The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY JANUARY 4, 2018

Extension of Legislative Session by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the certification of elected officials today at the National Elections Commission, the removal surgeries of cataract by PREVAIL Liberia are among selected stories for today media summary.

Legislative Session Extended

The FrontPage Africa newspaper quotes an Executive Mansion release “President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has issued a proclamation extending the sixth and final session of the 53rd National Legislature of the Republic of Liberia by nine days beginning January 4th, 2018. The proclamation followed the signing of a certificate of extension by members of the Senate and House of Representatives respectively. “Whereas, the Sixth and Final Regular Session of the 53rd Legislature of the Republic of Liberia, was extended through a Certificate of Extension signed by members of the Senate and House of Representatives respectively, to extend the Regular Session from September 1, thru December 31, 2017”, the proclamation recalls. he proclamation notes that Article 32 (b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia provides that the President shall, on the President’s own initiative or upon receipt of a certificate signed by at least one-fourth of the total membership of each House, and by proclamation, extend a Regular Session of the Legislature beyond the date of adjournment or call a Special or Extraordinary Session of that Body to discuss or act upon matters of national emergency and concern; and It acknowledges that there are several unresolved key matters of national interest that require the urgent attention of the 53rd Legislature and is aware of the emergency nature of these matters, which are all geared toward the enhancement of the socio-economic interests of the State and its people.

NEC Certificates Elected Officials Today

According to the Daily Observer, those who emerged victorious at the October 10 presidential and representative elections as well as the subsequent December 26 runoff election are on the verge of gaining legitimacy as authorities of the National Elections Commission (NEC) will be certificating them today. President-elect George Weah and his chief lieutenant, Jewel Howard Taylor, who are poised to replace President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in what could be described a ‘historic transition,’ will grace the occasion at the headquarters of the NEC in Sinkor to see the electoral body confer upon the elected officials their legitimate statuses. Along with the President-elect and his deputy will be 66 others who emerged victorious in the representative race. This disclosure was made to journalists at the James Fromayan Conference Hall at the Commission’s headquarters near Monrovia by Henry Flomo, the entity’s director of communications.

Related Caption: NEC Certificates Lawmakers Today (The New Dawn)

NDI Wants NEC Stripped Of Judicial Role

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) says the role(s) ascribed to the National Elections Commission (NEC) by the elections law to adjudicate cases emanating from electoral disputes as conflict of interest and a breach of legal protocols—and has therefore called for the NEC to be stripped of its judicial duties. While making the recommendations on steps that can be taken to enhance confidence in future election processes and further consolidate democratic institutions in the country, NDI, last week, indicated that it does not make sense for the NEC to be serving both as referee and player in a case. Though not a functional or recognized judicial body, the NEC, under the New Elections Law,  has the mandate to serve as a quasi-judicial body that investigates and adjudicates cases brought before it. A member of NDI’s high-power elections observation mission- Hanna Tetteh – indicated that there is a need to integrate a review of the legal framework for elections into the ongoing constitutional review process, and ensure through an inclusive and transparent process that gaps or inconsistencies do not exist between the elections law, the constitution and legal precedents, reports the Daily Observer.

Weah Needs $1bn

According to the New Dawn newspaper, Liberia’s Senate Committee Chairman on Foreign Relations, Sen. Dan Morais, is projecting that the incoming administration of President-elect Mr. George Weah needs one billion United States Dollars to be able to jumpstart the economy here. “And to be honest with you, this government if we must be able to jumpstart the economy, we will need nothing less than … one billion United States Dollars in the next one and a half to two years,” Sen. Marais said Tuesday, 2 January, on a local radio station in Monrovia. As Chairman on Foreign Relations at the Liberian Senate, Sen. Morais says he kept himself busy with keeping records, adding that [some] of those things that he was compelled to keep record on were Liberia’s HIPC position, what is the country's foreign debt and how much is owed. The Maryland County Senator says he is worried over some Liberians’ extremely high expectation for performance from the incoming administration of Mr. Weah, a former soccer legend with significant following among the youthful population here.

Father of 12 Wins L$1M From Lonestar Cell MTN

Abdul Jalloh ended up being the luckiest among the over one million MTN subscribers, when the New Year came smiling on him, blessing him with the opportunity to walk away with a whopping L$1,000,000 for subscribing with the generous GSM. He is the second winner of the company’s “One Hundred Reasons to Smile Every Day” promotion from its one million prize giveaway discount store. Apart from being the father of a dozen children, Jalloh is also a businessman and CEO of Bambya Business center that trades in one of the country’s largest commercial district, Water Side, in the heart of Monrovia. The promo started in October 2017 and promises to give out L$4 million to four lucky subscribers in four months. The astonished businessman couldn’t have been more grateful to start off 2018 in such a fashion, writes the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: Man Wins L$1 Million (FrontPage Africa)

MTU Embarks On U$85K Community Hall Project

Citizens of Murrayville Township Union (MTU) of Sinoe County residing in Monrovia have embarked on the construction of a US$85,000 multi-purpose community hall and a guesthouse in Caldwell, Montserrado County. The project is a self-help initiative by members of the union who disclosed  that when completed, the hall will be used for meetings, conferences, programs and hosting guests of their compatriots’ in Murrayville, Sinoe County. A parcel of land for the project was donated to the union by its general chairman, Koon Teah Sneh, Sr. five years ago. Recently, the women’s wing of the union hosted an honoring and fundraiser event aimed at soliciting funds for the implementation of the project, which generated at least L$30,000, writes the Daily Observer.

25 Youth Players Selected for Intensive Training

Following the climax of the Alphonso Armah Youth Tournament held on December 27-30, twenty-five (25) players have been selected by the technical arm of the organizing committee for intensive training. According to the chief organizer of the tournament, Ansumana Keita, the 25 players will undergo basic skills and technical trainings as part of its continuous efforts to promote grassroots football in the country. The technical arm comprises of Coach Benjamin Seedee, coach Robert Lartey, coach Abraham Sese, coach Varmah Kpoto, and Nathaniel Sherman (Goalkeeper trainer), pens the Daily Observer.

NASSCORP Boss To Receive Honor

The Coalition of Youth and Students for Better Liberia (CYSBL) has selected National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) Director General Mr. Dewitt Von Ballmoos as its "Personality of the Year 2017" in recognition of his impact on society and his tireless efforts in nation building. The award which is set to be presented to the NASSCORP Boss this Friday, 5 January will bring together some government officials, staff of NASSCORP and civil society organizations, as well as friends and families, among others. NASSCORP's aim is to improve the livelihood of Liberians through shelters and other services, an agenda that has been fast - tracked under the administration of its Director General Mr. Von Ballmoos. CYSBL Executive Director Ishmael Koffeh told reporters Wednesday, 3 January at his Carey Street office in Monrovia that Mr. Von Ballmoos is one of Liberia’s most committed and hardworking managers. He says the NASSCORP Boss is vigorously impacting the lives of Liberians by giving them the unique services being provided by the institution. The administration of the NASSCORP DG, according to the executive director of CYSBL, Ishmael Koffeh, has recommitted its financial support to the mandate of the National Housing Authority (NHA) to build affordable houses for middle income Liberians, a move that has been lauded by Liberians and foreign residents, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

PREVAIL Conducts Cataract Removal Surgeries

The Partnership for Research on Ebola Virus in Liberia (PREVAIL) recently conducted a clinical research study where Ebola survivors and their close contacts benefited from eye cataract removal surgeries. The study, called PREVAIL 7, sought to address the issues of safety for participants to undergo cataract surgery and to define the post-surgical care needed to achieve the best vision outcomes. It also aimed to understand whether the Ebola virus disease (EVD) persists in eye tissues of survivors with cataracts. This information will also help determine how best to ensure the safety of the surgical team when performing eye surgery on Ebola survivors. People with cataracts have difficulty seeing because the lens of the eye, which reflects light and allows them to see clearly, has become cloudy. Cataracts are the leading cause of reversible blindness in the world, and surgery is the only known effective cure. Twenty million people worldwide live with blindness in both eyes due to cataracts. A cataract surgery is one of the most cost-effective surgical interventions worldwide. The study, which is still following the participants, has two major goals: (1) to determine the proportion of EVD survivors with viral persistence in ocular (eye) tissues, and (2) to compare the amount of inflammation between survivors and control patients at one month and three months after cataract surgery. In addition, the investigators aim to assess whether the vision outcomes in Ebola survivors differ from those in other patients, whether age and gender play a role in their outcomes, and whether structural changes in the eye from Ebola infection impact these outcomes, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Caption: PREVAIL, Partners Perform 40 Successful Cataract Eye Surgeries (The INQUIRER)