THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2015

News ofthe Government of Liberia’s plan to deliver six new autoclaves to ensure that clinical waste is sterilized and disposed of in an eco-friendly manner throughout the country and the Environmental Protection Agency One-Day Dialogue on the implementation of provisions in the Gaborone Agreement are among storiesdominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

The summary also includes Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan assertion that Liberia considers the Economic Community of West African States very significant in its governance processes

DOMINANT STORIES

EPA Holds One-Day Dialogue On “Gaborone Declaration” Today

A High level Panel comprising an international environmental delegation under the Gaborone Declaration Secretariat and the Government of Liberia will today, August 18, hold a one-day formal discussion in Monrovia on the implementation of provisions in the Gaborone Agreement. The Gaborone Declaration ensures that the contribution of natural capital to sustainable economic growth, maintenance and improvement of social capital and human well-being, are quantified and integrated into development and business practice. Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan will deliver a special statement on Liberia’s position at the opening of the meeting, while Finance and Development Minister, Amara Konneh, will speak on behalf of the Liberian Government at the close of the meeting. An EPA release said the Executive Director of the Agency, Anyaa Vohiri, will make presentation on natural resource from the perspective of the environment in Liberia with respect to the Gaborone Declaration Agreement. The forum, according to the release, will seek to present the proposed five outcomes to be pursued under the Gaborone Declaration, present factual baseline information collected regarding national ongoing initiatives that contribute to the Gaborone Declaration action statements, identify country priorities and how the secretariat can support them, Daily Observer writes.

Related Captions: EPA Hosts Environmental Forum(The New Dawn), Liberia Holds Confab On Gaborone Declaration Today(The News)

More Autoclaves Installed At Health Facilities

As part of its pledge to ‘Build Back Better’, the Government of Liberia is to deliver six new autoclaves soon, to ensure that clinical waste is sterilized and disposed of in an eco-friendly manner throughout the country. The initiative is being managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which is helping to rebuild the country’s fragile health services following the devastating Ebola outbreak.  Sodey Lake is the Nursing Director at the Tappita Regional Referral Hospital in Nimba County, roughly 100 miles from the nation’s capital, where the second autoclave was installed in March. “Since the Ebola outbreak, everybody who works in the hospital is wearing protective clothing, including gloves and aprons. There are 225 staff in this hospital, which specializes in cancer treatment, and all of their protective clothing must be disposed of daily. This material used to be incinerated in a large pit outside the hospital,” explained Lake, “Now we can be confident that it is decontaminated”. The autoclave was designed under a UNDP/GEF project and is manufactured by a South African company, Mediclave to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis and other diseases that can be transmitted through infectious wastes. The initiative, worth USD 4 million, is partially cost-shared by the Government of South Korea, theNew Dawn newspaper reports.

Related Captions: More Autoclaves To Be Installed-At Health Facilities(In Profile Daily), More Autoclaves To Be Installed At Health Facilities(The Inquirer), More Autoclaves To Be Installed At Health Facilities(FrontPage Africa), More Autoclaves To Be Installed-At Health Facilities(The News)

Put Your Citizenship Into Action…VP Boakai Urges Fellow Compatriots

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has paid tribute to volunteers and philanthropists in Liberia and underscored their determination to help, care and heal the wounds others are experiencing through financial and other assistance, saying the spirit of volunteerism has made Liberia a better society. He made the remarks over the weekend when he served as special guest at the induction ceremony of officials of the greater Marshall Lions Club at a local hotel in Paynesville outside Monrovia, Heritage newspaper reports.

Related Captions: Put Your Citizenship Into Action-VP Boakai Urges Liberians(The Inquirer), Put Your Citizenship Into Action-VP Boakai Urges Liberians “When The Strong Helps The Weak, We Are All Strong”(FrontPage Africa)

LRA Adopts Professional Ethics

The Daily Observer reports that the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has adopted and published a professional ethics and code of conduct policy to guide the behaviors of its staff at every level in the execution of their daily functions. LRA Commissioner General Elfrieda Stewart Tamba stated in a press release that in a bid to achieve the mission and vision of building an efficient and effective revenue administration service consistent with regional and international revenue administration standards, each staff of the LRA must be accountable for adhering to the adopted values and ethical principles, the Revenue Code of Liberia and the Act creating the LRA. The professional ethics and code of conduct among other things require employees to display honesty, fairness, loyalty and impartiality in the discharge of their duties, avoiding every form of temptation and collusion at the detriment of the state and taxpayers. Employees are compelled to be law abiding, careful with public assets, behave ethically and discharge their duties and responsibilities efficiently as required by the LRA Act as well as other laws, including the Revenue Code of Liberia. The nearly 30-page booklet explains the role and responsibilities of the Authority to its staff and the public and the role of the staff to the Authority and the public, while it also guides employees in executing their functions as it relates to treatment of colleagues, stakeholders, taxpayers, suppliers and the general public professionally. It is a key document upon which the public is expected to measure the staff including the management of the LRA, according to the release.

Related Captions: LRA Adopts Professional Ethics, Code Of Conduct-Hosts Tax Education Clinic For Local Manufacturers(In Profile Daily), LRA Adopts Professional Ethics And Code Of Conduct For Employees(FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES

Liberia Considers ECOWAS Very Significant…Says Foreign Minister Ngafuan

The Heritage newspaper reports that Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has stated that Liberia considers the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) very significant in its (Liberia’s) governance processes. The Liberian Foreign Minister said that ECOWAS’ role in making sure that Liberia became stable during and after years of civil conflict can’t be overemphasized. Min. Ngafuan recollected that ECOMOG, which was the regional body’s peace monitoring group, was one of the pillars in Liberia’s peace restoration and transformation process. The Minister further stated that the consolidation of Liberia’s democracy can’t be spoken about without mentioning and recognizing the role ECOWAS has played and continued to play.   He spoke Friday, August 14, when he hosted a four-man ECOWAS delegation, headed by H.E. Dr. Toga Gayewea McIntosh, Vice President for ECOWAS Commission.  Dr. McIntosh, who is a former Foreign Minister of the Republic of Liberia and delegation are on a five-day visit in the country. They arrived in the country on Thursday, August 13. Speaking on the reason of the ECOWAS delegation’s visit to Liberia, Foreign Minister Ngafuan stated that Liberia has taken steps to catch up with its levy payment. He further stated that Liberia has now imposed a higher levy. While thanking Dr. McIntosh and delegation for the visit, Foreign Minister Ngafuan emphasized that West African nations need to reach a point where they can significantly contribute to their regional organization. Speaking earlier, Dr. McIntosh said that he was pleased to back in the country and had come to hold meetings with key financial stakeholders, including the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA). The ECOWAS VP, who is being accompanied on this trip by the Special Representative of the ECOWAS Commission's President to Liberia, Ambassador Tunde Ajisomo, further stated that the regional body’s resources were dwindling and so steps needed to be taken in other to fill the gaps. Also included on Dr. McIntosh’s delegation is Mr. Brian A. Sapati, Deputy Director General, ECOWAS GIABA, Bunu Lawan, Principle Accountant, representing the ECOWAS Commissioner of Finance and Mr. H. Urias Harrington, III, Executive Assistant to the ECOWAS Commission VP.  He stated that he and delegation intent to cover the entire region and they would be holding meetings at both the political and technical levels in each nation.  Dr. McIntosh and delegation have already met with authorities at the LRA, CBL, MFDP and Commerce Ministry. The ECOWAS delegation’s visit to Liberia is being coordinated by the ECOWAS National Office in Monrovia. They are also expected to meet with a House of Representatives team, which will be headed by House Speaker Alex Tyler and a team from the Senate, which will be headed Pro-Temp Armah Z. Jallah. On Monday, August 17, the last day of their visit, they are expected to pay a courtesy call on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. ECOWAS Ministers had recommended that the new regional Common External Tariff (CET) become operational on 1 January 2015. Heavily reliant on import taxes as a source of income, ECOWAS Ministers also adopted a set of regulatory measures that include the import adjustment tax and the supplementary protection tax.  The Ministers noted that the proposal for the introduction of a 1.5 percent community levy to finance the Community and its programs should be revisited after five years.

Related Caption: ECOWAS VP In Monrovia For Community Levy Stakeholders’ Meeting(FOCUS)

Carter Center, LACC End FOI Forum…In Bong

Carter Center Liberia and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) in partnership with the Bong County Freedom of Information Network have concluded a two-day accountability and transparency forum on the Freedom of Information Law (FOI) in Gbarnga, Bong County. The two days forum brought together representatives of local government, paramount and clan chiefs, media, joint security apparatus, religious, traditional, youth and women groups. The Senior Project Coordinator for Carter Center access to Information Program, Alphanso Zeon said the initiative is part of efforts to support government increase transparency and accountability as well as help citizens to understand the Freedom of Information Law, the News newspaper reports.

UL Releases Academic Calendar 2015/16

The University of Liberia (UL) has released its calendar for academic 2015/16, setting Monday, October 5, as the official date for the start of classes. UL Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Julius S. Nelson, quoted by the Liberia News Agency (LINA), made the disclosure at the weekend in Monrovia. He said official registration will start on Tuesday, September 1, and run up to Wednesday, September 30, Heritage newspaper reports.

Plan International Encourages Youth Employment With New Computer Training

Plan International Liberia is encouraging youth employment by training the next generation of computer specialists at a new computer centre in Lofa, northern Liberia. “I am grateful for the intervention started. In order to get jobs in the modern world, learning to use a computer is absolutely key for young people”, said Tarnue Karbbar, Programme Unit manager in Lofa, the Inquirenewspaper reports.

Labour Congress Conducts Seminar For Workforce

In an effort to enhance workforce productivity, the Liberia Labour Congress has conducted a two-day capacity building seminar in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County for employees in the Extractive Industries. The seminar was held over the weekend under the theme, “Enhancing LEITI Multi-stakeholders Steering Group Feedback and Promote Awareness on Extractive Resource Governance.”  It brought together 60 participants from the Extractive Industries across the 15 political sub- divisions of Liberia. Speaking during the opening ceremony, the Deputy Secretariat General for Administration of the Liberia Labour Congress, ObediahTarlue, said the exercise was intended to educate members on LEITI’s group operation and how it contributes to the resource governance of the country, the New Dawn newspaper writes.

Related Caption: Holding Leaders Accountable-Labour Congress Ends Capacity Building Seminar(FrontPage Africa)

UNFPA Dedicates, Turns Over ‘One Stop Center’

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has dedicated and turned over to the Government of Liberia a “One Stop Center” in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. The facilities, which were handed to the Ministry of Health (MOH), are part of the mechanisms to provide support to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Liberia. The One Stop Center, which is in Buchanan City, was constructed by a local organization, Touching Humanity In Need of Kindness (THINK) brings to 12 the number of One Stop Centers in the country. Five of the centers are in Montserrado County, with one in Buchanan and other parts of the country, Daily Observer reports.