BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA

NEWS SUMMARY, FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2019

Today’s edition of our daily News Summary highlights stories aboutNew Civil Service Law On ‘Status and Tenure ‘Under Review which Pres. Weah says it is Constitution adherence; President Weah Submission of Bill to Control Narcotic Drugs; News of CDC Conceding defeat in the just ended Montserado County Senatorial By-Election; News of Government’s  assuring Liberian students stranded in morocco.

Other news include stories about Liberians proposing Sex education to be inclusive in National Curriculum; Calls made to Liberian mothers hold an “Exclusive Breast Feeding Week” among baby bothers across Liberia and the National Anti-Trafficking Taskforce decision to accelerate its Fight in the country among other stories. 

Dominant Stories

In Mont Senatorial By-Election: CDC Concedes

The ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has conceded defeat in the just ended senatorial race for Montserrado County, thereby recognizing Mr. Darius Dillon of the opposition Liberty Party (LP) as the winner, over its candidate Paulitta Wie of the CDC. In a press statement issue yesterday, the ruling party’s Chairman Mulbah Morlu also congratulated its candidate Abu Kamara for leading the district 15 representative race. Meanwhile, he has called for the empowerment of ‘Those who stood with us during period of our struggles; Wants Officials Working outside ‘Pro-poor’ Agenda to vacate the government, The Inquirer newspaper says.

 Related Caption: CDC Concedes Defeat Congratulates Dillion (Heritage)Related Caption:CDC ‘Accepts’ Defeat In Senatorial Race, But Claims Victory In Dist. 15(The News newspaper)

Gov’t Assures stranded students

The Government of Liberia through its spokesperson, Deputy Minister of Press and Public Affairs, Eugene Fahngon has assured the stranded students in Morocco on government’s scholarship, of government’s commitment in addressing their plights. According to Minister Fahngon, the government is aware of the stress and constraints the students are undergoing in Morocco, noting that government under the watchful eyes of President Weah regrets the situation and assured them of receiving their benefits and allowances anytime soon. He added that, he spoke with the Deputy Minister of Education on yesterday, stressing that work is underway by the government in addressing the situation of those stranded students in Morocco in order to bring relief to them, The Inquirer newspaper pens.

Related Caption: Gov’t Concerned About Plights Of Stranded Liberian Students In Morocco (Heritage)

Liberia Begins Breast Feeding Week Calls for Exclusive Breast Feeding Among Baby Mothers Across

The Director of the Nutrition Division at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Annette Brima Davis has called for a robust and practical approach on exclusive breast feeding, mainly among breast feeding mothers across Liberia. According to her, 1000 days of a child life is very important, especially with exclusive breasting feeding as such, it should be prioritized by all baby mothers. Speaking ahead of the official launch of this year’s breasting feeding week, which is expected to be held in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa country, Madam Davis said it is now time to help reduce the high rate of stunning in Liberia. According to the Heritage newspaper, stunning, which is also linked to malnutrition, is in other words referred to as children who are normally seen too short for their respective ages.

Related Caption: Liberia Begins Breast Feeding Week(The News newspaper)

Other Stories

National Anti-Trafficking Taskforce To Accelerate Fight

The National Anti- Human Trafficking Taskforce has outlined plans aimed at accelerate the fight against human trafficking in Liberia and has put in place several measures intended to educate and inform Liberians on the ills associated with human trafficking as well as revealing punishment associated with the crime. Speaking on Thursday at a regular press briefing of the Ministry of Information in Monrovia, the Minister of the Labor Ministry and also Chairman of the Taskforce, Minister Moses Kollie stated that is both external, adding that the government of Liberia through the Taskforce will work tirelessly to combat both teams, The Inquirer newspaper asserts.  

“We Are Proud Of You”…Asst. Min. Dukuly Congratulates Graduates 

Assistant Minister for TVET at the Ministry of Education, Saku Dukuly has lauded recent graduates of the GIZ, ALCC advance Road Maintenance Program at the Boker Washington Institute-BWI in Kakata, Margibi County. Serving as Keynote Speaker, Minister Dukuly thanked the graduates for their patience exerted throughout the six months of intense training and for the passion they carried individually as engineers. “To you the graduates of this program, you are considered the trailblazers to usher in a new wave of skilled workers in the transport sector,” Minister Dukuly stated, The Inquirer newspaper reports.

More Contaminated’ frozen Food Arrested in Ganta

Some quantity of contaminated frozen food has resurfaced in the City of Ganta, less than two weeks since some quantities were disposed of and destroyed by joint security authorities in Nimba County. The contaminated food was sold to local marketers at cheap prices and recently got booked on the market by Nimba County Agriculture Coordinator, Samuel Kehleay. According to him, the rotten chicken products were displaced in the market in Gbahn, a town near Ganta, along the Saclepea highway. Upon discovering the products, Kehleay immediately seized them along with the seller, who showed authorities the location of the storage where these rotten products were bought The lady, along with the contaminated items, were taken to the local Ministry of Commerce office, where a team of joint security, health, agriculture, inspector from the Environmental Protection Agency, Commerce agents and officers from Ganta City office moved in on Banjak Inc. Frozen Food Center, and confiscated several other cartons of the “contaminated food” in storage pens the DailyObserver newspaper.

Lincsa Chair Warns against Proliferation Of Small Arms Light Weapons

Attorney T. Maxwell Grigsby, the newly appointed chairman of the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LINCSA), has warned against the reported proliferation of small arms in the country. Grigsby warning was contained he a statement he delivered on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 in Monrovia, shortly after he officially took over as the new chairman of LINCSA. The handover ceremony was attended by representatives from the UN office, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Manor River Union (MRU, as well as some civil society actors. He said Liberia cannot be a better place than the young generation representing the country in a forum where peace and security is a concern. According to the DailyObserver newspaper, Grigsby said unregulated flow of illicit firearms undermine national security and the rule of law, something which he said will not be tolerated under
“I am glad today that a product of the generation, who suffered poverty, excruciating pains and affected by the war situation for over 14 years, is now in a position to help sustain the peace and security in the sub-region,” he said.  

New Civil Service Law On ‘Status and Tenure ‘Under Review Pres. Weah says it is Constitution Adherence 

A new law to refine and upgrade the morale of the Civil Service Agency (CSA) in deference to the 1986 Constitution has been submitted to the House of Representatives, known as the ‘An Act to Establish the Civil Service Commission (CSC).”President George Weah, in a communication to the House of Representatives dated July 17, 2019, but read and discussed on Tuesday, July 30, 2019 in the 47^th day session, pointed out that the establishment of a CSC is in adherence to Article 89 of the 1986 Constitution. Article 89 states: “Autonomous Public Commissions: The following Autonomous Public Commissions are hereby established A) Civil Service Commission; B) Election Commission; C) General Auditing Commission. The Legislature shall enact laws for the governance of these Commissions and create other agencies as may be necessary for the effective operation of government, pens the DailyObserver newspaper.

YMCI Launches ‘No Weapon Praise and Worship Feast

The Youth Movement for Change Initiative worldwide (YMCI) on July 26, 2019 launched a new project that aimed to inspire creativity and positive thinking among the young people of Liberia to avoid being wayward in society. The program, according to its executive director, Triumph James Mattia, aims to promote Godly character and good leadership quality through advocacy, providing well balanced teaching and leading activities. The program, which is under the title, “No Weapon Praise and Worship,” educates young people about the importance of being creative and positive thinkers, as well as transparent, and law abiding citizens pens the DailyObserver newspaper.  

President Weah Submits Bills to Control Narcotic Drugs 

President George Manneh Weah has submitted to the House of Representatives bills to limit the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances to legitimate medical and scientific progress.The instruments submitted by President Weah for ratification include the United Nations Convention against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances 1988.Other instruments submitted include Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961 (as amended by the 1972 protocol, amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961), and Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971.According to the NewDawn newspaper, he observes that Liberia as a member state has not yet ratified these instruments, thereby posing hindrances in the execution of  government’s task with the International Narcotic Control Board(NCB)

Health Minister Urgers Collaborative Efforts To Address Malnutrition  

The Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, has called on public and private sector actors to closely collaborate to ably address the issue of malnutrition in Liberia. Currently, Liberia is one of the countries in West Africa with a high stunting rate which stand at 35.5%, said the top health official. Stunting is the impaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. Children are regarded as stunted if their height-for-age is more than two standard deviations below the World Health Organization Child Growth Standards median, pens Heritage newspaper.

WAEC BOSS Wants Active Involvement of All Into Liberia’s Educational Sector

The Head of National Office of the West Africa Examination Council Liberia Office Dale Gbotoe is calling for a robust and active involvement of all stakeholders and educational workers in Liberia’s educational sector. Mr. Gbotoe speaking to our reporter said national effort will help improve the sector for the betterment of the society and the potential future leaders of Liberia. He said gone are days where people will politicize the sector at the detriment of the masses, “Let’s do away with politics from Education”, and work as a team and professional to make it perfect” he added. Dale who predicted an improved performance of Liberian Students in the just ended West African Senior High Certificate Exams (WASSCE) noted that he was glad to see his professional prediction becoming a reality.  The Heritage newspaper relates that, unlike last year, the 2019 WASSCE results show 68% of Liberian candidates coming up with shinning colors, a move he noted is encouraging. Moreover, he pointed out that he was impressed to some Liberia coming the region mainly in Mathematics, this he added is commendable, Heritage newspaper writes.

Liberia Can Generate Billions From Natural Resources

The speaker of the house of Representative Bhofal Chambers, says Liberia has the prospect of generating billions from its natural resources if laws government the sector are scrutinized or reformed. Chambers said the country must focus on key sectors that will maximize its revenue generation potential as a means of improving the lives of Liberians, adding that this requires the collective effort of all Liberians. He further stated that Liberia can also tap the expertise of other nation and customize their strategy to meet their needs and seek the welfare of Liberians. Speaker Chambers was speaking to journalist at the capitol Building office in Monrovia on Wednesday following his return from the Inter Parliamentary Union forum in the United States of America, Heritage newspaper says.

UNDP Funds Onboarding Training Of New Staff To Promote Efficiency Of Cabinet Secretariat

According to The News newspaper, Over 25 critical staff from line Ministries, Agencies and Commissions (MACs) benefitted from a three-day intensive onboarding training through the Cabinet Secretariat Capacity Development Program of the Government of Liberia. Delivered through the Africa Cabinet Government Network (ACGH) with funding from the United Nations Development Program (UNDDP), the training was used to introduce newly appointed Cabinet Focal Persons (CFPs) to their role in the Cabinet process and to   the revised Cabinet Guide for MACs as well as to provide necessary information and skills to perform distinct roles, responsibilities, functions and duties.

SOS Launches Medical Center Outreach Program

The Medical Center of the SOS Children Village Liberia on Thursday launched its Community Based Health Outreach program for the first time in Liberia since it was funded in Liberia. Speaking in the Old Matadi Estate Community at the start of the program, Dr. James Lewis, Medical Director of the SOS Mediical Center said   the organization decided to undertake the initiative to help more community dwellers who cannot afford medical bills at the medical center, according to the News newspaper.

Govt. Launches SUN Movement

The News newspaper readies, Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health has officially launched the Scaling UP Nutrition (SUN) Movement Secretariat in Liberia under the theme “ Multi-sector Approach to improve Nutrition” in Monrovia.  The SUN Movement Liberia Secretariat was on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 Launched by Tolbert Nyenswah Director General, National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL). Speaking during the launch, Honorable Nyenswah calls on the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and National Legislature to see reasons to take budgetary allocation to support the SUN Movement Secretariat-Liberia and SUN related sectors such as Health, Agriculture, Education, Gender, Commerce for its effective function.

‘Redundancy Is Legal’ Min. Kollie Says

According to the News newspaper, Labor Minister Moses Y. Kollie has disclosed that redundancy is a legal process usually carried out in private corporations the world over with Liberia being no exception. Addressing the Ministry of Information regular press briefing on Thursday, August 1, 2019, Minister Kollie said it is not because of President George M. Weah’s administration that people are being redundant by institutions in Liberia. Minister Kollie said the issue of companies laying off employees is legal around the world and is even acknowledge in the Decent work Act of 2015  

Ricks Graduates Predominate Female Class 

Ricks Institute, one of Liberia’s leading high schools graduated a predominantly female class of 56 students, who completed the prescribed completed the prescribed courses for 12^th grades. The students satisfactorily completed for the prescribed academic program at the institute   in Virginia outside Monrovia.  The 2019 Ricks graduating class comprised 35 girls and 22 boys with the second academic ranking student being Ms. Massa Fazzi. At the commencement ceremony on Sunday, July 28, 2019, Fazzi spoke on behalf of the class valedictorian immemorial, George T. Boakai, 15, who passed away shortly after completing exams. The  contributions to female education in the country as the school has, over five academic years, provided scholarship at the cumulative cost of US$3735, 000 for the benefit of only female student, Pens the News newspaper.