The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2014

President Sirleaf calledfor ECOWAS countries to do more to strengthen drug regulatory authorities and their powers to enforce drugs laws and regulations and the Liberia National Police dismissal and subsequent prosecution of three police officers and a police informer following a year of investigation.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Ellen Alarms Health Risk 

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf says all ECOWAS countries will need to do more to strengthen drug regulatory authorities and their powers to enforce drugs laws and regulations, having observed here that no other [global] product has the capacity to harm or to kill as do illicit pharmaceuticals. “This will require strict regulatory processes, inter – regional surveillance and monitoring systems, information sharing among ECOWAS member states, capacity building and regulatory strengthening at both national and regional levels”, she said Monday, 10 April before declaring opened the ECOWAS Parliament Delocalized Joint Committee meeting on ECOWAS’ policy on combating counterfeit medical products and expired drugs. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the ECOWAS Parliamentary conference at the Boulevard Palace in Sinkor, Monrovia, the ECOWAS Chairperson strengthening drug regulatory authorities will help curb the incidence of counterfeiting drugs. The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Moustapha Cisse Lo led members of the regional body’s legislative arm at the meeting Monday and delivered a statement in French. Mrs. Sirleaf encouraged a more effective oversight to be carried out on the pharmaceutical industry, adding that illicit pharmaceuticals are lucrative businesses with projections that indicate profit from counterfeiting today which surpass gains made from heroin and cocaine, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: Fake Medicines Draws Regional Attention…As ECOWAS Parliament Meeting Opens In Monrovia(INSIGHT), Haven For Fake Drugs Liberia’s Speaker Names Nigeria, Ghana, China India Major Hub For Counterfeit Medicine(FrontPage Africa) ‘Counterfeit Medicines Cause More Deaths’ – President Sirleaf discloses (Daily Observer)  

LNP Dismisses 3 Officers for Armed Robbery 

The Administration of the Liberia National Police has announced with immediate effect the dismissal and subsequent prosecution of three police officers and a police informer, following a year of investigation by the Ministry of Justice for their alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and armed robbery. An investigative report findings submitted to Police Inspector General, Col. Gregory Coleman, for implementation names the affected officers as Emmanuel Wilson, former Chief of Organized Crime; John Kollie, former Chief of Anti Robbery; and Alexander Jabbeh, former Agent of the Anti-Robbery Unit of the Liberia National Police (LNP). The report further named Daniel Ricks alias Monk, a Police informer. The three affected officers and the informer have been turned over to the Crime Services Division of the LNP for processing and subsequent forwarding to court for prosecution in line with the Justice Ministry recommendations, a police statement says. The statement issued in Monrovia on Monday, 10 April notes that the LNP has also reinstated five officers after the Ministry of Justice panel exonerated from the accusation of armed robbery and criminal conspiracy levied against them by the major crime Unit of the Liberia National Police. Those exonerated and reinstated include former Acting Commissioner of Crime Services Division Jessey Harris; Inspector Raffell Wilson; Superintendent Sam Gballah; Inspector Varney Samah; ACP. T. Edwin Swen, and Jonney Dean, the New Dawn newspaper reads.

Related Captions: LNP Dismisses 3 Officers For ‘Criminal Conspiracy, Armed Robbery’(Daily Observer), 3 Dismissed, 5 Exonerated After Liberia Police Probe(FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES

Liberia Consoles Sweden After the Tragic Terrorist Attack

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a condolence message to the Government and people of the Kingdom of Sweden, following a tragic terrorist attack. A truck hijacked from outside a nearby restaurant crashed into the front of Ahlens department store in central Stockholm on Drottninggatan (Queen Street), one of the city’s main pedestrian thoroughfares in the middle of Friday afternoon claiming the lives of four people while 15 others were injured on Friday, April 7, 2017. According to a Foreign Ministry release, in her message to His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of the Kingdom of Sweden, President extended heartfelt condolences tot eh Government and people of the Kingdom of Sweden especially the victims and bereaved families for the loss sustained, the INSIGHT newspaper reads.

ECOWAS Health Stakeholders Take Stock of ‘Unprecedented Ebola Outbreak

According to the Daily Observer, health stakeholders in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region are meeting in Monrovia to take stock of the status of implementation of the recommendations and lessons learned from the recent and unprecedented outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The EVD outbreak, which started in March 2014 in Liberia, recorded nearly 5,000 deaths in Liberia and more than 11,000 in the sub-region and beyond. But Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone were the worst hit and recorded the highest number of deaths. Formally opening the three-day post-Ebola outbreak regional meeting yesterday at a resort in Monrovia, Minister of Health, Dr. Bernice Dahn, said they would review recommendations from the “decisions of the Heads of Governments and States of ECOWAS and the Abuja Declaration” aimed at improving the regional and sub-regional capacity for prevention, detection and response to threats of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

Pres. Sirleaf To Break Ground For CLSG Project in Sierra Leone

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will lead an array of heads of state of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire to officially break ground for the CLSG interconnection project on the sideline of the ECOWAS summit slated for June 4, 2017, in Monrovia, Liberia. The exciting milestone event will officially begin the physical constriction of the 1,303 km of transmission line and substations from Cote d’Ivoire into Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. During a courtesy visit with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Thursday, April 6, 2017, the General Manager of TRANSCO CLSG, Mr. Mohammed Sherif provided progress update on the CLSG Project implementation and other forward-looking activities including the official groundbreaking ceremony of the CLSG project. He assured the President that the CLSG project is on the right track. In response, President Sirleaf welcomed the TRANSCO CLSG delegation to her office and maintained that the CLSG project will drive a lot of activities under Liberia’s transformation agenda, according to the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Gov’t Launches ‘GERLS PROJECT’ Today

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) today, April 11, 2017, officially launch the Girls Ebola Recovery Livelihood Support (GERLS) Project. The GERLS Project is a US$530,000 World Bank-funded initiative aimed at providing income support to adolescent girls who have lost their livelihoods as a result of the EVD crisis in Liberia. The project will focus on vulnerable girls in urban and peril-urban areas in Montserrado, Margibi, and Grand Bassa Counties whose businesses are on the verge of collapse or have already folded up as a result of the impact of the EVD. Beneficiaries of the project will receive life and business skills training, cash grants along with mentoring and monitoring so as to guides along with mentoring and monitoring so as to guide the growth of their businesses, the INSIGHT newspaper reads.

MFDP Says Delay in Budget Passage Key Challenge

The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) has said delay in the passage of the national budget has been one of the key challenges in the implementation of budget programs and projects. The ministry’s disclosure was contained in its 2016 annual report released recently. The report indicated that previous budgets were approved three to four months into the following budget year causing serious delays in implementing planned programs, the INSIGHT newspaper reads. The report stated that although this has been a lingering problem in the past, it improved for the 2015/2016 budget, which was passed in July 2015, the paper says.

AfDB Pledges US$5.9m To Support 15 SOEs CBL Governor, Milton Weeks

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has pledged to provide US$5.9 million to support strengthening transparency and accountability in public financial management programs within 15 state-owned enterprises (SOEs), a Ministry of Finance and Development Planning report has said. The 2016 annual report released recently indicated that the money will be for the next Public Financial Management strategy meeting this year to particularly enhance revenue mobilization and capacity building in the natural resource sector, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

IAA Extends Coverage To 6 Ministries, Agencies-Report

The Internal Audit Agency (IAA) of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) has extended its coverage to six additional ministries and agencies, an MFDP report has said. The Ministry’s 2016 annual report did not identify the ministries and agencies, but said the expansion now brings to 53 the number of entities where the IAA is deployed to ensure adequate internal control. It noted that the six are in addition to the four county treasuries established in Bong, Nimba, Margibi and Grand Bass counties. The report stated that the agency has meanwhile launched a renewed effort to strengthen payroll control operations in order to vigorously vet payrolls at each Ministry and agency, the INSIGHT newspaper says.

Shut Down, Remain Closed, Until… Justice Minister Warns PATEL

Justice Minister Frederick Cherue says Government will ensure that business houses of the Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia (PATEL) that will shut down Monday will remain closed until the government solves the problems facing the association. Speaking on the “Truth Breakfast Show” Monday, Cllr. Cherue said the Government is not going to coerce PATEL to open their stores but if they choose to close their stores today, they will remain closed. Cherue also warned PATEL against forcing business owners who are not its members to close their business houses warning that PATEL members doing to stand the risk of being arrested by the police, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

Upcoming Implementation Of All Ecosystem To Enable Local Authorities In Africa To Access Climate Finance

The goal of the workshop was to initiate a process of implementation of an ecosystem bringing together all relevant players, so that African local authorities are able to submit applications that are eligible to climate finance, and in particular to the Green Climate Fund. The Pan-African organization United Cities and Local Governments of Africa organized on April 7, 2017 in Rabat, Morocco, a workshop on the access of local and regional authorities in Africa to climate finance, the FOCUS says.

120MW Hydropower Dam In Sight for St. John River

According to the Daily Observer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ended an interactive forum with residents of Grand Bassa and Bong counties on the environmental and social impact that the construction of a 120-Megawatt (MW) Hydropower Dam over St. John River would have on nearby communities. The forum was held in District #3 ‘C’ of Grand Bassa County last Thursday, on behalf of Hydro China, a company that won the bid to construct the dam.  It attracted representatives from the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy, the Liberia Maritime Authority, the Forestry Development Authority, the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), the Bong and Grand Bassa Legislative Caucuses and local authorities. Hydro China is a Chinese firm involved in renewable energy and hydropower development worldwide. The company, according to P. Nanlee Johnson, Energy Analyst at the Ministry of Lands Mines and Energy, was invited by the Liberian government to work with LEC to develop hydropower in an effort to increase power generation in the country.

Court Jails Pakistani Refugee for ‘Selling Fake Immigration Documents’

The Daily Observer reports that a Pakistani national accused of helping some officers of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) – formerly Bureau of Immigration and Neutralization (BIN) – to illegally sell immigration papers to foreigners, some of whom reside in Liberia, was yesterday sent to jail by the Monrovia City Court. Mohammed Ad Adal, who lives in the country on a refugee status, was charged with multiple crimes that include issuance of fake immigration documents, economic sabotage and forgery. Yesterday’s decision to send defendant Adal to the Monrovia Central Prison came about when his family members that escorted him the court failed to hire a lawyer to secure his bond, as his crimes qualified him for bail. He was arrested on March 26 this year following a tipoff to security officers assigned at the Roberts International Airport in Margibi County, where he had gone to receive two of his countrymen, Basharat Mahmood and Zaheer Ahmad, who he had invited into the country.

MIA Trains Staff Ahead Of Opening Of Gd. Gedeh CSC

According to the New Dawn newspaper, the Ministry of Internal Affairs on Monday began a week-long training for staff of the Grand Gedeh County Service Center in Zwedru City. The training of a total 35 County Service Center (CSC) staff is one of the first steps leading to the formal opening of Grand Gedeh CSC which is expected to be performed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Friday, April 14, 2017. A release from the Internal Affairs Ministry says staffs being trained are employees drawn from Ministries, Agencies and Commissions (MACs) who were already on payroll and operating in the county. The training exercise is intended to build core skills of the staff to the tasks to be performed at the CSC and to ensure that the staff have understanding of their roles within the de-concentration process. The County Service Center is a one-stop shop for the issuance of documentation services relating to certificates, permits and licenses. Implementation of the Liberia Decentralization Support Program is being carried out by the Liberian Government with funding from the European Union, Swedish Government, USAID, UNMIL and UNDP.

GVL Dedicates Elementary School For 200 Students In Grand Kru

More than 200 students in Wedabo Gbanken Community and its surrounding are enjoying a modern elementary school constructed and dedicated recently by Southeastern Liberia’s biggest oil palm company Golden Veroleum Liberia. The four (4) class room elementary school as part of its ongoing commitments to support the development of local communities in which it operates in Grand Kru through education and other basic social services.The construction of the primary school in the area which is the first of its kind, now avoid kids from attending classes under dilapidated makeshift structures in the area. Prior to the school dedication, the company donated 40 pieces of modern school desks to the Gbanken community to rescue students from sitting on concrete blocks and baboon plated chairs. Speaking at the brief dedication program, GVL’s General Manager for Sustainability, Flomo Molubah said the project fulfilled a key commitment set out in the Memorandum of Understanding and Social Agreements signed between the Gbanken community and Golden Veroleum Liberia, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Caption: GVL dedicates Modern Elementary School For 200 Students In Grand Kru (FrontPage Africa)

US Donates Computers To LNP

The US Embassy near Monrovia has donated computers and printers to the Liberia National Police or LNP to help enhance the capacity of officers and boost the work of the force. US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission and Charged' Affaires Mr. Samuel R. Watson III, says the donation to the LNP is part of US Government’s work with the force in ensuring a peaceful society through the rule of law and the protection of lives of individuals and citizens here. Following the presentation of the items to Police Inspector General Col. Gregory Coleman at the LNP Headquarters on Capitol Hill Monday, 10 April, Mr. Watson told journalists that the donation included eight laptop computers and some printers. The US envoy has assured that the Embassy continues to look at possible ways to help the LNP just as it has done in the past. Having received the donation, Police Inspector General Col. Coleman thanked the US Embassy, saying the US has remained a trusted partner to the LNP. Col. Coleman says the LNP is not surprised by the donation made by the US Embassy, and pledged that the items given would be used for the intended purpose, especially in enhancing the capacity of officers to better perform. He says the computers will be utilized where they are most needed, in an effort to maximize why they were given to the LNP. The police chief concluded that based on the bilateral relationship with the US, information has been shared, noting that whichever way the US can come in to support, the LNP would appreciate it, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Caption: Enhancing Liberia Police Capacity US Donates Office Equipment To LNP(FrontPage Africa)

Traders Divided Over Protest

According to the New Dawn newspaper, local businesses here have demonstrated complete divide over a call by some individuals under the banner Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia or PATEL to repeat a mass protest through the closure of their businesses and hold the economy hostage as was done earlier this year for few days.Unlike late January and early February when roughly most businesses shut down in Monrovia and its surroundings either in support of the protest or for fear of being looted by criminals, PATEL’s latest call for protest appears to be ignored by a lot of businesses, demonstrated by opening of some businesses while some shutdown on Monday, 10 April. The protest group says its go-slow strike action is in continuation of previous protest held here between January 31 and February 2 this year in an effort to grab government’s attention to address the plight of business people concerning high tariffs.

National Security Council Meets On Critical National Issues

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Monday convened a Special National Security Council Meeting to hold discussions on a number of national issues. Quoting an Executive Mansion release, the FrontPage Africa newspaper reads that the Security Council discussed strategies and actions to deter threats from groups, and individuals attempting to disrupt and undermine the peace and security of the country and sought ways of protecting the public from their actions. The Security Council also discussed the state of vehicles and trucks transporting containers as well as the large number of abandoned vehicles in public places and the threats they pose to citizens and residents on a daily basis.