The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018

Today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies highlights the news of the 72-hour ultimatum given to the Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA)  by President George Manneh Weah for the reduction of tariffs on basic commodities  imported into the country.

DOMINANT STORY  

Weah Orders Tariffs Reduction 

President George Manneh Weah has directed the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to present a new schedule to ensure immediate tariff reduction on wide range of basic commodities imported into the country. An Executive Mansion release issued in Monrovia Thursday, 24 May says President Weah has observed that the current tariff regime adversely affects the Liberian people, especially the poor. The tariffs regime here include the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) which the President says is causing a serious hike in the cost of basic commodities in the country, thus adversely affecting the Liberian people, especially the poor. The President deems this as unacceptable and further expressed that it contravenes the premise of the pro-poor agenda, the Mansion says. President Weah asserts that he will leave no stone unturned in making sure that basic goods are made affordable and that the public is not strangulated by unreasonable high tariffs. He has therefore mandated LRA Commissioner General to report on his directive within 72 hour, according to the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: Weah Gives LRA 72Hrs to Reduce Tariffs(Daily Observer), Pres. Weah Gives Revenue Authority Three Days to Reduce Tariffs(FrontPage Africa), To Ensure Immediate Tariff Reduction: Weah Mandates LRA(Heritage)

OTHER STORIES  

President Weah Dedicates New Rehab Market 

President George Manneh Weah has dedicated a new market in the Rehab Community, ending years of tough times for marketers selling under hot and drenched weather conditions. The Liberian leader personally financed the construction of the market named in honor of the First Lady, Madam Clar Weah. Dedicating the market facility on Thursday, May 24, 2018, the Liberian leader expressed excitement that there is a market in the community. “I am happy because you are happy,” the Liberian leader told jubilant marketers and promised that he would remain supportive of their efforts regardless of his status as President. “You know me, I will remain George Weah; being President will not change me, he said to emphasize how generous he has been toward the needs of the Liberian people. He also clarified that the project was not government-sponsored in an apparent effort to dispel public insinuations about the status of the project. According to him, his support for the project started when he was not an official of the government, neither as Senator nor President, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Gov’t Pledges Commitment To Adopt Metric System

Commerce and Industry Minister Wilson Tarpeh has said the government is committed to adopting the metric system to promote accountability and transparency in trade. The metric system is an international system of measurement adopted universally with the US, Liberia and Myanmar being the only exceptions. Minister Tarpeh who spoke at the celebration of the World Metrology Day in Liberia, organized by the National Standards Laboratory on May 24, explained that the government is aware that if it does not adopt the metric system, local manufacturers will find it difficult to benefit from the various ECOWAS trade agreements. He added they are also aware that no quantity can be correctly and consistently measured without metrology and metrological infrastructure, pens the Daily Observer.

Use Participatory Approach In Promoting Government Programs And Policies – VP Taylor Tells Local Leaders

Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor wants local government officials to prioritize a participatory approach in promoting government development programs and policies in the counties. Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor said, for the government overall pro-poor development agenda to be a success, citizens’ involvement must be given keen attention across the country. According to a release from the office of the Vice President, she made the statement Wednesday, May 24, 2018 at programs marking the induction ceremony of local county officials for Bong County including the Assistant Superintendent for Development, County Inspector, City Mayor and Statutory Superintendent of Kokoyah District among others. She said with Liberians divided on political, ethnic, religious, cultural, class, and ideological lines couple with  government’s plan for transformation through effective decentralization processes , it was  now imperative that local leaders  involve their people to support  modern development programs and reforms, pens FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: Use Participatory Approach In Promoting Government Programs and Policies – VP Taylor Tells Local Leaders(In Profile Daily)

AU Envoy Briefs Speaker Chambers on AU Activities

The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) to Liberia has paid a courtesy visit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Bhofal Chambers, informing him of the activities of the AU in Liberia since its mandate was extended in 2017, a press release said. According to the release, Ambassador Ibrahim M. Kamara told Speaker Chambers that the AU’s mandate in Liberia was extended last year. He says the AU has been working with the Government of Liberia and other development partners in solidifying Liberia’s peace, good governance and development efforts. Kamara said following the 2017 presidential elections, the country has maintained the trajectory to peace, good governance, and  development. He further said the AU is obliged to working with other relevant sectors of government and promised to significantly make interventions when called upon, writes the Daily Observer.

Police Get L$150,000 Cash Donation From SEGAL

Private security firm, Security Guard Agency of Liberia (SEGAL), has made a cash donation of L$150,000 dollars to the Liberia National Police (LNP) for onward use by the Police Community Watch Team here. Receiving the donation Thursday, 24 May at the Police Headquarters on Capitol Hill, Deputy Police Inspector General for Operations, Col. Robert Budy, thanked SEGAL Chief Executive Officer Momo T. Cyrus for fulfilling a pledge made recently. Col. Budy says crime control has been the number one problem in Liberia, and the cash donation will go a long way in building the capacity of the Community Watch Forum. He says the money is not intended to be used by the LNP, but solely by the Community Watch Forum which serves as eye for the LNP at places the police force is not present. Earlier making the donation, SEGAL Chief Executive Officer Momo T. Cyrus said the initial cash donation of L$150,000 is a minimum contribution geared towards helping the Community Watch Team to reduce their response time. Mr. Cyrus expresses hope for a public - private partnership … for collaboration between the LNP and the private security sector here. He says SEGAL did not make the donation to show its financial might, but it has realized that community policing is key to all, reports theNew Dawnnewspaper

House To Increase MOA Budget

The House of Representatives is expected to increase the 2018-2019 fiscal budget for the Ministry of Agriculture. The plan is announced after a communication came from Nimba County District #2 Rep. Prince Tokpah and chairman on Agriculture. Rep. Tokpah wrote the House of Representatives calling on the full plenary to increase Agriculture Ministry’s budget. According to him, he worked to get an understanding from the Minister of Agriculture and heads of agriculture - related entities about their strategies and how they intend to implement those ideas to suit the national agenda of the government. Rep. Tokpah says during a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, it was established that the Ministry is negotiating with partners to redirect most of the past approaches to support modernized farming intended to make the country self - sufficient in food production, especially Liberians’ staple food, rice. He notes that the Agriculture Minister has promised to establish laboratory to teach Liberians and to also convince the outside world that Liberian farmers have those certified food for the world market. He is however pleading with the joint committee at the Legislature to allot additional five million dollars to the Ministry of Agriculture draft budget for the fiscal period 2018-2019. Meanwhile the House has sent the communication to the Ways, Means and Public Accounts for actions. The New Dawn

UK Backs Liberia’s Return To Inter-Parliamentary Union

The governments of the United Kingdom and Liberia have recounted the pioneering role of both countries that proudly culminated into the establishment of the global parliamentary network: the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The Vice-Chair of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (BGIPU), Lord John Whittingdale - opined that such important epoch has formed the basis for substantive discourse and cooperation around global governance and leadership between parliaments of the world. Presenting a plaque- in honour of the delegation from the lower house of the Liberian legislature, while celebrating the historic ties that continue to foster between the UK and Liberia, Lord Whittingdale stressed that Liberia’s re-entry to the global Parliamentary network is a matter of both historic importance and contemporary relevance. Lord Whittingdale recognises - that Liberia continues to broaden its democratic space while improving citizens’ participation- assuring that the United Kingdom looks forward to deepening its relations with Liberia via the IPU framework. According to a dispatch from London, The BGIPU Vice-Chair intoned that the visit of the Liberian delegation to the Westminster Parliament has rekindled the profound spirit of cooperation with their counterparts in Liberia. Responding, the head of the Liberian delegation, Hon Johnson Gwaikolo, ideally situated Liberia’s pathway to returning to the fold of the global Parliament forum, despite periodic inactivity, reports the Heritage newspaper.

To Reduce Illegal Fishing On Liberian Waters: Liberia, S/Korea Hold Discussion

The Governments of Liberia and South Korea have initiated a high level discussion aimed at drastically reducing illegal fishing on Liberian waters. The international discussion, which took place on Thursday, May 24, 2018 at the Mesurado Pier on the Bushrod Island, brought together a nine-member Korean delegation headed by YU Byeonghyun Director of the Fisheries Monitoring Center at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in South Korea as well as the Government of Liberia through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) in a bilateral discussion aimed at working out mechanisms for the reduction of illegal fishing in Liberia, reports the Heritage newspaper.      

Related Caption: Crackdown On Illegal Fishing(In Profile Daily)

Conservation International Commits US$1M for Liberia Protected Areas

Conservation International (CI) and the Government of Liberia on May 22 launched the “Liberia Conservation Fund (LCF), the first of its kind aimed at providing sustainable, long term financing for Liberia’s protected areas. The fund was launched with an initial commitment of US$1 million, provided by CI’s Global Conservation Fund, with pledges made by the Government of Liberia through the Forestry Development Authority (FDA). The fund will be directed to a range of conservation finance sources and set up multiple endowments to support individual protected areas throughout the country. For example, the East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR) is one of the five protected areas for which the endowment has been established. “The Government of Liberia is committed to the mandate of the national Forestry reform law of 2006 by conserving 30 percent of Liberia’s forest”, FDA Managing Director Mike Doryen noted, reports the Daily Observer. At the same time, the Founa & Flora International (FFI) has donated one Toyota Land Cruiser to the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) on behalf of the  of the Acus Foundation to enhance conservation efforts at the Sapo National Parks in Sinoe County. In presenting the vehicle to the FDA management, the Country Director of the FFI Dr. Mary Molokwu-odozi expressed the donor’s gratitude to the FDA management and the Government of Liberia for the recent creation of two national parks and promised FFI’s sustained cooperation with FDA at all times. Receiving the donation, FDA Managing Director C. Mike Doryen thanked the Acus Foundation and the FFI family for the gesture and promised that the vehicle will be used straightly to enhance or accelerate the conservation initiatives in the Sapo National Park, reads the In Profile Daily under the caption “FFI Donates Vehicle To FDA”.

VP Howard-Taylor Attends Major International Women Confab In Israel

Liberia’s Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has departed the Country for Israel to attend this year’s MARSH’s International Women Conference Scheduled for May 28, 2018.  This followed an official invitation extended to the Vice President by organizers of the conference asking her to serve as one of the major speakers at the event, the Heritage newspaper quoting a release from the Office of the Vice President as saying that VP Howard-Taylor is expected to share her personal experiences as a woman leader and her journey reaching the top as well as challenges. The five-day international conference, which is being held under the theme “Leading Women Making a Difference,” runs from May 28-30, 2018.

NASSCORP Ends Interactive Forum In M’land

The National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) has ended a day-long annual national interactive forum in Harper, Maryland County. The forum was attended by personalities and institutions covered by NASSCORP. Assistant Director General for Public Information, Education and Training at NASSCORP, Winston Jah says the forum’s intent is to inform stakeholders about NASSCORP’s operations and a pending amendment of its policy expected to take effect shortly. He says the exercise is conducted once every year to educate employers and employees about the entity’s operations and to encourage every employer to ensure his or her entity is covered by NASSCORP to benefit when there is no more strength to work or in case of accident on the job, reports the New Dawnnewspaper.

Africare Ends Meeting On Maternal Mortality Reduction

Africare Liberia in collaboration with Michigan University and the Ministry of Health has ended a day-long meeting with several stakeholders in Suakoko District, Bong County. The meeting at Phebe Compound brought together Representatives from the Michigan University, the Ministry of Health, traditional leaders and Africare Liberia, among others. Africare Liberia Country Director Madam Faith Akovi Cooper narrated that Africare’s work focuses on health, agriculture and youth empowerment respectively. She adds that the meeting was intended to strategize plans for the improvement of the health sector. According to her, Africare remains committed to the Liberian People across the Country in reducing the high increase of maternal mortality here. Madam Cooper states that the entity has been working in the Country for the past twenty five years, adding that as implementing partner, it has been engaged in the construction of Maternal Waiting Homes in some parts of the Country. Director Cooper maintains that Africare Liberia is currently working in Bong and Nimba Counties in creating awareness on the reduction of maternal mortality. She says after the next few years, she hopes to see the reduction of maternal death and improved health system in Liberia, writes the New Dawnnewspaper.

Deputy MIA Boss Cautions Local Officials

Deputy Internal Affairs Minister for Operations Emmet Reeves has warned local officials of government to respect their superior, while in the discharge of their duties, stressing, “The boss is always the boss.” Speaking Wednesday, 23 May at the induction of two local officials for Montserrado County, he calls for coordination and improved working relations between them. Those inducted include Montserrado County Inspector, Solomon Miller and Bentol City Mayor, Martha K. Woheal, respectively. He admonishes inhabitants of the county to closely work with their officials if development they aspire for is to be realized. The Deputy MIA boss warns, “Everything that you say and do while discharging your functions must represent the people because they are the forerunners of government development drive”, reports the New Dawnnewspaper.