The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

Liberia’s admittance to the “ One Belt, One Road initiative of the People’s Republic of China, Vice President Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor visitations to elderly Liberian statesmen, women and eminent personalities as well as  President Weah’s separate congratulatory messages to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the State of Qatarare among stories highlighted in today’s edition of our summary.

Weah Extols Vietnam, Qatar… on Independence Celebrations

President George Manneh Weah has sent two separate messages of congratulations to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the State of Qatar on the occasion commemorating the 73rd and 47 independence anniversaries of the two countries respectively. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam gained its independence on September 2, 1945, while the state of Qatar declared her independence on September 3, 1971. In the message to his Excellency Tran Dai Quang, the President of the Socialist republic of Vietnam, President George Weah on behalf of Liberia conveyed warmest felicitations and best wishes to the Government and people of Vietnam as they celebrate this historic milestone and to his Excellency Sheik Tamim bin al-Thani Emir of the State of Qatar. President Weah extended warmest felicitations to the government and people of Qatar on the official celebration of its 47th independence celebrations, Reads the News newspaper.

VP Taylor Kicks off Visitations

According to the News newspaper, Vice President Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor on Saturday, September 1, 2018, embarked on a series of visitations with elderly Liberian statesmen, women and eminent personalities. The courtesy visitations according to a release from the VP’s office are intended to greet the personalities, sit with them and seek their inputs into the dialogues on how best to move the country forward. The visits started with former President of the Interim Government of National Unity (IGNU) Dr. Amos Sawyer, at his Caldwell residence where Dr. Sawyer received the vice president warmly. VP Howard Taylor highlighted the prevailing natural climate, citing the difficult economic situation.

China to Admit Liberia… in “ One Belt, One Road initiative

The NewsNewspaper reads that Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed relevant Chinese officials to begin implementing modalities with their Liberians counterparts to ensure Liberia’s admittance to China’s flagships development plan. The One belt, One Road Initiative, According to Liberia’s Information Minister who is part of the Liberian delegation to the Forum on China-Africa corporation( FOCAC) 2018 Summit, the Chinese President issue the directive during bilateral talks with his Liberian counterparts, President George Manneh Weah, In Beijing, Saturday. The directive by President Xi, was made in response to a request from President Weah for Liberian to become part of the initiative given its strategic geopolitical position, said Information Minister Eugene Nagbe, in a communication.

New CSA Boss Demands Innovative Work

An Inside story of the News newspaper reads that the Civil Service Agency (CSA) Director General has called on employees at the agency to be more innovative in brining reform. Madam Laurine Wede Johnson told the employees that her focus will be decentralization, training for Ministries, Agencies and Commissions (MACs) to ensure information of the payroll process, pension and services that benefits all civil servants. Ms. Johnson said she seek innovation from i\employees at the institution to ensure that civil servant across the country benefits from all the services by establishing CSA offices in all the counties. MS. Johnson has since hit the ground with an ambitious reform agenda that places premium on decentralization, innovation, training and collaboration with relevant partners for the overall growth of the agency.

97% WASSCE Questions  Found in Nat’l Curriculum… Liberia’s new finding reveals

A back page story of the News newspaper says Findings from a follow-on study by Open Liberia say 97% of questions in the 2018 West Africa Secondary School certificate Examinations (WASSCE) were in covered from the Ministry of Education’s national curriculum for secondary schools in Liberia, contrary to what the civil society group reported in July. On July 5, Open Liberia released preliminary findings from its filed study that gauged the confidence level and preparedness of students that were sitting this year’s (WASSCE) Among other things, the group said 69.9% of the students who participated in the survey said they felt less confident of passing, citing lack of relationship between topics they were taught in classrooms and those the exams covered; the lack of functioning laboratories and libraries in their schools.

Improving Agriculture Productivity….Smallholder Farmers Benefit From 25 Hectares Cassava Market Project in Bomi and get reliable market to sell their products.

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reads that more than a hundred smallholder farmers living around a forest range of Bomi County are now benefiting from a direct market linkage for their 25 hectares cassava farm. This is happening through the intervention of the Liberia Forestry Sector Program (LFSP) “sub-component 2.4” that this being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Management Unit. Under the program, the farmers will sell their harvested cassava tubers to Falama Incorporated, a local agro-processing company. LSFP came about following an agreement between the Liberian and Norwegian Government in 2014 to improve land use planning, support existing and new protected area, enhance people livelihoods through forestry and place Agriculture on a more sustainable footing to reduce deforestation pressures.

Bridge Ends Training for School Staffs Nationwide In Preparation For MOE/LEAP Year Three

Bridge Liberia has concluded training for school staffs across the country. As part of the training, bridge hosted an impressive Principal Summit that brought over 130 schools leaders together and 58 teachers. The summit unlike the training is an exciting annual event that forms part of the Liberia Education Advancement Program (formerly PSL program) and is an important event that strengthens school leadership management skills and provides opportunity for principals and VPIs to share experiences and lessons learned over the Academic year. The school leadership summits and teacher focus on best pedagogical techniques, classroom management, community engagement ensuring that school principals, vice principals, and teachers have what they need to be successful, pens the FrontPage Africa newspaper.  

NHA, Habitat for Humanity International Sign MOU to Facilitate Increased Access to Affordable Housing for Low Income Households 

The FrontPage Africa newspaper reads that The National Housing Authority (NHA) entered into a four year Memorandum of Understanding with Habitat International, a United States of America based organization, to facilitate increase access to housing for low households through inclusive market approach. The signing ceremony, held at NHA headquarters in Monrovia was attended by City Alliance, Ministry of Internal Affairs, local partners as well as senior staff of NHA among others. Speaking at the signing ceremony, the managing Director of NHA Hon. Duannah Siryon described the MOU as a formal process reinforcing existing collaboration between t5he two organizations since 2017 and first step in the right direction of NHA’s strategic partnerships under the new government.He expressed NHA’s openness to partner with other non-governmental organizations, private sector and community with shared vision in addressing the housing needs of the vulnerable and low income Liberians consistent with the Government of Liberia’s Pro-Poor Agenda.

Related Caption: NHA, Partners Sign MOU(The INQUIRER)

medica Liberia, UNDP Conduct Gender Mainstreaming Refresher Workshop

In a bid to advance women’s human rights by ensuring gender is mainstreaming into Liberia’s ongoing security sector reform, medica Liberia (Ml) in partnership with the Government of Liberia with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) completed a two day Gender Mainstreaming Refresher workshop for Gender Focal Points and Advisors of Various Gender Units within national security institutions. According to the FrontPage Africa newspaper, the training was organized under a project titled “Strengthening Capacity for Gender Institutions”. The medics Liberia/ UNDP project is aimed at enhancing the capacity of gender structures within National Security Institutions to ensure that duty bearers are responsive are responsive to the differential security needs of women and girl in conformity with National and International policy and legal frameworks including the Liberian National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security. The project also seeks to advance women Human Rights and engender the ongoing security sector reform with specific focus on capacity building.

NASSCORP Vets Pensioners

An inside story of the New Dawn newspaper reports that the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation, NASSCORP has embarked on a nationwide vetting and validation exercise for government retirees across the country. Speaking to reporters recently in Gbarnga, Bong County, and NASCORP Beneficiaries Coordinator Kula Lloyd Dono says the exercise is vetting all those that have been pensioned by government. According to Dono, the month-long nationwide vetting and validation exercise is taken in six counties, and will last up to September 24, 2018. According to her, counties that will be covered in Bong, Grand Bassa, Maryland, Margibi Montserrado and Nimba, the paper says.

Related Captioned: Senate Opens Bid for Petroleum (New Dawn)

Ellen Breaks Silence on the Way Forward

The headline story of the Inquirer news daily reads that Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has broken silence for the first time since she constitutionally turned over power to President George Manneh Weah in January this year. Speaking to ELBC on Wednesday at her Congo Town Residence Sirleaf said the development and unification of Liberia is the collective responsibility of all Liberians and not the President alone. According to the former Liberian leader, one leader does not make development to work for any nation, stressing that it requires the commitment, collective work and ownership participation of all, the INQUIRER newspaper says.

True Leaders Are Servants, Not Masters Boakai Tells Stella Maris Graduates

Former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai says true leaders and distributors of national wealth must consider themselves as Stewards. The former Vice President said the fear of God must make them want to see lives improved, country developed and citizens enjoy the resources of their country. The Liberian Statesman, in delivering the keynote address at the 19th Commencement Convocation of the Stella Maris Polytechnic in Monrovia last Friday noted that education is indeed the enabling tool for continuous development and fair distribution of national wealth, the INQUIRER newspaper asserts.

WATAF Executive Urges Revenue Administrations to Strengthen Relationship with Taxpayers as Regional Training Climaxes in Monrovia

The back page story of the INQUIRER newspaper reports that the Executive Secretary of the West African Tax Administrative Forum, WATAF, Babatunde Oladapo has challenged revenue administrations in the region to strengthen relations with the taxpaying public and simplify tax payment as part of efforts to boost revenue collection in their respective countries. Mr. Oladapo said the introduction of mobile tax payment services, e-filling platforms, radio and television programs are key ways to improve interactions between tax administration and the taxpaying public, the paper reads.

RELATED CAPTION:WATAF Executive Urges revenue Administrations….To strengthen relationship with Taxpayers (the News)