THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS  

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016 

News of President Johnson Sirleaf’s condolence message to the President, Government and People of the United States of America, for the death of at least 50 American caught in a horrific shooting incident in Orlando, Florida, the House of Representative’s decision to concur with the Senate to ratify the protocol of accession for Liberia to be a member of the World Trade Organization and Liberia’s observance of the Day of the African Child on Thursday, June 16 are among stories dominating today’s edition of the summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Pres. Sirleaf Consoles U.S. Over Shooting…Atleast 50 Persons Dead 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of condolence to the President, Government and People of the United States of America, for the death of at least 50 American citizens caught in a horrific shooting incident by a gunman in Orlando, Florida. Early Sunday, June 12, 2016, an American-born, Omar Mateen, gunned down 49 people and injured 53 others at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, which has become the deadliest mass shooting in the United States and the nation’s worst terror attack since 9/11. The FOCUS newspaper quoting a Foreign Ministry release said in her message to President Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, the Liberian leader extended, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia, especially to the families of the victims, deepest condolences for this irreparable loss as she wished for the speedy recovery of the wounded.

Related Captions: Ellen Consoles U.S.(The New Dawn), Ellen Consoles The United States(The NEWS), Liberia Consoles US Over Horrific Shooting in Florida(FrontPage Africa)

Legislature Ratifies Liberia’ WTO Entry

The House of Representative has unanimously concurred with the Senate to ratify the protocol of accession for Liberia to be a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). On Tuesday, all 44 Lawmakers in session voted in favor of the motion, which was made by Grand Kru Country Representative George Wesseh Blamoh, Chairman on the Committee on Executive. The undisputed passage was due to a report by the Joint Committee on Commerce and Industry, Foreign Affairs and Judiciary, headed by Rep. Charles K. Bardyl, Chairman on the Committee on Commerce and Industry, reports the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Liberian Legislature Concludes Ratification of WTO Protocol(FrontPage Africa), Legislature Ratifies Liberia’s WTO Entry(Daily Observer), Legislature Ratifies WTO Accession Protocol(FOCUS)

Gov’t Declares June 16 ‘Day Of The African Child’

The NEWSnewspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has declared Thursday, June 16, as The Day of The African Child, to be observed throughout the country as a Working Holiday. According to the release, a Proclamation issued by the President calls upon all citizens and foreign residents, national and international youth organizations and all government agencies concerned to join the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to execute appropriate programs befitting the observance of the Day. The Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now African Union (AU), adopted Resolution No. 1240 in 1990, declaring June 16 of each year as the “Day of the Africa Child” to focus awareness of the problems and address their effects on the young African population. The significance of the observance of the ‘Day of the African Child’ is in memory of hundreds of school children who were brutally massacred in Soweto, South Africa, by the then Apartheid Regime in June 1976, while advocating for equal rights and opportunities. This year theme is “Protecting All Children’s Right During Conflict and Crisis in Africa.”

Related Captions: Pres. Sirleaf Declares Thursday ‘Day Of The African Child’(The New Dawn), Liberians To Observer Day Of The African Child-As President Sirleaf Issues Proclamation(FOCUS), President Sirleaf Declares June 16 ‘Day of the African Child’(FrontPage Africa)

NPA Paves Over 2.4-Mile Internal Road

The New DawnNewspaper reports that the Management of the National Port Authority has commenced construction for over 2.4 miles road within the Freeport of Monrovia. According to a release issue Tuesday by the NPA management, the project is part of Management’s modernization plan to resuscitate the Liberian Port sector.The release said the NPA designated unpaved roads, drainages, lights and sidewalk within the port are currently being rehabilitated. It said environmental, hydrological, topographic survey-mapping as well as a standardized concrete pavement design and parking facilities are key components of the technical assessment that preceded the implementation of the road project.

Related Captions: NPA Commences Over 2.4 Mile Internal Road Pavement(FOCUS), National Port Authority Commences 2.4 Mile Internal Road Pavement(FrontPage Africa)

PPCC Strengthens Procurement Practitioners to Enhance Efficiency

The Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) with support from the UNDP’s Strengthening National Capacities for Development (C4DE) Program has commenced another round of the  Introductory Certificate in Public Procurement–CIPS Accredited Level 2 training for 100 public procurement practitioners representing government agencies and county level institutions at the National Elections Commission. The FrontPage newspaper reports that the training is being conducted in joint partnership with the UNDP and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS), headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Related Captions: To Enhance Efficiency:  PPCC Strengthens Procurement Practitioners’ Capacity-Targets Public Procurement Personnel(FOCUS), PPCC Strengthens Capacity Of Procurement Practitioners(The NEWS)

OTHER STORIES

South African Investor Arrives In Liberia Today

A South African investor, Mr. Robert Wellington Gumede, at the head of a 12-man delegation, arrives in the country today, for a two-day visit. The New Dawnnewspaper writes that Mr. Gumede’s visit is aimed at exploring possibilities of investment in the Country.Mr. Gumede - a prominent business tycoon in South Africa, is the Executive Chairman and Director of Guma Group Ltd since 2005. While in Liberia, Mr. Gumede will meet with senior government officials and other high level representatives to discuss economic renewal and infrastructure development. He will also meet with the Chairman of the National Investment Commission to conclude discussions on steps to actualize investments here.

Related Caption: South African Investor Eyes Port Development, Ducor and Hotel Africa(The INFORMER)

NBC, USAID-GEMS Brainstorm On Concessions Compliance Monitoring

The INFORMERnewspaper reports that in an effort to increase compliance monitoring and build synergies with responsible parties in the administration of concessions in the country, the National Bureau of Commissions (NBC) with sponsorship from the USAID-GEMS Liberia will host a two day workshop on Improving NBC’s Visibility for Concessions Compliance Monitoring. The workshop takes place from the 21-22 of June 2016 in Gbarnga, Bong County.  According to a press release from the NBC, the workshop is intended to bring around the stakeholders in Government, concessionaires development partners, Civil society organizations, concessions affected communities and the NBC staff to discuss and advance solutions to some of the issues challenging the implementation and monitoring of concession companies.

Related Caption: NBC, USAID-GEMS Brainstorm On Concessions Compliance Monitoring(The INFORMER)

Liberia Gets New ‘Intellectual Property’ Law – House Concurs with Senate

According to the Daily Observer, a new Intellectual Property Law, which aimed to prevent counterfeit in all sectors, including providing ownership of artistic works, inventions, academic research, among others, has been approved by the Legislature. The Law would also spur innovation and creativity and help to create job opportunities.

Updated ‘Persons Of Interest’ Screening List Released

The Special Presidential Task Force has released an updated list of ‘persons of interest’ for the ongoing compliance screening exercise on all General Auditing Commission (GAC) reports that are not currently being investigated by the Liberia Anti- Corruption Commission (LACC) or prosecuted by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). The Minister of State without Portfolio and Chair of the Special Presidential Task Force (SPTF), Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, notes that the new list is also comprised of individuals ‘cleared’ by officers conducting the screening. The Daily Observer quotes the Task Force as saying that while the list will be updated every week depending on how those issues mentioned in the GAC reports are handled, the screening, which started on Monday June 6 will continue until all GAC reports earmarked are screened.

Filling Wetlands Is A Risk

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has disclosed that filling in wetlands areas is a risk for the country. Addressing reporters during a special news conference on Monday, June 13, 2016 at the EPA in Monrovia, the Executive Director, Madam Anyaa Vohiri, indicated that as a mandate, the EPA is responsible for Monitoring, Coordinating and Supervision of the sustainable management of the environment, in partnership with other agencies of government. According to her, the Act creating the EPA gives it key functions, some of which include integrating scientific mechanism and technical requirements in environmental management in order to develop indicators for environmental changes, as well as progress of environ mental sustainability, reports the New Dawn newspaper.

Muslims To Support A Single Candidate

Muslims in Lofa County representing its nine (9) political subdivisions have resolved to support a single candidate or political institution in consolidating their political strength in the coming 2017 elections.The New Dawn newspaper writes that the decision was reached at the end of a two-day conference in Voinjama, Lofa County recently, held under the auspices of the Islamic Solidarity for Peace and Democracy. The two-day conference brought together over five hundred (500) Muslims from all nine districts of Lofa County to discuss issues affecting Muslims and how to handle the upcoming referendum and elections next years. The conference resulted to a six-count resolution, one of which empowers the Islamic Solidarity for Peace and Democracy, headed by Mohammed Massally, to push the agenda of Muslims.

NBSP Lauds UL Students

The Director for the National Blood Safety Program or NBSP Madam Lwopu M. Bruce has lauded students of the University of Liberia for supporting the blood safety awareness since 2013.According to Director Bruce, the students’ role has been to educate people not to be afraid to donate blood, even if a donor’s blood level is not encouraging. According to her, a person should have a blood level of 12.5 gram in order to be a donor. She said people in Liberia with such blood level are encouraged to begin donating blood, noting many persons were dying from blood shortage due to lack of donors. She said the campaign stopped since 2013 mainly as a result of the Ebola crisis between 2014 and 2015, but assured that it will resume very soon, reports the New Dawnnewspaper.

Ceasing Illegal Land Ownership: Traditional Chiefs Against Forceful Takeover

Traditional chiefs and elders in Liberia have raised serious concern over forceful ownership of lands by some stakeholders in government; a situation they say will create embarrassment for their future generation. At the end of a two day seminar on land tenure in Monrovia, the chiefs complained that lands are taken from them in most instances by these so-called big-guys in Liberia without going through a proper arrangement. Paramount Chief Peter K.W. Barmyou, of Gibi Chiefdom said a proper documentation to guide the ownership and sale of land across Liberia will curtail illegal ownership and forceful claiming of land from its original inhabitants by government officials, reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.

Related Caption: Liberia Gets New ‘Intellectual Property’ Law(Daily Observer)