the Board has not responded, which has led them to run to the Supreme Court, according to the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Captions:  Supreme Court Invites NEC, Complainants (In Profile Daily), S/Court Cites NEC, Other Parties Today (The INQUIRER), S/ Court In Action Again …Cites UP, LP NEC (INSIGHT), In UP’s Request For Subpoena Instruments: Supreme Court To Entertain Arguments Today (Heritage), Supreme Court Halts NEC Again (The New Dawn)

Ellen Urges African Women To Consolidate, Expand Gains In Gender Leadership Parity 

The Heritage newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called on women in Africa to continue to take bold steps, imbue themselves with determination and self- confidence if they are to consolidate and expand the gains made in various spheres of leadership. According to a dispatch from Accra, the Liberian leader sounded the clarion call when she delivered special remarks at the launch of the Gender and Development Initiative in Africa (GADI) on Tuesday, November 14, 2017 in the Ghanaian capital Accra. The President said there have been numerous strides in women empowerment over the past decades but cautioned that more must be done to achieve gender parity in political and economic leadership. Also speaking, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo noted progress made in gender parity in leadership but urged that more practical measures must be employed to gain more. He said Ghana remains committed to women empowerment as bedrock for development.

Related Captions:  Consolidate; Expand Gains In Gender Leadership Parity…President Sirleaf Urges African Women (INSIGHT), Pres. Sirleaf Urges African Women to Expand Gains in Gender Leadership Parity (FrontPage Africa), Pres. Sirleaf Urges African Women To Consolidate And Expand Gains (The New Dawn)

U.S. Gov’t: “We Have Confidence In Integrity Of October 2017 Elections”

The United States embassy in Monrovia says it had not seen no sign of manipulation in last month’s election in Liberia, amid allegations of irregularities and fraud that have stalled a run-off poll. The U.S. Embassy, through a release, urges the top two finishers, who collectively received the support of two-thirds of Liberian voters, to focus on constructively engaging each other and voters as they prepare to compete in the runoff. “Disputes and litigation should be initiated and conducted in good faith by the claimants, the NEC, and if needed, the Supreme Court, in an expeditious manner to permit the timely conclusion of Liberia’s electoral process and a peaceful transition,” the release added. The United States, through the statement, reaffirmed its commitment to Liberia’s future and encourages Liberians to conclude the presidential electoral process as soon as possible to allow Liberia’s democratic and economic progress to continue. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, first-round winner George Weah, a standard bearer of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), was initially set to face the runner-up, Vice President Joseph Boakai, standard bearer of ruling Unity Party (UP) on November 7 to determine who will replace current term-limited President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Related Captions: U.S. Embassy Statement On Liberia’s Electoral Process (In Profile Daily), We Have Confidence In The Integrity Of October Elections… U.S. Embassy Gives Position (Heritage), We Have Confidence In The Integrity Of The Elections…Says U.S. Embassy (The INQUIRER), US Urges UP, CDC To Focus On Runoff (The New Dawn)

AFL Holds Promotion Ceremony For Senior ECOWAS Officers

The Armed Forces of Liberia on 13 November 2017 held a pinning ceremony to commemorate the promotion of three distinguished officers of the ECOWAS Advisory Training Team (EATT) assigned to the AFL at the its Headquarters’ conference room. Those pinned were Lt. Col. SS Ibrahim and Lt Col. ND Akpagher, from the Nigerian Army, and Lt. Col. NYS Essel from the Ghanaian Army. The FrontPage Africa newspaper says  the officers are experienced ECOWAS Advisors providing valuable expertise and sharing experiences in the area of training and other strategic decision making within the AFL. Major General Daniel D. Ziakahn, Jr., Chief of Staff of the AFL, pinned the officers. He was assisted by Colonel EO Oduyebo, head of EATT, and Lieutenant Colonel Marc Saphir, US Defense Attaché. 

Related Captions: AFL Promotes Senior ECOWAS (In Profile Daily), AFL Holds Promotion Ceremony For Senior ECOWAS Officers (The INQUIRER)

OTHER STORIES

Commerce Warns Against Re-bagging of Contaminated Rice

According to the INQUIRER newspaper, Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MOCI) has warn all those who are involved in the act of re-bagging contaminated rice into Bella Lona bags on the Liberian Market, amidst complaints by marketers and importers. According to the release, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) has received complaints from marketers and a rice importer, Supplying West Africa Traders Incorporated (SWAT) about re-bagging of spoilt rice into Bello Lona bags by some major rice importers and their sales agents in the field.

Related Caption: Desist Or Risk Closure…MOCI Warns Some Rice Importers Agents (Heritage)

UL Closes Registration, But…

The Administration of the University of Liberia wishes to inform all students of the institution that first semester registration of 2017/2018 academic year that started on September 11, 2017 and end on October 14, 2017 has finally come to an end. Base on students’ appeal, the October 14, deadline was extended to October 31, and Subsequently to November 9, 2017. Administration there wishes to remind all student of the University of Liberia that the first semester registration of 2017/2018 academic year has finally come to and end as of Frida, November 10, 2017. All registration activities are hereby ordered closed. Meanwhile, several students of the university have expressed complete surprise over the statement issue yesterday, in which the administration said it has extended the time of the registration, reports the INQUIRER newspaper.

Related Caption: University of Liberia Students Protest Closure of Registration For New Semester (FrontPage Africa)

ACOPAD Encourages Women Participation In Government

According to the INQUIRER newspaper, the ACOPAD Executive Director says women need to work hard to ensure increase in their participation in parliament and at the level of the cabinet. Mitchel Neufville clearly stated that this will help to balance gender equality in the national Legislature and government ministries. The ACOPAD Director told newsmen that women deserve beet opportunities and they need to participate in government.

Liberia Joins To Celebrate World Prematurity Day

On Friday, November 27, 2017 Liberia will join other nations around the world to commemorate World Prematurity Day. World Prematurity Day also known as “Born Too Soon” is observed on 17 November each year. The motto for 2017 is “Let them thrive” with sub themes; Quality care for the smallest, Improving care for the smallest, and Respectful care for the smallest. World Prematurity Day is a key moment to focus global attention on preterm birth, which according to the United Nations Children’s Fund account for nearly one million deaths each year, reports the INQUIRER newspaper.

MOH, WHO Launch antibiotic Awareness Week

According to the Heritage newspaper, World Health Organization (WHO and the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday, November 15, 2017 launched the world antibiotic awareness week in the country. The awareness, which was launched at the Duport Road Health Center in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, is meant to inform the public and the proper usage of the antibiotic drugs to avoid danger in the human body. According to Moses B. Bolongi, National Infection Prevent Control Officer at the WHO, the awareness is meant to educate healthcare workers (HCWs), patients and the general public to the importance of antibiotics and the dangers of antibiotic misuse and overuse.

PREVAIL Studies Receive High Ratings

The Partnership for Research on Ebola Virus in Liberia (PREVAIL) has received high marks for its ongoing research program in Liberia. PREVAIL is a joint Liberia-U.S. clinical research program established in 2014 in response to a request by former Liberian Health Minister Dr. Walter Gwenigale to then U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell to assist Liberia develop vaccines and therapeutics to tackle Ebola. During Community Engagement and other Social Mobilization and Communication (SMC) activities carried out in October in Margibi, Montserrado, Grand Cape Mount and Bomi Counties, residents and other stakeholders hailed the Liberia-US Clinical Research Partnership for taking time to visit their various communities to spread the “good news,” which includes the benefits of PREVAIL activities for national and global public health, writes the New Dawn newspaper.