Summary for Thursday, June 30, 2016           
Prepared by the Bureau of Public Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Monrovia

International Press Clips on West Africa

LIBERIA

We’re ready to assume UN Peacekeeping mission – Liberia

The Liberian government says its forces are ready to assume the responsibility of the United Nations Peace keeping mission in the country as they end their mission there on Thursday. Devastating back-to-back civil wars in Liberia had necessitated the forming of the peacekeeping mission in September 2003 and the mandate was to ensure security, rebuild police and military forces from scratch and disarm rebels in the country. The UN military mission in Liberia is one of longest and largest missions in sub-Saharan Africa. [TVC News]

COTE D’IVOIRE

Ivory Coast's 'hero' professor backs student mothers

An Ivory Coast professor, who was photographed carrying a student's baby in class in a widely-shared image, has said being a mother should not stop women getting an education. Honore Kahi offered to take the baby as he was crying and preventing the mother from sitting in class. He said his students were surprised, began to laugh and then took pictures. He told the BBC that they then realized that "this is a good father, this is a real man....[and] a role model". Some of those sharing the photograph on social media praised him as a hero. [BBC News]

GHANA

We trust Police to handle Mahama convoy attackers – Deputy Minister

Deputy Minister of the Ashanti Region, Andy Osei Okrah is hopeful the Police will find the persons who attacked some National Democratic Congress executives during President Mahama’s ‘Accounting to the People Tour’ in the Ashanti Region. According to him, the matter has been reported to the Police and “once it has been reported to the Police I think they will take it from there.” “We just heard the news that some stones were thrown and because we don’t want to focus on those areas and to focus on what the President is doing in the Ashanti Region, we are not putting the premium on that and to focus on what can help the people.” [Ghana Web]

Local News

UNMIL’s Security Mandate Ends Today

Today, June 30, marks the end of the security mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), after which the UN will officially handover security to the government. The process began several years ago with a gradual drawdown of UNMIL. The government is to take full responsibility for the security of the country. UNMIL was deployed in 2003 with a contingent of over 15,000 troops, making it one of the largest peacekeeping missions in the world.Daily OBSERVER

UN security handover point of pride and fear in Liberia

As Liberia's security forces take over Thursday from UN peacekeepers for the first time since the civil war ended 13 years ago, national pride is mixed with fears the underfunded police are not up to the task. Government forces and rebel groups raped, massacred and maimed hundreds of thousands of people during two conflicts between 1989 and 2003, and the highly politicized police and army were disbanded after committing some of the worse abuses. Since then UN peacekeepers have largely ensured the country's security, though their numbers have dwindled from 15,000 in the aftermath of war to just under 4,000 today, as the nation's re-trained forces were assimilated. From this week the peacekeepers will have a small supporting role only. France 24, New Vision

President Sirleaf, Lawmakers Aware of 2010 Amended PPCC Act

Lawyers of Senator Varney Sherman and several others indicted by the government based on a Global Witness report of corruption have filed a motion to Criminal Court ‘C’ to drop the indictment against the accused. In their motion, the lawyers said the 2010 Restated and amended PPCC Act was published on 18 September 2010 and that a draft copy was referred to the legislature in a letter from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The Global Witness report accused Senator Sherman of receiving more than USD900,000 from a UK based  mining company, Sable Mining to bribe senior government officials to amend  the PPCC  law in order to give the company a non-bidding right to the Wologizi Mountain in Lofa County. Daily OBSERVER

UNMIL’s Last Day – Today, June 30, marks the end of the security mandate of United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), after which the UN will officially hand back security to Liberian Government. This has been a long anticipated event that gripped Liberians with fear and anxiety, though the process began several years ago, with the gradual drawdown of UNMIL’s foreign contingents. The Liberian government will re-assume full responsibility for the protection of its territorial integrity and inhabitants, nationals and foreign residents. Meanwhile an official turnover ceremony marking the assumption of all security responsibilities by the Government of Liberia from the UN Mission is scheduled for July 1, at the Monrovia City Hall. Daily Observer, FrontPageAfrica, Focus, The Analyst, In Profile, The Inquirer, New Democrat

‘Speaker Tyler’s Claims Baseless,’ President’s Office Urges Tyler, Others To Focus on Things that Matter – The attention of the Office of the Press Secretary to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been drawn to the Monday June 27, Press Conference by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alex Tyler in which he made several grave allegations against the person and office of the President. We were totally shocked that when our country was engulfed with the historic visit of the First Lady of the United States of America, Mrs. Michelle Robinson Obama, the sitting Speaker of the 53^rd Legislature would make such baseless and unfounded comments. Although Mrs. Obama’s visit was an occasion that witnessed the involvement and participation of senior officials of all branches of the Liberian Government, it was a complete surprise for the 3^rd ranking official of the Government of Liberia to attempt to take away the focus from the positives of the US First Lady’s visit to gossip politics. We reject all of the claims made by Speaker Tyler and can simply term his action as a mere scare-crow tactics principally because they are far from the truth. We dismiss as falsehood and totally baseless the insinuation about “the President-led plot” to use inducement for the removal of the Speaker when there are very important matters of state that need to be urgently attended to. We call on Speaker Tyler to exercise leadership in resolving the pending crisis at the House of Representatives instead of bringing his colleagues and the Office of the President into public disrepute through the wild and unsubstantiated claims he has made. Emansion, Daily Observer, FrontPageAfrica, Insight, New Dawn, New Republic, Women Voices, The Analyst, In Profile, The News, New Democrat

Indictment in Jeopardy? - Senator Sherman Lawyers Files Motion To Dismiss Case – Lawyers representing Senator Varney Sherman (Grand Cape Mount County) and several others charged in the Global Witness US$900,000 bribery scandal have filed a request before Criminal Court ‘C’ to drop the case brought against them by the government. Senator Sherman in his “Motion to Dismiss” argued that the 2010 Restated and Amended Public Procurement and Concessions (PPC) Act was published on September 18, 2010, but the draft copy was referred to the Legislature by a letter dated August 5, 2010 from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to the lawmakers, pointing to Section 75 of that Act. “That body also provided technical assistance for the 2010 Restated and Amended PPC Act and that the lawmakers did not change a single letter in the draft to arrive at the final that was enacted into law, approved and published by President Sirleaf,” they contended. According to them, the exploration regulation gives authority to the Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy to issue exploration license and to enter into exploration agreement to explore for minerals in Liberia. This, they claimed, shows that there was no motivation for the defendants to commit the crimes for which they have been indicted. Prosecutors are yet to respond to Sherman’s request to dismiss his indictment. Daily Observer, FrontPageAfrica, New Dawn, In Profile, Heritage, The Inquirer, New Democrat

Unity Party in Disarray? Dr. McIntosh Withdraws Membership Ahead of Convention – Dr. Toga McIntosh, the man who earlier this year expressed his desire to challenge Vice President Joseph Boakai for the standard bearer position of the ruling Unity Party in the pending convention has resigned from the party and withdrawn from the process. Dr. McIntosh, considered by many as the man favored by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf among the two to take the party to elections, announced on Wednesday at his Congo Town residence that he has withdrawn his membership from the party, though he said he remains active in the pending 2017 general and presidential elections. “The basic principle of Unity that we once cherished so dearly in UP is now questionable,” he said. “In light of this, it is with a heavy heart that I officially announce my membership withdrawal from the Unity Party. I have submitted a letter to the Party’s officials to that effect.” FrontPageAfrica, Insight, New Dawn, New Republic, The Analyst, In Profile, Heritage, The Inquirer, New Democrat

‘I Will Remove Him’: Ruling Unity Party Lawmakers Snowe, Fofana at Odds – Things seem to be going really bad in the Unity Party as the party is witnessing the exit of several key officials. The debate over who becomes the party’s standard bearer and chairman on the road to 2017 is twisting with an ugly turn. In a meeting in the office of Senator Edward Dagoseh late Tuesday evening, two UP lawmakers, Representatives Mariamu Fofana and Edwin Snowe could not hide their dislike for one another as the pro and anti-Tyler lawmakers launched a stinging attack against each other. During the meeting, Snowe accused Fofana of sending text messages to people to call on the Costa radio show to insult the President, a statement she angrily responded to by agreeing and promising to do more. In return, she accused him of carrying propaganda to Vice President Joseph Boakai about her position to support speaker Tyler. (Verbal exchange as it happened Snowe: “I will move him! Is it now that he knows government can kill people or President can give money to lawmaker? You cannot insult me …. I will deal with you….” Fofana:  What can you do to me? You cannot do me a damn thing .You are not even a member of UP you don’t pay dues. If I wasn’t paying my dues, the UP would be dead by now. You ran away and went to the CDC. You wearing all jersey no one know where you belong…) FrontPageAfrica

Unity Party Secretary General Paye Formally Declares Intention for Chairmanship – Liberia’s ruling Unity Party Secretary General, Wilmot Paye, has officially announced his intention to contest the National chairmanship of the party in its July 2016 primary which is expected to be held in Gbarnga, Bong County. Paye, who is still in the Secretary General post of the ruling establishment since October 2010, attributed his decision to contest for the chairmanship due to popular demand from over 400 members across Liberia. FrontPageAfrica

·         New Dawn says earlier, it was reported that Gender and Development Minister Madam Julia Duncan Cassell, Attorney Madina Wesseh, and Representative Henry Fahnbulleh had declared intention for the chairmanship, but up to present, the public has not heard anything about their interest.

Tyler shares over US$100,000, Retraction – Based on tip-off from sources at the Capitol, this paper reported on Wednesday, June 15, 2016 that House Speaker Alex Tyler thru the House’s Chairperson on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget, Lofa County Representative Moses Kollie dished out about US$108,000 to fellow lawmakers on behalf of the embattled Speaker, who is being increasingly pressurized to recuse himself from presiding over session in the wake of his indictment for corruption. However, our reporter assigned at the Capitol, who wrote the story, was unable to corroborate information provided by his sources within the corridors of the Capitol building before and after the publication of said article. This means that the editors on duty should not have even allowed the publication of said article in the first place. Hence, New Dawn newspaper hereby retracts the story, regrets the conveniences to those concerned and their respective constituents.

Liberia Ambassador to Nigeria Outlines President Sirleaf’s ECOWAS Four-Point Agenda – Liberia’s Ambassador to Nigeria and Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Prof. Al-Hassan Conteh, has outlined the priorities of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as the current Chair of ECOWAS. A dispatch from the Liberian Embassy in Abuja says the Ambassador re-echoed the President’s priorities in a four-point agenda, drawn from her acceptance speech the President delivered after being elected on a white ballot as the new chairperson of ECOWAS at the 49^th Ordinary Summit of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Dakar, Senegal on June 4, 2016. Focus, The Analyst, In Profile, Heritage  

Torrential Rains Hit Margibi, Several Left Homeless – Over 200 residents in Margibi County have been made homeless due to heavy downpour of rain on Wednesday June 29. In Kakata City alone, many residents’ homes were flooded and several houses and belongings damaged.  Communities affected by the flood included Bassa Community, Denisville and Bensville, Borlorla Road, 14^th Road, Kissi Community as well as other swamp areas in Kakata. Expressing frustration over the incident, Mr. Joseph S. Pallay, 63, said about 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday, he woke up to see his house entirely flooded. He said all of his belongings in his house and those of his neighbors were destroyed. He described the situation not only as embarrassing but devastating to the affected communities.Additional areas that were badly flooded in lower Margibi County included Joe Brooks Town and Du Bridge located around Division #2, Firestone. Residents, including road users were denied entrance to the Du-River Bridge for several hours on Wednesday morning due to the flooding. Daily Observer, New Republic, Women Voices, The Inquirer

Is WAEC Administering ‘Cancelled’ Exams?-Previous Exam Date Still Visible – When the West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams were canceled due to an unexpected theft at the Konola SDA Mission in Margibi County, it went on bended knees before the government begging for US$300,000 to reprint new exams. A highly placed source at the Ministry of Education said the Ministry gave the examination body a lump sum of $247,000 for a reprint of the exams which was postponed to June 27. But the appearance of May 2016 on the reprinted exam booklets has left many wondering whether the council did print the new exams. A source within the Ministry has hinted this paper that a reprint was never done by WAEC. Some students taking the exams who refused to be named said they were shocked when they saw May 2016 on their paper. FrontPageAfrica

Liberian Government Disburses Deployment Benefits to BIN Officers – The Government of Liberia has begun the disbursement of deployment benefits to 250 new graduates of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN).  The exercise is the second phase and now completes cash deployment package to 515 BIN officers who have so far graduated from the temporary BIN Training Centre in Grand Cape Mount County, the Camp Biago. The move is part of efforts by the government to increase full security coverage across the country in wake of the drawdown of UNMIL. FrontPageAfrica, Insight, Focus, Heritage

Government Prevents Army Worms’ Second Invasion – The government has taken charge of the dreaded army worms that have repeatedly invaded two major clans in Zota District, Bong County. The army worms destroyed crops, entered houses and contaminated water sources with their feces in the district. In 2009, similar caterpillars invaded the same District, leaving thousands of people homeless. The Analyst News

‘Liberia Ready to Champion Trade,’ WTO Delegate Declares – After three days of dedicated work to identify Liberia’s Post Accession Plan to promote trade facilitation and others, Delegates of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have described the country as well positioned to champion trade activities. Dr. Juneyoung Lee, Secretary of Liberia’s Working Party core representative of the WTO, shared her impression yesterday at the end of a three-day working session, which brought together representatives from the private sector, government and international community. Dr. Lee said, “We must say that the delegate is very impressed; Liberian citizens have set a remarkable example that is now referred to as the Liberian model. Liberia has extremely performed over some other governments in terms of WTO accession.” According to her, the commitment quality of Liberia’s accession is well secured in the Working Party’s Report (document that is a rule for the country to abide by), which is well appreciated in Geneva, Switzerland. Daily Observer, The Inquirer

‘We Have Businesses Set Aside Strictly For Liberians,’ Minister Addy Asserts – As the government concludes a three-day conference to identify and support Liberia’s Post Accession plan to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Minister of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), Axel Addy, has disclosed that a number of businesses have been set aside strictly for Liberian owned businesses. Minister Addy, Liberia’s chief negotiator in the ongoing WTO Liberia Post Accession Plan, made the disclosure yesterday at a special press stakeout held at a local resort in Monrovia. “There has been a serious concern from Liberia about the size of the economy and business set aside for Liberian owned businesses,” Minister Addy said. “Liberia’s package has already taken that into consideration in Liberia’s package and the people of Liberia can be assured. Daily Observer

DEA Warns NEC – Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Director, Anthony Souh, has warned the National Elections Commission to be vigilant in its activities thereby not allowing greedy people to destabilize the country’s peace and security. New Republic

US$673K ‘Illicit Drugs’ Destroyed – Authorities of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) yesterday burned about 8,159 Kg of home-grown Marijuana, 191 grams of cocaine and 149 grams of heroin valued over US$673, 464 in Monrovia. Some of the illicit substances that wouldn’t burn were taken apart and physically destroyed by the LDEA agents in full view of the public. “The ceremony that characterized the burning and the destruction of the illicit substances yesterday climaxed activities that officially marked the observance of this year’s International Drug Day in the country,” LDEA Director, Anthony K. Souh, told those who turned out en-masse, including LDEA’s foreign partners, for the occasion. Of the illicit substances the LDEA destroyed yesterday, Nimba County alone accounted for about 4, 843 kilograms of marijuana, 10 grams of heroin, followed by Bong County with 1,110 Kg of the home-grown marijuana. Daily Observer, New Dawn

Vietnam, Liberia Establish Diplomatic Ties – Vietnam and Liberia signed a joint communiqué establishing bilateral diplomatic ties during a ceremony in Hanoi on June 28. Liberian Ambassador to China D. McKinley Thomas said during the signing ceremony that Liberia wants to promote bilateral co-operation, thus laying a foundation to enhance its economic integration in the region and the world. He said a number of Vietnamese agricultural engineers; scholars and scientists have worked with Liberian partners, adding that most of the rice consumed by the Liberian people is imported from Vietnam. Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Hong Nam said the event would open up economic and trade opportunities, and wished that Vietnam-Liberia ties would further progress. Daily Observer, Women Voices

World Bank $US17M Sanitation Project Fails in Liberia?-MCC, PCC Accuse Contractors – The issue of poor sanitation in and around Monrovia remains a serious problem, especially after US$17.60 million pumped in by the World Bank for a project that ends December 30, 2016. With huge piles of garbage seen across Monrovia, the Monrovia and Paynesville Cities Corporations have accused the contractors of now doing their jobs. When it was initiated, EMUS Project was divided into two sections; the north includes Bushrod Island up to Front Street in Monrovia, and the south range from greater Monrovia up to Paynesville. After the departure of Zoom Lion, two Liberian companies, Caspian Holdings and LIBRA Sanitation were contracted by the World Bank to continue the EMUS Project. Authorities of the Monrovia City Corporation have alleged that the two companies are responsible for the filthiness of Monrovia and surrounding due to dismal performance. The story remains the same; the Paynesville City Corporation has also blamed the contractors for the poor sanitary state of Monrovia and its environs. On the contrary, the two companies have termed the allegation of not performing to expectation as false and misleading. They indicated that it is untrue that funds were given by the World Bank to implement the Project.FrontPageAfrica

Dissecting America's Disparity: Aid to Liberia Has Dropped 50 Percent in Last Few Years – A FrontPageAfrica investigation of support from the United States to Liberia from the period 2009 to 2017 has shown that the United States assistance to the country has been declining drastically and has dropped by more than 50 percent from $224.02 million in 2009 to $110.89 million commitment in 2017. This week, U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama made a stop in Liberia to promote her "Let Girls Learn initiative" which was followed by an announcement by USAID that it would be doling out $US27 million in funding to directly support the U.S. Government initiative aimed at ensuring adolescent girls in Liberia attain a quality education that empowers them to reach their full potential. In contrast, on her next stop, Morocco, the Madam Obama provided details of nearly $100 million in funding from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a foreign-aid agency, to create a new model for secondary education. The money will reportedly fund mentoring programs, internships, afterschool clubs, upgraded bathrooms for girls and "gender-responsive" training for teachers to change the way curriculum is delivered.FrontPageAfrica

Big International Investigation Over the Establishment of LoneStar Airlines –Hot Pepper reports that international war and economic crimes investigators have arrived in Liberia to investigate crimes dating back to the civil war and climaxing with the Unity Party-led government. One of the investigations surrounds the establishment of the LoneStar Airline by businessman Emmanuel Shaw and his partners with the consent of former President Charles Taylor.

Editorial 
Daily Observer: “Legislature Again Demands Financial Autonomy, Though Incapable Of Efficiently Managing One Building!” says As soon as the 52nd Legislature took office on January 16, 2006 they smelled money before they even thought—perhaps never did—about why they were there: to protect, uphold and defend the Constitution and to serve the needs of its impoverished constituencies throughout the country. No, they all went after power and money and started paying themselves fat salaries and benefits, and buying themselves expensive SUVs and establishing fabulous estates. They soon forgot where they came from and started anointing themselves as the most privileged Liberians. Yes, they asked for and received complete control of their budgets and financial autonomy. Yet, this is what happened a few months and years later: their bathrooms stopped working, their lights were cut off due to their failure to efficiently manage the power system, and so many other things shut down in the building. Nor have they ever even thought of or bothered about repairing the elevators in the building. They hardly seem concerned that the Legislative Information Service does not work effectively. Now Bong County Senator Jewel Howard Taylor, who has been in the Legislature since 2006, is calling again for “financial autonomy” for the first branch of government. The paper strongly suggest that the members of the Legislature seriously consider the terrible state of Liberia’s economy right now and get their act together to do the people’s business wisely with integrity and urgency.