THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, November 4, 2014

The presentation of Letters of Credence to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf by the Danish and Dutch envoys and the construction of four elementary school buildings in Nimba County are stories dominating our summary of today’s selected local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

President Receives Letters Of Credence from Danish and Dutch Envoys

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has received the Letters of Credence from the new Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdoms of Netherlands and Denmark accredited near Monrovia, His Excellency Mr. Hans Docter and Her Excellency Ms. Margit Thomsen, respectively. The two Ambassadors are resident in Accra, Ghana. The New Dawn newspaper quotes an Executive Mansion release as saying that the Liberian leader, while receiving the Dutch and Danish Ambassadors at separate ceremonies at her Foreign Ministry office on Monday, November 3, expressed appreciation on behalf of the Liberian Government and people for their distinctive roles in trying to contain the further spread of the deadly Ebola virus disease and for previous developmental support to the country. President Sirleaf reflected on the country’s relations with the two European nations which date as far back as the 1800s, expressing regret that the relations were interrupted due to the Liberia’s civil conflict. She also highlighted the roles played by the both countries in ending Liberia’s civil war and in the reconstruction of the post-conflict nation.  In separate remarks, the Liberia President updated the two new Ambassadors on the Ebola situation in the country and expressed satisfaction over the current level of intervention of the international community including support from the Kingdoms of the Netherlands and Denmark that have enabled the Government and people of Liberia to now have hands and control in containing the further spread of the virus. Presenting his Letters of Credence earlier, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands, His Excellency Hans Docker expressed his country’s desire to firmly stand with Liberia during this time of the Ebola outbreak and informed President Sirleaf that a vessel with anti-Ebola supplies is headed to the region in two weeks.

Related Captions: New Danish And Dutch Ambassadors Present Credentials To Pres. Sirleaf(The Analyst), New Danish Ambassador presents Letters of Credence(INSIGHT)

Four Elementary Schools Under Construction in Nimba Acting Project Manager Discloses

The local authority of Nimba County has signed contractual agreements with four construction companies to construct four elementary schools in Sanniquellie Administrative District of Electoral District #2. Over the weekend, the four companies, Origin Construction Company, Liberia Reconstruction Group Incorporated, Jireh Construction Expertise Incorporated, and Textual Accuracy Construction and Consultancy, signed separate agreements to construct the elementary schools in Gbonnie, Zolowee, Kinnon, and Gehwee towns. The County Acting Project Management Committee Chairman, Eddie Z. Tenwah, who made the disclosure via mobile phone put the cost of the projects at US$166,313.10. According to Mr. Tenwah, construction of the four schools will be completed in three months in keeping with the contractual agreement. Each of the units, when completed, will consist of six class rooms, a principal's office and teachers' lounge; a special toilet for the staff and another for general use, writes the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: 4 Elementary Schools Valued US$180,000 To Be Built In Nimba(INSIGHT), 4 Elementary Schools Valued US$180,000 To Be Built In Nimba(In Profile)

OTHER STORIES

Zero Ebola Cases in Four Counties-Nyensuah Discloses

The Assistant Minister for Preventive Service at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Tolbert Nyensuah , has disclosed that four Counties  have reported zero Ebola cases during the period of three weeks. Minister Nyensuah made the disclosure in Monrovia at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing on Ebola. He named the counties as   Lofa, Grand Gedeh, Nimba and Sinoe, noting that they have not reported any new cases on the virus within the period of three weeks, but was quick to indicate that this does not mean that those counties are free from the virus, reports the In Profile Daily.

MSF Wants Malaria Treated Too

Every year, malaria claims victims in Liberia, the disease is endemic there, however, with the Ebola epidemic, it has become very difficult, if not impossible, to obtain treatment. In response, MSF has begun distributing anti malarias’ in Monrovia. Approximately 300,000 people living in the capital’s poor neighborhoods will benefit. On October 25, MSF’s teams began distribution is taking place in the poorest neighborhoods, where population density is very high and where access to care, which was already very limited before the Ebola epidemic, barely exists any longer, the FOCUS newspaper writes.

Ivorian Refugees Cautioned Against Ebola

Scores of Ivorian refugees in Nimba and Grand Gedeh County have been cautioned to obey all the preventive measures given by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the World Health Organization (WHO) to further prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia. The Deputy Executive Director of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), Attorney Kojoe N. Ross made the disclosure after his assessment visitation to Grand Gedeh and Nimba Counties. Attorney Ross revealed that no refugee has fallen prey to the Ebola virus since it entered Liberia, FOCUS reports.

LMDC Monitors Health Facilities In Montserrado

The Liberia Medical and Dental Council has begun a 10-day monitoring of all public and private health facilities in Montserrado County. LMDC acting clinical coordinator Kolubah Kabbah, said some of the areas being targeted include patients care, laboratory services, waste management, and Administrative functions. Mr. Cabbah noted that continuous technical in-service trainings in clinical areas and supervision should be a priority in order to combat Ebola and other infectious diseases in Liberia, the New Dawn reports.

Police Chief Vows To Protect Journalist

Police Director Clarence C. Massaquoi, has pledged support to protecting journalists in the country. Speaking at program in observance of International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists at the YMCA in Monrovia on Monday, Director Massaquoi said the Police are good friends in the media, vowing to do all he can to protect journalists while in the discharge of their duties.  He said the doors of the Liberia National Police are always open to the media to investigate crimes, assuring that no member of the LNP will go with impunity if caught in manhandling journalists, according to the New Dawn newspaper.

Cape Mount Traditional Council Joins Ebola Fight

The Grand Cape Mount County branch of the Traditional Council of Liberia (TCL) is conducting Ebola prevention campaign in towns and villages in the county. According to the Liberia News Agency correspondent in the county, this was disclosed by the Chairman of the Grand Cape Mount County branch of the council, Soko Balo, at the County Ebola Task Force meeting held in Sinje recently. Chairman Balo said the campaign is being conducted in all the five districts of the county-Tewor, Garwula, Gola Konneh, Porkpa and Commonwealth. He said as part of the campaign, citizens are being cautioned to suspend the traditional practice of bathing the dead. He praised the citizens for their understanding and cooperation with the council teams carrying out the campaign, the In Profile reports.

Related Captions: Cape Mount Traditional Council Joins Ebola Fight(INSIGHT)

Gov’t Warns Against Overcrowded Areas..Pinpoints Beaches, Entertainment Centers

The cover story of the Inquirer newspaper reports that the Government of Liberia (GoL) and during the State of Emergency, the Liberia National Police will be on the alert to prevent over-crowdedness at public places as the fight against the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) continues. The GOL said in recent time, it has observed that several individuals are now staging beach parties and going to night clubs in large number creating an environment for the further spread of the Ebola virus. Deputy Information Minister for Public Affairs, Atty. Isaac W. Jackson, told the Ministry’s daily Ebola Press Briefing that the government while acknowledging the downward trend of the Ebola virus in the country, notified that it is too soon to celebrate as is being done in several quarters.