THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2016

Today’s News Summary highlights stories including news of President Johnson Sirleaf’s Congratulatory Message to the Governments and peoples of the Republics of Togo and Sierra Leone, on their respective Independence Anniversaries.

Also Included in the Summary is President Johnson Sirleaf’s Congratulatory Message to the Government and people of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on the occasion of the 49^th birthday of His Royal Highness King Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands.

DOMINANT STORY

President Sirleaf Congrats Togo, Sierra Leone and South Africa

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent separate messages of congratulations to the Governments and peoples of the Republics of Togo and Sierra Leone, on the occasion marking their 56th and 55th Independence Anniversaries, respectively, on April 27, 2016. According to a Foreign Ministry release, in the message to her Togolese counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, the Liberian President assured President Gnassingbe that the Government of Liberia will continue to support continental and regional peace and security and further prayed that the bonds of friendship enjoyed by their two countries will be further strengthened for the mutual benefits of their respective peoples. Whereas, to her Sierra Leonean counterpart, His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President Sirleaf said after successfully defeating the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, it is her fervent prayer that the Almighty God will restore the prosperity of Sierra Leone as God continues to endow President Koroma with abundant wisdom to lead his country to noble heights. In a related development, President Sirleaf has also sent a message of congratulations to the Government and people of the Republic of South Africa on the occasion marking the 22nd Freedom Day Anniversary of that country. In the message to the South African President, His Excellency Mr. Jacob Zuma, President Sirleaf recalled with gratitude, the sisterly support of South Africa during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia and other affected countries. President Sirleaf entertained the hope that as the people of South Africa commemorate this historic occasion, which ended the despotism of apartheid and ushered in an inclusive democratic dispensation under the auspicious leadership of the iconic freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela, the historic cordial ties of friendship and cooperation which subsist between their two countries will be further strengthened for the mutual benefit of their two peoples, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Captions: Ellen Congratulates Togo, Sierra Leone And South Africa(Heritage), Ellen Congratulates Togo, Sierra Leone(The NEWS)

OTHER STORIES

Pres. Sirleaf Congratulates King of Netherlands On His 49^th Birth Anniversary

The FOCUS newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to the Government and people of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on the special occasion commemorating the 49^th birthday of His Royal Highness King Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands. According to the release, in her message to His Highness King Willem-Alexander, President Sirleaf said Liberia is honored to pay tribute to His Highness King Willem-Alexander as the first male monarch of the Netherlands in 123 years, whose outgoing personality and creativity have inspired hope and confidence throughout the Dutch Kingdom.

Decentralization, CSC Take Center Stage In Gbarnga

The National Decentralization Program and the dedication of the County Service Center for Bong County added extra impetus to a one-day meeting held on Monday April 25, 2016 in Gbarnga, Bong County during a review of the government’s developmental roadmap, National Agenda For Transformation. At the dedication of the Bong County’s Service Center President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said the center was intended to bring the government closer to the people. The Service Center is expected to provide 21 services, including processing of birth certificates, driver licenses, land deeds and payment of taxes. The policy was part of the National Policy on Decentralization and Local Governance which was adopted by the cabinet and launched by the government in 2012 as a legal framework upon which De-concentration could be achieved. The policy brought together 12 government ministries headed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and two international agencies led by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to ensure that the policy is implemented, according to the New Dawn newspaper.

 Related Caption: AFT Review In Gbarnga: Decentralization, CSC Take Center Stage(Heritage)

MOH Launches Vaccine Campaign In Ganta

The New Dawnnewspaper reads that the Ministry of Health in collaboration with development partners has launched two vaccine campaigns in Ganta, Nimba County. They include vaccine for the genital human papillomavirus (HPV) and the Rotavirus vaccine for babies age five and children age 10. The campaign will cover Bong, Margibi and Nimba counties, respectively. Rotavirus infects the intestinal tract of almost all young children by age five, while HPV is a common virus that is passed from one person to another through direct skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. Most sexually active people will get HPV at some time in their lives, though most will never even know it. HPV infection is most common in people in their late teens and early 20s. It causes cervical cancer in women and other less common cancers, including cancers of the anus, penis, vagina, and vulva and oropharynx. Speaking Monday, 25 April in Ganta during the launch, Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Minister of Health, Doctor Francis Kateh urged citizens to make use of the vaccines. Doctor Kateh said the HPV and the ROTA vaccines absolutely pose no harm to children, stressing that it is intended to fight womb cancer at an early age in children 10 years old and below.

Think Liberia, Love Liberia, and Build Liberia VP Boakai nudges TU Students

Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai has urged students of the William V. S. Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County and other Liberians to put on a sense of patriotism, if Liberia is to move on par with other countries of patriotism, if Liberia is to move on par with other countries around the world. Vice President Boakai said in order to prepare for the future, determine what the future means for them. The Liberia’s Vice President was speaking Monday, April 25, 2016, at the Speakers’ Bureau of the William V. S. Tubman University in Harper City, Maryland County, on the theme: “Think Liberia, Love Liberia and Build Liberia”. Accordingly, the Speakers’ Bureau is designed to bring to the university and community qualified with a message of relevance to provoke positive change, the Heritage newspaper writes.

CEMESP Launches National Decentralization Observatory Report

The Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP), with support from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 launched the National Decentralization Observatory Report. The National Decentralization Observatory Report titles: “Toward a decentralized Liberia County specific preparedness monitoring report”, was launched in the Auditorium of the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) Building on Broad Street, Monrovia. Giving an overview of the report, CEMESP Executive Director, Mr. Malcolm W. Joseph, explained that the project, generating citizens’ input on decentralization and local governance was in 2014 through 2015 funded by OSIWA and implemented by CEMESP, the Heritage writes.

Police Uncover Cache of Ammunition in Bomi

The Liberia National Police has uncovered a huge quantity of ammunition in the Vai Town Community in Tubmanburg City, Bomi County. Making the disclosure Tuesday at a press conference at the police headquarters in Monrovia, the Police Spokesman Sam Collins said the ammunition which include both AK-47 and M-4 rounds, was discovered in an abandoned well in the area. According to him the ammunition is currently in the custody of the LNP, while further investigation is ongoing, the NEWS newspaper writes.

Related Caption: Ammunitions Discovered In Bomi(FOCUS)

LPRC Mandated to Collect Standard Fees from China Union, SIRMEX

The Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) has been mandated to collect standard fees and charges placed on petroleum products, which were stored by SRIMEX Oil and Gas in storage tanks assigned to China Union. According to a MICAT release Tuesday, SRIMEX Oil and Gas Inc. was not authorized to have done so. The release said LPRC has Directed SRIMEX to remove all products from tanks, which were originally designed to hold Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) to power China Union’s generators for its mining operations, and allow that supplies to LEC as prioritized in the distribution of the products lifted from the tanks, the NEWS daily reports.

Related Caption: LPRC To Collection Fees On Petrol Products In China Union Tanks(FOCUS)

Vision 2030 Records Major Progress

The 5-year National Vision Plan crafted from the long-term government agenda has recorded tremendous progress; President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has disclosed. The fourth pillar at the Aft or Agenda for Transformation was revealed on Monday at the National Government summit held in Gbarnga City, Bong County. The Submit was held under the theme: Liberia Rising 2030: Taking Stock of a Shared Future. Elaborating on the economic pillar of the Agenda for Transformation, outgoing Finance & Development Planning Minister, Amara Konneh, who served as the keynote speaker disclosed that few years back Liberia was nowhere in terms of infrastructural developments and that its infrastructures were in deplorable condition while electricity was a dream, reports the INQUIRERnewspaper.

Related Caption:$2.4b Pumped Into Economy(New Democrat)

BCTC Students Wants College Completed

According to the INQUIRERnewspaper, students of the Bong County Technical College (BCTC) are appealing to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to intervene in the completion of their college. The Bong County Technical College when completed will be the biggest community college among the six other colleges opened in other counties. There has been confusion over the college in recent times something that led to the dismissal of the college’s President, Dr. John Flomo.

Paynesville City Council Breaks Ground

The Paynesville City Corporation has broken grounds for the construction of welcome and exit signs in the R2 Community. The Welcome and Exit Signs were made possible through sponsorship of the Liberia Coca-Cola Bottling Company (LCCBC). The RIA R2 project welcome and exit sings are a joint effort between the Coca-Cola bottling Companying and the City government of Paynesville. The signs are an effective way of raising awareness to significant number of people entering and leaving Paynesville writes the FrontPage Africanewspaper.