THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2015

News of President Johnson Sirleaf’s congratulatory message to the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Germany on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of that country’s Unity Day, the suspension of four civilian employees in connection with financial impropriety by authority of the Ministry of National Defense, and the discussions between the Press Union of Liberia and security institutions are among stories dominating today’s edition of our regular summary of the local.

DOMINANT STORIES

President Sirleaf Congratulates Germany

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Germany on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of that country’s Unity Day. The Day fell on Saturday, October 3, but was celebrated on Monday, October 5. In her message to His Excellency Joachim Gauck, President Johnson Sirleaf extended warmest congratulations and best wishes to the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Germany, on behalf of the Government and People of the Republic of Liberia and in her own name. President Johnson Sirleaf expressed the wish that the long-standing relationship between the two countries will continue to grow adding, "It is my sincere conviction that the current status of German-Liberian Cooperation has a new and elevated level, demonstrated by the height of support my government continues to receive from the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Germany, particularly during the unprecedented outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease". President Sirleaf further said that the excellent relations between our both countries have been further strengthened with the exchange of recent high level visits. "We are grateful that Germany remains a true partner and a reliable friend, I fervently anticipate that the cordial relations will be further enhanced by our joint efforts in the years ahead for the mutual," President Sirleaf lamented. President Sirleaf wished for the personal good health and happiness as well as for the continued wellbeing and prosperity of the people of Germany.

Related Caption: Ellen Congratulates Germany (Heritage), Pres. Sirleaf Congratulates Germany (The New Dawn)

Defense Suspends Several Employees

Authority of the Ministry of National Defense has suspended for time indefinite four civilian employees in connection with financial impropriety following joint investigations conducted by the Internal Audit Section and the Department of Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of National Defense. During preliminary investigations, it was established through verbal testimonies and documentary evidences that those individuals were culpable for lacked of judgment and malfeasance thus resulting into payroll piling thereby defrauding the Ministry of National Defense in the tone of $8,547.96 (Eight Thousand Five Hundred forty Seven and Ninety Six) United States Dollars, the Inquirer reports.

Related Captions: Defense Ministry Suspends Several Personnel (FrontPage Africa), Defense Ministry Loses US$8,500 To Fraud, Suspends 4 Employees (Daily Observer)

Africa Faces Challenge Of Sustaining Growth Amid Weak Global Conditions

The Informer newspaper reports that Sub-Saharan countries are continuing           to grow though at a slow pace due to a challenging economic environment. According to Africa’s Pulse, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania are expected to sustain growth at around 7 percent or more per year in 2015-17, spurred by investments in energy and transport, consumer spending and investment in the natural resources sector.

Related Captions: Africa Faces Downward Economic Growth (In Profile Daily), Africa Faces The Challenge Of Sustaining Growth Amid Weak Global Conditions (Heritage), Africa Faces The Challenge Of Sustaining Growth…Says World Bank (The Inquirer), Africa Faces Growth Challenge…World Bank (The News)

PUL, LNP Enhance Relationship – Vow To Foster Peace, Democracy

The Press Union of Liberia at the end of its 51^st Anniversary held security interactive dialogue in collaboration with the government’s security apparatus. PUL President, Mr. Abdulai Kamara during the opening of the forum told the gathering that the dialogue would serve as collaborative mechanism tendency to bind the two entities together in working together in peace and harmony at the benefit of the country. Meanwhile, during a penal discussion which included representatives of the media experts and LNP representatives, Deputy Police Director for Administration, Col. William Mulbah who represented Police Director, Inspector C. Chris Massaquoi, expressed satisfaction over the dialogue organized by the Union and disclosed that "we cannot work in isolation, we have to work with those who carry information to the public; it is about time for us to collaborate", FOCUS newspaper reports.

Related Captions: PUL, Security Hold Interactive Discussions (The NATIONAL ERA), Media, Security Must Foster Mutual Trust (The New Dawn), PUL Dialogues for Media Safety (The Inquirer)

OTHER STORIES

VP Boakai Assures Nigeria Of Renewed Bilateral Opportunities

Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has assured that Liberia stands ready to cultivate new opportunities that would enhance the wellbeing of the peoples of Nigeria and Liberia. Vice President Boakai observed that the cooperation and friendship between the two countries have always been characterized by mutual respect and collaboration at diverse levels. The Vice President’s statement was contained in a speech he delivered recently at the occasion marking the 55^th Independence Anniversary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria held in Monrovia, Heritage newspaper reports.

Related Caption: VP Boakai Assures Nigeria Of Renewed Bilateral Opportunities (FOCUS)

EU Calls For ‘Robust Sensitization’ Ahead Of 2017 Elections

The head of the European Union (EU) delegation to Liberia, Ambassador Tiina Intelmann, has recommended “a robust pre-electoral sensitization campaign” that will give Liberian voters full knowledge of the 2017 Presidential and Legislative elections. The EU envoy believes that lack of education and sensitization leads to suspicion and lack of confidence in the electoral process, and as such the understanding of Liberians must be improved prior to holding the pending elections. According to the Daily Observer newspaper,  Amb. Intelmann stressed that Liberians must take steps to improve their own lives, restore institutional confidence in their nation by extension. She said the EU cannot participate in the electioneering process of Liberia, but it can help provide the framework for sensitization and education through implementing partners that can be utilized in making the election process a credible one.

New Health Information Strategy Adopted

The Ministry of Health has agreed on a new health communication partnership with a network of health reporters in Liberia, aimed at narrowing the information gap between health authorities and the communities during the Ebola Disease outbreak. The media training, which was held at the C.H. Rennie Hospital in Kakata, Margibi County, assembled over 100 journalists from across the country.  “We’ve realized that the media has an important role to play in this endeavor. If we want to succeed in effectively getting rid of diseases in this country, we must get the media fully involved, and I am happy that you have come to join the MOH in making this partnership work”, Dr. Adolphus Yelah, County officer of Margibi County, told participants, New Democrat newspaper reports.

Gov’t Lifts Curfew In Ganta

The Ministry of Justice has announced the lifting of the curfew imposed in Ganta, Nimba County as a result of violence in that city last Wednesday. Information Minister Lewis G. Brown told the Liberia News Agency that the decision was in response to the level of calm that has been restored in Ganta and the rapid return of the citizens to normal business and economic activities. Nimba County Superintendent Fong Zuagele imposed a 4:00p.m to 6:00 curfew on Wednesday in the wake of a violent protest in Ganta fueled by the discovery of the body of a motorcyclist reportedly murdered for ritualistic purposes, the Informer writes.

MOH, Partners Recognize Media’s Role In Improving Health Sector

The Ministry of Health in collaboration with its partners held one-day training for media practitioners during which time the importance of the Liberian media in improving the health delivery system was recognized. The program, which was held in Kakata last Friday, was addressed by the acting Chair for the Incident Management System (IMS), Thomas Nagbe. Mr. Nagbe said the role of the media cannot be overemphasized in the development of Liberia’s health sector. He said considering the link between the media and the community, it is important for stakeholders in the sector to always include the media in their service delivery activities. He noted that lessons learned from the Ebola crisis clearly showed the relevance of the media in service delivery. The Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Luwaga Lillian, said “The Ebola crisis indicated that there is no technique the government can use to succeed in fighting against any health problem in the absence of the media.” Earlier, the County Health Officer of Margibi, Dr. Adolphus Yasiah, said the workshop was designed to create stronger relationship between the health sector and the Liberian media, which the Ministry of Health and partners consider as key in sustaining health services, according to the Daily Observer.

MOT To Open 3 New Vehicle Registration Centers

The Daily Observer reports that the Ministry of Transport has disclosed the opening of three new vehicle registration centers in rural Liberia. Minister Angela Cassell Bush made the disclosure on Thursday at the Ministry of Information’s press briefing in Monrovia. Minister Bush said the Ministry is targeting Ganta City, in Nimba, Zwedru in Grand Gedeh and Gbarnga in Bong County for the new centers, as part of the government’s decentralization program. She pointed out that the three new centers will enable vehicle owners and drivers to register their vehicles or obtain drivers’ licenses without having to travel to Monrovia. “The ministry has also taken some new internal measures to assure fairness in the distribution of license plates and orderliness in how they are processed. We now have a new system in place and taxpayers can see their completed documents on MOT official website,” the Minister explained. Minister Bush also stated that the MOT in collaboration with international partners, has sought to establish measures that will assist in protecting all newly constructed roads against undue wear, tear and early destruction. She said the measures will also set a limit to the amount of load that heavy vehicles can carry to avoid deterioration of the roads. “This will tailor with the ECOWAS agreement among member states that seeks to harmonize the weight of vehicles carrying heavy loads across West Africa and to set limits on the amount of load per axle as well as the weight and dimensions of various categories of vehicles,” she added.

BIN Rated Highest Revenue Generating Security Body

The Minister of Finance, Development and Planning, Amara Konneh, has praised authorities of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN) for being the highest revenue generating security institution in the country. Speaking recently when he served as keynote speaker during the graduation of some 338 recruits of BIN and Fire Service at Camp Biago in Sinje,  Grand Cape Mount County, and the NATIONAL ERA newspaper reports.

FDA Launches “Rethinking Liberia’s Forest” Today

The Forestry Development Authority is launching on October 6^th & 7 a two day conference “Rethinking Liberia’s Forests; Implementing the New Vision”. This conference will be launched by H.E. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and will be attended by community forest managers, government officials, and international experts on forest issues from throughout Liberia. The purpose of the conference is to celebrate and examine the work that the FDA and Liberian Government have undertaken to reform country’s forestry sector, the Inquirer reports.

Int’l Expert Calls For Effective Management Of Providence Island

A Gambian International expert, Baba Ceesay, has underscored the need for effective management of the Providence Island in Monrovia in order to make that historical site a strong candidate for the World Heritage Committee (WHC), Focus writes.

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