The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017

News of President Sirleaf’s congratulatory message to H.E. Mr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President-elect of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Government of the Republic of Liberia pronouncement on the holding of a Memorial Service for the late former Chairperson of the Council of State, Madam Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry, President Sirleaf’s message of condolence to His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, following the death of H.E. Mr. Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations and the SOS Villages International’s decision to renew its partnership with Liberia are stories highlighted in today’s summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORY

Ellen Congratulates New German President-Elect

The Heritage newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to H.E. Mr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President-elect of the Federal Republic of Germany. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name said “You have assumed this great office at the time relations between our two countries have been strengthened considerably and our development cooperation have reached unprecedented heights,” the Liberian leader noted, adding that Germany remains a significant and reliable friend to Liberia and has been very supportive to its development efforts, particularly in critical sectors including energy, infrastructure, and bio-diversity.

Related Captions: Pres. Sirleaf Congratulates New German President-Elect (FOCUS), President Sirleaf Applauds New German President-Elect (INSIGHT)

Memorial Service For Ruth Sando Perry On Saturday

The Government of the Republic of Liberia announces that it will hold a Memorial Service for the late former Chairperson of the Council of State, Madam Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry. According to the Daily Observer, the Memorial Service takes place at the Good Shepard Episcopal Church in Paynesville City at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 25, 2017. The late Mrs. Perry died in Colombus, Ohio, United States of America early Sunday, January 8, 2017 in her 77th year. She was laid to rest at the Glenn Rest Memorial Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America. The late Mrs. Perry served as the third Interim Chair of the Council of State during the country’s civil crisis from September 3, 1996 to August 2, 1997.

Related Captions: Gov’t Holds Memorial Service For Late Ruth Perry Saturday (Heritage), Gov’t Holds Memorial Service-For Stateswoman, Madam Ruth Perry On Saturday (FOCUS), GoL To Hold Memorial Service For Ruth Sando Perry (INSIGHT)

Ellen Consoles Russia Over Death Of Envoy

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a condolence message to His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, following the sudden demise of H.E. Mr. Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations.

Ambassador Churkin passed away on Monday, February 20, 2017 at New York’s Presbyterian Hospital. The diplomat is said to have suffered a cardiac arrest while at the Russian Mission in New York. The INSIGHT newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying, in her consolation message to her Russian counterpart, Mr. Putin, the Liberian leader said “This is a colossal loss not only to Russia but also to the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, where Ambassador Churkin was an outstanding figure and very revered by his colleagues.” President Sirleaf believed that Ambassador Churkin’s tenacity and commitment to duty, which largely distinguished him in the field of diplomacy, will inspire many others, especially to a call to national duty.

Related Captions: President Sirleaf Consoles Putin (FOCUS), President Sirleaf Consoles Russian President Vladimir Putin (Daily Observer)

Min. Cassell Stresses Public-Private Partnership While SOS Int’l Boss Seeks Renewed Partnership with Liberia

A visiting delegation of the SOS Villages International on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Julia Duncan Cassell aimed at discussing ways to address youth problems in Liberia as well as pledging the organization’s commitment to working with government to create more opportunities for youths. The SOS delegation headed by the President, Siddhartha Kaul, included the Deputy Operations Officer, Tom Malvet, the International Regional Director, Benoit Poit who were accompany by the Acting National Director, Simon Tokjohozin and one of the Board members, Cllr. Henry Reed Cooper. Mr. Kaul hoped that Liberia can be a good partner to the SOS family now that there is a long existence of peace; acknowledging that Liberia has more needs, adding that a peaceful transition will be the best assurance for better partnership, the FOCUS newspaper says.

Related Captions: SOS International Boss Seeks Renewed Partnership with Liberia (Heritage), SOS International Boss Seeks Renewed Partnership With Liberia (The INQUIRER), SOS Int’l Boss Seeks Renewed Partnership With Liberia (Daily Observer)

OTHER STORIES

I Support Freedom of the Press and Expression; VP Boakai Tells PUL Officials

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has emphasized that he supports freedom of the press and expression in keeping with Article 15 of the Liberian Constitution and the traditional roles of the press are compromised too many people will suffer and that the only way to expect good reports is to do the right thing. Vice President Boakai was speaking Tuesday on Capitol Hill when he received a four-man delegation of the PUL headed by its President Charles Coffey, the Heritage newspaper reports.

Related Caption: ‘I Support Freedom Of The Press & Expression’…Says Veep Boakai (The INQUIRER)

Inter-Parliament Invites Speaker Nuquay as Rep. Julia Wiah Replaces Late Kparkar at Pan African Parliament

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has invited J. Emmanuel N. Nuquay, Speaker of the House of Representatives to its 136^th Assembly of the IPU, which is expected to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from Saturday, April 1, to Wednesday April, 5, 2017. The IPU is the World organization of national parliaments, which brings together 171 national parliaments as members and most of the main regional and other parliament organizations as Associate Members or Permanent Observers. A communication from the Secretary General of the IPU to Speaker Nuquay, which was read on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 in the House’s Session, indicates that the invite is stemmed from Liberia’s express of interest in re-joining the IPU, the INSIGHT newspaper reads.

Related Caption: Liberia Seeks Readmission To Inter-Parliamentary Union (Daily Observer)

MC Expels 19-Students For Academic Fraud

According to the INSIGHT newspaper, the Monrovia College and Industrial Training School, commonly known as MC, has expelled with immediate effect 19 students. In a statement issued Tuesday in Monrovia, the President of the College J. Philip Augustus Theowayn said the affected students and their parents/guardians academic information to the school during their admission. He said the students and their parents/guardians may also be held culpable for criminal facilitations, criminal conspiracy and forgery or counterfeiting, as per 10.4 paragraph 1 and 15.70 paragraph 1 of the penal Law Title 26-Liberia Code of Law Revised, 1976. The MC President described the acts by the affected students as a gross-violation of the principles and core values as well as the code of conduct for students at the institution.

MFDP Rejects SOE UNITS Head’s Resignation Told To Stay On And Cooperate With Audit Team

The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) says following the Commissioning of an internal audit of its State Own Enterprise (SOE) Unit during the weekend, it has received a letter of resignation from the head of the SOE Unit, Mr. Siafa Chowo. The Ministry in a statement yesterday indicated that it totally rejects Mr. Chowo’s resignation in the middle of an audit, and is therefore requesting him to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation. It can be recalled that early this week, f the Minister of Finance and Development Planning Boima S. Kamara commissioned another internal audit focusing on financial transactions for the past year of the State Own Enterprise Unit of the MFDP, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

Related Caption: Resignation At Finance-Amid Audit! (In Profile Daily)

VP Boakai, Cummings, Dr. Jones Invited To Rotary Forum 

The Daily Observer says the Rotary Clubs of Monrovia and Sinkor have designated the month of February as ‘peace and conflict prevention and resolution’ month to help stimulate discussion on those issues among presidential aspirants in the forthcoming legislative and presidential elections. The Daily Observer quotes a release issued by Global Media Tuesday as saying that  the Rotary Clubs of Monrovia and Sinkor have invited three presidential hopefuls to an open forum on Thursday at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor. Those invited are Vice President Joseph Boakai, standard bearer of the ruling Unity Party; Mr. Alex Cummings, standard bearer of the Alternative National Congress (ANC); and Dr. J. Mills Jones, standard bearer of the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE). The topic for the forum is “Processes and mechanisms for keeping peace and tranquility before, during and after the impending presidential and legislative elections in Liberia.”

Related Caption: Rotary Club Engages In Peace & Conflict Prevention…Invites 3 Presidential Aspirants (The INQUIRER)

Ganta Community Embarks On US$250K Market Project

Residents of Guinea Road Community under the banner “Concerned Movement for Development” have embarked on the construction of a modern market building to the tune of US$250,000. The group’s leader, Elvis Gweh, said the new market will enable the community to do business and boost the group’s socioeconomic activities in and out of the community. He said the community decided to construct the market to ease the difficulties getting to the main market. According to the Daily Observer, Mr. Gweh spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony held on Saturday, February 18, in Nimba County Electoral District # 1.

House Reviews Launch Of National ID Card System

The Daily Observer says the House of Representatives is reviewing the option to allot funds for the production and release of national identification (ID) cards for all Liberians. The House’s Committees on State Enterprise, Judiciary and Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning have been tasked with seeking expert opinion and to advice Plenary in two weeks (Tuesday, March 7). The Joint Committee on the Implementation of the National Identification Scheme was setup on Tuesday, February 21, during the House’s 13th Day Sitting. The revision of the ID card scheme comes from a letter from Nimba County District #8 Representative Larry P. Younquoi, who requested Plenary of the House to initiate an appropriate national allocation in the Fiscal Year 2017/2018 budget for the implementation of the national identification scheme.