The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY JULY 13, 2018

Today’s summary highlights news of the ECOWAS Ministers reviewing key measures to address the security architecture of the sub-region and institutional reforms of the regional body; the holding of a Political Dialogue between Liberia and the European Union and the naming ofFinance and Planning Development Minister, Samuel Tweahas this year’sIndependence Day Orator.

ECOWAS Ministers Move To Consolidate Reform…New Commissioners And Heads Of Institutions Sworn In

ECOWAS Ministers in charge of peace, mediation, security and fiscal matters, have reviewed key measures to address the security architecture of the sub-region and institutional reforms of the regional body. The Ministers attended the 40^th Mediation and Security Council (MSC) and the 80th Council of Ministers meetings from July 7 to 8 2018 in Lomé, Togo, a dispatch from the Liberian Embassy in Abuja says. Liberia’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Gbehzohngar Findley and Minister of Defense, Daniel Ziankahn, attended the MSC, while the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah and Liberia’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Al-Hassan Conteh, participated in the Council of Ministers’ meeting, the dispatch adds. According to the dispatch, at the end of the meeting, they set up an Adhoc Committee comprising of Nigeria (Chair), Togo (Secretary), Cape Verde, and Liberia, to work with the ECOWAS Commission in accelerating reform, budgetary matters, and the modalities expanding statutory posts to the ECOWAS Member States. The NEWS newspaper says the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Jean-Claude KassiBrou, who co-chaired the meetings, will be inaugurated at the Ordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on July 31, in Lomé, Togo.

Related Captions: ECOWAS Ministers Move to Consolidate Reform…New Commissioners and Heads of Institutions Sworn In(The INQUIRER), ECOWAS Ministers Move to Consolidate Reform…New Commissioners and Heads of Institutions Sworn In(Heritage)

Strengthening EU Bond Liberian Government Holds Political Dialogue with European Union

The Front Page Africa newspaper, as part of efforts to create strong ties between the government of Liberia and its development partners, a political dialogue between the government of Liberia and the European Union was held Thursday, July 12, 2018 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event, which is the sixth EU-Liberia political Dialogue, highlighted the government’s legislative agenda, human rights issues, and emerging challenges of Brexit, the Pro-Poor Agenda for prosperity and development, and the state of the economy as well as the 2018/2019 national budget. The dialogue also highlighted creating a condition for economic growth, sustainable exploitation of national resources and several other issues. The daily reads that the EU team was headed by the Ambassador Hѐlenѐ Cave, while the Liberian delegation was led by Gbehzongar Findley, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Samuel TweahIs July 26 Orator

Finance and Planning Development Minister, Samuel Tweah is expected to serve as July 26^th Independence Orator. The disclosure was made yesterday at the regular press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism. According to the Chief of Protocol,  Amb. Jarvis Witherspoon, Minister Tweah will deliver the Independence Day oration on the Theme: Unifying the Nation for Progressive Development, the INQUIRER newspaper reads.

More Appointments In Government

The INQUIRER newspaper reads that President George MannehWeah has made additional nominations in government, affecting the National Lottery Authority, Nimba County Community College, National Refugee Repatriation Resettlement Commission and the National Housing Authority. Those nominated include Mr. T. Titus Charley, Senior Policy Staff in the office of the Vice President, Chairman, National Lottery Authority Board; Dr. Edward Lama Wonkeryor, President, Nimba County Community College; Mr. Isaac Roberts, Deputy Managing Director/Technical Services, National Housing Authority among others. According to the daily, the appointments are subject to confirmation by the Liberian Senate, where applicable.

Related Caption: Weah Makes More Appointment(The NEWS)

1,901 Pass UL Entrance Exam

The New Dawn newspaper reports that 1,901 candidates of the 10,837 candidates who sat the University of Liberia May 2018 Entrance and Placement Exam have made successful pass in both Mathematics and English after meeting the university’s passing threshold. A release issued Thursday, 12 July says based on the results, the UL Faculty Senate on Monday, July 9, approved three categories: Regular Pass, Provisional Pass and Unsuccessful categories to determine admission and non-admission to the University of Liberia. According to the daily, both the regular and provisional scores combined for all undergraduate colleges, including Straz-Sinje and the College of General Studies reach the total of 1,901 successful candidates qualified for admission from the May 2018 UL Entrance and Placement Examination.

Related Caption: UL May 2018 Entrance Exam Results: Only 17.5% Passed(Daily Observer)

CSA Vows ToRemove Ghost Names From Payroll

Civil Service Agency Director-Designate, Madam Lauren Johnson has pledged full commitment to ensuring that complicated issues of ghost names and skeleton salaries are abolished. Madam Johnson who was under oath whilst undergoing confirmation hearings at the Liberian Senate acknowledged the huge task at the entity but assured that with the assistance, support and cooperation of the other branches of government most of those problems will be resolved. She disclosed that part of her action plans at the CSA will focus on the decentralization of activities which according to her will enable employees receive feedbacks and enable them to verify their status in their areas of operations as opposed to traveling long distances or coming to Monrovia and going through difficult situations in accessing the entity, the Inquirer newspaper writes.

Justice Actors Brainstorm Basic Human Rights Issues

Actors in the justice and human rights sectors of Liberia have been brainstorming on issues of basic human rights under the support of the Offices of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)-Liberia in collaboration with the Independent National Human Rights Commission (INHRC) of Liberia and the Civil Society Platform of Liberia. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, the participants were drawn from the judiciary, police, Independent National Commission on Human Rights, civil society organizations, the Ministry of Justice and the judiciary.

Government ‘Bounces Back’ Mandates Graduation For All 12^th Graders

The Minister of Education, D. AnsuSonii has instructed schools administrators across the country to graduate all 12^th graders, who sat this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) irrespective of passing the exams. Addressing a news conference Thursday in Monrovia, Prof. Sonii said the Ministry of Education’s recent pronouncement that students, who fail WASSCWE will not be allowed to graduate does not apply to those who sat the exams this year. Minister Sonii explained that laws are not retroactive; as such, students who sat this year are exempted from this policy, the NEWSnewspaper reveals.

Stakeholders Brainstorm OnEffective Management Of e-Waste In Liberia

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has conducted a two days National Stakeholders Consultative Meeting intended to discuss and develop a roadmap for effective management of e-waste in Liberia. Presenting the overview of the meeting, Mr. Jefferson F. Nyandibo, Assistance Manager, Planning Policy and Focal Point Basel Convention said that Liberia has been declared by the Basel Convention as one of the West Africa countries that is heavily affected by the input of outdated and substandard electronic products many of which contains elements such as lead that are known to be very harmful to the environment, the NEWnewspaper reads.

Related Caption: EPA Ends Consultative Meeting on E-Waste(The INQUIRER) 

“Provide Conducive Environment For Children To Thrive”: Amb. Brown Urges UN Security Council

The FrontPage Africa reads that Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, His Excellency Lewis Garseedah Brown, II has challenged the United Nations Security Council and all UN Member States to do more to provide conduciveenvironments where children can thrive. Addressing the Security Council’s open debate on Children and Armed Conflict in New York, Ambassador Brown said “conducive environments are more than school buildings, desks and chairs; but also about families and societies, and the means and systems to live in peace with each other sustainably.” He cautioned that in the absence of sustainable peace, “School buildings, rather than centers for molding minds are converted into military barracks dedicated to fashioning children into instruments of war.”

Int’l NGO to Construct Safe Home for Liberian Children in Bomi County

In an effort to get vulnerable children off the streets, Growing Tree Liberia (GTL), a not-for-profit organization based in Berlin, Germany has decided to construct its first orphanage in Sass Town, Bomi County.The Executive Director of GTL, Melvin Kennedy made the disclosure during an event in which kids from Clay Street in Central Monrovia added their voices to raise awareness on all forms of violence against children in the country.“Our plan is to have a safe home for over 50 Kids. At this moment we have acquired a land, four acres of land at the Sass Town area Bomi County,” Kennedy said.“We are raising funds to construct the child care complex in other to offer children on the streets a more permanent home.”Kennedy added that last school year GTL sponsored 20 children in schools, assuring that the organization will continue sponsoring students, reads the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

MoEConducts Early Childhood Development Training InBong

The Ministry of Education (MoE) in Collaboration with UNICEF has begun conducting a one - week training workshop on Early Childhood Development (ECD) for elementary teachers in Gbarnga, Bong County. The Director for Region Two at the Bureau of Early Childhood, Ministry of Education, Madam HeanneahFarwenee said the training is intended to inform teachers on the importance of the early childhood development curriculum at their various schools in the country.The New Dawn newspaper quoting Madam Farwenee as saying that the educational sector plan for 2010 -2020 committed the ministry to lead the holistic and cross sectoral coordination efforts around early childhood development.She says Liberia’s 2010 Global Partnership for Education Grants earmarked funds to expand access to pre-primary education through class room construction, furnishing, materials [and] development.

Chinese To Construct Two Overhead Bridges

A high-powered delegation of the Government of the People’s Republic of China has paid a courtesy call on President George MannehWeah at his Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office in Monrovia. According to the INQUIRER newspaper, the delegation is in the country to commence preparatory works for the construction of two overhead bridges at two strategic locations in Monrovia including the Ministerial Complex as well as the S.K.D. Boulevard Junction. Speaking during the visit on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, President Weah welcomed the Chinese delegation to Liberia and used the occasion to commend the Government and people of China for yielding to his call for the construction of the two overhead bridges.

VP Howard-Taylor Supports efforts by NVTI To Launch Branch InBong County

Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has reechoed her commitment to supporting an expansion effort of the NetLib Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) into Bong County.The Institute, currently operating in Monrovia, was set up in the Netherlands in 2003 as an entity with interests in Liberia. It was re-established since 2009 in Liberia on a project basis.NVTI plans to establish a branch in Fuamah District, in Bong County with the support and cooperation of the Government and other partners, read the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: Gov’t ‘Bounces Back’…Mandates Graduation for All 12^th Graders (The NEWS)