The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2014

President Johnson Sirleaf’s submission of the Small Business Empowerment Act to the National Legislature for enactment, the suspension of key officials of the protocol sections of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and State for Presidential Affairs and the Food and Agriculture Organization’s warning against eating wild animals are among stories highlighted in our summary of Wednesday, July 23, 2014 selected dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Ellen Submits Small Business Act For Enactment

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has submitted a document titled “Small Business Empowerment Act” to the National Legislature for enactment. In a communication addressed to Speaker Alexander Tyler and dated July 15, 2014, President Sirleaf indicated that the Act is in furtherance of Government’s effort and  commitment to assist, promote and foster the development of micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSME) in Liberia. The Liberia News Agency quotes the President as saying that the Act provides the mandate required by the Government, through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, to ensure that MSME receives at least 25 percent of procurement contracts from each government agency, IN PROFILE DAILY reports.

Related Captions: Pres. Sirleaf Submits Small Business Act For Enactment (INSIGHT), Ellen Submits Small Business Act For Enactment (Heritage)

Ellen Suspends Protocol Officials

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has suspended key officials of the Protocol Sections of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and State for Presidential Affairs.  According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian leader took the decision because of the manner in which they handled the Intercessory Prayer Services for the Nation on Friday, July 18, and Sunday, July 29, respectively. She has suspended each of them for one week on the job, while at the same time they will forfeit the salary equivalent for the same period, Inquirer reports.

Related Captions: Officials of Protocol Section At Ministries of Foreign Affairs and State for Presidential Affair Suspended (Heritage), Protocol Officers Suspended (New Democrat)

FAO Warns Against Eating Bushmeat In Ebola Outbreak

As Liberia reports 22 more Ebola infections and 10 deaths, increasing the country’s total to 196 deaths, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued a warning Tuesday, July 22 against eating certain wild animals. FAO veterinary public health officer and Ebola focal point, said in the statement that mistrust, myths, and rumors are among the challenges in controlling the disease, Daily Observer reports.

Related Caption: FAO Says People Can Get Infected With Ebola by Eating Bush Meat (FrontPage Africa)

Traditional Chiefs Meet In Nimba On Peace And Reconciliation

A high level delegation of chiefs and elders from Grand Gedeh County will visit Nimba County for a two day peace and reconciliation meeting with chiefs and elders from Nimba County. The Honorable Minister of Internal Affairs, Morris M. Dukuly, Sr. has requested Chief Zanzan  Karwor, Chairman of the National Council of Chiefs and Elders, to lead the meeting which takes place in Toweh Town, Nimba County from July 21 to July 23, 2014, the Inquirer newspaper reports.

Related Caption: Peace Forum Heats Up in Nimba(In Profile Daily)

OTHER STORIES

Foreign Ministry Forwards Handbills To Lower House

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has forwarded 75 copies of each of four Acts of the National Legislature printed into handbills to the House of Representatives. The communication, which accompanied the printed handbills was dated July 10, 2014 and addressed to the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mildred Sayon. It was signed by Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister for Legal Affairs, Counselor Boakai Kanneh, IN PROFILE DAILY reports.

Pres. Sirleaf Urges Liberians On Ebola

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is calling on Liberians to take the outbreak of the Ebola virus seriously and join in the fight to contain the virus. The Liberian leader spoke at the launch of the Liberia Strategic Plan for Accelerated Response to Re-occurrence of Ebola Epidemics at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare yesterday where she said the situation is indeed real and that Liberians need to go beyond managing the disease, Inquirer writes.

AFL, LNP To Enforce Compliance –As Gov’t Intensifies Ebola Fight

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has said that members of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and officers of the Liberia National Police are on standby to ensure that safety and preventive rules emanating from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in fighting the Ebola virus are adhered to by the Liberian public. The fight against Ebola should be seen as a national endeavor and as such, officers of the AFL and LNP are to contribute their quotas by making sure that citizens obey the Health Ministry’s mandates. Speaking on what was supposed to have been the launch of Strategic Plan for Accelerated  Response to Re-occurrence of Ebola Epidemic, President Sirleaf said; “If you notice, we have the Defense and Justice Ministries here. The WHO recommended that the plan be re-done in order to include some cardinal things that need to be injected in the document before it is launched, Daily Observer report.

8 Killed In Buchanan Road Accident

Eight persons, including the driver of a Nissan commercial vehicle marked PC-30058 died instantly when their vehicle collided with an IVECO Truck marked TT-332. The tragic motor accident took place on Sunday few miles from the city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. An eyewitness, Prince Toe, who is a resident of Nekree, told the Liberia News Agency that the truck was traveling from Monrovia while the Nissan Sedan was coming from Buchanan, New Democrat writes.

ULSU Gets $15M For Scholarship

University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU) Tuesday announced that it has received LD$9,000,000.00 for scholarships, ULSU’s President Anthony F. Williams disclosed to New Democrat yesterday. “I am happy to announce to you that we received LD$9 million for scholarships for this academic semester,” Mr. Williams informed this paper Tuesday in an exclusive interview. Of that amount, he disclosed that a total of 6,000 students would benefit from ULSU’s latest scholarship scheme. He named President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Central Bank of Liberia Governor (CBL), Dr. Mills Jones, Benoni Urey, UL President Dr. Emmet Dennis, and former ULSU Executive Wilmot Paye as individuals who contributed immensely to the current ULSU scholarship Fund Drive, New Democrat reports.

LFA Limits Age Range In Grassroots Football

The INSIGHT newspaper quotes the President of the Liberia Football Association, Musa Bility as saying that beginning this season only players at age 16 or below 16 years old will be eligible to feature in the Liberia Football Association (LFA) National League Fourth Division category. The Liberia Football Association says it has limited the ages of all players who will feature in the upcoming subcommittees and sub-associations Fourth Division Leagues to 16 and has warned all clubs to observe the new regulation. The LFA Boss speaking last Friday in Monrovia said the new regulation is part of the local football house task to develop the game in Liberia. Bility said the aim of the regulation is to encourage career backup, noting football is the shortest career and as such one needs a long lasting profession.

16 Get Golden Image Awards

Sixteen persons, including six International humanitarian workers, six nationals and four local (counties) were last Wednesday awarded the Golden Image Award (GIA). The Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP) is the leading implementer of the Golden Image Award initiative every year, the LCP joins efforts with national partners (corporate and public) for the successful hosting of the GIA initiative. The Golden Image Award is given to people who over the years have worked in the area of peace building empowering youths in education and humanitarian work. Speaking at the award ceremony, the Event Planner and Executive Director of Liberia Crusader for Peace, Amb. Juli Endee said, the main focus of the GIA is humanitarian based and provides services through peace and capacity building programs for Liberian women with emphasis on children affected by the prolonged war in Liberia, Daily Observer reports.