The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Today’s top stories include President George Manneh Weah’s visit to the United States to attend the 73^rd United Nations General Assembly;  President Weah’s  address to the nation urging Liberians to be patient as his administration launch an investigation into the missing container saga; the launching of Agri-Power Project by VP Howard-Taylor.

Other stories include news of Amb.Kemayah presenting his Letters of Credence to UN Secretary General as well as the observance of International Day of Peace in Liberia   marked by Ambassador Juli Endee singing a Liberia Peace Song.

DOMINANT STORIES  

Weah Arrives- For His First UN General Assembly 

President George MannehWeah and entourage arrived in the United States of America to attend the 73rd General Assembly of the United Nations. The 73rd United Nations Assembly is President Weah’s first General Assembly of the United Nations as Head of State of the Republic of Liberia, (UNGA). President Weah touched down at John F. Kennedy International Airport at 5:00 local time with an entourage comprising of top governments officials including Information Minister Len Eugene Nagbe, Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah, Gender Minister Williametta Piso Saydee Tarr and Emma Glassco of the National Fisheries Authority, and many others. Ahead of his address on Wednesday at the UNGA, President Weah is expected to meet with some citizens residing in the United States of America and will as well as have a town hall and side meetings with his people to discuss some critical issues of national concern. write the In Profile newspaper.

Related caption: Weah Arrives in New York to Attend His First UNGA (Heritage), President Weah Arrivesin New York Ahead of UNGA,(Frontpage Africa).  

Be Patient….Pres. Weah Urges Liberians on “ Missing container:” departs for UN General Assembly. 

President George Manneh Weah last Friday addressed the nation before departing for the United States calling on Liberians to exercise ‘Patient’ as investigation continues into the reported missing of money at the Central Bank of Liberia. According to the Inquire newspaper, he pointed out that if anyone is caught in any financial malfeasance such person would be held accountable to the full extent of the law. The Liberian leader who spoke last Friday said investigation is ongoing into the missing money saga and that he will not rest until the facts are established.

Related Captioned: Following Ellen’s Condemnation of “Missing Billions” Saga: Weah Speaks out Urges Liberians to be Patient, Says He will not Let them Down (Heritage)  

VP Taylor Launches Agric-Power Project 

The Daily Observer newspaper reads that, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor recently launched the five-year Agric Power Africa-Liberia project in Gbarnga, Bong County, in an effort to help transform the country’s agriculture sector. The project, according to VP Taylor, will support smallholder farmers to increase yields, improving agribusinesses to attract both domestic and export market in rice, cassava, vegetables, aquaculture (fish ponds) and livestock value chains. The event brought together government officials, representatives from farmers’ cooperatives, the private sector as well as smallholder farmers

RELATED CAPTION: VP Howard-Taylor dedicates ArcelorMittal-Liberia Vocational Training Center…Reiterates Gov’t’s Commitment the National Police on TVET, (INQUIRER)   

As UNESCO Observe International Day of Peace: Liberia Peace Song Makes Final List 

TheHeritage newspaper is reporting that as Liberian joins the rest of the world to observe the International Day of Peace, a Liberian peace song, “PEACE IN AFRICA” produced and performed by Liberia’s Culture Ambassador JuliEndee has made the final list of songs selected by special Compilation Committee. The head of the compilation committee, the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Palau to UNSESCO, said the songs which are placed on a CD were selected from 26 countries, with the Liberia song topping the list. According to a release, “the Permanent Delegation to the Republic of Palau at UNESCO has called on all other delegates at UNESCO to enjoy the songs that promote peace”. The release also said the songs were a collaboration between the delegations of 26 countries from each  corner of the world, and are a reflection of the  diversity  in our origins and cultures coming together to express our shared desire for peace. As Hans Christian Anderson put it: When words fail, music speaks,” the release

RELATED CAPTION: Liberia Peace Song By Amb.JuliEndee Makes Final List-AS UNESCO Observes International Day of Peace (INQUIRER)  

Kemayah Presents Letters of Credence to UN Secretary General 

The Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations Maxwell, SaahKemayah, Sr., on Thursday, September 20, presented his Letters of Credence to the Secretary-General of the United Nations AntónioGuterres, at a ceremony held at the UN Headquarters in New York.Amb.Kemayah expressed appreciation to the Secretary General for the opportunity to grant him audiencethree days after he arrived in New York, despite his busy schedule for the 73rd General Assembly.Kemayah assured the Secretary-General of the country’s commitment to constructively engage the United Nations to achieve its mandate.“We look forward towards working with you in ensuring that the mandate of the UN is realized which, on the overall, is the sustenance of global peace,” Amb. Kemayahsaid.Mr. Guterres, who received Kemayah’s Letters of Credence, expressed appreciation for the effort to consolidate the peace and promote sustainable Development in Liberia, reads the Daily Observer newspaper.

Related Captioned:Ambassador Kemayah Present’s Letters of Credence to UN Secretary General gets Endorsement of African Group to Chair Fourth Committee, (Heritage)

Other Stories

Jallah On the Role of Public Procurement, Its Impact on Gov’t

James Dorbor Jallah, Executive Director of Liberia’s Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC) on Friday, September 21, spoke on the role of public procurement and its impact across government. According to the Daily Observer newspaper, Mr. Jallah, who spoke to the over 5o undergraduate students at the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU), said the Public Financial Management Acts (PFMA) section 24 clearly states that all purchases of goods and services from suppliers, including capital investments, shall comply with the provisions prescribed in the PPCC Act of 2005, as amended (to date), and its enabling regulations. He said the goal of commission is to ensure the economic and efficient use of public funds in public procurement and to ensure that public procurement and concession processes are conducted in a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory manner.

MFDP to Hold Capacity Building in Financial Reporting of SOEs

A three-day training workshop for State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) is scheduled to be held from September 25 to 27, 2018 at the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. The training workshop is organized by the SOE Financial Reporting and Coordination Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Development in collaboration with IMF-AFRITEC West 2 Technical Assistance, and is intended to address issues of Strengthening Capacity in Financial Reporting of SOEs. The workshop is part of government’s initiative to continue the implementation of the reforms necessary in the SOE sector. Additionally, the workshop will provide a forum to discuss key challenges facing SOEs in the implementation of Sections 43 & 46 of the Public Financial Management Act of 2009, while providing the necessary tools for effective reporting as prescribed in the PFM Law which is essential for monitoring and evaluation of the sector, reads the Daily Observer newspaper.

Liberia: #BringBackOurMoney Protesters to Receive “Full Protection” from Police

The #Bring Back Our Money protesters have been given the nod by the government of Liberia to assemble Monday, September 24, and carry out their peaceful march. The go-ahead for the protest action was finally allowed Sunday, September 23, when officials of the government, including Justice Minister Frank Musah Dean, Police Inspector General Patrick Sudue and others, met with the main protest instigators — Martin K. N. Kollie, Concerned Citizens United to Bring Our Money Back (COCUBOMB), Emmanuel Gonquoi, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Jeremiah Swen, Alliance for Transitional Justice in Liberia along with their lawyer Cllr. Tiawon Gongloe — at a local hotel in Monrovia.” Frontpage newspaper reads.

Related Caption:  LRA Boss Meets Face-to-Face with Taxpayers, New Dawn

Post and Telecom, UL and USAID Discuss Educational Research Network

The Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications, UL, Digital-Liberia and USAID have held discussion for the possibility of establishing a National Research Educational Net Work (NRENS) in Liberia. The discussion was held in the office of the Post Master General, Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah Sr. to have an Educational Research Network centered on the proposal from the University of Liberia (UL). The meeting was held over the weekend. According to a presentation from Dr. Darlington Davis of UL informed participants that similar Education Network is operating in neighboring countries such as Ghana, Sierra Leon among others. He further pointed out that the Educational Research Network is intended to create Internet Connectivity among various institutions and Universities at an affordable cost, Frontpage reports.

Rep. Dixon Seibo Launches L$3M Scholarship Scheme for students in Constituency

Representative Dixon Wlawee Seibo of Montserrado’s Sixteenth Electoral District has launched a L$3 million scholarship scheme for over 300 students of his constituency for academic 2018/2019 school year. At the program held in the Borough of New Kru Town recently, Rep. Seibo said the gesture is in fulfillment of his campaign promise as well as a ‘bold step in changing the face of New Kru Town.’ He said contrary to the public’s perception that nothing good can come out of communities such as the Borough of New Kru, Town, West point, Clara Town and Logan Town, he and others were able to grow up successfully to make positive impact to the larger society, the Frontpage Africa newspaper reads.

Civil Society Groups to Boycott EFFL Demo

A front page story of the New Dawn newspaper reads that Several Civil Society Groups appear to have dissociated themselves from today’s planned demonstration by the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL), as the former called for calm to await the outcome of the government’s investigation into the missing 15 billion Liberian Dollar bank notes. Among the group dissociating from the planned demonstration are the Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinion (CEIO) and the Liberian Business Association (LIBA). CEIO told a press conference over the weekend that it would not be a part of the planned demonstration by the EFFL with its protest slogan #Bring Back Our Money.

MRU Roads Project get Boost

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank have given the go ahead for the launch of the second phase of the Mano River Union (URM) programme, which would improve roads and facilitate transport between Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire. This second phase consolidates road rehabilitation efforts so far and will boost economic recovery in the two countries.  It will provide for the asphalting of 67.1 km of road between Liberia’s Fish Town and Kelipo (20 km) and between Sanniquellie and Loquatuo (47.1 km), and the construction of two markets along the same roads. The construction of a joint control post and a bridge linking Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia is also planned, which would reduce transport costs, ease the free movement of people and goods, promote regional trade and overall improve the living standards of about 791,000 people, New Dawn daily reports.  

In contribution To Human Resource Development: Arcelor Mittal Launches Vocational School 

TheHeritage Newspaper says as part of its numerous contributions to the human resource development of the country, the management of Arcelor Mittal-Liberia has officially launched a vocational training center. The center which is located at the company’s Yekepa office in Nimba County,was officially launched over the weekend with Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor and other top officials of government in attendance. Speaking at the launch, VP Howard –Taylor  said the development of human capacity , especially for the youth in vocational and technical skills, is critical to the  achievement of the government’s “Pro-Poor” Agenda, hence, lauding  Arcelor Mittal for its support to the development agenda of the county.

LRA BOSS Warns Against Dishonesty, ByPassing

The Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Thomas Doe Nah has held his first face–to-face engagement with scores of business stakeholders, meanly from the large taxpayer category. Large taxpayer is business or corporations that have annual turnover of L$30m and above.  According to theIn Profile newspaper, the Commissioner General said his engagement with the large taxpayers in Monrovia is about engendering a new way of transacting with the business sector in a people-centered manner to boost tax compliance. The country’s chief Tax Collector says the approach of meeting the tax payer and engaging them in discussions is fundamental to creating a more customer-friendly economic environment for revenue collection. We intend to reshape our customer relations, but will remain firmed on the implementation of the revenue laws.” CG Nah stated Friday September 21, 2018 during the engagement held at the Liberia Chamber of Commerce on Capital Hills.

“Agric Power Africa Will Transform Liberia”-Aigbehi

The Chief Executive Officer of Agri Power Africa, an international non-governmental organization, Dr. Aroms Emmanuel Aigbehi, has disclosed plans by his organization to transform Liberia through Agriculture. He said his organization will also transform Liberia by creating wealth through apiculture by mobilizing small holder farmers to go beyond subsistence farming and, turn Liberia to self- sufficient in agricultural production. Speaking Monday in Gbanrga City, in Bong County, during the official launch of Agri Power Africa, Dr. Aigbehi said that the project will seek to increase the production of value chains for the local market export through the establishment of large farm settlement of least 5000 hectares in major food producing countries in the country, writes the In Profile newspaper.  

Journalist Alfred Sabah Is Reported Dead 

A Veteran Liberian Journalist, Alfred Sabah of the Independent Newspaper, reportedly died early Sunday at the Catholic Hospital in Congo Town. According to family sources, Journalist Sabah was rushed to the Hospital on September 18, after he collapsed in central Monrovia. It is another tragedy in the Liberian media, when journalists and other Liberians were still mourning the loss of the Late Journalist Prince Tulay of the state-run Liberian Broadcasting System (LBS), who was recently buried, says the In Profile daily.