The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2018

News of the release of twelve years road accident report by the Liberia National Police is the lone story dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORY  

Police Wants Road Safety Taught In Schools … Releases 12 yrs Report On Accidents 

The Liberia National Police (LNP) in its twelve years road accident report released yesterday has recommended that the Ministry of Education include road safety education in all high schools and universities’ curriculum. In an interview yesterday, the LNP Chief of Traffic, ACP Alphanso D. Bindah said in keeping with Section 9.8 of the vehicle and Traffic Law states that “The Liberia national Police Force shall publish quarterly statistics on the number of traffic accidents and traffic fatalities.” According to the Chief of Traffic, ACP Bindah, the report which was released covers twelve years of national traffic fatalities statistics analyzed from 2007 to 2018 of accident data with their findings, adding that this is the first time since in the history of LNP Traffic Boss said this should be introduced in the national public safety awareness activities throughout the country at least twice monthly to sensitized road users who are mostly victims of motor vehicle accidents, reports the INQUIRER newspaper.

Related Captions: President Weah Launches Housing Project(The INQUIRER) and Pres. Weah Promises Free Housing For Rural Dwellers(FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES  

PPCC, EPA Give Go-ahead For 14 Military Hospital Construction 

All is said to be on course for the construction of the proposed 14 Military Hospital promised by President George Weah to the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL). President George Weah, during this year’s Armed Forces Day celebration in Monrovia, promised the army of Liberia that the construction of a 200 hundred bedrooms hospital to be called the 14 Military Hospital. Authorities of the AFL recently announced that the construction of the 200 rooms’ hospital project will be carried out by its engineering battalion. Assistant Defense Minister for Public Affairs, Sam Collins told FrontPage Africa interview via mobile that all is now set for the project to start. “Yes, the project has started, and it is the AFL soldiers themselves that are constructing the hospital, we are done with all the requirements by law and the soldiers have started the construction,” he disclosed. The Public Procurement Concession Commission has also given the project the green light, writes FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Minister Wie Calls For Unity Among Liberians

The Deputy Internal Affairs Minister for Urban Affairs Paulita C. Wie is calling for unity among Liberians to move the country forward. Speaking to reporters recently at her office, Madam Wie said as part of her promise to the Legislature to tour all the counties, she has toured 13 counties since she took over as Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Madam Wie said during her tour, she told her people that the election is over and it is now time that they work together and put away their differences and put the interest of Liberia first, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

US Embassy Senior Defense Attaché Visits Zwedru

The Senior Defense Attaché at the United States Embassy in Liberia, Lieutenant Colonel Marc Saphir Tuesday paid a ‘special’ visit to Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County. Lt./Col. Saphir and his team were received by the local administration headed by the acting Superintendent Davidson Barlee in the administration building in Zwedru. Lt./Col. Saphir disclosed during the brief discussion that the purpose of their visit to the county is to assess the general situation and wellbeing of the men and women of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) in the county, and to orientate his Deputy, Major Eric Willis. According to him, the assessment will cover issues faced at the barracks relative to accommodation, as well as the medical and general conditions of the soldiers. The U.S Defense attaché informed the county administration that during the visit they will also assess the security situation in the county, reports the Heritage newspaper.

Partners Collaborate To Boost Rice Production, Distribution

Supplying West Africa Traders (SWAT) and Cultivating new Frontier in Agriculture (CNFA) in collaboration with Liberia Agriculture Development Activity (LADA) Wednesday, June signed a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to boost production and distribution of local rice and empower farmers in support of government’s pro-poor agenda.  CNFA/LADA is under the United States Government’s feed the future initiative with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The goal of LADA is to increase incomes of smallholder farmers (SHFs) through increasing private sector investment in the Liberia’s agribusiness sector, pens the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Caption: SWAT, LADA Sign Agreement To Boost Rice Production and Distribution(FrontPage Africa)

Lawmakers Break Grounds For School Project

The New Dawnnewspaper reports that after 15 years without benefiting development, Nimba County District Four Representative Gunpue Kargon along with Deputy Speaker Prince Y. Moye broke grounds for a six-classroom school building in Gbor-Gban-Win Town, Nimba. According to Rev. Arthur Gbo-Whyee, a citizen from the town, for over 15 years, they have been abandoned by previous officials of the county, including ex-Representative Garrison Yealue, among others. He recalls that during elections, politicians made their way to the town and obtained votes after which they abandoned the area.

UNDP Ends Two Days’ Workshop On Action Plan

The United Nations Development Program has ended a two-day validation of the National Action Plan for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Liberia.  The workshop was organized by the National Commission on Disabilities from the 19 – 20 of June 2018 at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor Monrovia. The workshop which brought together participants from the disabled and visually impaired communities for a year action plan, the UNDP Action highlights accessibility to Public building, accessibility to public transport to broadcasting among others. The Validation on the National Action Plan is in the with the UN convention on the rights of persons with Disability (UNCRPD) and the UNDP who hired two consultants to undertake a groundbreaking activity in Liberia that lead to the development of the National Action Plan for the inclusion of persons with disabilities (NAPIPWD), pens the INQUIRER newspaper.

United Nations Names Liberian Prelate As Peace Ambassador

Liberian prelate, Prophet Sammy A. David has been named the United Nations’ Peace Ambassador to Liberia. At a well-attended ceremony in Enugu State on Thursday, June 14, 2018 the president of the International Association of World Peace Advocates, Per Stafsen lauded Prophet David for his countless efforts in speaking against ills in the society and striving for peace in Liberia. The program was also attended by dignitaries of the United Nations World Peace Advocates. As UN’s Eminent Peace Ambassador to Liberia, the Liberian Prelate is charged with the responsibility of establishing the United Nation Peace Advocacy office in Liberia through which programs and plans for the maintenance of peace in the country will be foster. Speaking to FrontPage Africa Wednesday, June 20 at the Robert International Airport upon his returned from Nigeria, Prophet David said it is a privilege to be trusted with role by the United Nations, pens the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

GVL Appoints New CEO

According to the New Dawn newspaper, Liberia’s largest oil palm company Golden Veroleum Liberia Inc., has named a new CEO Mr. Patrice Lobet a Belgian national with extensive experience in the Agro industry in Africa, including Liberia since 30 years ago. Addressing a press conference at GVL Monrovia office of Friday June 1, Mr. Lobet expressed his enthusiasm for the potential GVL has, and outlined his vision for the company. Mr. Lobet has an MSC degree in Agronomy Engineering and has worked in countries all over Africa and Asia in his 30 years career including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Cȏte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Thailand, Singapore and Cambodia just to name a few. He is married with three children. Mr. Lobet said among his key early priorities are establishing good working relationships with employees, community member, central and local government.

US$8M Rural Pro-Poor Housing Unit Project Launched

More than 100 participants, including county officials and representatives of local authorities, Wednesday, June 20, gathered in Margibi County to witness the launch of an US$8 million rural housing project by President George Weah. The initiative, which will be implemented by the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), named and styled “Special Presidential Pro-Poor Housing Unit Project,” targeting 568 housing units across the 15 political sub-divisions. According to the Daily Observer, the project will also be funded partially by the Weah-led administrations in partnership with the Japanese Government. President Weah said the project is part of his vision to cater to the well-being of rural Liberians who have been neglected for years by providing them affordable and decent housing units.

Sime Darby Assures Support To BCCC, Green Gold Partnership To produce Coal From Agricultural Waste Materials To Save Trees

Oil palm giant Sime Darby Plantation and several others have assured the newly-established partnership between Green Gold Liberia and the Bomi County Community College (BCCC) of its support to build a viable industry to produce charcoal from organic waste materials throughout the country. At a partnership ceremony on Tuesday at the college’s Fortoma Compound in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, Green Gold Liberia’s general manager Morris Dougba told the gathering of students and other representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Forestry Development Authority (FDA), Mary Meals Liberia and the Ministry of Education (MoE) that two years ago, he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BCCC to develop a curriculum that could lead to teaching how to use organic waste materials to produce charcoal. Morris said the launching of the partnership Tuesday demonstrates BCCC authorities’ determination to save Liberia’s forest that is being depleted throughout the country, reports the Daily Observer.