The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

News of the Liberia Electricity Corporation’s reduction in electricity tariff from 49 cents to 39 cents per kilowatt hour, the Commissioner General of Liberia Revenue Authority, Mrs. Elfrieda Steward Tamba’s disclosure of a sum of $530 billion been siphoned from Africa by multinationals engaging in illicit flow of funds and tax evasion and the National Security Agency assertion that Mr. Michael Samukai is in legal possession of the fire arm.

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia Reduces Price On Electricity

According to the INSIGHT newspaper, the Board of Directors of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has approved a reduction in electricity tariff from 49 cents per kilowatt hour (kwh). The daily says the new measure was taken on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, in line with pronouncement by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, as contained in her final annual message delivered to the National Legislature on January 23, 2017. The Chairman of LEC Board of Director, Mr. Ian Yhap said this reduction is a clear manifestation of Government’s commitment to provide affordable electricity, and give power to the people.

Related Captions: LEC Reduces Electricity Tariff (Heritage), LEC Reduces Tariff (The INQUIRER), Electricity Price Dropped (In Profile Daily)

Multinationals Siphon $530bn From Africa

The Chairperson of the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) and Commissioner General of Liberia Revenue Authority, Mrs. Elfrieda Steward Tamba has disclosed that a sum of $530 billion is estimated to have been siphoned from Africa by multinationals engaging in illicit flow of funds and tax evasion. Quoting the Daily Trust Newspaper of Nigeria, the New Dawn newspaper says Mrs. Tamba spoke while declaring open the Annual International Tax Conference in Abuja, the Daily Trust Newspaper of Nigeria reports. “According to Global Financial Integrity, a total of $530 billion is estimated to have been siphoned from our region from us the rightful owners by multinationals bent on engaging in illicit flow of funds including tax evasion and other illegal activities during the period of 2003-2012. This loss rate is tragically alarming.” Tamba said. She, however, said law reforms and building of capacity are two cardinal measures to mitigate the problems of illicit flows of funds.

Related Captions: US$530bn Siphoned From Africa-Says LRA Boss By Multinationals (FOCUS), ‘US$530bn Siphoned From Africa By Multinationals-LRA Boss says At Intl Tax Confab In Abuja (FrontPage Africa), ‘$530bn Siphoned From Africa By Multinationals’-LRA Boss Says At Intl Tax Confab In Abuja (In Profile Daily)

NSA admits Giving Gun to Minister’s Son

The Chief of Amory for the National Security Agency appeared on March 2, 2017 in Court to testify on behalf of the Minister of Defense’s son Michael Samukai. The NSA was subpoena by Criminal Court “A” to testify as to whether the defendant is in the employ of the NSA and whether the gun used by the defendant on the Tropicana Beach was issued by the NSA. Talking the witness stand, Nyankun told the Court that Samukai is an employee of the NSA and added that the gun issued to him was a directive of the NSA boss, according to the In Profile Daily newspaper. 

Related Captions: Samukai Was Qualified To Carry Armed-Says NSA (The INQUIRER), Defendant Samukai Legally Carrying Arm…NSA Chief Of Armory Testifies In Court (Heritage), Witness Says Samukai ‘Legally Carrying Arm’ (INSIGHT)

ULD Candidate Emerges Winner In Lofa By-Election - But MOVEE’s Kamba Protests Results

The Daily Observer reports that the National Elections Commission (NEC) Thursday announced Francis Sackila Nyumalin, Sr. winner of the representative by-elections held in Lofa County Electoral District 1. Mr. Nyumalin contested on the ticket of the Union of Liberia Democrats (ULD) and came out first among others with 32.0% which represents 3,149 votes while his closest opponent, Mr. William Kamba emerged with 30.5%, which represents 2,996 votes. Addressing the media during a press conference at the Commission’s headquarters in Monrovia, NEC Chairman Cllr. Jerome Korkoyah said Mr. Kamba, candidate of MOVEE, forwarded a complaint to his political party, stating that there were frauds that might have led to the huge number of invalid votes reported by the NEC staff in an area said to be his stronghold. Though he did not say what the frauds were, the NEC Chair noted that said complaint was formally filed to his office. “The MOVEE complaint has reached our office and it is because of it we have decided to put on hold the certification of the winner. We need to look into it and, after substantiating truths or falsehoods through appropriate investigations, we will submit the winner to the public for official service,” Cllr. Korkoyah noted.

Related Captions: NEC Halts Certification Program For Lofa By-Election (The INQUIRER), ULD’s Nyumalin Wins Lofa By-Election (In Profile Daily), In Lofa By-Election: Winner’s Certification Halted (Heritage)

Pres. Sirleaf Submits ECOWAS Bill for Ratification

The FOCUS newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has submitted to the National Legislature for ratification, an Act to amend the Act ratifying and adopting the ECOWAS Common external tariff and amended. The objective of the bill according to President Sirleaf is to create the legal framework that allows Liberia to adopt a five-year plan to the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) President Sirleaf said in a communication accompanying the bill to the National Legislature on Thursday that it was agreed among members of ECOWAS Community with a view to establish a custom union. She said the Act ratifying and adopting the CET in Liberia provides each country a two-year transition period thereby alleviating the immediate negative Impact of the CET as it relates to basic household consumables and critical inputs. The Liberian leader emphasized that due to the impact of the CET on national revenue the EC0WAS authority has provided each country a five years transition period to implement the tariff for certain commodities.

Related Caption: Ellen Submits ECOWAS CET Bill For Ratification (Heritage)

Six Lane Multi-Nat’t Highway To Up Regional Integration-Official

ECOWAS Special Representative to Liberia Ambassador Babatunde Ajisomo says the proposed six-lane multi-national highway project in the sub-region will support the integration agenda and stimulate economic growth and social development. Ambassador Ajisome explained that the highway will strengthen economic activities and reduce poverty as well as improve security and enhance accessibility within the region. He made the statement Wednesday at the start of a three-day meeting on road Infrastructure and Justice Ministers and experts for the Dakar-Abidjan development project and the phases two of the Dakar-Lagos highway project convened in Monrovia. 

Related Caption: Six-Lane Multi-National Highway To Up Regional Integration (Heritage)

Women Colloquium Targets 1500 Participants

Deputy Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister Madam Siene Abdul Bak says 1,500 participants from Liberia are expected to grace this year’s International Women Colloquium due to be held from March 7 to 8 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville. The Deputy Gender Minister told a regular press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism on Capitol Hill Thursday, 2 March that during the event, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf will be honored, while fallen heroes will be recognized. The New Dawn newspaper quotes Madam Bak as saying that this year’s Women Colloquium will focus on women leadership across various sectors, to identify challenges and highlight lessons learned for the enhancement of women empowerment. 

Related Caption: Liberia Set To Celebrate International Women’s Day (Heritage)

Lawmakers To Attend ECOWAS Sensitization Campaign

Members of the House of Representatives are expected to participate in the 2nd celebration of the ECOWAS sensitization and awareness campaign on the free movement of person, goods and services, biometric identification card and preparedness of Liberia’s migration to a single currency regime. The activities are scheduled to be held in Bo- Waterside, Grand Cape Mount County on Friday, 10 March in Liberia. According to the New Dawn newspaper, the Head of ECOWAS National Office and Chair of ECOWAS Technical Working Group Benedict D. Roberts informed the lawmakers through a communication sent to the House of Representatives on Thursday, 2 March.

Immigration To Operate Modern Fraud Lab At RIA

A modern fraud detection lab to be operated by the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) is expected to come on line by mid-march. Communication Director Abraham Dorley made the disclosure Wednesday when he appeared on ELBC ‘Super Morning Show.” He said the purpose of the lab is to aid LIS officials and other security operatives at the RIA detect fraudulent travel and other important documents, reads the Heritage newspaper.

Stakeholders Review Draft National Action Plan On Child Labor-Liberia And Somalia Are The Only Countries In Africa That Have Not Ratified ILO Convention 138 On The Minimum Age

A two-day National Action Plan (NAP) seminar to address the fight against child labor as well as make recommendations to finalize a document for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor, has been reviewed by stakeholders in Monrovia. According to the Daily Observer, the seminar was organized by the Ministry of Labor in collaboration with the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC)/International Labor Organization and the in Rock/ARCH Project. At the two-day interactive validation workshop, participants made several recommendations to the draft NAP document; key among them was the ‘Goal and Timeframe of the NAP,’ which aims “To reduce the Worst Forms of Child Labor by at least 50 percent by 2021.” The participants discussed and agreed that the timeframe was unrealistic and impossible to achieve and therefore the goal should be set for 2030 in line with Liberia’s national agenda: “The Agenda for Transformation (AFT) or Vision 2030.”

Ngafuan Wants 2-Term Limit For ECOWAS Member States-Raps On Power Transfer In Africa

The Daily Observer reads that former Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has urged the authorities of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to amend its protocol on democracy to set a two-term limit for all presidential tenures for its member states. Mr. Ngafuan said such a positive lead from ECOWAS countries may ease the way for the adoption of term limits by all member states of the African Union.  According to a dispatch, Mr. Ngafuan spoke recently in Lagos, Nigeria, when he served as the guest speaker at this year’s ‘World Understanding Symposium’ sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lagos. Ngafuan, who resigned from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s government in order to make way for his own presidential bid, stated: “In the ECOWAS region, almost every country has provisions in their constitutions restricting presidential tenures to a maximum of two terms. I, therefore, propose the adoption of the amendment of the ECOWAS protocol on democracy to formally accommodate this reality.” He frowned on “sit-tight” leaders in Africa who continue to hold onto power and subvert the peaceful and democratic transfer of power in their countries.

Revisit ArcelorMittal, Firestone Agreements:  Ellen Declares; Writes Legislature For Approval

The FOCUS Newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has written The House of Representative to renegotiate and ament concession agreements signed between ArcelorMittal –Liberia and the Firestone Rubber Plantation Company. ArcelorMittal is the world leading steel giant company. Its principal export is iron ore which come from Liberia, whereas the Firestone Plantation Company is one the leading producers of rubber on the global market. The Liberia leader, in a five-paragraph communication, told the Legislature that it is necessary for the government to revisit the two agreements in those concessions which have financially deteriorated due the drastic decline in their various global commodities.

Prices BMMC Erects 325 Housing Units for Locals

The CEO of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation, Mr. Serhan Umurhan has disclosed that currently as a way of fulfilling its corporate responsibility to the locals in Grand Cape Mount County his Company is erecting 325 housing units for the people of that mining town of Kinjor (new kinjor).  Umurhan also added that the construction of a 15 modern bedroom clinic that is slated to be completed within a month and a half time will be fully equipped and then returned over to the Government of Liberia with support of salary payment to medical staff at the clinic by the Bea Mountain Mining Corporation, pans the FOCUS daily.  

LNP Embarks On Initiatives For Peace, Stability In 2017 Polls

The FOCUS Newspaper asserts that the Liberian National Police (LNP) has embarked on community engagement geared toward maintaining peace, and stability in the country during the 2017 Presidential and Legislative elections. Addressing a news conference at Ministry Of Information in Monrovia on Thursday, Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman named one of the engagements as the “Deed Initiative”. Inspector Coleman explained that the initiative requires police officers to go from community to community to explain to the residents the role of the police, adding that each officer is required to do at least one good deed a day.