THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015

Stories dominating today’s edition of the summary of the local dailies include the Constitution Review Committee’s release of a summary of data on the constitution review process highlighting among other things a reduction in the tenure of the presidency, the election of Gbarpolu County Senator Armah Zulu Jallah as the next President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate and the United States Government’s plan withdrawal of some 2,800 US troops from Liberia.

DOMINANT STORIES

CRC Releases Finding On Constitution Review  

The Constitution Review Committee (CRC) on Thursday, February 12, 2015 released a summary of an analyzed statistical data on the constitution review process currently ongoing in Liberia. According to the head of the Committee, Cllr. Gloria Maya Musu-Scott, statistics gathered from the public recommend that presidential tenure should be reduce from 6 years to 4 years, and the tenure for senior senator from 9 years to 5 years while representatives from 4 to 3 years, others are the ages of presidential and representative candidates from 35 to 40 years. The chat presented by the head of the CRC shows that the minimum education qualification of a presidential and a vice presidential candidate should be at least a Master Degree, while Senators and Representatives a Bachelor Degree. Also in the chat Superintendents and all local county officials should be elected by their people of every county including District Commissioners and clan Chiefs, while Paramount Chiefs be elected by traditional protocols. The CRC, set up by the Liberian Government last August, is mandated to review the 1986 Constitution and make recommendations for the amendment of the Constitution, which will be put in the public domain for one year before submitting same to the Liberian Legislature for a referendum in August of this year, reports the INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Captions: CRC Report:Citizens Want President, Lawmakers' Tenures Reduced(Daily Observer), CRC Gathers 56,729 Suggestions From Citizens(The New Dawn). In a related development, the INSIGHT newspaper reports under the caption“Women Groups Intensify Advocacy On Equal Rights”thatthree prominent women groups, Liberia Women Media Action Committee (LIWOMAC), Women NGOs Secretariat (WONGOS) and Liberian Women National Political Forum (LIWONPOF) have presented five propositions on women’s equal rights and other gender issues to the Constitution Review Committee (CRC). The joined women groups say they want the propositions to be integrated into the Constitution review process. According to the groups, the inscriptions are gender discriminative.

Related Caption: Women Group Craves For Equality(Heritage)

Armah Jallah Elected & Inducted Senate Pro Tempore

Thirteen dedicated Senators who claim to belong to a ‘Majority Bloc’ yesterday voted to beat their nearest rival by two votes (13-11) to elect Gbarpolu County Senator Armah Zulu Jallah as the next President Pro Tempore of the Senate for the ensuing three years. Pro Tempore Jallah who until his election and subsequent induction yesterday chaired the Senate Committee on Internal Affairs, Governance and Reconciliation accumulated 13 of 27 votes cast, beating his closest rival, Sinoe County Senator Joseph N. Nagbe, who collected 11 votes, and Margibi County Senator Oscar Cooper, only three votes. The induction ceremony of Jallah was immediately performed by the Secretary of the Senate, J. Nanborlor F. Singbeh, with instruction from Senate President Joseph Boakai, who urged the defeated Senators to now join hands and do what they were elected to accomplish by their respective counties. The election which took place in the Chambers of the Senate was presided over by Senate President, VP Boakai, and assisted by Secretary of the Senate Singbeh. In their brief conceding statements, Senators Nagbe and Cooper thanked their colleague for his victory and promised to help him fulfill his agenda and other areas they think will need that august body’s intervention. The Daily Observer writes that Senators Varney Sherman of Grand Cape Mount County and Morris Saytumah of Bomi County did not take part in yesterday’s activities because they have not been inducted.  The two were on Tuesday cleared of separate injunctions filed against them by the Supreme Court after last December’s Special Elections.

Related Captions: Armah Jallah Becomes New Pro-Temp(The New Dawn),  Armah Jallah Wins Senate Pro-Tempore Election…Vows To Seek The Interest Of The People(Heritage), Armah Jallah Elected Pro-Tempore (The News),Jallah Wins Pro-Tempore Post (The Inquirer), Majority Wins As Senate Elects Armah Jallah (New Democrat),

The Mission Is Not Over Yet -US Obama

US President Barrack Obama has told Americans that the US involvement in the fight against the deadly Ebola virus disease here is not over yet, while announcing a draw down plan for some 2800 US troops in Liberia. Announcing the beginning a “new phase in the fight” against Ebola in a remarks given at the White House on Tuesday, President Obama noted the progress that have been made against the outbreak in the sub-region and the involvement of some  2,800 American military troops here, saying they will return home by April 30, 2015. He said the withdrawal of the US troops will leave a force of 100 troops behind to work with Liberia's military, regional partners and U.S. civilians. However, he cautioned the mission was not over, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: US To Withdraw Troops Fighting Ebola In Liberia(INSIGHT), Getting To Zero: Obama On The Next Phase In Fight Against Ebola(Heritage), President Obama On The Next Phase In Our Fight Against EbolaGetting To Zero (FrontPage Africa), US Troops Exit April-But Ellen Cautions Resurgence (The New Republic), Obama: US withdraw Of Troops Isn’t ‘Mission Accomplish’(New Democrat),Obama On Next Phase In Ebola Fight (In Profile Daily)

World Bank to Revive Agriculture

In a concerted push to revive agriculture and avert hunger in Ebola-hit countries, the World Bank Group has mobilized up to $15 million in emergency financing to provide ten thousand, five hundred tons of maize and rice seed to over 200,000 farmers in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in time for the April planting season. Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Africa said “By speeding supplies of urgently needed seeds of major food crops to communities in West Africa, we are jump starting recovery in rural areas preventing the looming specter of hunger in the  countries hardest hit by Ebola”, the NEWSreports.

Related Captions: World Bank Group To Revive Agriculture, Avert Hunger In Ebola-Hit Countries (INSIGHT), New World Bank Group Push To Revive Agriculture, Avert Hunger For Over One Million People At Risk In Ebola-Hit Countries(The New Dawn)

OTHER STORIES

Ellen Consoles Egypt

The Heritage newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has sent a message of condolence to the Government and People of the Arab Republic of Egypt, following the unfortunate news of a stampede during a major soccer game in that country on Sunday, February 8, 2015, leaving twenty two (22) persons dead. In Her message to her Egyptian counterpart, His Excellency Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, President Johnson-Sirleaf on behalf of the Government and People of the Republic of Liberia and in her own name extended heartfelt condolences to the Government and People of Egypt, especially to the bereaved families for the irreparable loss sustained. The Liberian leader then prayed that Allah will grant President El-Sisi and the People of the Egypt strength, courage and fortitude as they go through this period of National Mourning.

Error In School Reopening Date

The Ministry of Education has apologized for wrongly announcing a postponement of the reopening of schools in the country, blaming the mix-up on in-house “problems at that Ministry”. “We had some problems at the Ministry. I ask all schools to disregard yesterday’s release. We are sorry about that”, Deputy Education Minister Ramsey Fomoyan told the state-owned ELBC radio station Thursday. The reopening has become something of a saga, with initial date of February 2 extended to February 16 and then March 2, before the latest delay was withdrawn. Mr. Fomoyan apologized for the timetable being changed so many times, the News reports.

UNDP Boss Lauds Bomi For Ebola Progress Response

The Country Director of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has lauded the people of Bomi County for the level of progress made in combating the deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD).   Dr. Kamil Kamaluddeen said   the progress seen in the county was as a result of the collective work of the community, the government through the local authorities and development partners, both local and international. He spoke in Tubmanburg, Bomi County recently during a fact finding visit. The UNDP-Liberia boss indicated that UNDP would remain supportive of the government’s national Ebola response and other programs, writes the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: UNDP Boss Lauds Bomi For Progress In Ebola Response(Guardian Business And Economy)

UNDP Chief To Visit Ebola Epicenter Countries Guinea, Liberia And Sierra Leone

The United nations Development Program Administrator, Helen Clark is expected to officially visit the three countries most affected by the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) crisis Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone from 11-18 February. The visit is to affirm the UN’s continued commitment to addressing the ongoing crisis, and support for the recovery process. During her visit in Liberia which runs from 13-16 February 2015, the UNDP Administrator will hold discussions with President Sirleaf, the UN Family, the Ebola Incident Management System and the donor community. Ms. Clark is expected to participate in a signing ceremony of a Social Safety Net Cash Transfer Programme between UNDP and the Government of Liberia through the Ministries of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Internal Affairs, scheduled to take place in Bomi County, Heritage reports.

Related Caption: UNDP Chief To Visit Liberia Tomorrow(New Democrat)

UNMIL Transition Plan Development Begins

The Liberian Government in collaboration with the U.N. Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has begun developing a transition plan after the end of phases one and two of the UNMIL transition processes ended on December 14, 2014. Justice Minister Benedict Sannoh said UNMIL has already engaged the services of an international consultant from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Central in Ghana, Dr. Thomas Jaye, to develop the plan. Sannoh, in a letter to Speaker J. Alexander Tyler apprising the House of the transition, said the processes and outcomes of the plan must be inclusive and participatory to enhance legitimacy and local ownership, New Democrat writes.