THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Today’s summary of the selected local dailies highlights news of President Johnson-Sirleaf signing into law the National Budget in the amount of US$622.7 million for Fiscal Year 2015/2016, the Ministry of Public Works pronouncement that all road construction projects across the country will resume effective October as well as President Johnson Sirleaf’s assurance to the fourteen Liberian girls who were taken to Lebanon that they will receive justice.

DOMINANT STORIES

Ellen Signs US$622.7M National Budget

The New Dawn newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has signed into law the National Budget in the amount of US$622,743,420 (six hundred twenty two million seven hundred forty three thousand four hundred and twenty United States Dollars) for Fiscal Year 2015/2016, representing a two percent (US$12.5 million) decline in total appropriations unlike the last Fiscal Year’s US$635.2 million envelope. A release from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) says the total resource envelope for FY2015/16 is US$622.7 million and is composed of US$473.7 million in revenue raised from domestic sources (taxes and non-tax revenue); US$66.2 million in grants; US$58.6 million in external borrowing; and US$24.2 million in unspent resources carried forward from FY2014/15.

Related Captions: FY2015/2016 Budget Gets Presidential Signature (The Analyst), Over US$622M Budget Approved…As MOE’s Fate Hangs (INSIGHT), Pres. Sirleaf Signs US$622.7 M Nat’l Budget (FOCUS), Ellen Signs Into Law US$622.7 M Budget For FY2015/2016 (Heritage), $622.7 M Budget Signed Into Law (The New Republic), US$622.7 Million Sealed President Sirleaf Signs Off On Budget For FY2015/2016 (FrontPage Africa)

Road Construction Works Start In October

The Ministry of Public Works has announced here that all road construction projects across the country will resume effective October.  Public Works Minister, W. Gyude Moore, making the pronouncement Tuesday, said government has allotted US$23 million for ongoing road constructions and additional $4 million for maintenance. Addressing reporters at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism on Capitol Hill, Minister Moore noted that Liberia lacks adequate road network. According to the Minister, of a total of 10,000 kilometers of roads in Liberia, less than 1,000 kilometers are paved. The Public Works boss has disclosed that following a meeting between President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan during the recent WAW summit in Tokyo, the Japanese government has promised to return in October to start the two lean roads along the Somalia Drive, according to the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions:  Road Maintenance Program In Sight (The News), US$100M Needed Yearly For Road Reconstruction (Daily Observer), Road Network May Get Proper Maintenance If… (INSIGHT), US$100M Needed To Address Road Network (New Democrat), Road Maintenance Bill Underway (FOCUS), Gov’t Needs US$2.2 Billion For Road…Says Public Works Minister (Heritage)

Justice Assured For Girls From Lebanon Prez. Sirleaf

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has assured fourteen Liberian girls who were taken to Lebanon by Lebanese businessmen and were brought back home by her government that they will receive justice. President Sirleaf gave the assurance on Monday at her Foreign Ministry office, saying that her administration will do everything possible to ensure that justice prevails and those responsible for the women’s ordeal face the full weight of the law. The girls, according to the Executive Mansion, had gone to the President’s office to express appreciation for government’s efforts that paved the way for their return home. The President informed the young women that they did not deserve the kinds of treatment meted out to them, especially in light of the circumstances under which they were lured out of the country in search of uncertain greener pastures. She said the government through the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection will work with them to identify areas of interest aimed at self-empowerment. President Sirleaf called on the young women to exercise patience in view of the usually long drawn out judicial process. She was quick to add that in respect of the independence of that Branch of Government it would be wise to follow the process in order for justice to be served, asserts the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Ellen Promises Justice For 14 Liberian Women (The News), Justice Assured For “Liberated” Girls (The New Dawn), Exercise Patience, You Will Get Justice…President Sirleaf assures 14 Liberian Girls From Lebanon (INSIGHT), President Assures Justice In Lebanese-Liberian Girls Saga (New Democrat), Ellen Promises Justice For Girls From Lebanon (FOCUS), Ellen Assures 14 Liberian Returnees Of  Justice (Heritage), President Sirleaf Assures 14 Liberian Returnees Of Justice ‘Empower Women’ Says Global Female Leaders (FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES

Empower Women…Say Global Female Leader

The INSIGHT newspaper says Women have made significant achievements in all levels of society but “it is equally clear that we are not there yet”, Liberian President and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, said in Tokyo Friday“ This is a step forward to increase the number of women to decision-making positions”, he stressed.  Speaking on the first day of the second World Assembly for Women, Sirleaf, who was awarded the prize in 2011 for her work on women’s rights and peace-building, stressed the need to continue tackling all issues hindering women’s participation in society. She praised Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s commitment to promoting women’s engagement in society as bringing “focus to discussion on the issues that are often relegated as secondary concern”. It is “a call to global leaders to act with courage to bring about a change”, she said.

OXFAM-GB Launches 1.7M Project In Nimba

The New Dawn newspaper writes that the British charity, OXFAM, has launched a 1.7million project in Nimba County to empower farmers and vulnerable people, including physically challenged in Grand Gedeh, River Gee and Nimba counties. Speaking at the launch in Menpa Town, Nimba, OXFAM-GB Country Director, Salifu Sledge, said Liberia is recovering from Ebola outbreak and there is a need for his organization to help in improving the living condition of the people. Mr. Sledge said OXFAM will support communities in Liberia, including 99 farmers in Grand Gedeh, River Gee and Nimba Counties. According to him, OXFAM is supporting 11,371 Liberians in its Ebola recovery program, while 9,157 others are receiving cash for work with 53 women saving groups receiving 1,500 Liberian Dollars each in the three counties.

NEC, MoE Developing Elections Package For Schools

The National Elections Commission (NEC) says it is collaborating with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to develop a democratic elections package to be taught in secondary schools. According to NEC Chairman Jerome G. Korkoya, the package will form park of the recently launched National Curriculum on Citizenship Education. The curriculum was launched on Monday, August 25, by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, signifying government’s commitment to patriotic citizenship, Heritage newspaper reports.

Gov’t To Erect Monument To Honor Ebola Victims

Today’s edition of the Heritage newspaper asserts that Information Minister Lewis Brown has pledged government’s commitment to memorialize Ebola victims by constructing a monument so that they will never be forgotten for what they endured. The Information Minster made the statement Tuesday at the Ministry of Information press briefing held at the ministry in Monrovia. “Some of our compatriots who died we may not be able to fully account for, but we can erect the monument in their honor so that those who will come after us will never forget what they lived through during this painful period”, he noted.

Ebola Confab Delegates Call For Adherence To Ethical Standards

Participants of the just-ended conference of the four Mano river Union (MRU) countries on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) have recommended, among others, the development of a harmonized framework for adherence to ethical standards during health disasters with appropriate and approved mechanisms for vaccines, therapeutic agents and testing methods. The delegates from Liberia, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Sierra Leone in a communiqué also called for developing a platform to conduct additional rigorous clinical trials of vaccines, therapeutic agents and diagnostics to eradicate Ebola and to identify a harmonized cross-country strategic framework to build capacity in the areas of ethics, regulatory affairs, research and infrastructure, INSIGHT newspaper reports.

To Promote Smooth Working Relationship: LNP, PUL Hold Meeting

The authorities of the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) on Tuesday, September 1 held a meeting at the police headquarters aimed at promoting a smooth working relationship between the two groups. In his remarks during the meeting, the Deputy Director of the LNP for Administration, Col. William K. Mulbah, explained that the meeting was intended to create a smooth working relationship between media practitioners and officers of the LNP. Col. Mulbah stated that the LNP is doing everything possible to erase the negative perception that has been reported about police misconducts in the media, the Heritage newspaper writes.

Related Caption: LNP, PUL Smoke Peace Pipe (The Inquirer)