Daily Media Summary 2017-05-30
The Bureau of Public Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Monrovia, Liberia
DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017
Today’s edition of our Summary of the local dailies includes the Ministry of Public Works’ pre-announcement of the enforcement of a new regime of allowable axle load limits and fines for ‘overloading’ on the country’s rural roads, awarding of the Florence Nightingale Medal to Mrs. Roselyn Belloh Nugba-Ballah and Angie Brooks International Center launch of a new project titled: ‘The Talking Bus’
MPW To Enforce New Axle Limits, Fines July
An inside story of the Heritage newspaper reads that the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) has announced that it will begin enforcement of a new regime of allowable axle load limits and fines for ‘overloading’ on the country’s rural roads, especially by heavy vehicles. The objective of the directive, according to a MPW release issued in Nimba on Monday, is protect Liberia’s roads from deterioration. Roads to be affected by the exercise, according to the release, include the Sanniquillie-Lougatuo, Ganta-Zwedru-Fish Town, Buchanan-Cestos Junction-Greenville-Barclayvil
Related Caption: MPW To Enforce New Axle Limits (FOCUS)
Nurse Ballah Receives ‘Florence Nightingale Award’ – For Bravery and Humanitarian Services
A 39-year-old Liberia nurse, who worked assiduously during the heat of the Ebola virus disease outbreak as a volunteer staff of the Liberia National Red Cross Society has been awarded probably the highest award in the field of nursing. Mrs. Roselyn Belloh Nugba-Ballah was among 39 outstanding nurses from 22 countries to receive the Florence Nightingale Medal. According to the Daily Observer, the Florence Nightingale honors exceptional, courage and devotion to the victims of armed conflict or natural disaster. During the Ebola outbreak, Mrs. Ballah headed the most difficult aspect of the response efforts—serving as the lead coordinator of the Liberian Red Cross’ safe and dignified burial team, ensuring that all Ebola bodies were collected from the streets and communities and properly buried. The daily says Mrs. Ballah was nominated for the award by the Liberian Red Cross and selected by a commission made up of the ICRC, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the International Council of Nurses.
ABIC Partners Launch ‘The Talking BUS’ Project
Angie Brooks International Center (ABIC) and partners have officially launched the ‘Talking Bus Project,’ which is intended is to shift the election campaign focus to issue-based rather than personality-driven politics. “The purpose of this project is to move from personality-driven politics to issues-driven politics, that will benefit our communities and country, today we gathered to launch the Talking Bus Project,” Cllr. Yvette Chesson-Wureh said. Cllr. Chesson-Wureh averred that Liberia is at a critical juncture adding that the world is watching. “We cannot afford anything that will stagnate our forward march to set a good example of true democracy. Civil society, especially women CSOs are leaving no stone unturned for a level playing field that will support a peaceful electoral process. The project will sensitize communities to start thinking about what their issues are, so that they are able to adequately engage the politicians during the period of campaign. The project has targeted nine hotspots in eight counties of Liberia, where the bus will visit and create a platform that will give community members the ability to speak truth to power and influence politicians on what kind of development is most needed, reads the Daily Observer.
Related Caption: Focusing On Issue-Based Politics (FrontPage Africa)
GOL, UNFPA Donate 3 Ambulances, To Lofa, Gbarpolu, Cape Mount -Turn Over Maternity Waiting Homes In Sinje
The Daily Observer says the Government of Liberia and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have donated three ambulances and equipment to the County Health Teams of Lofa, Gbarpolu and Grand Cape Mount to help in the transfer of emergency cases in their respective counties. The government and the UNFPA also turned over a maternity waiting home in Sinje, Grand Cape Mount County, while Lofa and Gbarpolu counties’ maternity waiting homes and extension of healthcare centers projects are underway. Dr. Oluremi Sogunro, Resident Representative of UNFPA, said the three ambulances are valued at US$150,000, while the maternity waiting home in Sinje is valued at US$45,000. Dr. Sogunro made the remarks on Friday in Sinje during the official turning over of the maternity waiting home and ambulances and the launch of a project called “Promoting Human Resource for Maternal Health in Post Ebola Liberia Recovery and Restoration with the Aims of Reducing Maternal Mortality.” He said the project is supported by the government of Japan, the World Bank and the government of Liberia, adding that “The project is helping to reduce maternal mortality rate in the country.”
House Speaker Vows to Maintain Unity Amongst Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emmanuel Nuquay, has vowed to maintain unity and understanding among members of the House amidst political canvassing for the October 2017 Presidential and Legislative Elections. Nuquay said providing leadership at the Legislature, especially the House of Representatives, is a difficult task, but expressed optimism that with the coordination and cooperation of all members, the House remains stable even in the midst of differences in political ideologies. Nuquay made the commets recently when 31 lawmakers of the Lower House of the Legislature endorsed the Presidential bid of Vice President Joseph Boakai at the Capitol Building, the seat of the National Legislature of Liberia, the Heritage newspaper writes.
CBL Governor Hold Talks with Banking, Monetary Bodies
Another inside story of the Heritage news daily reads that the Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Milton Weeks, has held separate consultative meetings with officials of the CitiBank, African Export-Import Bank (Afrexim) and the West Africa Monetary Institute (WAMZ) on relations between the CBL, commercial banks and other institutions. The meetings took place on the sidelines of the 52nd Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank (AfDB), according to a media release issued in Monrovia recently. The release said the discussion between Weeks and CitiBank was aimed at exploring areas of cooperation between the two institutions, particularly the establishment of corresponding relationship for the CBL and commercial banks in Liberia.
FDA Official Raps on Forest Conservation in Liberia
The Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) has reiterated the Liberian government’s commitment to conserving at least 30 percent of its remaining forest cover. According to Managing Director Darlington S. Tuagbeh, several proposed protected forest areas have been identified since the end of the civil conflict in Liberia, and cited the Grebo/Krahn protected area as one of the protected areas earmarked. The FDA Boss gave the assurance Monday at the opening of the Fourth Steering Committee Meeting for Trans-Boundary collaboration in the Tai-Grebo-Sapo Forest Complex between Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire, the FOCUS newspaper reads.
MOA Provides Agro-Inputs for Rice, Cassava Farmers
The President of the National Agro-Inputs Dealers Association says, the government through the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has provided a consignment of agro inputs to the association for onward distribution to farmers across the country. The National Agro-Inputs Dealers Association of Liberia which was established in 2016, groups dealers in agricultural inputs and is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and the USAID-funded Feed the Future Liberia Agribusiness Development Activity (LADA). Speaking to the Liberia News Agency in Gbarnga recently, Rebecca S. Kalayi said the Ministry of Agriculture has provided NPK-15-15 and urea fertilizers, upland and lowland seed rice, and cassava cuttings for distribution among registered farmers in the country, the FOCUS newspaper says.
For Boosting Liberia’s Health Sector: UNFPA Extols Japan
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), through its Country Representative, Dr. Oluremi Sunguro, has extolled the Government and people of Japan for the continuous support to the health sector of Liberia. Dr. Sunguro made the commendation Friday, when the Government of Japan through its Ambassador accredited to Monrovia, Ambassador Kaoru Yoshimuro, donated three brand new ambulances to Gbarpolu, Lofa and Grand Cape Mount County. According to him, the funding for the three ambulances and the waiting homes which is place at about US$200,000 was provided through the goodwill of the people of Japan, the In Profile Daily asserts.
CDA Ends Science Fairs
The Child Development Academy (CDA) over the weekend ended its Science Fairs Project in Monrovia. The one-day event was intended for kids of the institution to demonstrate or showcase their arts and craft skills as well as lessons learned over the period of time. Speaking to reporters on the school campus on 16th Street, Sinkor, the head of the Science Fair Project at CDA, Isaac Zammie, said there is a need for people in the educational sector to focus more on these hands-on work projects for students; exam, saying, “Science WACESS is being introduced over the years in the country’s educational sector, it will help the performances of students.” The In Profile Daily reads.
ECC Ends Policy Dialogue in Eight Counties
The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) has concluded a policy dialogue with representatives of political parties, civil society organizations, local government officials, youth groups and women organizations in Gbarnga, Bong County. The forum brought together more than 60 participants. An official of the ECC, Eddie Jarwolo, said the policy dialogues are being held in eight counties including Bong, Grand Bassa, Margibi, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Montserrado, and Lofa. Mr. Jarwolo who served as the lead facilitator said the forums are designed to educate the representatives of political parties, CSOs and the media on the importance of the exhibition process to citizens as well as the Corrections, Claims and Objections process, the In Profile Daily reads.
YAZZ Liberia Donates To Schools
A local manufacturer of toothpaste, toiletries and detergent powder soap-- YAZZ-- has distributed some of its products to about 10 schools in Monrovia and its environs in fulfillment of its corporate social responsibility to the public. YAZZ Liberia Managing Director Martin Bobbey, who is spearheading the exercise, says since it was established six years ago, his business has been going well so the company has come to say thanks to the Liberian people by giving back to them. He says as part of its corporate social responsibility, they are distributing educational materials to schools to help strengthened school systems. Some of the benefiting schools include Lamp Mission International, Calvary Mission, Kingdom Building, and Seventh Day Adventist High School, respectively. Others are: Paynesville Community School, John Lewis Memory School, St. Kitzo Catholic School, J.J. Roberts and J.W. Harry.Items donated included jerseys, copybooks, calendars, toothpaste and soap. According to Mr. Bobbey, total cost of the entire exercise of giving back to Liberians is around US$70,000, asserts the New Dawn newspaper.
‘Go And Inspire’
The Liberia Returnees Network Vocational Training Program (LRN/VTP) recently graduated 260 young women and men after nine months of intensive career development. Working in partnership with the Reformed Cathedral of Hope located in Zubah Town, Paynesville, LRN has trained over 1,000 persons since the start of its vocational training program two years ago. LRN is a group of Liberians, who returned home after years of asylum in nearby countries and beyond due to the civil wars in Liberia. The guest speaker, Deputy Minister for Operations at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), Madam Gbeme Horace Kollie, called on the graduates to go out and inspire others to walk towards their dreams with diligence and hard work. Speaking on the theme “Go and Inspire,” Madam Kollie said having a voice in a community is not about having degrees or knowing how to speak and write good English, but rather knowing how to apply what is learned to benefit others. She said their certificates and beauty may fade away but if each of them helps somebody to learn something new, especially by resolving to also attend a vocational school and acquire a skill, then that would be the best inspiration, writes the Daily Observer.
LWSC Cautions Against Illegal Water Connection
The Public Relations Officer at the Liberia Water and Sewer Cooperation (LWSC), Mr. Joe Kaba, is calling on Liberians to stop the illegal water connections in and around Monrovia. Mr. Kaba complained that illegal water connection is causing damages and shortages in the main water lines. “Water theft is one problem we are facing; people do a lot of illegal connections; they steal the water too much. Liberian people do not like to do things the right way”, he claims. Mr. Kaba has urged Liberians to stop making illegal connections, and announced the LWSC’s hotline 5972 through which he wants people to report anyone caught stealing water, reads the New Dawn newspaper.
