THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR  MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

News of the arrival of Seventy-four Nigerian Nurses and Doctors to beef up the African Union’s Ebola response in Liberia, PresidentEllen Johnson Sirleaf’s highlights of statistics indicating only 26 new Ebola deaths across the country as well as the House of Representatives and the National Oil Company of Liberia completion of a validation of the draft Petroleum Law are among stories dominating today’s summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia Receives Nigerian Medical Team on AU Ebola Mission

Seventy four (74) Nigerian nurses and doctors arrived in Liberia on Friday, December 5, 2014 to beef up the African Union’s Ebola response in Liberia. The Nigerian healthcare workers, predominantly female nurses, are to staff Ebola Treatment Units (ETU's) in Liberia’s interior, where there are pockets of outbreak of the deadly disease. Major General Dr. Julius F. Oketta, head of the African Union Support to Ebola in West Africa (ASEOWA) said the Nigerian team's arrival is in continuation of African solidarity. He said member-states have resolved to fight Ebola in the three worst affected countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Maj. Gen. Dr. Oketta said the team was in Liberia to respond to the new trend the virus has taken in Liberia from the capital, Monrovia to towns and villages in the country’s interior as well as strengthening its public healthcare system. Also on hand to welcome the team of Nigerian medical personnel at the Roberts International Airport were Nigerian Ambassador to Liberia, Chigozie Obi-Nnadozie and Liberia's Chief of Protocol Rufus Neuville, among others. Ambassador Obi-Nnadozie said she was excited to receive the team and disclosed that Nigeria is not only making financial contribution but human resources too. Speaking at the dinner, Liberia's Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan welcomed the team and expressed gratitude on behalf of Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Government and People of Liberia to Nigeria's President, His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan, the Government and People of Nigeria for the solidarity Liberia has received from Nigeria.  Minister Ngafuan stated that the occasion was unique because Liberia was welcoming Nigeria’s health personnel. He stated that because of the political and military security problem Liberia faced in the past, Nigeria still has peacekeeping forces in Liberia which have been helping to keep peace on the security front. Foreign Minister Ngafuan revealed that the Federal Republic of Nigeria has one of the largest deployments of personnel here to help keep peace in Liberia. “Greater love has no man than the one who lays down his life for his friends”, said the Liberian Foreign Minister. “Nigerians laid down their lives for Liberia during the Liberian civil crisis and today Nigeria is here with a health keeping force to help us fight this deadly Ebola virus, report INSIGHT newspaper.

Related Captions: Nigerian Volunteers In Liberia To Fight Ebola(The Inquirer), Nigerian Volunteers Fly Into Liberia(New Democrat), Liberia Receives Nigerian Medical Team(FOCUS)

Pres. Sirleaf Attends Special Weekly Prayer Service

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says latest statistics on the Ebola Virus Disease indicate that there have been only 26 new deaths across the country with most fatalities occurring in Montserrado County. She also revealed that as of December 2, 2014, nine of Liberia’s 15 counties have reported no deaths in recent times; a drastic decline compared to previous reports.
“We owe it first and foremost to God, our healthcare workers – doctors, nurses, physician assistants, those who serve in the treatment units, the many who died, the Liberian people themselves – the thousands and thousands of them who embraced the treatment protocol, as well as the various groups - joint church, non-governmental organizations, women and youth, among others - who went out in the communities on awareness programmes. We owe it to them,” the Liberian President told the congregation. According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian leader made the disclosure when she addressed the prayer service for the Executive Branch of Government at the old Providence Baptist Church on Broad Street officiated by the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) on Friday, December 5, 2014. The weekly prayer service is to thank God for his bountiful mercies to the country and to pray to God for deliverance from the Ebola virus disease. Already the Legislative and Judicial Branches of Government have separately graced the LCC prayer service. Providing an update on the fight against the disease, the Liberian leader said of the several Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) built across the country, more than 50 percent of the beds are empty, reports the FOCUS newspaper.

Related Captions: President Sirleaf Provides Update on Ebola Fight(The New Dawn), Pres. Sirleaf Attends Special Weekly Prayer Service(FOCUS), Montserrado Still Focal Point(Daily Observer)

House, NOCAL Validate Draft Petroleum Law

TheINSIGHT newspaper writes that the House of Representatives and the National Oil Company of Liberia have climaxed the final discussions and inputs on the draft petroleum, exploration and production act of 2013. The two-day conference, which was spearheaded by the National Legislature, over the weekend, brought together more than 150 participants representing national and international stakeholders, including civil societies, students and faith-based organizations in the country.  House Speaker J. Alex Tyler noted that the validation exercise was the third and final phase of the reform of the petroleum laws of Liberia, recounting that in November 2013, members of the House of Representatives toured the leeward counties to publicly engage citizens and solicit their inputs for final determination by their direct Representatives. He said the validation phase was intended to bring all stake holders together to critically look at the final drafts of the two bills: The exploration and petroleum bill, commonly referred to as “E & P bill, and the National Oil Company of Liberia, (NOCAL) bill. He further asserted that the NOCAL bill basically separates the functions of being regulators of the sector, manager and participating as a player at all time and at the same time. The new NOCAL bill seeks to decouple the crossing functions of the old NOCAL bill, delegating the commercial and administrative interest of the state (in each block) to the corporation (NOCAL), while removing the technical and regulatory aspect to the petroleum directory to be place with Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy, Tyler intoned.

Related Captions: House Completes Validation On ‘Oil & Gas Laws’…Hails CSOs For Participation(Heritage), Legislature, Stakeholders Validate…Liberia’s Draft Oil Law(The News), Oil Act Validated(The New Dawn)

President Accepts Request To Withdraw Dr. Russell's Nomination

According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has accepted the request of Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Russell to withdraw her nomination for the position of Minister of Education. In a Special Address to the Nation on Sunday, November 16, the Liberian President nominated Dr. Davis-Russell as Minister of Education-designate pending confirmation by the Honorable Liberian Senate. According to an Executive Mansion release, in her letter to the Liberian leader dated Tuesday, December 2, 2014, Dr. Davis-Russell cited her United States of America citizenship as an obstacle to her ability to serve effectively in the position. Moreover, she expressed concern that her abrupt departure from the William V.S. Tubman University without a planned succession has already invoked a process that could undermine the quality of instruction and the reputation that she has engendered at the Tubman University over the last two years.  

Related Captions: Ellen Accepts Minister’s Request(The New Dawn), Education Minister-Designate Nomination Withdrawn (The News), Ellen Withdraws Davis-Russell’s Nomination-Dr. Davis-Russell Accepts Education Advisory Council Chair(Daily Observer)

LACC, NIF, CSOs Commemorate IACD 2014

The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) in collaboration with the National Integrity Forum (NIF) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) will on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 join the rest of the world in commemorating International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD).  In commemoration of International anti-Corruption day 2014, the LACC in collaboration with the NIF and CSOs with funding from the UNDP, have planned series of activities befitting the day in consideration of the Ebola virus, this year’s commemoration will feature radio and television discussions about corruption publication of anti-corruption messages and the parading of a float. The day will also highlight the launching of the Commission’s three years Strategic Plan by the President of Liberia as well as messages from the Liberian President, Secretary General of the United Nations and the Executive Chairperson of the LACC, Inquirer reports.

Related Captions: LACC Remembers Anti-Correction Day(New Democrat), LACE , NIF, CSOs Commemorate IACD 2014(Heritage)

OTHER STORIES

CSOs signs Communique on Budget

As the 2014/15 National Budget is finally printed into handbill, three civil society organizations- Institute for Research and Democratic Development or IREDD, International Research Exchanges or IREX  with sponsorship from the United States Agency for International Development or USAID, have strategized and subsequently signed a communique on the budget. The Organizations met recently in Monrovia at a day-long discussion on how the budget can make impact on the people. The discussion, under the theme “our money, our business: mainstreaming citizens’ voice in the National Budget, was organized by the Institute for Research and Democratic Development or IREDD, in collaboration with International Research and Exchanges or IREX-Liberia. According to the groups, the budget plays a cardinal role in the growth and development of the nation, thereby necessitating the need for open and inclusive participation in its formulation processes. The communique emphasized consultations with stakeholders at local levels, and simplification of the budget to make it reader-friendly. It also stressed that allocation of the different sectors of the budget should reflect the national priorities, and above all, ensure that the budget is people-sensitive and inclusive, writes the New Dawn newspaper.

22 Isolated At UNMIL - Following Ebola Infection

The New Dawnnewspaper reports that the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has isolated 22 military personnel after one officer got infected last week with the deadly Ebola Virus Disease. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Karin Landgren, said the UNMIL military personnel, who tested positive for the Ebola Virus Disease on 3 December has been evacuated from the US-run Ebola Treatment Unit in Monrovia to the Netherlands. “In line with WHO protocols, the UNMIL Medical team has conducted immediate and robust contact tracing. As a result, 22 personnel have been isolated. All areas where the individual is known to have been while symptomatic have also been thoroughly decontaminated”. Madam Landgren has expressed deep appreciation to the Government of the Netherlands for accepting to treat the patient, and to the Governments of Germany and the United States for their medical and logistical support. She also thanked UNMIL troop and police contributors and all her colleagues for remaining steadfast in their service to Liberia and its people at this critical time.

GYAC-Liberia, LEITI And GIZ To enhance Youth Participation In Natural Resource

The Liberia Chapter of the Global Youth Anti-Corruption Network (GYAC-Liberia) an International anti-Corruption and integrity industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) with support from GIZ will observe this year international Anti-Corruption Day by organizing the Liberia Youth Natural Resource Governance Forum. By resolution58/4 of October 31, 2003, the UN General Assembly designated December 9 as international Anti-Corruption Day. This decision aimed to raise people’s awareness of corruption and of the role of the United Nations Convention against Corruption in combating and preventing it. The assembly urged all states and competent regional economic integration organizations to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to ensure its rapid entry into force. According to GYAC-Liberia National Coordinator, James Koryor the event is intended to equip, engage and educate youths on natural resource governance issues, Inquirer reports.

Big Ebola Meeting Underway

The Government of Liberia and the UN Mission for the Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) are bringing together the national leaders on the Ebola response as well as UNMEER Ebola Crisis Managers from Guinea, Mali, Liberia and Sierra Leone to discuss strategies to stop the cross border spread of Ebola. Representatives from Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal will also participate and share lessons and good practices. The President of the Republic of Liberia will open the one day technical meeting on Cross Border Collaboration on the Prevention and Control of Ebola in West Africa in the Cecil Dennis Hall at the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Tuesday, December 9^th at 8:30am. Delegates will examine key issues in the cross border transmission of the virus and will create opportunities for closer cooperation between the affected countries in their Ebola response, the New Republic reports.