BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA

NEWS SUMMARY, Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Today’s edition of our daily summary captures stories about Proclamation is out for Decoration Day,Liberia Win 3^rd-Place in WAFU Women’s tourney, defeat Cape Verde 1-0, NTA Goes Int’I, Adds Freetown To travel Destinations. Other stories include: President Weah promises Gov’t support to Ellen Pro-Women Initiative, new agriculture Minister vows to restore CARI Pre-War Status, Liberia’s latestCOVID-19 advisory, PYJ US$4.5M Polytechnic University set to start academic course in September.  

DOMINANT STORIES:  

Proclamation Out For Decoration Day 

President Dr. George Manneh Weah has by Proclamation declared tomorrow, Wednesday, 11^th March 2020 as “Decoration Day” and it is to be observed through the Republic as a National Holiday. The Proclamation is in consonance with an Act of the Legislature, which was passed on October 24, 1916 declaring the Second Wednesday in March of each year as a “Decoration Day” to be celebrated throughout the Republic as a National Holiday. According to Foreign Ministry release, the observance is in recognition of the nation’s past and heroes and heroines, who have lived and died in the interest of their country. The Proclamation says, realizing that important historical events are to be constantly kept in the minds of citizens and youths of our land to inspire them to larger measures of service and patriotism, the Legislature of the Republic of Liberia did approved and declare the Second Wednesday of March each year to be known as “Decoration Day”, to be observed as National Holiday, Heritagewrites.

Related Caption: President Weah Declares Tomorrow Decoration Day (The Inquirer)

 President Weah Promises Gov’t Support…To Ellen Pro-Women Initiative

President Dr. George Manneh Weah has committed his administration to supporting programs and activities of his predecessor’s women and development foundation. The President made the pledge Sunday, March 8, 2020 when he joined dignitaries from across the world for the official launch of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development. In a special statement at the occasion at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County, President Weah assured former President Sirleaf of his government’s fullest support to what he termed “a worthy endeavor” being undertaken by his predecessor, attest the Newsnewspaper.

Related Caption:Prez. Weah Pledges Support to Ellen Sirleaf Presidential Center-Says Liberians remains very proud of former President Sirleaf’s notable achievement (Daily Observer), President Weah Promises Gov’t Support To Ex-President Sirleaf’s Pro-Women Initiative (Heritage)

Liberia’s latest COVID-19 advisory

The National Public Health Ins titute of Liberia in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization (WHO) institute several advisory for people precautionary observation on the Coronavirus or COVID-19 upon entering Liberia. Among others, the advisory says only travelers who have critical functions in Liberia and are travelling from countries that have 200 or more cases of COVID-19 should enter the country at this time. In an advisory protested on its official website Sunday, 8 March PHIL stresses that any person, who within 14 days before arriving in Liberia, has resided in a country that has reported in a country that has reported 200 or more confirmed cases, will have to undergo Precautionary Observation (PO) under either of the following conditions:  Travelers who embassies or missions have identified by an isolated residence in Liberia that is verified by the PHIL health team will be taken to that identified place for the 14-day period of observation, and monitor their temperature twice daily, says the New Dawnnewspaper.

Liberia Win 3^rd-Place in WAFU Women’s Tourney, Defeat Cape Verde 1-0, Liberian players in jubilant after winning the bronze trophy

Liberia’s senior women national team could not return empty-handed from the just ended WAFU Zone A Women’s Tournament held in Sierra Leone. A long goal from striker Angeline Kieh help Liberia finished a Third-Places winner in the tournament with a 1-0 victory over Cape Verde at the Wusum Stadium on Saturday, March 7.  According to Daily Observernewspaper, prior to the match kick-off, there was optimism from Liberians and the players themselves that the female Lone Star was going to clinch the bronze trophy.  “Thank you Liberians, for your amazing support and prayers during the just ended WAFU ZONE A Women’s tournament.

NTA Goes Int’I, Adds Freetown To travel Destinations      

The National Transit Authority (NTA) has added freetown, the capital of neighboring Sierra Leone, to its many destinations following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Liberia and Sierra Leone for the commuting of passengers via buses without hindrance. The MOU, which was signed by the NTA and the Sierra Leone Road Transport Corporation (SLRTC) for Liberia and Sierra Leone respectively, will ensure the movement of passenger from from Liberia to Freetown and from Freetown to Liberia via the Bo waterside entry point, pens the Heritage newspaper.

PYJ US$4.5M Polytechnic University Set To start Academic Course In September                                                  In his quest to help the government provide quality and affordable education for its citizens, Nimba County senator, Prince Y. Johnson (PYJ) has disclosed that all is set for the opening of his polytechnic university in Ganta City, Nimba county. According to the Heritage newspaper, The PYJ Polytechnic University is one of the programs under the PYJ education Foundation which sole objective is to provide quality affordable education to young people in Liberia, many of whom are striving to catch up with their peers in the sub-region due to the 14-year civil war that rocked the country and denied the youthful population the opportunity to acquired education

New Agriculture Minister Vows To Restore CARI Pre-War Status

In an effort to elevate agricultural productivity aimed at providing livelihood for the citizenry, the newly-commissioned Agriculture Minister, Jeanine Mily Cooper, has prioritize placing immediate emphasis on the Central Agriculture Research Institute (CARI) to its prewar statue. CARI, which is situated in the Central Liberian town of Suakoo in Bong County, about 180 km (111.8 miles) north of the Liberian capital, Monrovia, was a reliable and top of the line research center prior to the Civil war which started in 1989 and ended in 2003, assert the Heritage newspaper.