NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2015

News of the Global Environment Facility US$7.43 million grant to the Government of Liberia to tackle some prevailing environmental problems in the country is the lone story dominating today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORY

EPA Secures US$7.4M Grant From GEF

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has secured US$7.43 million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to tackle some prevailing environmental problems in the country. GEF Operational Focal Point and Executive Director of the Executive Director of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Madam Anyaa Vohiri, made the disclosure at the GEF National Portfolio Formulation Exercise Workshop held over the weekend in Kakata, Margibi County. Madam Vohiri said the money will be used by the government to execute environmental projects in the areas of climate change, biodiversity, sustainable land management, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), international waters and chemical management. Participants in the one day forum were drawn from relevant government line ministries and agencies as well as GEF implementing partners, including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), African Development Bank, Environmental NGOs Coalition, Academicians, youth groups, and among others. , writes the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Liberia Gets US$7.43M…To Tackle Environmental Projects (The News), EPA Gets US$7.43M Grant (The New Dawn)

OTHER STORIES

Ellen Congratulates Chad, Central African Republic

The Heritage newspaper quotes two releases from the Foreign Ministry as saying that the President of the Republic of Liberia, H.E. Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has sent a congratulatory message to the Government and People of the Republic of Chad on the occasion commemorating the 55 Independence Anniversary of that country.  In her message to His Excellency General Idriss Déby, President Sirleaf remarked: “It gives me immense pleasure to extend to you, and through you, to the Government and People of the Republic of Chad, warmest congratulations and best wishes on behalf of the Government and People of the Republic of Liberia, and in my own name”. The President further noted that as the People of Chad celebrate another year of Independence, she entertains the hope that the two countries will continue to collaborate in the promotion of international peace, economic integration and social development. She assured President Déby of her government’s determination to continue to strengthen the cordial relations subsisting between the two countries for the mutual benefits of their respective peoples. The Liberian Leader further wished that for the Almighty Allah will continual to endow His Excellency with wisdom as he leads his compatriots on the path to peace and economic stability. In a related development, President Johnson Sirleaf, has sent a congratulatory message to the Government and People of the Central African Republic on the occasion commemorating the 55th Independence Anniversary of that country.  In her message to Her Excellency Madam Catherine Samba Panza, President of the Central African Republic, President Sirleaf remarked: “It gives me immense pleasure to extend to you, and through you, to the Government and People of the Central African Republic, warmest congratulations and best wishes on behalf of the Government and People of the Republic of Liberia, and in my own name,” the President remarked. President Sirleaf further noted that as the people of the CAR celebrate another year of Independence, she entertains the hope that the two countries will continue to collaborate in the promotion of International Peace, Economic Integration and Social Development. President Sirleaf assured her Government’s determination to continue to strengthen the cordial relations subsisting between the two countries for the mutual benefits of their respective peoples. The Liberian Leader prayed that God Almighty will continue to endow Her Excellency with wisdom as she leads her compatriots on the path to peace and economic stability.

J.J. Dossen To Become Referral Hospital

The co-founder of the international social justice and health organization, Partners in Health, Dr. Paul Farmer, has disclosed plans to transform the J.J Dossen Hospital in Maryland County, southeast Liberia to a regional referral hospital with his organization serving as implementing partner. “This selection is consistent with the seven-year Health Plan of the Ministry of Health that particularly targets the John F. Kennedy Hospital, Redemption Hospital, Phebe Hospital and the J.J. Dossen Hospital, which Partners in Health will implement,” Dr. Farmer explained. He said the regional referral hospital will be modelled after the over US$4 million district referral hospital in Rwanda that incorporates all major services that are generally offered by a standard referral hospital and will serve the people of south-eastern Liberia. According to the U.S physician and anthropologist, the J.J.Dossen Hospital will also serve as a teaching hospital for the training of healthcare workers that are required for an effective and functional healthcare system in Liberia following years of civil war and the deadly Ebola crisis. According to a press release from the office of Maryland County Senator Gbehgbo Brown,Dr. Farmer made the disclosure over the weekend when he and the Executive Director of Partners in Health, Dr. Gary Gottlieb, were received in audience by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at her office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He told President Sirleaf that staffing, health education as well as an X-ray machine and other laboratory equipment have been provided the J.J. Dossen Hospital. For his part, Dr.Gottlieb indicated that the overall work of Partners in Health in Liberia targets the deployment of over 11,000 community health workers in the entire country with about 400 of those currently involved with their work in Maryland County where Dr. Gary Gottlieb himself is based. They then thanked President Sirleaf for affording them the opportunity to meet with her and discussed, and for allowing them to work in Liberia. The New Dawn

 VP Boakai Pays Tribute To Fallen Cultural Icon

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has paid tribute to fallen Liberian artists and promised on behalf of Government to revisit plans to restore the National Cultural Center. The national Cultural Center was removed from its Kendeja site more than seven years ago, bur is yet to be officially relocated. Speaking Sunday at the memorial program of the late Liberian cultural icon Zumana Fofana alias “Karmo Soko”, of the Balawala International Foundation, Vice President Boakai said the country has lost several of its best artists who promoted Liberian culture, saying that their contributions remain irreplaceable, Heritage newspaper reports.

Border Surveillance Confab Ends

Liberian and Guinean authorities in collaboration with the NGO Global Communities have ended the 4th cross-border surveillance meeting on Ebola response in the Guinean town of Yomou. Speaking at the meeting, the Administrative Assistant to Bong County Superintendent and cross-border surveillance focal person, Joseph Urey, said the meeting is part of efforts by authorities of the two countries to give updates on the Ebola virus and how they can devise strategies to eliminate it from the region, New Democrat newspaper reports.

Ivorian Refugees In Liberia Celebrate Independence Day

Ivorian refugees currently hosted by the Government of The Republic of Liberia have celebrated the Independence Day on 7 August 2015 in the PTP refugee camp. With marches, football games and presentations, refugees from the other camps (Little Wlebo and Bahn) joined their fellow country mates in sending messages of peace and hope, and remembering Cote d’Ivoire’s freedom. In a release Monday, the UNHCR Public Information Officer Diana Diaz Rodriguez said the UN Refugee Agency and its partners wish Cote d’Ivoire a happy Independence Day, the New Republic newspaper reports.

Related Caption: Ivorian Refugees Celebrate Country’s Independence Day (In Profile Daily)

Gov’t, Partners Strengthen UNFPA Coordination

The government, through the Population Policy Coordination Unit (NPC), Secretariat of the National Population Commission (NPC), on Friday, August 7, held a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) partners’ coordination meeting for UNFPA project implementation partners. Held under the theme, “Putting Human Face to Development”, the meeting brought together 30 participants from key agencies of government and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Mr. Daniel W. Garteh, Coordinator, PPCU Secretariat of NPC, informed participants that their presence at the meeting virtually qualified them as parts of government’s efforts to bring positive changes in the lives of Liberians, In Profile Daily reports.

Liberian Leader Receives Paul Farmer Award

Dr. Farmer, an American anthropologist and physician who is best known for his humanitarian work, is providing suitable healthcare to rural and under resourced areas in developing countries, beginning in Haiti and is co-founder of partners in health; while Dr. Gary Gottlieb is its Executive Director. According to an Executive Mansion release, the Liberian leader thanked Dr. Farmers and Partners in health for working in Liberia, particularly during the most difficult period of the Ebola outbreak and for the services they have rendered Liberians, especially rural dwellers in southeastern Liberia where their operations are focused, West Africa Info Post writes.

VP Boakai: Abuse Of Children Must Stop, It Is Criminal And Must Be Dealt With

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has frowned on crimes against children emphasizing that the abuse of children are indecent liberties that must be dealt with decisively in the Liberian society in keeping with law. Vice President Boakai called out to all men in Liberia to work along with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in order to highlight the need to fight against this social menace that is on the rise in the Liberian society, Heritage newspaper writes.

Related Caption: Abuse Of Children Must Stop, It Is Criminal And Must Be Dealt With-Says VP Boakai (The New Republic)

Oil Co Boosts Port Sector

Liberia-focused Equatorial Palm Oil (LONPAL) has struck a long awaited deal with the country’s port authority, paving the way for the construction of a key export facility. The AIM firm’s executive director Geoffrey Brown described the lease agreement as a “significant milestone”, New Democrat newspaper reports.

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