THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2015

News of TRANSCO CLSG promise to supply cheap and affordable electricity to Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, reports on a two-day meeting held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso for Communication Directors of Health Ministries across West Africa and the re- instatement of the stay-order placed on the Special Presidential Task Force to clean Monrovia by Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh are the dominant stories in today’s dailies.

Dominant Stories  

‘Cheap’ Regional Electricity for MRU Countries 

According to the NEWS newspaper, the people of the Mano River Union Basin are expected to shortly benefit from a cheap, affordable and reliable electricity power to be provided by TRANSCO CLSG, an interconnection and transmission company for Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, according to Mohammed M. Sheriff, General Manager of TRANSCO CLSG at the launched of the national committee activities in Liberia on Monday.

Related Caption: TRANSCO Aims To Cut Cost Of Current To 15 Cents Per Kwh(Daily Observer), Regional Power Project Kicks Off(New Democrat)

WAHO Ends Communication Meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

An inside story of the INQUIRER newspaper writes that a two-day meeting held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso for Communication Directors of Health Ministries across West Africa has ended, with a number of recommendations aimed at improving the communications strategy of the West African Health Organization (WAHO). WAHO, which organized the meeting, had been experiencing a low level recognition and visibility in its member countries, despite the huge multifaceted interventions it has made in most areas of health.

Related Captions: WAHO Ends Confab in Burkina Faso(New Democrat), WAHO Ends Communication Meeting In Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso(Heritage)

Supreme Court Maintains Stay Order On Presidential Task Force

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reports that the stay-order placed on the Special Presidential Task Force to clean Monrovia by Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh will remain in force until the Supreme Court hears and make determination in a writ of prohibition filed by aggrieved destroyed properties owners. This is the second time that the high court has placed a stay order on the presidential Task Force headed by former Monrovia City Mayor now Director General of the General Services Agency (GSA), Mary Broh. The first instance was last week when the high court Associate Justice issued a stay order grown out a writ of prohibition filed by lawyers representing a group of aggrieved destroyed properties owners whose properties were allegedly demolished during the course of the taskforce clean-up exercises. In the writ of prohibition, the aggrieved destroyed properties owners through their lawyer, Cllr. Dempster Brown, contended that the task force has claimed that their properties have been destroyed because they have violated the zoning law and city ordinance.  According to the destroyed properties owners, if they have violated the zoning law and city ordinance, the task force should institute legal proceedings against them at the Monrovia City Court instead the task force are allegedly using police power to brutalize, intimidate and harass peaceful citizens by carrying out their presidential mandate to clean Monrovia. “Petitioners say that the presidential task force does not have judicial power to close down business institution, demolition of private homes because of the violation of city ordinance and zonal law,” said Cllr. Dempster Brown.  However, hearing into the petition should had taken place at the high court before Associate Justice Ja’neh on Monday could not continue when State lawyer led by Justice Minister Sannoh told the court that the petitioner has amended their pleading in the case but it has not reached their attention. Justice Minister Sannoh and Solicitor General Cllr. Betty Lamin Blamo both told the court that they cannot proceed with any hearing in the case when they are not abreast with the amended pleading filed by the petitioners.

Related Captions:  Supreme Court Postpones “General” Broh Conference… Maintains Stay Order(Heritage), Broh Supporters Canvass Near Supreme Court(Daily Observer), Broh’s Hearing Set For Wed….As Taskforce Members Turnout With Placards(The INQUIRER)

OTHER STORIES

Pres. Sirleaf Congratulates Finland

The New Dawnnewspaper reports that the President of the Republic of Liberia, H. E. Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has sent a congratulatory message to the Government and People of Finland on the occasion of their National Day. In her message to H.E. Sauli Vainamo Niinisto, President of the Republic of Finland, Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf extended on behalf of the Government and People of Liberia and in her own name heartfelt greetings to the Government and People of the Republic of Finland. The Liberian leader further hopes that the relations between Liberia and Finland will continue to grow, adding: “As we join you to honor this very important day in your country’s history, it is my ardent hope that the relations subsisting between our two nations will continue to flourish to the shared interest of our peoples.” President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wishes for President Niinisto’s and the Government and People of Finland blessings of peace, unity and Prosperity.

Related Caption: Ellen Congratulates Finland (Heritage)

LACC, NIF CSOs Commemorate IACD 2015

The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) in collaboration with the National Integrity Forum (NIF) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) will on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 join the rest of the world in commemorating International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD). December 9 was designated by the General Assembly of the United Nations to serve as an opportunity for all organizations and individuals worldwide to create awareness about corruption and to promote anti-corruption activities, the INQUIRER newspaper writes.

Konneh Seeks Global Agreement…Agreement…On Climate Change

The Head of the Liberian delegation at the Paris Climate Change Conference, Finance and Development Planning Minister Amara Konneh says Liberia wants a new legally binding agreement out of Paris that will be endorsed by all parties. A dispatch from Paris quotes Minister Konneh as saying Liberia recognizes the severity of the impacts of global warning. The Liberian head of delegation speaking at the High-level Segment of the Climate Change Conference noted that it is an open secret that climate change has been recognized as the most current issue affecting human development, the NEWS newspaper writes.

Legal Action Needed for Climate Change(New Democrat)

Bishop Benda Decorated With Gold Medal

 The Bishop of the United Pentecostal Church of Liberia Rev. Dr. Stephen T.Y. Benda was decorated with a Gold Medal at the Executive Global summit of the United Pentecostal Church International in Colombo, SRI LANKA. He was decorated for his outstanding role in teaching, preaching a evangelizing as well as ensuring that the Gospel of Jesus Christ reaches thousands of Christians and non-Christians World Wide, the NEWS newspaper reports.

Liberia’s Laffor Among Most Expensive PSL Transfers Players

The NEWSnewspaper reveals that after it was revealed that Liberia forward Anthony Laffor was among the six best pay players in the South African Premier league; the former Lone Star captain is again named as one of the most expensive transfer players in the football history of South Africa.

Post-Ebola Educational Climate: A Glimpse Into New Initiatives In Liberia

Following the outbreak of 2014 Ebola in Liberia, there have been increasing difficulties in ensuring the provision of education for the country’s youth. What started off as a small initiative, printing worksheets for children in her community, founder Brenda Brewer Moore saw the opportunity to extend her help to other counties in Liberia, FrontPage Africa newspaper reports.

Eight Liberians High School Students Head For Study In USA

The International Education and Research Network IEARN-Liberia have recruited eight (8) students who will be travelling to the United States of America on the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program for the year 2016. The Executive Director of IEARN-Liberia, Leroy Beldeh said eight of the young Liberian students between the ages 15 to 16 years are due to leave the country by August 2016 for the United States of America where they will spend one academic year studying through the American school system, FrontPage Africa newspaper asserts.

Next Session’s Focus: Security Sector, Land Authority Acts

President Pro Tempore of the Senate has informed outgoing United States Ambassador to Liberia that the next session of the Senate will prioritize the legislation of two very important Acts, including the Security Sector and the Land Authority. Pro Temp Armah Zolu Jallah said with the expected final departure of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeeping troops from Liberia, the Senate and the House of Representatives will work tirelessly to ensure that the security sector fully assumes national duties in line with the Constitution, Daily Observer reports.

Monrovia YMCA 47^th Fund Drive Targets 3,500 Members

The Daily Observer says the Monrovia Young Men Christian Association (YMCA), a local Branch of the YMCA of Liberia, recently launched its 47^th Membership Fund Drive at its headquarters on Broad Street. The program was attended by senior citizens, volunteers and Y-Veterans as well as a cross section of Liberians and members of the Board of Directors of the Monrovia YMCA and the National Board of the Liberia YMCA. Also in attendance was Vice President Joseph N. Boakai who said the YMCA has contributed to developing many young people, and he remains open to work with the YMCA. “I am a product of the YMCA and my doors are always open to the YMCA”, he said.

UL Releases Calendar Of Events

Over the weekend, authorities of the University of Liberia (UL) released a calendar of events covering the 96^th Convocation exercises, which began on Saturday, November 28 when students of the Medical and Pharmacy schools where honored. The UL has cleared about 2,455 students for graduation, Daily Observer reports.

SGBV Main Channel To Spread Of HIV Infections

Action Aid’s Liberia Country Director, Mrs. Korto Reeves Williams, has noted that Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) is one of the main channels of HIV infections and therefore called on the government and its partners to work hard to end the practice. She observed that sexual exploitation of females and rape and sodomizing of young boys have become rampant sand help to spread the virus, Daily Observer reports.