The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2017

News of President Sirleaf’s Proclamation declaring Tuesday, June 20, 2017 as "World Refugee Day", the management of the National Port Authority’s completion of dredging the Freeport of Monrovia to accommodate larger and wider vessels, the Liberia Anti­_­-corruption Commission planned one-day colloquium on the passage of the draft Whistleblower and Witness protection Bill into Law are among stories highlighted in today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES

Liberia Celebrates World Refugee Day Today…Pres. Sirleaf Declares the Day As A Working Holiday

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has by Proclamation declared Tuesday, June 20, 2017 as "World Refugee Day", to be observed throughout the country as a Working Holiday. World Refugee Day is particularly commemorated to acknowledge the difficulties faced by refugees forced to cross international borders as well as those who remain within their countries as internally displaced persons (IDPs). According to a Foreign Ministry release, the official ceremony of World Refugee Day 2017 in Liberia will be held at the PTP Refugee Camp in Grand Gedeh County, under the theme: "We Stand Together with Refugees". The Proclamation is calling on all citizens and foreign residents, national and international youth organizations as well as government agencies concerned to join Liberia Refugees Repatriation Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) and execute appropriate programs befitting the observance of the day. With the variety of programs, more than 100 countries will hold events with the collaboration of governments, humanitarian aid workers, celebrities, civilians as well as the IDPs and refugees themselves, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

Related Captions: Ellen Declares World Refugee Day (New Dawn), Today is ‘World Refugee Day’…Celebrated as working holiday (Daily Observer), Today Is World Refugee Day (In Profile Daily), Today Is ‘World Refugee Day’ (Heritage)

NPA Completes Dredging Freeport

For the first time in five years, the management of the National Port Authority (NPA) has completed dredging the Freeport of Monrovia to a depth of 13.5 meters and in some places, 14.5 meters, in order to accommodate larger and wider vessels and to provide for safe navigation and facilitate trade and commerce. The dredging, which was completed last week Friday, was executed by the Norwegian company, Nordsee, a subsidiary of Dredging Environment Marine International (DEME Group), which was the most responsive bidder selected from among the six companies that submitted bids in an International Competitive Bidding (ICB) process executed by the National Port Authority. The outcome was approved by the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC). In 2012, the Freeport of Monrovia was dredged to a depth of 12.5 meters. This depth reduced to 11.5 meters as a result of siltation buildup over the last five years. A safe memo reducing draft requirement soon followed, limiting the size of vessels that could come in because the entrance channel had narrowed and the depth reduced, according to the Daily Observer.

Related Captions: Liberia’s GateWay Cleansing (FrontPage Africa), NPA Completes Dredging of Freeport of Monrovia (Heritage)

LACC Holds Colloquium On Passage Of Whistleblower, Witness protection Law

The Heritage newspaper read that the Liberia Anti­_­-corruption Commission (LACC) will on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 hold a one-day colloquium on the passage of the draft Whistleblower and Witness protection Bill into law. The colloquium is intended to solicit the support from the National Legislature for the passage of the draft Bill into Law. It is also aimed at raising awareness among Civil Society Organizations (CSOS) and other State Actors on the importance of the Whistleblower and Witness Protection Law in Liberia. The draft bill has already been validated by stakeholders. The initiative by the LACC integrity institutions, government functionaries and CSOs to draft whistleblower and witness protection bill for passage by the National Legislature follows a regional workshop held in Monrovia in September 2016, ECOWAS formulate legal frame work to protect whistle blowers and witnesses in fight against corruption. Meanwhile, the one-day event will be held at the Golden Gate Hotel in Paynesville, outside Monrovia.

Related Captions: LACC Holds Meeting On Passage of Whistleblower, Witness Protection Law (Daily Observer), LACC Holds Colloquium on Passage of Whistleblower, Witness Protection Law (The INQUIRER)

Nat’l Multi-Stakeholder Platform Meeting on Land Concession Management Gets Underway in Monrovia

As part of improving citizens’ engagement in concessions management and managing concession-related conflicts, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is organizing a two-day national multi-shareholders platform meeting in Monrovia. The meeting brings together four Multi-Stakeholders’ Platform (MSP’s) from affected communities in concession areas as in Grand Cape Mount, Maryland, Nimba, and Sinoe Counties. The meeting, which is in partnership with the National Bureau of Concession (NBC) and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), is designed to strengthen concession monitoring and prevention capabilities of participants by providing space for experiential learning on how to formalize, operationalize and monitor the activities of MSPs in response, the FOCUS newspaper says.

Related Captions: Land Concession Plans Meeting…For National Multi-Stakeholders (In Profile Daily), Conflict Management Meeting Gets Underway in Monrovia (Daily Observer), National Multi-Stakeholder Platform Meeting On Land Concession Management Gets Underway In Monrovia (FrontPage Africa)

New Homes for Erosion Victims Provides Jobs for 150

The Daily Observer reads that the Managing Director of the National Housing Authority (NHA), Prince A. Wreh, says the construction of new homes for displaced residents of West Point has created jobs for 150 victims, who are involved in the construction of the housing estate as masons, carpenters, foremen and helpers, among others. Speaking to journalists yesterday at the NHA head office in Monrovia, Wreh said the initial amount of US$500,000 provided by the Liberian government to build homes for the displaced is being used to get half of the job done. The beneficiaries are those who were affected by the erosion in the township of West Point, he said.

Related Captions: NHA To Complete 108 Housing Units For West Point Erosion Victims (FrontPage Africa), Gov’t Provides US$500K for West Point Victims’ Housing Official (FOCUS), Gov’t Gives Initial IS$500,000 for Housing Project (The INQUIRER), Gov’t Provides US$500k For West Point Victims’ Housing (Heritage)

Pres. Sirleaf Attends Funeral of Fallen EPS Director

A back-page story of the INQUIRER newspaper reads that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Saturday, June 17, 2017, joined family members, former and current officers of the Special Security Service (SSS), now Executive Protection Service (EPS), to attend the funeral service of the late Colonel Swannah B. Johnson. Swannah Johnson was a former Director of the SSS he died on Saturday, May 20, 2017 at the SDA Cooper Memorial Hospital in Sinkor after a period of illness, the INQUIRER newspaper reads.

Related Captions: President Sirleaf Attends Funeral of Fallen SSS Director – Col. Swannah B. Johnson (FrontPage Africa), President Sirleaf Attends Funeral of Fallen SSS Director – Col. Swannah B. Johnson (Daily Observer), Pres. Sirleaf Attends Funeral of Fallen SSS Director Johnson (FOCUS), Ellen Attends Funeral Of Fallen SSS Director (Heritage)

OTHER STORIES

Liberian Government Issues Exequatur to Columbia’s Honorary Consul General

The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Foreign Minister Marjon V. Kamara, has presented an exequatur to Mr. Houssein Cheaitou to serve as Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Columbia to the Republic of Liberia. Exequatur is an official recognition by a government of a consul, agent, or other representative of a foreign state, authorizing them to exercise the duties of office. This is the first of its kind for the Republic of Colombia to have a direct representative in Liberia. According to a Foreign Ministry release, Acting Foreign Minister, Mr. B. Elias Shoniyin presented the exequatur certificate to Honorary Consul General Cheaitou during a brief ceremony at the Foreign Ministry last Friday, June 16, 2017, the FOCUS newspaper says.

Related Caption: Liberian Gov’t Issues Exquatur To Columbia’s Honorary Consul General (Heritage)

President Sirleaf Consoles Germany Following The Death Of Helmut Kohl

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a Message of Condolence to her German counterpart, His Excellency Frank-Walter Steinmiere, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, following the passing of ex-German Chancellor, His Excellency Mr. Helmut Kohl, in Ludwigshafen, Germany last weekend. Former chancellor Kohl, who presided over Germany’s reunification at the end of the Cold War died at the age of 87 on Friday, June 16, 2017. Together with Russia’s Mikhail Gorbachev and other world leaders, he successfully brought an end to the Cold War, the end of Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and the reunification of West Germany with the former Moscow-dominated East Germany. Mr. Kohl was the longest-serving chancellor of the postwar era, serving from 1982 to 1998. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Sirleaf said the Government and people of Liberia are deeply saddened by the death of ex-German Chancellor Kohl. “We recalled vividly the many contributions of the late Helmut Kohl, when he served as Chancellor of West Germany; most prominently, was when he presided over global efforts to end the cold war, and became the chief architect of Germany’s reunification,” she noted, the INSIGHT daily reads.

Related Caption: Following Death Of Ex-German Chancellor:: Liberia Consoles Germany (Heritage)

EU Celebrates The Day of the African Child with ‘Legends of Liberia’

On Friday, June 16, the European Union held an event to observe the International Day of the African Child at Mary Help of Christians Catholic High School in New Matadi, Monrovia. Speaking at the occasion, EU Staff Elizabeth Lanai Mazzocchini noted that the European Union wished to celebrate the day sharing with the children story-telling based on the tales contained in the EU-sponsored reproduction of the ‘Legends of Liberia,’ a book collecting orally transmitted stories from all the tribes of Liberia. The book with illustrations done by Liberia-born European artist, Luca Bai Varascnini, depicts Liberia’s rich diversity, arts and culture, the FOCUS newspaper reads.

Candidates Nomination Begins Tuesday

The Candidate Nomination for the 2017 October Presidential and Representatives Elections begins Monday, June 19, 2017, at the SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville, outside Monrovia. The key electoral date gives political parties and independent candidates the platform for inclusion on the ballot papers for the elections. According to a National Elections Commission (NEC) release, “Nomination forms for Candidates of Political Parties will be delivered to the Chairman or Secretary General of the Parties for distribution to their members. Alternatively, Parties can designate a Liaison Officer to pick up the forms. Independent Aspirants can pick up their forms themselves”. The release says applicants desirous of being nominated must appear in person at the SKD Sports Complex from 9 a.m to 5 p.m daily while returning the forms to satisfy the nomination procedures, the INSIGHT newspaper reads.

Related Caption: Nomination Process On (The INQUIRER)

Deputy Foreign Minister Gets Accolade

Selection of rightful careers or disciplines, which have propensity to create employment for students in Liberia has been stressed by Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister B. Elias Shoniyin. Speaking when he received an accolade from the Southeastern University Student Alliance on Monday, June 19, 2017, Deputy Minister Shoniyin intimated that high school students are faced with a serious challenge when it comes to finding marketable careers to pursue when they shall have graduate. According to him, secondary students are noted for encountering such a difficult challenge on grounds that they are not properly guided or advised by school administrators and other campus based groups regarding which profession to venture into after completion of prescribed courses which create room for successful graduation.

USAID LAVI  Project  Donates  Filmmaking Equipment To LMC

The United States Agency for international (USAID), Liberia Accountability and Voice Initiative (LAVI) project has donated high quality filmmaking equipment to its civil society partner organization, Liberia Media Center (LMC). The donation of equipment is in line with LAVI’s objective to increase the organizational capacity of targeted civil society organizations to advocate for and monitor policy and accountability reforms to promote more inclusive government in Liberia. Speaking at the donation of the equipment on Friday, June 16, 2017, the Chief of Party of LAVI, Madam Milica Panic, said LMC will use the filmmaking equipment donation to produce a high quality documentary video about the advocacy campaign of the Natural Resource Management Coalition, a LAVI-supported coalition of eight civil society organization, to promote citizens participation in management and monitoring of county social Development funds. To build LMC staff’s expert is in documentary production from story-boarding to editing. LAVI is also providing technical to LMC, reads the Heritage newspaper.

Liberians Urged To Uphold Strong Integrity

According to the New Dawn newspaper, the Chief of party of Digital Liberia E Government Project is emphasizing here that if Liberia will be a better place, it means every citizen should be honest, trustworthy and sincere in whatever position he or she occupies in public service. Madam Rie Lukowski spoke recently at the 5^th Consultative Meeting of Kvinna Til Kvinna or TK Liberia, urging Liberians to become standard bearers of building integrity, because it’s very significant to the rebuilding process of the country. She explains that the aim and objective of the meeting was to learn more about integrity, understanding the importance of being a person with integrity and how integrity is linked to unity and culture.

160 Supervisors Get CSA Public Sector Modernization Project Training In Liberia

As part of the Public Sector Modernization Project (PSMP), Over 160 supervisors including County Education Officers (CEOs), District Education Officers (DEOs), Principals, and school supervisors are undergoing Performance Management System training in Montserrado County. In 2008, the Civil Service Agency (CSA) through the Government of Liberia instituted a Civil Service Reform Strategy with six main components including Restructuring and Rightsizing, Pay and Pension Reform, Enhancing Service Delivery in a timely manner, Human Resource Management, Leadership development and Gender Equity. The project which is an investment project financed by the Government of Liberia through a loan from the World Bank, USAID and SIDA, has to date trained over 1200 supervisors in performance management systems. Making opening remarks, Civil Service Agency Deputy Director-General for Administration, Othello Weh recounted the strides Liberia made prewar days when the John F. Kennedy was the major referral hospital in West Africa, FrontPage Africa newspaper.

RUFORUM Seeks Partnership With Liberian Universities

A team of African university professors under the umbrella of “Regional University Forum” (RUFORUM) has expressed the need for collaboration among African universities to improve studies and research in science and agriculture to meet the 2063 African Union Development Agenda. Some members of the team, who spoke with this newspaper said Africa’s development needs will only be fulfilled through Africans, and one way to enhance development is to invest in science and technology and agriculture. Dr. Moses Osiru, a member of the delegation, said RUFORUM is currently working with 66 universities in Africa and partnering with others in Europe, the United States and Japan, and is in the process of including Australia and China. The delegation met President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Ministers of Education and Commerce, and visited the University of Liberia, Cuttington University and the Booker Washington Institute (BWI)., reports the Daily Observer.

2,600 in Gbarpolu Get Free Health Services

According to the Daily Observer, over 2,600 residents of 18 communities in Bopulu District, Gbarpolu County recently benefited from a week of free healthcare services sponsored by the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and the Tomlinson Geophysical Services (TGS). The medical services were carried out by a team from the Kingdom Care Medical Center Mobile Clinic located on Duport road in Monrovia. The communities served included Daniel Farm, Kennedy, Kissi, Kamas, David’s, and Gbarma towns and Compounsu Junction. Others were Henry, Sabamas, Darrisly, Dulula, Yalayema, Madina Junction and Bomboma towns.

Liberians Encouraged To Donate Blood

The Daily Observe reads that former Liberian Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Nathaniel A. Barnes, was among several volunteers, who recently donated blood to save lives, particularly children and adults suffering from anemia, malaria and other diseases and are in desperate need of blood transfusion. June 14 of every year is commemorated as World Blood Donor Day, and the Ministry of Health, through the National Blood Safety Program (NBSP), observed the day by campaigning for blood donors. Dr. Barnes described it as a worthy cause to donate blood to stop preventable deaths. He pleaded with all ‘healthy and emotionally composed’ citizens to donate blood to save the lives of people who needlessly die on a daily basis across the country due to lack of blood.

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