Stories highlighted in today’s summary of the local dailies include news of President George Manneh Weah’s dedication of phase one of the Somalia Drive Road project; the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for capacity building and technical support initiative by the Government of Liberia and African Governance Initiative; the reactivation of the Liberia Diaspora Engagement Program by the Government of Liberia.
President George Manneh Weah has dedicated phase one of a Japanese funded 13.2 kilometer Somalia Drive Road stretch between Redlight and the Freeport of Monrovia. Work on the project began during the administration of his predecessor former President Ellen Johnson - Sirleaf. The first phase of the road dedicated Wednesday, 30 May has two lanes and the next phase for which Mr. Weah also broke grounds immediately after cutting ribbon for the completed phase will also have two lanes and might be completed in about two and a half years. The amount for phase two of the project is about US$46m, and the total cost for the entire four - lane road project is about US$100m, according to the Japanese who are funding the project. The completion of phase one of the project according to Mr. Weah is expected to ease traffic congestion and bring new efficiency to trade and commerce and also improvement to the quality of lives of Liberians, reports the New Dawn newspaper.
Related Caption: Pres. Weah Dedicates Newly Constructed Somalia Drive ( FrontPage Africa), For Reconstruction of Somalia Drive Road: Weah Gives Credit To Ellen (Heritage)
Liberia, AGI Sign Capacity Building Agreement
The Government of Liberia and African Governance Initiative (AGI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for capacity building and technical support initiative to the Liberian government. African Governance Initiative is a global governmental technical support and capacity building initiative established and headed by former British Prime Minister, H. E. Tony Blair. President George Manneh Weah signed on behalf of the Government of Liberia while Mr. Blair signed for the Africa Governance Initiative. The MOU was signed on Wednesday, May 30, 2018 at President Weah’s Foreign Ministry Office in Monrovia. According to the INSIGHT newspaper, the MOU provides an opportunity for the AGI to work with the Government through the President Delivery Unit (PDU) to build capacity and provide sustainable support to enable it to achieve its programs and projects in the country.
Related Caption: Liberia, AGI Sign Capacity Building Agreement (Heritage), Liberia, AGI Sign Capacity Building Agreement (The New Dawn)
Liberia Diaspora Engagement Program Reactivated
According to the FrontPage Africa , the Government has reactivated the Liberia Diaspora Engagement Program in fulfillment of President George Manneh Weah’s inaugural address delivered on January 22, 2018. The Liberia Diaspora Engagement Program was endorsed by the Liberian Cabinet in 2010 under the auspices of the Minister of State without Portfolio with a mandate to develop a comprehensive draft National Diaspora Engagement Policy. The Diaspora program was successfully activated in September 2015 with funding from World Bank (WB), while a draft National Diaspora Engagement Policy was produced in July 2016 to enhance the smooth implementation of the program. In line with President Weah’s inaugural address, the program has moved into its next phase by engaging Diaspora Liberians for their direct involvement in the growth and development of the country. The program, which intends to create direct engagement with Diaspora Liberians, will focus on three basic areas including social, economic and political engagements.
Related Captions: Liberia Diaspora Engagement Program Reactivated (The New Dawn), Liberia Diaspora Engagement Program Reactivated (Heritage)
OTHER STORIES
Ministry Of Posts And Telecommunications Signs MOU With QR Angels Investment, Inc.
The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, represented by the Minister, Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah and the QR Angel Investment Inc, a South Korean Investment group, represented by its Chairman, Mr. Michael Choi, signed an MOU Wednesday May 30, 2018 to hold further discussion for possible assistance for the establishment of a Postal Financial Services within the Liberia Postal Operation. According to the MOU, QR Angel Investment INC will send to Liberia, technicians to work with technicians at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to determine the type of financial services that will be beneficial for the Liberia postal service based upon international standards. In a brief remark at the signing ceremony, the minister told the chairman of the investment group that the Universal Postal Union (UPU) adapted resolution few years ago which mandated member states to explore other avenue or area of services other than the traditional means of delivering letter that will make our postal offices to remain viable institution because the introduction of Information Communications Technology (ICT) and internet services has reduced the use of traditional mailing system, asserts the FrontPage Africa newspaper.
EU Pledges To Support OGP Program
According to the Heritage newspaper, the European Union (EU) Political Counselor Emma Sundblad has said the Union will support Liberia in the implementation of its Open Government Partnership (OGP) programs. The OGP is a voluntary international initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to their peoples, promote transparency and accountability as well as government’s responses to its citizens through innovation and technology to effectively convey information. Liberia acceded to the OGP on September 7, 2011 and has since developed three international action plans with verifiable deliverables, with the first running from 2013 to 2015 and the second from 2015 to 2017, while the third and current plan funs from 2017 to 2019.
First Lady Reaches Out To Orphans In Nimba
The INSIGHT newspaper reads that First Lady Clar Weah has met with scores of rural women in Ganta, Nimba County and reached out to orphanages with a donation of 40 bags of rice. Making the disclosure on ECOWAS Radio Wednesday , the Communication Director in the Office of the First Lady, Arthur Douglas, said on Tuesday the First Lady met with groups of women at the Temple Baptist Church in Ganta. He said the meeting was basically intended to show the Liberian women love and make them know that she cares about them and is determined to improve the lives of the underprivileged, including orphans, the elderly, street children and drug addicts. According to the Communication Director, the First Lady assured the women of Ganta that she will work with them because « women empowerment, gender equality, promoting rural women and girls are key issues » on her agenda, telling them that « all of their concerns are well noted. » Mr. Douglas quoted the First Lady as assuring the women that even though she cannot meet all their demands, she will do her best to address some of the critical ones.
Commerce Ministry Orders Tags On All Goods
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) has with immediate effect instructed all businesses throughout the country to put price tags on all goods on their shelves or risk being dealt with in keeping with the law of Liberia. The Ministry has also instructed business operating in the country notify it two to three months to the expiry dates of goods on their shelves and in their warehouses, or risk being fined or shut down. Appearing on a local radio talk show in Monrovia on Monday , Commerce Inspector General Josephine Davies said the warning was prompted by the discovery of huge quantity of expired goods on shelves and in warehouses of some businesses in the ministry’s ongoing inspection exercise. Madam Davies disclosed that the Ministry in its ongoing inspection exercise has confiscated large amounts of expired goods from the shelves and warehouses of some businesses and closed others, reports the Heritage newspaper.
Cuban Embassy Celebrates Africa Day
The New Dawn newspaper reads that the Cuban Embassy near Monrovia celebrates Africa Day, recounting the historic ties and strong solidarity existing between the Continent and the Caribbean nation. During the official celebration this week held at Cape Hotel in Monrovia, Liberia’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, represented the Government of Liberia, among other officials of government. A statement issued by the Cuban Embassy here says one of the most glorious pages of Cuba-Africa relations in recent times was services of 256 Cuban doctors who participated in the fight against the Ebola outbreak in 2014 in West Africa with at least two Cuban doctors losing their lives to the crisis.
NHA MD Seeks China’s Support in Housing Sector
The INSIGHT newspaper reads that in an effort to provide modern, affordable and durable housing for Liberians under the pro-poor government, the Managing Director of the National Housing Authority (NHA) Duannah Siryon has engaged the Government of the People’s Republic of China to seek possible assistance. Towards this end he recently led a three-man delegation, on an exploratory visit to China which lasted from May 11 thru May 19, to Qingdao, China (PR). According to the daily, the delegation visited several housing manufacturing companies that are specialized in roofing, siding, foundations, zincking and furnishing. Many, if not all the materials used in these facilities, are 90 percent locally-made from alternative building materials. The delegation also had fruitful discussions with several banks, including officials of China Minsheng Bank, to negotiate funding opportunity for various slum upgrading projects across the country.
Related Caption: NHA MD Seeks China’s Support In Housing Sector (Daily Observer)
Immunization Activities Under Review
The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) within the Ministry of Health has opened a four-day review meeting in Buchanan, Grand Bassa Country. The meeting aims to take stock of progress and work out prospect for the strengthening of immunization activities. A Health Ministry release quotes its Communication Director, Mr. Sorbor George, as saying that the ongoing review meeting looks at issues of dropout rate, where vaccinators could not achieve the targeted number of children during campaigns. The meeting also looks at issues of some vaccinations on GOL payroll, logistical problems, and cold chain constraints, among others, report the Heritage newspaper.
5 Diaspora Orgs. Take Dual Citizenship Case To Senate
According to the Daily Observer , at least five Liberian diaspora organizations have sent a letter to the Liberian Senate pointing out that the automatic loss of citizenship for 500, 000 Liberians naturalizing abroad is a serious legal hurdle facing thousands of Liberians who intend to maintain their Liberian citizenship. The five groups are the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), the European Federation of Liberian Associations (EFLA), the Federation of Liberian Communities in Australia (FOLICA), Inc., and Conference of Liberian Organizations in the Southwestern United States (COLOSUS) and the United Liberian Association in Ghana (ULAG). The organizations told the Senate that they feel strongly bound by blood to their ancestral homeland. More importantly, naturalization abroad is a privilege subject to conditions that can be withdrawn but their Liberian citizenship is a birthright.
Criminals Attack Fiber Optic Cables…LIBTELCO Issues Warning
The Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LIBTELCO) has strongly warned those who are attacking and destroying its fiber optic cables installations in Monrovia and other parts of the country to desist. In a release issued in Monrovia Wednesday , LIBTELCO described such actions by unscrupulous individuals and institutions against its fiber optic cables infrastructure, designed to provide internet solutions as unwholesome. The release further said the illegal and continuous cutting of the corporation’s fiber installations by unscrupulous individuals and groups is causing serious embarrassment to the public, private institutions, and individuals who are using LIBTELCO’s products and services.
