The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2017

Today’s edition of our summary of the local dailies highlights the National Elections Commission report of a threat against its Commissioners from Bomi County Senator, Sando Johnson. It also includes President Sirleaf’s message of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Gabon, His Excellency Mr. Ali Bongo Ondimba, on that country’s 57th Independence Anniversary on August 17, 2017.

DOMINANT STORY

For Decision in Edwin Snowe’s Case: NEC Gets Threats From Bomi Lawmaker; Receives US$8.5M For Election Process

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has reported a threat against its Commissioners from Bomi County Senator, Sando Johnson. NEC’s Chairman, Jerome Korkoya has expressed concerns over alleged threats made by Bomi County Senator, Sando Johnson, over a case involving Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe, who was recently cleared by the Commission to contest the pending Presidential and Representative Elections in District #1, Bomi County. Giving his regular elections updates yesterday, Chairman Korkoya said, “Mr. Sando Johnson called me Monday morning, and every morning since we ruled in the case and he continues to threaten that he will deal with me politically.” The NEC Chair during the briefing also disclosed that 8.5 million United States Dollars has been disbursed by the Government during this second half of the quarter to carry out the electoral processes, the Inquirer newspaper reads.

Related Captions:  Sand Johnson Threatened Me…NEC Boss Raises Alarm(Heritage), NEC Chairman Fears For His Life(INSIGHT), Fear Factor Over Rep. Edwin Snowe Green Light To Contest In Bomi County Triggers Scare Tactics Election Chief Threatened(FrontPage Africa)

OTHER STORIES  

President Sirleaf Congratulates The Republic Of Gabon On 57th Independence Anniversary 

The INSIGHT newspaper reads that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a Congratulatory Message to her colleague, the President of the Republic of Gabon, His Excellency Mr. Ali Bongo Ondimba, on that country’s 57th Independence Anniversary on August 17, 2017. According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name, extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to President Ondimba, and through him the Government and people of the Republic of Gabon on the occasion of its 57th Independence Anniversary. “As we join you and your compatriots in observing this momentous occasion, it is my fervent prayer that the bonds of friendship and cooperation so happily subsisting between our two countries in the spirit of bilateral ties and cooperation will be strengthened in furtherance of the principles of promoting international peace and security among all nations,” the Liberian leader said.

LIBTELCO Hosts Liberia’s First Cyber Security Forum

The Liberia Telecommunication Corporation, LIBTELCO, is expected to host the first annual National Cyber Security Forum” at the Corina Hotel Hall in Monrovia, on August 17-18, 2017. The forum is focused on creating awareness for cyber security and its implications for Government, business and society. The event is expected to feature some of the sub-region’s leading cyber security experts from business, government, and academia. “We look forward to working with our colleagues toward the development of a National Cyber Security Strategy in the near future”, says Dr. Darren Wilkins, Managing Director of LIBTELCO. “The future of every entity in Liberia that uses computers and the internet hinges on its approach to cyber security.” "By bringing thoughtful people and people of like minds together from across disciplines, we can transform our country from a start-up nation to a cyber-nation, cognizant of cyber security and cyber threats,” Dr. Wilkins explained, FrontPage Africa newspaper.  

EPA Unveils New Five-Year Strategic Plan 

According to the INSIGHT newspaper, authorities of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia have released a plan, which seeks to rebrand this government’s agency responsible for the protection of the environment. The plan captioned: ‘Towards a renewed environmental commitment, re-branding of the EPA 2017 – 2022,’ was developed during a two-day strategic planning retreat held in Paynesville, outside Monrovia. The strategic plan, which describes detail objectives and activities of the agency, will be used as the overarching framework for operators within the next five years, a release issued by EPA.

Relation Caption: Unveiling New Plan…Environmental Protection Agency Releases Five-Year Rebranding Plan(FrontPage Africa)  

KAICT Students Demonstrate Defense, Security & PEACE Building Simulation 

Several students of the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation (KAICT), Graduate School, University of Liberia, demonstrated as heads of various security agencies to prevent threats from their country and the rest of the world. The all hands staff meeting on Defense, security and peace-building simulation justifications for priority recommendations to the President was presented by five groups which were all students of the KAICT Graduate School, the INQUIRER newspaper reads.

NAYMOTE, LNP Conduct Anti-Electoral Violence Forum In Clara Town

As part of its non-electoral violence campaign, the National Youth Movement for Transparent Elections (NAYMOTE), in collaboration with the Liberia National Police (LNP) has conducted and interactive forum in Clara Town, Bushrod Island aimed as sensitizing residents of the community to desist from acts of violence as Liberia gears up for the 2017 poll. Speaking at the opening the forum, NAYMOTE Executive Director, Eddie Jarwolo noted that the exercise, as part of NAYMOTE peace building program, is also geared towards building citizens’ trust in the LNP and to discuss strategies that have put in place to ensure peaceful elections.  So we are having these types of community engagements to allow the community dwellers interact with the Police on strategies that the LNP have put forth, reports FrontPage Africa newspaper.

FOHRD Takes Candidate-Citizen Dialogue To Margibi County

A day long Legislative town hall dialog under the banner “The Peoples’ Votes; The People Rights-Empowering Voters to Make Informed Decisions In 2017” project  organized by the Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy (FOHRD) in partnership with National Endowment for Democracy (NED) has ended in Kakata, Margibi County. The FrontPage Africa newspaper says the forum brought together three representative candidates of Margibi County electoral district number four in face-to-face interactions with hundreds of electorates. According to the organizers, only three of the ten candidates vying for the representative seat in electoral district number four were present. Miss Daniletta F. Sleyon, the Executive Director of FOHRD said her organization designed the forum in order to afford electorates in the selected electoral districts to engage their respective representative candidates them on the issues of corruption, natural resource management, empowerment and security.