Daily Media Summary 2016-06-29
THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Monrovia, Liberia
NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s submission of a US$12 million loan agreement to the House of Representatives for the rehabilitation of the Gbarnga-Salayea road; the Liberian Senate’s debate for financial Autonomy to the Legislature; and the turning over of logistic assets to the Government of Liberiaby theWorld Food Programare among stories dominating the summary of the local dailies.
Another story is news of President Johnson Sirleaf’s congratulatory message to the Government and people of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the occasion commemorating the 56th Independence Anniversary of that country.
DOMINANT STORIES
Gov’t Submits US$12m Loan Agreement
According to the New Dawnnewspaper, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has submitted to the House of Representatives for ratification a loan agreement signed between the Liberian Government and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa to the tone of US$12 million. According to a letter addressed to House Speaker J. Alex Tyler - dated June 23, 2016, the purpose of the loan is to generate financing for the rehabilitation of the Gbarnga-Salayea road. The President said the loan would supplement the amounts being requested from other financing institutions to develop and pave the existing gravel road of around 81 kilo meters that connects Bong and Lofa Counties, as well as improve accessibility and reduce travel costs for residents of those affected counties. The Liberian Chief Executive added that the Liberian Government shall pay interest at the rate of one per cent per annum on the principal amount of the loan withdrawn and outstanding. The New Dawn newspaper reports that the Plenary of the House of Representatives has forwarded the communication to the Ways, Means and Finance committee to report back to Plenary within one week time.
Related Captions: US$12M Loan Agreement Submitted(The NEWS), Ellen Wants House Ratify Gbarnga-Salayea Road Agreement(The INQUIRER)
Seeking Legislative Autonomy-Bong Senator Taylor Proposes Law for Financial Independence
The Liberian Senate is debating an act that will grant financial autonomy to the Legislature. The Act presented by Bong County Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor will give the Legislature Financial Autonomy in the management and processing of all documents’ relating to the administration of its budget subject to compliance with allotment process from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. The Act if passed into law according to the Bong County Senator will be in compliance with all provisions of the Public Procurement and Concession Act of 2010 and with internationally accepted accounting principles and procedures as, well as the laws and procedures of the General Auditing Commission of the Republic of Liberia relating to submission to audit within a statutory period, reports FrontPage Africa newspaper.
Related Captions: Legislature Wants Financial Autonomy(Daily Observer), Senate Seeks Financial Autonomy(The New Dawn), Legislature Seeks Financial Autonomy(In Profile Daily), Senator Taylor Submits Financial Autonomy Bill For Enactment(Heritage)
WFP Gives Vehicles, Laptops To Gov’t
The NEWSnewspaper reports that ahead of UNMIL drawdown, the World Food Program (WFP) on Tuesday turned over its logistic assets to the Government of Liberia. The assets included all logistic infrastructures, five trucks five light vehicles and 25 laptops. Medical supplies under WFP’s custody were also turned over to the Ministry of Health at a ceremony held in Grand Bassa County.
Related Captions: WFP Hands Over Vehicles, Others To GoL(The INQUIRER), WFP Hands Over Logistics To Govt.(The New Dawn)
LRA Shuts Down Several Businesses, Others
An inside story of the Heritage newspaper writes that The Government of Liberia through the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has shut down several businesses and real estate properties for its failure to pay Real Estate taxes in the tone of over US$34,000. The LRA took the decision to temporarily close down these real estate properties hosting both businesses and residential areas on Tuesday, June 28, 2016, following the issuance of a court order from the Tax Court, Judge Mosart A.M. Chesson.
Related Captions: LRA Shuts Down Three Private Buildings(The NEWS), LRA Closes 3 Real Estates On Gurley Street(In Profile Daily)
OTHER STORIES
President Sirleaf Congratulates D.R. Congo…on 56th Independence Anniversary
The In Profile Daily quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of congratulations to the Government and people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the occasion commemorating the 56th Independence Anniversary of that country. According to the release, President Sirleaf, in her message to her Congolese counterpart, His Excellency Mr. Joseph Kabila, hoped that their two countries will continue efforts to work together in furtherance of the principles of the African Union and the United Nations which aims at promoting peace, security and cooperation among all nations.
Related Caption: Ellen Congratulates D.R. Congo…On 56th Independence Anniversary(The NEWS)
Ellen Gives Liberia Powerful Voice Abroad New US Ambassador Exalts Liberian President
The new United States Ambassador accredited near Monrovia, H.E. Christine Ann Elder, has praised President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her exceptional leadership in lifting Liberia up, giving Liberia a powerful and respected voice on the continent - giving Liberians confidence in a brighter future, while extolling the fight against corruption and assuring more U.S. support to Liberia. According to an Executive Mansion release, Ambassador Elder spoke recently when she presented her Letter of Credence to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at the Foreign Ministry in Monrovia. In the words of Ambassador Elder, President Sirleaf has demonstrated vision and courage in addressing the challenges to Liberia’s progress, especially in the areas of education, security, and governance, writes the ANALYST newspaper.
Related Caption: Patting Liberia On The Back New U.S. Ambassador Applauds Efforts By Liberian Govt. To Curb Graft(FrontPage Africa)
Liberian Girls ‘Motivated’ by Obamas’ Visit
United States First Lady Michelle Obama may have donated $US27 million for rural girls and women’s education in Liberia, but the mere presence of the First Lady and her daughters in Liberia was priceless to the hundreds of adolescent girls, who made their way to the Robert Stanley Caulfield School to see them, the Daily Observer newspaper writes.
Gov’t Makes Progress On Decentralization….13 More Service Centers Soon
Addressing a major new conference yesterday, June 28, 2016, in Monrovia, Internal Affairs Minister Henrique Tokpa, disclosed that from July 1, 2015 to May, 2016, the Grand Bassa County Service has reported a total of US$5,127 service users, with a total amount of revenue of LD$4,295,975.00. Minister Tokpa further disclosed that over a short period of operations – April to May, 2016, the other three CSCs have reported at total of US$3,663 service users and revenue of L$1,289,805.00. According to the Internal Affairs boss, with funding through UNMIL Quick Impact Project, construction works for CSCs are in advance stages in Bomi Gbarpolu, Rivercess and Grand Kru, reports the INQUIRER newspaper.
Senator Nagbe Takes Over Sinoe Legislative Caucus
According to the INQUIRER newspaper, Senator Joseph Nagbe has taken over the leadership of the Sinoe Legislative Caucus replacing Representative Jeremiah McCaulley. Making remarks at the turning over ceremony yesterday at the Capitol Building, the seat of the National Legislature, the outgoing Chairman said the decision to turn over the Caucus Chairmanship was based on consultative discussion and dialogue he had with his legislative colleagues giving his long years of tenure as chairman. Accepting the gavel of authority, Senator Nagbe expressed that he was pleased with the comportment of the Caucus over the years and promised to work in fulfilling those things that have been achieved in the interest of the county.
BWI Trains Outgoing UNMIL Staff For Job Market
The Principal and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) in Kakata, Margibi County, Attorney Harry F. Tarnue says the administrative staff of the institute has begun job readiness training local ex-employees of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). According to the Daily Observer, the training is the first of its kind the institute is conducting for the national staff that has virtually phased out from the mission. The training will last for at least four weeks and has brought together 229 UNMIL Liberian personnel who were employed based on their respective apprentice skills. According to Tarnue, training of UNMIL local staff became necessary to make them “job marketable” as the mission now phases out. The training is called the ‘National Certification Program’ (NCP) “at the end of which BWI will award them certificates of proficiency that they can use to look for jobs.”
African Countries Show Mixed Results in Quality of Policies and Institutions
The World Bank’s latest review of government policies and institutions in Africa shows that half of the region’s countries posted relatively weak performance in their policy environment supporting development and poverty reduction in 2015. According to the World Bank’s annual Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) for Sub-Saharan Africa, seven countries out of 38 registered improvements while another 12 saw a decline in their performance. The CPIA rates the performance and challenges of poor countries in order to determine the allocation of low to zero-interest financing and grants for countries that are eligible for support from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), reports the FrontPage Africa newspaper.
Two Liberian Teens Drown in USA
Manu, 18, of the 4100 block of Eichelberger Street, would have been a senior at Lutheran South High School this Fall. Neal, 18, of the 7100 block of Alabama Avenue, would have been a junior at Roosevelt High School. The two teens entered the river near the boat ramp at Castlewood State Park around 7:30 p.m. Saturday and began struggling, St. Louis County police said. Witnesses told police that the two went under and did not resurface, reports the Daily Observer newspaper.
Cellcom Donates World Class Playroom to JFK Children’s Ward
The Management and staff of Cellcom Telecommunications On Tuesday, June 28, 2016 dedicated and turned over a newly installed and fully equipped playroom to the institution to the children’s ward at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, asserts the Heritage news daily.
