THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2016

News of the National Elections Commission’s warning to  political parties regarding  pre-campaigning activities during the forthcoming 2017 General Elections, President Johnson Sirleaf’s visit to Senegal and the world Bank’s call for Africa to engage  in  agriculture activities in order to content with the prevailing low commodity price  are all highlighted in our today’s summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

NEC Warns Political Aspirants And Party Of Pre-Campaigning

The National Elections Commission (NEC) says it has come to their attention that some political parties and individuals desiring to seek political offices during the forthcoming 2017 General Elections are already engaged in violation of Chapter VI, Section 6 of the 2014 Guidelines relating to the registration of political parties and independent candidates. The In Profile Daily quotes a release from the NEC as saying that because the Commission takes its mandate of conducting free, fair and transparent elections seriously, it strongly warns political parties, independent aspirants and groups engaged in such activities to desist with immediate effect as the Commission will not hesitate to take punitive actions against violators which may include decertification or suspension in the case of political parties. The Commission however states that as stipulated in Chapter VI of the Guidelines related to political parties and candidates, the following activities are permissible during non-campaign periods: 

1.  Political party membership drive;

2. Establishment of party offices (both national and local);

3. Fund Raising Activities;

4. Use of Logo/emblems on offices, vehicles and other party properties;

5. Holding of political party national and local convention; 

6. Political party meetings; and 7. Representational activities, including receiving and responding to petition from constituencies.

Related Captions: NEC Detects Early Campaigning(The NEWS), NEC Warns Desperate Politicians(The New Dawn), NEC Warns Political Parties(FOCUS), NEC Warns Against Early Campaign(The INQUIRER)

Pres. Sirleaf On One Day Working Visit To Dakar

According to the New Dawn newspaper, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has visited the Senegalese capital, Dakar, for a working visit at the invitation of her Senegalese counterpart, Mr. Macky Sall. An Executive Mansion release said, President Sirleaf and Senegalese President Sall will discuss bilateral issues as well as issues relative to the sub-regional organization, ECOWAS. President Sall serves as chairman of sub-regional organization, ECOWAS. President Sirleaf was accompanied by a small high-level delegation including Foreign Minister Marjon Kamara. While the Liberian leader is away from the country, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs. Julia Duncan Cassell, will chair the Cabinet in consultation with Vice President Dr. Joseph N. Boakai, Sr. President Sirleaf and delegation are expected back later this afternoon.

Related Captions: President Sirleaf Visits Senegal(In Profile Daily), Ellen Pays Working Visit In Dakar(Women Voices)  

In the Wake of Low Commodity Prices: World Bank Stresses Agro Development 

A world bank report has stressed  the need for Africa to transform herself by increasing  shares and production of non-resources commodity like agriculture in a bid to content with the prevailing low commodity price that have been predicted to impede growth. According to the INQUIRER newspaper, the report named “Africa’s Pulse” which was launched in Washington DC Monday noted that sub-Saharan African countries will continue to face low and volatile price in the global commodity market.

Related Captions: Vulnerable Economy-WB Terms Liberia’s Financial Situation (FOCUS),Liberia’s Economy Spirals-Says World Bank (Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES

Operation Attack Plastic Continues

Monrovia City Mayor Clara Doe Mvogo has disclosed that the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) promotion targeting used plastic for recycling purposes is currently ongoing. Speaking at MICAT regular press confab Thursday, Mayor Mvogo said MCC is currently in partnership with community based enterprises to ensure that used plastics are collected from the communities. She told Liberians that her entity is also collaborating with the EPA, Sethi Brothers, UNICEF and the World Bank in providing funding for plastic collectors in the “plastic attack campaign”. Mayor Mvogo explained that plastic campaign started in December of last year and students were recruited from schools to participate in the campaign. She said students as part of the campaign had to collect plastics and take them to Sethi Brothers for commercial purposes, writes the NEWS newspaper.

Wen's Town In M/Gibi Gets First Hand-Pump...In 20 Years  

The Checago Bright Foundation (CBF), Inc through its CEO, Mr. Checago Bright-Sawo and partner, S4 Infinity has dedicated a modern hand-pump to the people of Wen's town in rural lower Margibi County. According to the NEWS newspaper, it was their first time in twenty years to begin drinking clean and safe water.   Dedicatory officer, Mr. Jallah Kesselly, President of NOBEL Liberia Limited expressed his gratitude to Mr. Bright-Sawo for his unflinching support to people in rural Liberia. He expressed his company's willingness to continue partnership with the foundation in making remarkable gains amongst striving citizens in sorting out some of their challenges.  He however called on citizens and residents of Wen's town to maintain the facility for the good of their community.

Immigration Officers To Carry Guns

The Daily Observer reports that the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN) has announced that Immigration officers assigned in eight of the 15 counties will begin carrying personal defensive equipment while on duty. BIN Commissioner, Cllr. Lemuel Reeves, said the best of 150 officers from the Border Patrol Unit (BPU) would be selected following rigid vetting to participate in a thorough combat training, as well as in the usage, management, storage and control of lethal weapons. Commissioner Reeves stated that successful officers will carry firearms and other defense gear, which will include pepper spray, batons and handcuffs, at the land borders. He said the armed border officers will be trained by soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) to enhance mobile and foot patrols at the land borders in Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, Bong, Lofa, River Gee and Maryland counties. He said the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has provided eight tents and additional eight are expected for the 23 entry points where officers are assigned, but do not have structures. He pointed out that about 250 officers are already in training in Sinje, adding that an increment in salaries of BIN officers is under consideration, as well as the supply of uniforms and other logistics.

Liberia Gets Business Consortium

The Deputy Chief of Party for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Investing for Business Expansion (IBEX) project, Augustus Flomo, says a six-member consortium has been elected to help drive Liberia’s business sector to another level. According to the Daily Observer, the consortium includes William R. Dennis of Business Start-Up Center Monrovia, chairman; Samuel Thompson of Agency for Economic Development and Empowerment, co-chairman; Watchen H. Bruce of IBEX, secretary; and O. Natty B. Davis of Deveron Incorporated, legal adviser. Others are Sophiatou Colliee of Pact Liberia as legal affairs for the consortium and Edwina V. Lincoln of Business Link Incorporated as assistant secretary.

Speaking Thursday at the end of a two-day workshop, which climaxed with the election of the consortium membership, Mr. Flomo said the officials would perform three major functions to help Liberians in the development of their businesses. The functions include standardizing business development across the country, working with stakeholders and elevating the conversations of business development. The daily writes that the IBEX project, USAID/IBEX aims to provide technical support and capacity building for SMEs in the agriculture, renewable energy, infrastructure, construction, general merchandise, transportation and hospitality chain sectors, with the aim of increasing use of the DCA.

Deputy Minister-Designate To Improve Foreign Relations

According to the Hot Pepper newspaper, the Deputy Minister designate for International Cooperation and Economic Integration Hon. Dehpue Y. Zuo has told members of the Senate’s Committee on Foreign Affairs that there is a need to improve Liberia’s foreign relationship with foreign countries. He said, if confirmed, he will meet with ministries’ heads to strengthen the relationship with foreign partners. According to him, he will wisely use his position, in consultation with his boss, to cement Liberia’s relations with other countries. During the confirmation hearing, the Deputy Minister-designate said, if confirmed, he will not be strange to the position because he served there as assistant minister. He told the Senate’s committee on Foreign Affairs that he will use the position, if confirmed, to serve his country in a passionate way.

Liberia, Guinea Partner In ‘Ebola Fight’

WHO and Ministry of Health teams in Guinea and Liberia have established epidemiological links between new Ebola cases in Liberia and a current flare-up of Ebola in neighboring Guinea following intensified case investigations and contact tracing. Investigation teams in Guinea had been searching for the wife and three young children of a man who died of Ebola last month in the southern prefecture of Macenta. The family members were considered high-risk contacts. It is now believed that the wife traveled to Liberia with her children after her husband’s death to join relatives who live in the capital, Monrovia, reports FOCUS newspaper.

20 Volunteers Train In Malaria Treatment and  Preventtion

The FOCUS newspaper pens that over 20 Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in Ganta City, Nimba County have been certificated after two weeks training in the prevention and treatment of malaria, common cold and fever. The training, organized by the Ministry of Health and partners, was geared towards reducing the spread of common diseases in the country. In an interview with the Liberia News Agency in Ganta over the weekend, the District Health Officer (DHO) of the Sanniquillie Health Team, Rancy Lakpor, said the training was intended to build the capacities of CHVs to speedily respond to outbreaks of common diseases in communities.