The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017

Today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies highlights news of the appointment of Ms. Elizabeth E. Hoff as a member to the Office of the Ombudsman by President Sirleaf.

Elizabeth Hoff Named to Ombudsman Committee

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has appointed Ms. Elizabeth E. Hoff as a member to the Office of the Ombudsman. Ms. Hoff is a former President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) and one time Deputy Minister for Technical Services at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. According to an Executive Mansion release, Ms. Hoff replaces Atty. Massa Jallabah whose appointment was rescinded when it was discovered that she has not reached the required age of 40 years or older for the post. According to the Daily Observer, Ms. Hoff appointment has completed the composition of the Office of the Ombudsman. The others are Cllr. Christian C. Massaquoi, Chairman and Atty. Edward E. Dillon, member. Their appointments are subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Related Caption: Elizabeth Hoff Replaces Massa Jallabah on Ombudsman (FrontPage Africa), Hoff Named As Member To Office of the Ombudsman (Heritage)

OTHER STORIES

House, Chamber Of Commerce Appeal To PATEL

The Liberian business community, under the umbrella of the Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia (PATEL), has been strongly advised to abort the planned nationwide shutdown beginning Monday, April 10. The Plenary of the House of Representatives, through the Chairman on the Committee on Commerce and Industry, Nimba County District #5 Representative Samuel G. Kogar, said the strike is wrong, illegal, baseless and irresponsible. The Commerce Committee chairman further said the nationwide strike would undermine the security and economy of the country, stressing that it has the propensity to drive foreign investors away. Rep. Kogar said the Liberia National Police (LNP), the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) and the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) have assured the House of Representatives of modifying or revising their methods to satisfy PATEL’s petition, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Caption: Another Boycutt Looms For Liberia But Lawmaker Urges Calm (FrontPage Africa)

Liberian To Generate Financial Resources for Road Maintenance

Effective as of July 2017, Liberia will generate financial resources for road maintenance through a GIZ supported fuel levy system for road fund. Making the disclosure following a one day workshop held at a local hotel in Mamba Point on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, Madam Doris Popp, the Project Manager of GIZ said Liberia is challenged with damaged roads that impede an economic and social upturn. She said due to the fragile statehood lack of capacity funds and technical knowledge regular maintenance of road has not been carried out for the last decades; therefore Liberia’s transport sector remains in a poor condition, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

Over 20 Inmates Break Jail in Gbarnga on the Run and Armed with Dangerous and Terrifying Materials

Report from Gbarnga, Bong County has revealed that over 20inmates are on the run after breaking jail on Tuesday. According to a local Broadcast medium, the inmates were brought out for a sun-bath when they over-powered the prison officers. The Bong County Police Commander, Frederick Nippy told a local broadcast medium correspondent in the county that the inmates are on the run and believed to be heading for Lofa County. He said they may have stopped around the Weansu area in Bong County and heading for Lofa using bush path. He said the inmates are on the run and in possession of machetes including knives, cutlasses and other harmful substances, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

Isaac A. David Career Day Excites EU Ambassador

The Daily Observer reads that the European Union Ambassador to Liberia, Madam Tiina Intelmann, on Friday March 31 hailed the Isaac A. David Memorial High School (IADMS) for its progress in extracurricular activities, mainly the ‘Life Skills Training Program (LSTP)’ which was launched at the school in December 2016. Ambassador Intelmann made the assertion when she  paid a visit to the school on its Career Day,  she viewed  items made by the students, as well as other ongoing works in Agriculture, Computer Literacy and Masonry and Carpentry. Following the tour, Intelmann expressed excitement and gratitude to the students for their acceptance to learn. She also thanked the trainers for their commitment to help the students discover their potentials before they graduate from the school. She challenged the students to take the opportunity to learn how to repair computers, generators, planting of gardens, and bookkeeping, which she considers great advantages for the students.

Rep. Bartekwa Seeks Amendment To Education Law

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Education and Judiciary to find out the level of Early Childhood in various Public Schools across the country. The action by the House is based on a communication by one of its members, who called on the Legislature to amend a provision of the Education law of Liberia. Grand Kru County, District #2 Representatives, Numene T.H. Barkekwa, in a communication submitted to the Plenary of the House of Representatives on Thursday, April 6, 2017, disclosed that when the free and compulsory Education policy of Liberia’s Primary Schools was crafted and enacted into law, Early Childhood Education, otherwise known as Nursery to kindergarten was excluded, reports the INSIGHT newspaper.

Several Students Dumped For Use Of Narcotics, Alcoholic Beverages Expelled From Faith Academy High School In Ganta

Report reaching this medium from Ganta in Nimba County has revealed that several students from the Faith Academy High School have been expelled for their alleged involvement in the usage of narcotics and other harmful substances. A local radio correspondent, Franklin Doloque said 10 of the students expelled are from the junior class while 18 others have been placed on probation. He quotes authorities of the school as saying that those senior students expelled were allegedly involve in acts including the consumption of alcoholic beverages and narcotic substances, the FOCUS newspaper says.

Rep. Josephs Gives US$10,000 For 500 MVTC Students Scholarships

Montserrado County Representative, Saah Joseph, has provided a cheque of $10,000 to the Deputy Minister of Youth Services and Vocational Education at the Ministry of Youth Services and Vocational Education at the administration of the Monrovia Vocational Training Center (MVTC), as additional payment for scholarships to 500 students under his scholarship. The Montserrado County lawmaker made the presentation Thursday, at the edifice of the MVTC after students under his scholarship were thrown out of class during examination for his Representative Joseph’s alleged inability to settle the students’ arrears, the In Profile Daily reads.

Stakeholders Brainstom To Mitigate Electoral Violence

Stakeholders including the heads and representatives of the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have begun a two-day forum to discuss issues that would mitigate possible electoral violence in the ensuing 2017 Presidential and Representative Elections in Liberia. The much-publicized 2017 and Representative Elections are scheduled for October 10. The forum, which is organized by the West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP) in Monrovia, is intended to validate indicators of possible violence and find a way forward to address them, reports the Heritage newspaper

Six Nigerians Arrested with Illegal Drugs

The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has arrested six Nigerians for allegedly involving in selling and distributing narcotic substances on the Liberia market. Speaking in an interview with journalists at the Head office of DEA in Fiama Sinkor in Monrovia, the Chief of Operations of the DEA, Johntor R. Wolo said they found 182.8g of Narcotic and Heroin worth L$666,960. The Director called on citizens to be more tolerant with the DEA staff on the field and stop insulting the staff while on duty he also encouraged the media to seek information in DEA office and stop speculating, the In Profile Daily reads.

Related Caption: DEA Arrests 6 Nigerians with Drugs (The New Dawn)

CAB Concludes Two-Day Strategic Planning Forum

According to the Heritage newspaper, the Christian Association of the Blind (CAB) has ended a two-day strategic planning forum aimed at formulating and developing a three to five-year working planning. CAB is involved with providing literacy education and rehabilitation for people that are visually impaired as well as providing those fundamental skills for the usage of the white can. The training forum, which was concluded at the headquarters of the organization in R2 Community in Paynesville, outside Monrovia on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, is intended to ensure that people with disability live a better live despite their visual challenge.