The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, MAY 29, 2018

The dedication of a new Rehab market, arrest of 20 alleged drugs traffickers in Gbarnga, the visit of 30 medical doctors to Liberia and the conducting of First Youth Sector Coordination Meeting by Ministry of Youth and Sports are few of the selected stories for today’s media summary.

Weah Dedicates New Rehab Market

According to the Heritage newspaper, President George 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 recently, 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.

Police Raid Gbarnga, Arrest 20

The Emergency Response Unit (ERU) of the Liberia National Police (LNP)has raided Gbarnga, Bong and Nimba Counties, arresting 20 persons for alleged drugs trafficking in Bong and Nimba Counties.The suspects were arrested with huge quantity of drugs including Italian White, tramadol and marijuana among, others. The arrest of the 20 individuals came as a result of an operational raid launched by the police force as part of efforts in battling criminal activities in Bong and Nimba Counties. Places the police raided include the Gbarnga-Ganta Highway, Barworlor Quarter Community, the Far East Community in Gbarnga and several other places in Ganta, Nimba County. Among the 20 arrested persons are two Nigerian nationals in Ganta, Nimba County and one Guinean national in Bong County, respectively. Speaking to a team of journalists after the arrest, Police Commissioner for Operations Miekee Gray stated that the operation was important in order to save the two Counties from criminal activities and harmful substances. Commissioner Gray says police earlier deployed men in the field to monitor the activities of those that were arrested before starting the raid. According to him, some of those that were arrested are alleged perpetrators of crimes that police have been searching for and as such, they will be taken to court to face justice, reports the New Dawn newspaper.  

Liberia partners with S. Korea to reduce illegal fishing here 

The Governments of Liberia and South Korea initiate high-level discussions aimed at drastically reducing illegal fishing in Liberian waters. The talks, which took place last Thursday May 24, 2018 at the Mesurado Pier on Bushrod Island in Monrovia, 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 and officials of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) here aimed at working out mechanisms to curtail illegal fishing in Liberia. According to a press release, the exercise will shortly lead to signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the East Sea Fisheries Management Service, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Republic of South Korea and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), representing the Government of Liberia, on the establishment of an Integrated Fisheries Monitoring system to control illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Liberian waters. Both institutions are expected to cooperate technically in establishing the Integrated Fisheries Monitoring System to control Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing across Liberian Waters under the Korean official Development Assistance Project, which will be implemented from 2018 to 2022. Speaking earlier, upon arrival in Liberia, the head of the South Korean delegation YU Byeonghyum pledged his government’s support to ensuring that illegal fishing activities here are drastically reduced, pens the New Dawn newspaper.

Rep. Jones Secures US$60,000 Road Project

According to the New Dawn newspaper, as part of his 2017campaign promises, Margibi County District#2 Representative Ivar K. Jones, commences rehabilitation of a 500-meter road project at an estimated cost of US$60,000.The Dolo Town Health Center road project is being implemented by Sinohydro Corporation Limited, a Chinese company, is expected to benefit over 38,000 inhabitants when completed. Making the disclosure in the county at the commencement of the project, Representative Jones says the project is made possible thru negotiation between his office and the Chinese company to rehabilitate road as its social corporate responsibility to the district. “We are elated and grateful to God for this company; we had written lot of companies, including Firestone company based in the county to help rehabilitate the road in the spirit of their corporate social responsibilities, (CSR) but none has compiled except this new Chinese company,” Rep. Jones notes. Sinohydro Corporation Limited is one of the companies paving the road leading to Roberts International Airport (RIA) he said. XU Chao, General Manager of the company, thanks the lawmaker and the people of District#2 for the warm reception accorded him. Mr. XU expresses gladness for being part of history making in Liberia by helping the people of Dolo Town through his company’s CSR. According to him, the exercise, which is not an overlay or concrete road project, involves building drainages and replenishing damaged mud-layer for smooth accessibility.

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. Addressing a team of journalists, 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, pens the New Dawn newspaper.

30 Medical Doctors to Visit Liberia

The New Dawn newspaper reports that about 30 international medical experts are expected to arrive in the country to perform surgical operations on citizens who suffer from medical complications in Montserrado County District #1. District Representative Lawrence Morris says the medical doctors are expected to be operated at the Benson Hospital in Bensonville for two days from June 15-16 in an effort to cater to the residents’ health needs. Rep. Morris made the disclosure recently in Monrovia when he officially embarked on a consultative tour within his constituency, visiting four townships along with their commissioners and other local authorities. According to him, his office has been lobbying with international partners and friends to ensure the success of the campaign which is aimed at helping to alleviate health problems of the citizens through a temporary medical response. Rep. Morris has also outlined several plans that he intends to undertake for the district. They include erecting hand-pumps throughout all townships, constructing a 500 - bed - room hospital, a vocational school for the district, and a building of various offices in the district for his constituents.

Cuba Offers More Assistance To Liberia’s Health Sector

The Republic of Cuba has offered to provide more assistance to Liberia’s healthcare sector. A statement quoting the Communication Director of the Health Ministry, Mr. Sorbor George, said the Cuban Government said already five Liberians who are studying Medicine in their country and additional two Liberians will soon join their counterparts. Paying a courtesy call on Health Minister, Madam Wilhelmina Jallah on Monday, May 28, 2018, Cuba Chargé d’affaires, Yordrnis Despaigne Vera, said discussions are ongoing to dispatch and assign some Cuban Doctors to the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital for service, following the signing of a pack, which covers their accommodations and salaries. The Cuban diplomat also congratulated Minister Jallah for her preferment saying, his country was grateful to help the people to Liberia. He also recalled Cuba’s assistance to Liberia during the Ebola crisis and promised to strengthen their bilateral ties with Liberia, reports the Heritage newspaper.

ECOWAS Judicial Council Recruits New Judges

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, His Honor Francis S. Korkpor, Sr. attended the ECOWAS Judicial Council meeting held in Lomé, Togo from 23-25 May, 2018. The meeting, which was held in the Presidential Auditorium Evala of the Hotel 2 Fevrier (Radisson Blu) brought together Chief Justices and their representatives of the 15-member states of ECOWAS. The purpose of the meeting was to recruit five (5) new judges who will sit on the Community Court of Justice, located in Abuja, Nigeria for the next four years. The newly recruited judges are from the Republic of Cape Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Except for Sierra Leone whose candidates’ recruitment process has been deferred, all other candidates were recruited. In his welcome address, the Commissioner in charge of Human Resource Management of the ECOWAS Commission, Prof. Dias Furtado, Jeremias, on behalf of the President of the Commission, H.E. Jean Claude Kassi Brou welcomed all the Chief Justices and representatives of the Supreme Courts of the member States of ECOWAS and thanked the Togolese Authorities for having accepted to host the meeting of the Judicial Council in Lome, as well as the warm reception and the facilities placed at the disposal of the delegates, reports the In Profile Daily.

Related Caption: Chief Justice Attends ECOWAS Judicial Council Meeting in Lome(Inquirer)

‘Single Window System’

The Vice President for Administration at the Alliance for Electronics Commerce (AAEC), Matthew Soputamit, said international trade remains one of the most driving forces of economies, noting that single window system will lead to efficient trading regimes in African nations. Soputamit made the remarks recently in Monrovia during a kickoff of a 2-day workshop intended to raise awareness of single implementation, which brought together several participants from Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Liberia. He said if the continent is to ride itself out of aid and benevolence of donors; it will be achieved through trade, it is therefore important to have very efficient trading regimes in African countries in order for the continent to gain momentum in global trade, reports the In Profile Daily.

MCSP/RHS Close out Event Today

An official close out event of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Maternal and Child Survival Program’s Restoration of Health Services (MCSP/RHS) Project will be held today, May 29, at a resort in Monrovia, a release has said. The event will be held in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, USAID and County Health Teams of Grand Bassa, Nimba and Lofa counties as well as partners. It will be hosted under the theme, “Restoring Health Services.” According to a release from the event, Minister of Health Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah and USAID Mission Director Dr. Anthony Chan, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Health Senator Peter Coleman, as well as MCSP director Dr. Koki Agarwal and the County Health Teams are expected to make remarks. The RHS Project started in August 2015 and worked in 77 facilities, with 30 in Grand Bassa, 30 in Nimba, and 17 in Lofa. The project worked to improve Infection Prevention and Control practices as well as improving the Quality of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health services, pens the Daily Observer.

Youth & Sports Ministry Conducts First Youth Sector Coordination Meeting

The Ministry of Youth and Sport on Thursday, May 23 conducted its first monthly youth sector coordination meeting with development partners to find a framework for the implementation of impactful youth programs in Liberia. The event which is a first of its kind under the CDC-led government brought together a cross-section of youth groups from around the country. Giving the welcome remark at the SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville, the Minister of Youth and Sport D. Zeogar Wilson called on young people in the country to see the life of President George Weah as an example to transform their own life. He added that it is time that various youth organizations work hard to develop programs for youths in the country. “We believe in realistic goals. Gone are those days when we used to write fine, fine concept paper and nothing is done,” he said. Speaking to FrontPage Africa after the program, Deputy Minister for Youth Development, Isaac N. Doe, added that the event also intended for officials of the ministry to get acquainted with partners to strategize the developmental agenda of young people, writes the FrontPage Africa newspaper.