THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015

News of the Launching of a Project by the Monrovia City Corporation code named: “Operation Attack Plastics” and Liberia’s most celebrated soccer star, James Salinsa Debbah’s contract with the Liberia Telecommunication Corporation) to be the new face of the company in it’s rebranding process are the dominant stories in today’s local dailies.

Dominant Stories

MCC Launches ‘Operation Attack Plastics’

Plans are being concluded by the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) to clear Monrovia and its environs of unwanted plastic materials. The project code named: ‘Operation Attack Plastics’ is expected to be launched next week by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. ‘Operation Attack Plastics’ will involve thirteen schools within the City of Monrovia, whose students will participate in picking up used and unwanted plastic materials in the streets and communities of Monrovia and environs within the municipality. According to Acting Monrovia City Mayor Clara Doe-Mvogo, no specific date has been determined for the launch of ‘Operation Attack Plastics’ because plans are still being finalized this week with the participating schools. Mayor Doe-Mvogo indicated that such clean-up campaign will take the form of a competition among the participating schools, following which trophies in three categories – first, second and third, would be presented at an elaborate program schedule for the newly created park in Vai Town, Bushrod Island developed by Chevron-Liberia. According to the Monrovia City Major who interacted with the media Wednesday at the Monrovia City Hall, ‘Operation Attack Plastics’ which is supported by the United States Agency for International Development or USAID, will also involve the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA, the New Dawn asserts.

 Related Caption: MCC To Embark On Plastic Collection(The NEWS), MCC To Launch “Operation Attack Plastic”(Daily Observer)

James Debbah Signs Contract To Become Face OfLIBTELCO

Liberia’s most celebrated soccer star, James Salinsa Debbah, has signed a contract with the Liberia Telecommunication Corporation (LIBTELCO) to be the new face of the company as it undergoes rebranding. The signing ceremony took place on Tuesday, December 15 at LIBTELCO headquarters in Monrovia and contract has duration of one year with possibility of renewal. LIBTELCO is the leader in Business Enterprise Solutions and offers high capacity fiber based broadband internet to a variety of businesses in Monrovia and its environs. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, the contract with Coach Debbah is also part of LIBTELCO commitment to promoting sports in the country, the entity says. Debbah, by this endorsement, will become the face and image of LIBTELCO for a full year and will be placed on several of the company’s promotional brands, including billboards. Debbah’s image will be used in promoting sales and marketing for the company on radio, TV, internet and other platforms.

Related Caption: LIBTELCO Signs James Debbah (The NEWS), LIBTELCO Signs Debbah (In Profile Daily),LIBTELCO Signs Coach James Debbah (Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES

Pres. Sirleaf Plants Symbolic tree At UN Office in Narobi

President Sirleaf has performed a symbolic tree-planting ceremony at the behest of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). President Sirleaf performed the ceremony amid rapturous welcome, cheers and chanting from the huge family of the United Nations Regional Office in Nairobi.A dispatch from Nairobi, Kenya, said President Sirleaf performed the symbolic tree-planting as a demonstration of her commitment to environmental friendliness and the preservation of the global ecosystem. Flanked by the Director Generals of UN Office at Nairobi including Madame Sahle-Work Zewde of the United Nations Environment Programme, Achim Steiner of UN-HABITAT, Executive Director, Dr. Joan Clos as well as senior staff of the UN System, President Sirleaf was taken on a guided tour of the main administrative complex of UNON situated on a 158 acres of land donated by the Government of Kenya to the United Nations. President Sirleaf thanked the Government and People of Kenya for the hospitality and warm welcome extended to the Liberian delegation since their arrival and termed 2015 as a historic year amid the transition from MDGs to SDGs, progress at the Addis Ababa International Conference on Financing, the adoption of the SDGs in New York and the landmark Paris Climate Change agreement, and Liberia’s Accession to the WTO,the New Dawn reports.

Related Caption: EJS Performs Tree-Planting Ceremony…At UN Regional Office Nairobi (The NEWS)

Japan Confirms Work in Progress…on Somalia Drive Road

The Government of Japan has said that the resumption of road construction works on the Somalia Drive in Monrovia has commenced in earnest with the return of contractors to implement the project. According to a dispatch from Nairobi, the confirmation was made by Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs; Ms. Miki YAMADA when she led a high-powered delegation in a bilateral meeting with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Nairobi, Kenya.  Ms. YAMADA also informed President Sirleaf that Phase II of the Somalia Drive road project will commence in 2016 consistent with the commitment made by the Government of Japan. Ms. YAMADA also assured President Sirleaf that plans are course for the reopening of Japanese Embassy near Monrovia, which will end several years of directing the affairs of Liberia’s operations from Accra, Ghana. She indicated that Japan is determined to support the Africa’s 2063 Agenda that seeks to address critical areas of need for the African continent.  Speaking during the meeting, President Sirleaf thanked the government of Japan for its continued support to Liberia’s recovery efforts, especially in the areas of health, energy, food security, commerce and trade. She also pointed out that her government is keen on the rehabilitation of the country’s water system which is crucial to meeting a critical need of the population. Commenting on the Japanese grant to Liberia, President Sirleaf said her administration is committed to ensuring accountability and also thanked Japan for their vital role in adopting the sustainable development goals and supporting Climate Change efforts, the NEWS newspaper reports.

IMF Predicts Economic Growth In 2016 – But Civil Society Groups Remain Skeptical

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), through its Liberia Country Representative, Charles Amo-Yartey, has predicted that Liberia’s post-Ebola economic recovery will rise to about 3% in 2016. Dr. Amo-Yartey announced the prediction in a meeting with civil society organizations on December 16 at a local resort in Monrovia, Daily Observer reports.

Boakai In Abuja ForECOWAS Summit

Vice President Joseph N.  Boakai with a high powered Liberian delegation has arrived in the Nigerian Capital, Abuja for the 48th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, which is running alongside the 40th anniversary celebration of the ECOWAS from the 16-17 December, 2015. During the summit, the Chairman of ECOWAS, President Macky Sall of Senegal will consider among other items, the 2015 annual report of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, report of the 75th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and report of the 14th Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers. A dispatch from Abuja quotes Vice Presidential Press Secretary, George Saah as saying the summit will also consider the report and its recommendations of the 35th Ordinary session of the mediation and Security Council held on Monday, December 14, 2015 in Abuja. During the summit, the heads of state and government are also expected to agree on some important decisions and sign community acts including tasks assigned by the 74th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers, timeline and distribution of the ECOWAS Commission's Statutory appointments, among others,the NEWS newspaper reports.

Civil Service Reveals Performance Management System

The Civil Service Agency (CSA) has revealed that it is piloting a new Performance Management System and is carrying out hands-on training in performance assessment across the various sectors in government. The new system, according to CSA, is intended to enhance the performance and service delivery of the Agency by providing means of managing, measuring and rewarding performance across parastatals of government. The CSA also noted that it is committed to improving service offers to the public as well as civil servants through continuous enhancement of its operation, adding that the new service chapter will raise service standards and provide more transparency in addressing the needs of civil servants and the public at large. Addressing a group of Civil Servants Wednesday in Monrovia, CSA Director General Puchue Bernard acknowledged that the delivery of quality service can be achieved only through a motivated professional workforce, FrontPage Africareports.

Related Caption: CSA Launches Open accountability Program(In Profile Daily)

‘Imperial Gov’t Days Are Diminishing’ – Dr. Sawyer, As He Addresses 96^th UL Graduate School Commencement

Former Interim President, Dr. Amos C. Sawyer, has stated that the days of imperial governments in Liberia are diminishing and will soon be a thing of the past. Following his speech, the UL authorities awarded Dr. Sawyer and four former Presidents of the University the honorary degree of Honoris Causa, Those former UL presidents included Dr. Al Hassan Conteh, Dr. Ben A. Roberts, Dr. Frederick S. Gbegbe and Dr. Patrick L. Seyon, Daily Observer reports.

UL Dux Cautions Women

The state-run University of Liberia 2015 Valedictorian, Ms. Anita Taplah, has cautioned her fellow women here that beauty doesn’t bring success, but hard work and study.Delivering her valedictorian address on Wednesday, 16 December during the last of the series of U L graduations, Ms. Taplah said despite her beauty, she ‘kept her feet in a bucket of water’ for many nights to achieve her goal.“Let me sound this caveat to everyone under my voice that as a woman, beauty doesn’t bring success. Today, I can attest to the fact that many days - despite my beauty, I had to keep my feet in a bucket of water for many nights to achieve what I have achieved today,” Ms Taplah said. She scored the highest GPA in the College of Science, as well as the highest overall GPA for the 2015 graduating class at the T. J. R. Faulkner College of Science and Technology’s graduation ceremony on December 10, 2015, the New Dawn reports.

NHADedicates Brewerville Estate Friday

The National Housing Authority or NHA will tomorrow, Friday, December 18, officially dedicate the NASSCORP village estate in Brewerville city, Montserrado County.Speaking Wednesday in an interview with this paper, the Director of Communications at the NHA, Maxwell Davis, said the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) along with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is expected to grace the occasion, including several government officials. Maxwell said the estate project in Brewerville City was funded by NASSCORP, and added that each of the 52 units in the Jatondo Town community contains two to three bed rooms, one living room, back and front porches constructed on half lot of land, the New Dawn reports.