BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA

NEWS SUMMARY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

Today’s news summary highlights stories about the Proclamation issued by  President George Manneh Weah, declaring Saturday, August 24, 2019 as National Flag Day to be observed as a National Holiday; The recent decision by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MOPT) in collaboration with the USA Digital Liberia Project, to conduct a Two Day Training workshop for Ministries’ PROs on Website Management and the  Government of Liberia pronouncement that it will soon commence the disbursement of US$5.5M to property owners…to construct overhead bridges in the city. 

DOMINANT STORIES  

Weah declares August 24, National Flag Day 

 President George Manneh Weah has by proclamation declared Saturday, August 24, 2019 as National Flag Day and is to be celebrated as a National Holiday throughout the Republic. According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia Wednesday, 21 August, the observance will be marked by the hoisting of the National Flag from each dwelling and public building across the nation. According to a Foreign Ministry release, Government offices, public and business houses are to remain closed during the observance, the New Dawn newspaper writes

Related Caption: President Weah Calls On Liberians To Observe Flay Day On Saturday(The Inquirer).

MOPT Trains Government Minister PROS On Website Management

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MOPT) in collaboration with the USA Digital Liberia Project has taken another step towards achieving Liberia’s e-Government Strategy by organizing a two-day workshop to train citizens about government serves and activities. At the state of the workshop on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, head of the project Management Officer (PMO) at the Ministry, Mr. D. Nalon Kaine, also a Cyber Security expert, informed the participants that the training was endorsed by the Minister of Post & Telecommunications, CLLr. Cooper W. Kruah Sr. Kaine further stated that the Ministry has observed that most government ministries and agencies websites are not fresh and current. He said after the workshop, PROs are expected to public news and relevant information on their webbsites without needing hand from IT experts. The Ministry has embarked on a series of capacity building programs since the beginning of the year to improve government use of ICT to deliver better services to its citizens, attest the Heritage.

Related Caption: MOPT Trains Government Ministries PROs On Website Management(The Inquirer)

OTHER STORIES  

Liberia’s Foreign Missions in US$500K Rental Arrears Minister Findley Explains At Budget Hearing, 

Of the number of Liberians assigned at various foreign missions, are ambassadors that have endured ‘serious embarrassment’ due to the lack of rental payment for the month of June 2019 and beyond. Foreign Affairs Minister Gbehzohngar Findley told members of the  Joint Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning and Public Accounts and Expenditure during Wednesday’s Expenditure Budget Hearing that rental payment for the month of June (and beyond) as well as operational funds for the months of April–June are yet to be paid. Currently, the rent payment has amounted to about US$500.000. “This is a serious embarrassment for our Foreign Service Officers,” Minister Findley said, pens the Daily Observer newspaper. 

Gov’t To Pay US$5.5M To Property Owners…To Construct Overhead Bridges 

Government has agreed to pay USD$5.5 million to owners of structures having completed the costing of valuation in the vicinities of the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town and the Samuel Kanyon Doe Boulevard Junction. It said the money is secured for the relocation of the affected residents whose houses are to be demolished to make way for the construction of inter-change bridges which is on course.  Public Works Minister, Mobutu Nyanpa, told the media recently that those projects will begin during the dry season, but for now property owners and the Ministry of Public Works, are engaging each other in terms of verification.  He said the house owners in the two locations must make available their legal documents (DEEDS) to substantiate their claims because some of the properties are already situated within alleys. 

President Weah Reiterates Commitment To Peace Woman

President Dr. George Manneh Weah has again reiterated his commitment to the promotion and protection of women and girls against sexual gender-based violence and gender inequality, an Executive Mansion release discloses. The release said President Weah made the pledge Wednesday, August 21, 2019, at his Foreign Affairs Office when he received a petition from women who reportedly represented ten civil society organizations. The women through their designated speaker, Mmenbeydo Joah-Harell petitioned the President to protect the rights of women, increase the number of women in government and provide security in District 15, Logan Town. The Liberian leader told the petitioners that his commitment to gender equality and protection of the rights of women, girls and children would not diminish for any reason or by another force. “I want to assure residents of Montserrado County, particularly voters and candidates of District 15, as well as all Liberians and the world that there would be a free, fair and transparent elections anytime under my administration,” the Liberian Chief Executive averred, adding that he would increase security presence in District #15 if there would be a rerun, the News newspaper relates.                                                                                                              

More Liberians Depart For Short-Term Training In China

 Twenty-four Liberians from the Ministry of Youth and Sports tailored program, National Youth Service Program (NYSP), departed the country on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, for Jinan, Shandong Province, The People’s Republic of China. The Liberians are expected to be trained in Air Conditioning maintenance, with the training program scheduled to last for one month. The 24 NYSP Cadets bring the total number of Liberians who have benefitted from different short-term training opportunities provided by China, to about 350 persons. LI Jiang, Commercial Councilor at the China Embassy in Monrovia, said China is strengthening collaboration with countries, and the training is part of the eight major initiatives announced at the FOCAC Beijing Summit held in September 2018, the News newspaper  imply.                                                                            

MOPT Trains Gov’t . Pros On Website Management

The Ministry of post and Telecommunications (MOPT) in collaboration with the USAID Digital Liberia has taken another step towards achieving Liberia’s e-Government Strategy by organizing a Two-day workshop to train governments’ Public Relations Officers (PROs) On how to use websites to easily and accurately inform citizens about government services and activities. At the starts of the workshop on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, the head of the Project Management Office (PMO) at the Ministry, D. Nalon Kaine, also a Cyber security expert, informed the Participants that the training was endorsed by the Minister of Posts & Telecommunications, Cllr Cooper W. Kruah Sr, the News newspaper writes.

Minister Sirleaf Underscores the Importance of  Agriculture to Self-Empowerment

The Minister of Internal Affairs (MIA) Varney Sirleaf, has called on Liberian to invest in agriculture to avoid dependency on imported product, including rice. According to the Daily Observer, Although it sounded somehow contrary to his duties and functions as head of local government, Minister Sirleaf, apparently fearing the negative impact of hunger, told Liberians who were in attendance at the Muslim Congress High School Graduation on August 17, 2019 that, We need to harness our individual and collective efforts to plant the food we eat.                      

WIPNET receives George Weah Peace Prize 

Women in Peace Building Network or WIPNET, a Liberian advocacy group has been named winner of the George Weah Peace Prize for 2019.WIPNET won the peace prize at the Administrative Building in Kakata, Margibi County on Sunday, August 18, during the official celebration of the peace festival organized by the Crusaders for Peace headed by Liberia’s Culture Ambassador, JuliEndee. The 2019 winner walked away with a cash prize of 1,000,000 Liberian Dollars.Speaking after receiving the award, the National Coordinator of WIPNET thanked the organizer and pledged commitment to promoting the peace of Liberia, the New Dawn newspaper writes.

International Health Regulations Self-Assessment, National Action Plan For Health Security Review Ends In In Monrovia

The International Health Regulation (IHR) and National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) self-assessment and implementation review has ended with a call for the managers of the country health sector to not be complacent despite the progress made. The review meeting was held from August 13-16, 2019 at the Golden Gate Hotel, in Paynesville City, Montserrado County. The meeting was intended to document Liberia’s progress since the conduct of the Joint External Evaluation of the International Health Regulation (IHR) in 2020. The National Action Plan for Health Security is a plan developed through a consultative and multi-sectorial engagement with involvement of International Partners including the World Health Organization (WHO), United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC), USAID, for the Government of Liberia to comprehensively address the threats to public health security in Liberia pens the Heritage.