The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017

News of President Sirleaf’s Congratulatory Message to the Government and people of Senegal on the occasion of the 57th Independence Anniversary of that country, the visit of a high-power African Peer Review Mechanism Mission to Liberia and President Sirleaf’s assessment mission on progress on the 13.2 -kilometer Somalia Driver Road construction between Redlight and the Freeport of Monrovia and other roads are among stories dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Ellen Congratulates Senegal on 57^th Natal Day 

The Heritage newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to the Government and people of Senegal on the occasion marking the 57th Independence Anniversary of that country on April 4th. According to a Foreign Ministry release, in her message to His Excellency Mr. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and the Government and people of Senegal and in her own name, the Liberian leader said it is her fervent prayer that the bonds of friendship and cooperation so happily subsisting between the two peoples and countries will be strengthened in the spirit of their bilateral ties and cooperation, in furtherance of the principles of ECOWAS and the African Union, aimed at promoting international peace and security among all nations.

Related Captions: Senegal Congratulated On 57^th Natal Day (FOCUS), President Sirleaf Congratulates Senegal on 57^th Natal Day (INSIGHT)

APRM High Power Mission Visits Liberia

A high-power African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Mission, led by the Vice Chairperson of the APR Panel of Eminent Persons and Lead Panelist in charge of Liberia, Brigette Sylvia Mabandla, has arrived in the country to conduct a two-week review of APRM activities here. While in the country, the 11-member mission will visit various counties to engage major stakeholders on the African Peer Review process and discuss key issues regarding Liberia's Self-Assessment Report. The APRM External Review Mission’s visit is intended to validate these processes, hold consultations with various stakeholders and produce Liberia’s country review report which will subsequently be presented at the African Union special summit by June/July 2017 The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) was established in 2003 as an African Union initiative for promoting good governance within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), according to the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: APRM High-Power Mission Visits Liberia (FOCUS), APRM High-Powered Mission Visits Liberia (Daily Observer), APRM High Power Mission Visit Liberia (In Profile Daily)

Ellen Inspects Somalia Drive Road

According to the New Dawn newspaper, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has assessed progress on the 13.2-kilometer Somalia Drive Road construction between Redlight and the Freeport of Monrovia, including the stretch of road from Barnesville Junction to Kebbah Community, which runs into Caldwell. Engineers working on the Freeport to Redlight route have assured President Sirleaf that work on the first phase of the road project will be completed by December this year, following which they will subsequently continue with the next phase. President Sirleaf was taken out on the tour of the projects on Tuesday, 4 April, based on her desire to see the level of progress made so far on 13.2-kilometer Somalia Drive road between Redlight and Freeport. President Sirleaf thanked contractors for the level of works done so far. Public Works Minister Gyude Moore said, “We’ve done about six [kilometers] now; so we’re pretty confident that by the time the rains come we should be around ten [kilometers]”. He said the Freeport to Redlight Road is 13.2 kilometers, and expressed confidence that it would be finished by December this year and dedicated before the administration expires. 

 Related Captions: President Sirleaf Inspects Ongoing Road Projects In Monrovia And Suburbs (FrontPage Africa), Somalia Drive To Be Completed December (The INQUIRER)

PUL Announces 2017 Awards Committee

The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has named its 2017 Awards Committee in continuation of the celebration of World Press Freedom Day individuals and Institutions appointed to the Committee are: Ms. Ade Wde Kerkulah, CPA, as Chairperson, Mr. Jonathan Paye Layleh, BWI Alumni Association/BBC, Atty. Bobby Livingstone, Mass Communications Department United Methodist University; Ms. Tete Kanneh, Global Bank and Mr. Blamo Robinson, LTA. The PUL Annual Awards program is intended to identify and honor the work of journalists and media institutions that perform with distinction during the period under review. The award is opened to all member of the PUL and covers the areas of radio, television, newspaper and online, the Heritage newspaper reads.

Related Captions: PUL Announces 2017 Awards Committee (The INQUIRER), PUL 2017 Awards Committee Formulated (FOCUS)

Red Cross Donates To 185 Flood Affected Population

The Liberia National Red Cross Society has donated building materials to 185 people from 38 households affected by flood in Margibi County. The building materials provided on March 31, 2017 included more than fifty five bundles of 28 gauge zincs, seventy five pieces of combing and thirty seven boxes of roofing nails. The Liberian Red Cross has early provided planks, nails and other essential building materials to the communities as part of its recovery support to the affected population, reports In Profile Daily.

Related Captions: Red Cross Donates to 185 Flood Victims (Heritage), 185 Flood Victims Get Red Cross’ Blessing (FOCUS)

OTHER STORIES

President Sirleaf Meets Catholic Bishops Delegation From West Africa

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reports that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has held discussions with a high-level delegation of the Catholic Bishops of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA- CERAO). Speaking, His Grace, Archbishop Ignatius Kiagama, President of RECOWA thanked President Sirleaf for the warm reception accorded them since their arrival in Liberia and informed President Sirleaf that RECOWA was concerned about political transition and instability, danger of youth unemployment, religious intolerance, extremism and menace in the region pointing out that political transitions of power in some countries are characterized by the disregard for the rule of law, weak institutions, shrinking space for political participation by all, frequent human rights violations and torture. He furthered 60 per cent of the population is made of the youth but according to him a majority of them are unemployed and thereby exposing them to trafficking, drug abuse, violence and forced migration, among others. Bishop Kiagama noted that the desire of religious extremist groups to forcefully “Islamize” countries in the region poses a serious threat to the rights of every citizen to freely choose and practice the religion of his or her choice.  Bishop Kiagama informed President Sirleaf that RECOWA stands ready to partner with ECOWAS in contributing to the rapid development of the region His remarks was contained in a Special Message presented to President Sirleaf at her Foreign Ministry office on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. In response, President Sirleaf welcomed the visit of the Bishops and described it as a “Strong Partnership” between the Church and the government. President Sirleaf said was delighted by the suggestions made by the Bishops and informed them that at ECOWAS Summit expected to take place in Liberia this year, she will report to the Heads of State and Government the Catholic Bishops’ concerns and suggestions for further deliberations.

Crown Prince Haakon “Impressed’ By GOL’s Respond To Challenges

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway, who is also Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has voiced his impression about steps the Liberian Government is taking to respond to the multiple challenges facing the nation and its people in the after math of the deadly Ebola virus outbreak. Despite His Royal Highness praising the government for trying to mitigate the challenges, he acknowledged that the country is facing dare economic circumstances, occasioned by the global slump in commodity prices coupled with the lingering consequences of the Ebola crisis. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the UNDP Goodwill Ambassador stated, “Ebola took an unprecedented toll on human life and cause immense suffering of individuals, communities and households in Liberia, the Heritage newspaper reads.

Related Captions: Goodwill Ambassador Crown Prince Haakon of Norway Lauds Liberia’s Ebola Survivors and Response Workers (FrontPage Africa)

Liberia Consoles The Russian Federation On Tragic Suicide Bombing

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of condolence to the Government and people of the Russian Federation following a tragic suicide bombing on Monday, April 3, 2017 claiming the lives of at least 14 persons and fatally injuring several others. The St. Petersburg metro attack was carried out by a suicide bomber originally from the central Republic of Kyrgyzstan, authorities said. The Russian Investigative Committee said the attack was carryout by Akbarjon Djalilov, 22, identified earlier by Kyrgyz authorities as a Russian national born in Kyrgyzstan. Investigators matched Djalilov’s DNA to a bomb left at a second metro station that was defused by authorities the Committee said, reads Heritage newspaper.

Compulsory 3^rd Party Insurance For All Vehicles–CBL, MoT, LNP, AIL Sign MOU

The Central Bank of Liberia, along with three other institutions, Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure that all vehicles in Liberia have compulsory Third Party Insurance. The CBL along with the Liberia National Police (LNP), Ministry of Transport (MoT) and the Association of Insurers of Liberia (AIL), have agreed to collaborate, with a focus on the enforcement of Third Party Liability Insurance Scheme (TPL) so that the scheme will ensure that TPL provides financial security for the public in the event of injury, death and property damage resulting from motor vehicle accidents. The MOU which was signed in the conference room of the Central Bank of Liberia will also ensure that all insurance companies underwriting motor insurance comply with the Protocols of the ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme, including all adopted yet unimplemented resolutions emanating from the scheme, reports the Daily Observer.

‘Too Young To Be Ombudsman’

The Daily Observer, quoting a release from the Executive Mansion says President Ellen Johnson Tuesday rescinded her decision appointing Attorney Massa Jallabah to the office of the Ombudsman. The decision to rescind the appointment of Atty. Jallabah, according to the release, is a provision in the Code of Conduct law, which states that appointees to the Office of the Ombudsman shall be Liberian citizens of high moral character; of age not less than 40 years and must have a graduate of a professional degree. The daily reads that although Atty. Jallabah possesses a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Criminology and is an Attorney-at-Law, she is more than five years shy of the required age (40), according to the law, to be eligible as an appointee to the office of the Ombudsman. She was born on September 11, 1982.

Related Caption: Liberia Ombudsman Shakeup - Jallabah to be Replaced (FrontPage Africa)

Large-Scale Ebola Vaccine Study Expands At Redemption Hospital

The Partnership for Research on Ebola Virus in Liberia, PREVAIL; Monday announced the expansion of the Ebola vaccine study at Redemption Hospital. The study will assess three different test vaccine strategies in an effort to find which show the most promise to prevent or quickly control future Ebola outbreaks. It is a continuation of a previous vaccine effort that began in February 2015 in Liberia. The start of the expansion of the Ebola vaccine study in Liberia follows a similar effort of the multi country study, which started in guinea on March 27, 2017, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

Deputy Labor Minister Outlines Challenges In Inspection Of Child Labor

The Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Labor says despite numerous efforts by the Government of Liberia to curb child labor, there are still hue challenges. Minister Augustine W. Williams said much strides have been made in eradicating child labor in the formal sector, but the main challenges are in the informal sector. The top Labor Ministry official was speaking Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at the opening of four-day labor inspectors training on child labor in Monrovia. According to Min. Williams, the social and economic conditions of Liberians have made it increasingly difficult in tracking issue f child labor in the informal sector, the Heritage newspaper reports.

CBL Projects 3.2% Growth in Real Domestic Product in 2017

The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has projected a 3.2 percent growth in the Real Gross Domestic Product (RGDP) in 2017 but the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming Presidential and General Elections will be a “key risk” factor, a CBL report has said. Although the bank’s 2016 annual report released recently indicated that the growth is expected to be driven by all major sectors of the economy, other key risks will include further decline in the global market prices of iron ore and rubber, delay in planned investments and infrastructural challenges, the FOCUS newspaper writes.

Related Caption: Election “Key Risk” To Projected 3.2% Growth In 2017 RGDP (Heritage)

Funeral Formalities For Fallen Stateswoman Announced

The family of the fallen Liberian stateswoman, Mother Mary Nema Brownell, alias, Mary B, has announced formalities for her funeral. Mother Mary Brownell was one of Liberia’s preeminent civil rights and peace advocates, who played a leading role in bringing peace to Liberia following the deadly and devastating 14-year civil war, died on March 14, 2017 at the age of 89. Her death has since sent shock waves across the country, especially within Monrovia and its environs with many trooping to the family’s residence daily to pay tribute. According to a calendar of event, the body will be removed from the St. Moses Funeral Home on the Somalia Drive on April 7, 2017 at 2:00PM. The removal will be followed by a night of wake keeping at the St. Thomas Episcopal on Camp Johnson Road in Monrovia beginning at 6PM, the Heritage newspaper reads.

MOE Fires Bong Education Officer

The Ministry of Education has dismissed Edward Kpulun as County Education Officer for Bong County with immediate effect. Kpulun served as Bong CEO from 2015 to January 2017. A letter dated March 21 and signed by Deputy Education Minister for Administration, Aagon F. Tingba, cited “financial malpractices and poor administration of the office of the CEO of Bong County” as reasons for Kpulum’s dismissal. The ministry’s action, according to the letter, followed a commissioned audit by the Internal Audit division of the Ministry of Education on the financial and administrative transactions of the dismissed education officer during his dismissal, the Heritage newspaper reports.

Petroleum Product Prices Fall

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) has announced with immediate effect reductions in the prices of gasoline and diesel fuel on the Liberian market. According to a petroleum price circular issued by the government, the retail pump price for a gallon of gasoline has dropped from US$3.26 or its Liberian dollar equivalent of LD340.00 to US$3.13 or its Liberian dollar equivalent of LD330.00. While the retail pump price for a gallon of diesel fuel has also decreased from US$3.26 or its Liberian dollar equivalent of LD340.00 to US$3.15 or its Liberian dollar equivalent of LD335.00, reads the INQUIRER newspaper.

Legislature Adjourns For Easter Break

The Daily Observer says the House of Representatives, will on Thursday, April 6 adjourned for two weeks in observance of Easter, to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and is expected to resume work on Thursday, April 20. The Easter Break is in consonance with the timetable of the House Rules and Procedures, which states that the Legislature is entitled to two breaks, Easter and Constituency/Agricultural.

Green Advocates Trains Local Communities, Rights Defenders On Complaint Mechanisms

Amidst repeated disagreements at various concessions across Liberia, Green Advocates International, an environmental rights group, has begun training local communities affected by large scale concessions on how to appropriately file complaints against concessionaries whose operations run contrary to international best practices. Local communities, over the years, have protested against the operations of some large-scale mining Principle’s and ‘International Grievance Mechanisms’ were also developed and distributed among participants at the four regional workshops, Maminah Carr, Head of Natural Resource Women Platform disclosed, reports INSIGHT newspaper.

Carter Center Capacitates LNP, BIN Personnel on Mental Health Challenges

Carter Center’s Chief of Party in Liberia says his institution works people with mental health challenges by providing them some basic services. According to Mr. Pewee Flomoku, working with such people for relief is one of the main areas that the Center focuses on in its operation. He named access to justice and access to information as two of the areas. Mr. Flomoku said the Center’s mental health program in being implemented in partnership with Government of Liberia through the Mental Health Unit of the Ministry of Health. The Carter Center is working with the National Liberia Police and the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, reports the INSIGHT newspaper.

 CSOs Pledge Support To Fighting Corruption

According to the In Profile Daily, civil society organizations (CSOs) have pledged to collaborate with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) in strengthening the fight against corruption. Participants of a two-day workshop for civil society organizations said a strong partnership between CSOs and the LACC will go a long way in strengthening the corruption fight which they noted continues to undermine national development. The workshop which took place from March 29 - 30, 2017 was aimed at enhancing partnership between the LACC and CSOs and to also make CSOs active participants in the fight against corruption.

PREVAIL Post-Ebola Activities Unbending

According to the In Profile Daily, the Social Mobilization and Communications Team at the Liberia-US Clinical Research Partnership, PREVAIL climaxed its month-long activities with the hosting of a week-long training Knowledge, Attitude Practice in Montserrado County. This study gathers information about what community members or respondents know, think and what they actually do so that the team can support the PREVAC vaccines study through advocacy, communication, community engagement & M& activities in the community.

Miss Liberia Distributes School Materials…To Gov’t School Kids

According to the INSIGHT newspaper, Wokie Dolo, Miss Liberia 2017 on Friday, March 31, 2017, distributed assorted school material amongst students at Soul Clinic Public School, established in 1998, has an enrollment of about 2,017 students. Miss Dolo provided the assorted school materials at a ceremony held at the school’s edifice in Soul Clinic to celebrate her 25^th birthday. Miss Dolo said she decided to celebrate her birthday with less fortunate children who enrolled at government institution, because she wants to promote education and as well put smile on the faces of children at the school.

YONER Ends One-Day GIST TechConnect Event

According to the In Profile Daily, the Youth Network for Reform (YONER), in partnership with US Embassy on Tuesday March 4, 2017 ended a one-day GIST TectConnect event in improving and promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, science and technology for youth empowerment and socioeconomic development in the country. Speaking on the topic, “building and supporting your start-up community”, Christiana D. Taylor, the National Sale Manager Cellcom Technologies who served as the 1^st Motivational Speaker noted that entrepreneurship is the act of taking up a risk to start-up a business with the hope of getting a profit.