The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

The deployment of ECOWAS volunteers to Liberia, the donation of vehicles to the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia by the UNMIL, Justice Minister-designated Musa Dean’s pledge to avoid losable cases and the protest over lack of electricity by Caldwell residents are among selected stories for today’s media summary.

ECOWAS Deploys Volunteers To Liberia

The Insight newspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release: Liberian Diplomat and Advisor to the President on Foreign Affairs, H. E. Ambassador George W. Wallace, Jnr., has hailed the deployment of 20 ECOWAS volunteers from four countries to Liberia to share knowledge and expertise with their Liberian counterparts as a show of African solidarity and fraternity. Representing Foreign Minister Gbehzohngar Milton Findley, who is currently out of the country on official matter, Ambassador Wallace said he was extremely delighted to welcome the newly deployed ECOWAS volunteers to Liberia, on behalf of H.E. Mr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of the Republic of Liberia; adding, “I hasten to tell you that Liberia is a place of peace, hospitality and friendship.”According to a Foreign Ministry release, Ambassador Wallace, who is also currently serving as the Officer-in-Charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the remarks Monday, February 19, when delivered the keynote address at the Induction Training of ECOWAS Volunteers. The occasion was held in the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium of the Foreign Ministry.

UNMIL Strengthens AFELL With Donation Of Two Vehicles

According to the Insight newspaper, UNMIL Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) for Political and Rule of Law, Waldemar Very, Friday donated two 4WD vehicles to the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL). DSRSG Very said UNMIL was pleased and encouraged with the way that AFELL has structured itself in its advocacy role for women and children and by its continued efforts to ensure that their voices are heard in society. UNMIL was providing the vehicles to further enhance the work of the female lawyers’ organization because funding is not always readily available.

Justice Minister-Designate Dean Promised To Avoid ‘Losable Cases’

Cllr. Musa Dean has told the Senate Committee on Judiciary that if he is confirmed as Minister of Justice of the Republic of Liberia, he will advise the government not to involve in harassment and or taking on losable cases. At his hearing on Monday, February 19, the Justice Minister-designate whose nomination came after the withdrawal of Cllr. Charles Gibson, said as Attorney General of Liberia he would not go after cases that he cannot win.  Said Cllr. Dean: “We will not engage in harassment, we will not go after cases that have no magnitude and evidence. I do not go to court to lose cases because I do not carry cases that are losable.”  He also told the Senate Judiciary committee members that it is important to train more Police officers in order to increase the manpower of the Police and to “train them in of evidence gathering,” pens the FrontPage Africa newspaper.  

Kids’ Education Project Launches Accountability Project in Public Schools 

In an effort to promote accountability and improve service delivery in public schools, the Kids Education Engagement Project (KEEP) has launched a one-year accountability and service delivery project in 12 public schools across three counties in Liberia. The schools include Sappimah, Panker Town, Gbarmynma and Weafur-Gbarma Public Schools in Gbapolu Counties; Zleh Town, Gboloken, Tuzon and Toe Town Public Schools in Grand Gedeh Counties and Todee, Bahr Town, Morris Farm and James Moore Public Schools of Montserrado County. Described as a messy system by former President Sirleaf, Liberia’s education system is hampered by inadequate school supplies, lack of qualified teachers and corruption, especially in public schools, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.  

Buchanan District Lawmaker Holds Appreciation Event For Constituents   

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reports that Representative Matthew Joe on Sunday, February 18, 2018 held a program to appreciate his constituents for electing him as their Representative at the 54^thLegislature.The new Buchanan district lawmaker replaced Gabriel Smith, who held the seat for two terms since 2005. Joe was elected on the ticket of the now ruling Coalition for Democratic Change after claiming 13, 318 votes that amounted to 54.6% of the total votes counted. At the thanksgiving program held under the theme" Unity Brings Development” at the Unification Pavilion on the Fairgrounds in Buchanan, Representative Joe said “leadership comes from God and God was the one who spoke to the people to elect him on October 10, 2017”.

Caldwell Residents Protest in Demand of Electricity

The Township of Caldwell was yesterday a scene of chaos when residents took to the streets protesting having to go over two years without electricity in their area. The residents, who blocked the major road in the area leaving motorists stranded, chanted ‘solidarity songs’ in unison as they created a traffic gridlock that lasted all day Monday. But authorities of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) and the Liberia National Police (LNP) have called for a roundtable discussion between the leadership of the protesters and the LEC management to find a common ground to the protesters’ demand for power supply, pens the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Residents Protest For Electricity(New Dawn), and Caldwel Residents Protest For Electricity (Inquirer)  

LMG Provides US$10K Assistance To Orphans For 2017/2018 Academic Year 

According to the Daily Observer, as part of its humanitarian assistance program last Friday, the Liberia Ghana Mission (LGM) provided an initial financial assistance of US$10,000 to 60 children who lost their parents to the Ebola Virus Disease. The beneficiary children are from several communities in Monrovia and its environs. The amount covers the 2017/2018 academic year. Reviewing the financial packages to official of the Ministry of Gender & Social Protection (MGSP) in Monrovia recently, scholarship coordinator George Sarwah Stewart said the assistance to the Ebola orphans is a priority of the LGM.

Skin Disease Kills 1 In Bong – Over 77 Others Affected

Report reaching the New Dawn Newspaper says one person has been killed and more than 77 other persons attacked by a contagious skin disease outbreak in Bong County called scabies which is locally called “be serious” here. The New Dawn correspondent who visited the areas over the says the disease borke out in Karyata, Jorquelleh District and other surrounding villages in Bong County, leaving the affected residents under critical conditions. The dead identified as little Aaron Vanor is said to be the first person affected by the disease at the beginning of the outbreak in the county.