BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA

                               NEWS SUMMARY, THURSDAY, JULY 8, 2019

Today’s edition of our daily News Summary highlights stories concerning President Weah warning against negative media reportage as he dedicates modern market building;VP Howard Taylor’s assertion on women empowerment during her address at the HACSA Summit 2019; the arrest of a 23-year old man caught  allegedly raping a 73-year old woman  among others stories.

DOMINANT STORIES  

VP Taylor Speaks On Women Empowerment At HACSA Summit 2019 

Liberia’s Vice President Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor has addressed the Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa (HACSA), underscoring the need for women empowerment to be at the center for actualizing the positive legacies of Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

In her inspiring presentation, the Vice President recounted that Liberia and Ghana symbolize not only points of departure into slavery, and points of return as freed men and women dedicated to the quest for freedom, self-governance and determination; but like the vast expanse of our continent, together, they represent an oasis of hope, freedom and aspirations of the black race.

She also cautioned that as Africans, our common purpose is not one dedicated to racial superiority, but that racial harmony and respect for the rights of all God’s children are essential elements by which we can collectively rise in shared responsibilities and contributions to a better world for ourselves, and for posterity, the News newspaper writes.

Related Caption: Women Empowerment Must Be At The Center VP Howard-Taylor Asserts at HACSA Summit 2019 ( Heritage newspaper)

Weah Lashes Out At Medi…As Dedicates Old road Market

According to the Inquirer newspaper, President George Weah has lashed out the Liberian media indicating that the media’s reportage is contributing to already declining economy. He urged journalists to portray positive images of the country while asserting that Liberia’s media reports are scaring away potential investors from coming to Liberia. The Liberia leader made the comments when he officially dedicated the Old Road Joe-bar Market in District #10. “To my friends, the fourth-Estate, when you see good things, you must talk about it and when you see bad things, you also talk about it”, President Weah said. “Let’s not see the truth and we speak the wrong. We all know what we see around us today for Montserrado County to be connected with roads; its worth promotion. Road connections have never happened in the life of any President in Liberia; rather, in the life of the simple George Manneh Weah”, he stated. Adding, “so (Media) you all have a responsibility to forget about inciting people and writing about.

President Weah Warns Against Negative Media Reportage As He Dedicates Modern Market Building( Heritage newspaper)

OTHER STORIES  

Man, 23 Rapes 73-year old Woman 

The Inquirer readies, Liberia National Police has arrested a 23-year old man, Aaron D. Cooper, for allegedly raping a 73-year old woman identified as Mama Dennis in the Buzzy Quarter community. Preliminary Police investigation disclosed that the victim and the 23-year old man live in the same community. The investigation revealed that all of the witness’ statements corroborated that they saw defendant Cooper dragging the victim and having sexual intercourse with her. The investigation also revealed that there were lacerations seen on the right butt side of the victim with a swollen lip. Bruises were also seen lip. Bruises were also seen on her knees due to the physical assault. The investigation established further that the defendant and the victim’s family had been doing things in common and both the victim and defendant are noted for drinking liquor. The investigation also established that the defendant was seen by so many people during the time of sexual abuse against the victim.

For Coordination Of WASH Sector: Faith-Based Group Ends ON-Day Partnership Meeting

As part of its charity plans in working with the Liberia Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Commission and other agencies foe the next 18 months, a faith-based organization, Last Well, on Tuesday, August 6, 2019 held a one-day partnership meeting with key stakeholders in the WASH. The Last Well, a nonprofit organization based in Rockwall, Texas, is committed to bring safe drinking water to the entire country of Liberia by 2020. When the mission is completed in two years, Liberia will be the first developing country with access to safe drinking water from one border to another. The Last Well’s Hope Floats campaign will bring their team one step closer to providing safe drinking water to the entire nation by December 31, 2020. According to the Heritage newspaper, the plans of Last Well are in geared towards the achievement of the organization’s goal “Clean Water for all” 2020. The just ended one-day forum was aimed at building relationship with stakeholders in the WASH sector and to create avenue for investment in the sector. The meeting, which was held at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County, was attended by local service providers in the sector.

Deputy Minister Determined to Boost Government Revenues

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) through its compliance section under the direct supervision of Deputy Transport Minister for Land and Rai, J. Darious Kollie, has for the very first time succeeded in raising the revenues of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)-led Government for President Dr. George Manneh Weah during the year under review as compared to what previous government use to collect thus boosting the nation’s struggling economy. The compliance section of the Ministry of Transport (MOT) headed by its senior officer, Mr. Samuel G. Morries was able to have magnanimously hit the jack pot with a little over US$6 million dollars to US$7.7 million dollar just between 2018 to 2019, as a result of concerted, collaborative effort which exists between the ministry on the one hand and its various partners on the other who have been very cooperative in working with the Ministry’s recent vehicles inspection exercise among others, Pens the Heritage.

Experts Prepare Liberian troops for Mali 

British and French military experts have completed weeks of training Liberian military personnel at camp ware in Careysburg, Montserrado County in preparation for the sixth deployment of Liberian troops to Mali this September on a UN peacekeeper operation. The New Dawn newspaper  imply, that Mali has battling terrorist attacks for years, and Liberia has been one of the many countries helping to restore peace there under the a UN operation. This batch of Liberian soldiers from the Armed Forces of Liberia(AFL) will replace returning Liberian peacekeepers that are expected to end their one year mission in Mali has September. Liberia’s Chief of staff Gen. Prince C. Johnson, 11 Deputy Defense Minister for Administration Mr.Olandrus Dickson, British Ambassador to Liberia Mr. David Belgrove and French Embassy Charge d’Affairs Mr. Hugh Nagy witnessed military tactics acquire by Liberian soldiers from their British and French trainers on Wednesday, 7 August at Camp Ware.

Unfounded Allegation’s ICC Refutes Prosecution Of Weah

The Office of the Prosecutor of International Criminal Court in The Hague has termed as unfounded allegations that it threatened to prosecute President Dr. George Manneh Weah and Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee in connection with electoral violence. In a letter addressed to Presidential Press Secretary Isaac Solo Kelgbeh, the Office of the Prosecutor of International Criminal Court said “thank you for your e-mail and request. With reference to the mentioned article, the Office of the Prosecutor of International Criminal Court denies such unfounded allegations.”, the News newspaper writes.

‘No President Achieved What I Achieved’ Weah Tells Old Road Marketers

President Dr. George Manneh Weah Wednesday, August 7, 2019, dedicated the Old Road Market recently constructed by him. Speaking at the ceremony, the Liberian leader said building markets is part of his government pro-poor agenda to improve and change the selling environment of marketers. Dr. Weah told the jubilant crowd that what his government has achieved in less than two years, no president from the founding of Liberia has ever achieved such. He said though people who claim to know all of the solutions to Liberia’s problems were given the opportunity to deliver the country, but they dismally failed to do so. However, they are the very people now who are criticizing everything that his government is doing. The President said whenever he takes development to a community, people especially former officials will criticize it, claiming that the project be it road or market is substandard. But he told the marketers not to listen to those people because they had their moment to serve their people better, but they did not do so. He told the gathering that this is his moment to serve his country and he will do so to the best of his ability, the News newspaper writes.

House Speaker Promise Better Wages For Legislative Staffers

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bhofal Chambers, says legislative staffers are the fulcrum of the Legislature and noted that the betterment of their welfares and wages cannot be over-emphasized. Speaker Chambers said members of the House will work together appropriately to take the necessary approaches in making sure that the wages of staffers are improved. “We will reach a point of satisfaction to your desires gradually; there is need for minimum wage,” he assured. The Maryland County District #2 Representative maintained that there will be a deferential treatment for all Legislative staffers, adding that their expectations will be managed considerably. The Speaker made the assertions on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at the Legislature during program organized by Legislative staffers in his honor and to officially welcome him after attending the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York.

Police Arrest 12 Suspects In Connection With Pipe-Line Road Riot

The Liberia National Police (LNP) has arrested twelve persons said to be connected to the riot that took place in the Red Light Pipe-Line Road community on Sunday, August 4.

Police spokesman Moses Carter in an interview with the Liberia News Agency (LINA) on Monday explained that the riot started as the result of the murder of a man identified as John Flomo, who was stabbed during the early morning hours of Sunday by some disadvantaged youths (Zogos) in the Johnsonville community while attempting to steal his phone.

According to Carter, the incident prompted citizens of Johnsonville to march to the Red-light community (an area believed to be the hideout for Zogos) with the intent to ‘burn down ghettos and kill Zogos.’ During the riot several ghettoes, homes and shops were burned in the Red-light community at which time the police intervened and arrested twelve persons, the News newspaper writes.

Regional Consultations On Electoral Law Reform Go To Grand Bassa County

The National Elections Commission (NEC) with funding support from the UNDP Elections Basket Fund has conducted the second leg of regional consultations on Electoral Law Reform in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. UNDP/Elections Project with funding from donor partners- European Union, Irish Aid, Canada and the Government of Sweden through its Embassy in Monrovia, supports the National Elections Commission rollout of a nationwide consultation to reform provisions of the Elections Law of Liberia. At the two-day event held August 5-6 2019, 161 participants representing a cross section of the Liberian society from Sinoe, Rivercess, Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties attended the consultation. The overall objective of the Electoral Reform is to ultimately improve the administration of elections in Liberia, the News newspaper writes.