BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA

NEWS SUMMARY, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

Today’s news summary highlights stories about President George Weah’s  call for the prosecution of Perpetrators involved in the recent District 15 violence; LACC’s Update on Assets Declaration as well as the Two-Day Special Presidential Legislative Retreat involving His Excellency President Dr. George Manneh Weah and members of the Legislature.

Others include news about Finance & Development Planning Minister Samuel D Tweah Jr, and a high power Liberian delegation’s departure from Liberia to Dubai for a four-day official visit to engage APM Terminal for Gantry Crane for the Freeport, amongst others.   

DOMINAT STORIES  

Weah Wants Perpetrators Prosecuted Orders Probe Into Dist.15 Violence Saga                                      

The Executive Mansion says President Dr. George Manneh Weah’s attention has been drawn to what it referred to as the appalling electoral violence which occurred on Saturday, August 17, in District 15 of Montserrado County between supporters of the Coalition for Democratic Change and the four collaborating opposition parties. As a result of this, a statement from the Executive Mansion said Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean and the Liberia National Police have been mandated to carry out a thorough and expeditious investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice, irrespective of who is involved. The president in the statement said the maintenance of peace is a high priority on his government’s agenda, and it will spare no effort in ensuring the protection of lives and properties. Electoral violence in all its forms will not be tolerated, and individuals who disrupt the peace will face the full weight of the law, the statement said the News newspaper imply. 

Related Caption: President Weah Frown On Electoral Violence Urges Political Leaders to Embark On Dialogue (The Analyst newspaper)

LACC Gives Updates On Assets Declaration

According to the Inquirer newspaper, Ani-Corruption Commission, in keeping with its statutory mandate, wishes to publish listing of Senior Government Officials who have declared their Assets and Liabilities, along with those who have NOT declared effective Friday, August 9^th 2019. The Commission’s attention has also been drawn to constant requests for cop (ies) of Public Officials Declaration; with contain assets, liabilities, net worth, financial and family interest declaration; and constant condemnation form the public against officials for NOT publishing their assets. The Commission wishes to remind individuals or entities desirous of accessing copies of Public officials’ declarations that they should do so through the court as required by Law. The National Code of Legislature, states in 10.2 that “All such declaration shall be accessible to both the public employer and the general public upon a court order, as well as to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the General Auditing Commission (GAC) for investigative purposes. However, the Commission welcomes voluntary publication by any public officials who sees it fit to do so.

Related Caption: India Gives Funds To Complete Military Hosp. …Donates 50 Vehicles (The Inquirer)

Former NIC Boss gives economic prescriptions                                                                                                    The former Chairman of the National Investment Commission (NIC) Dr. Q. Somah Paygai, stresses that in order to promote economic growth, the security of the state and its citizenry is fundamental to attract foreign investments, especially large scale that would see returns spread out over a long period. Delivering the 17th convocation address of the Bethesda Christian Mission School (BCMS) in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, Dr. Paygai says Liberia needs comprehensive and fundamental changes in its tax system and structure to favor processing of local raw materials into finished products for exports. He notes that the global direction of the new structure of the country should be generally low tax on capital equipment and none on export of finished products, the New Dawn newspaper writes.

Related Caption: violence is Unhealthy for Peace President Weah Calls for Investigation in District#15 violence( The New Dawn newspaper)

OTHER OTRIES  

Weah, Legislature Brainstorm On Constitutional Amendment at Retreat 

President Dr. George Manneh Weah held a two-day special presidential legislative retreat with members of that body during which they discussed constitutional amendments. Lawmakers and the President dialogued on the need to undertake a review of the Constitution, a process initiated by his predecessor, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. During her administration, former President Sirleaf established a Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) consisting six members with specific mandate to review the Constitution and identify provisions to determine whether they require amendment. The Committee completed its work and submitted to the former President 25 propositions. She forwarded them to the Legislature. These propositions are yet to generate the necessary legislative mandate to prepare the process for referendum and in order to further advance the constitutional review process the News newspaper writes.

Finance Minister Leads Delegation to Dubai -To Engage APM Terminal for Gantry Crane for Freeport 

In an effort to Improve Operations of Ports and Boost Revenue at the Freeport of Monrovia, Finance & Development Planning Minister Samuel D Tweah Jr, Leads a high power delegation to Dubai for a four-day visit. During the visit, the Minister of Finance & Development Planning will meet and discuss with the heads of APM Terminal to make available their promise of providing a Gantry Crane at the Freeport of Monrovia. The delegation will also discuss varieties of other issues that will contribute meaningfully to the growth of the Liberian economy. It can be recall that on July 16, 2019, a meeting with all ports actors was held at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to discuss with key State Actors, issues relative to the revamping of the Freeport of Monrovia the Analyst newspaper relates.                                                                   

We Remnant Donates to YPEP, ELWA Hospital

The Inquirer reads that the “We Remnant” organization has donated several items, including medical supplies, to the Young Parents Empowering Program and the ELWA Hospital in Liberia for their respective target clients. The organization, which is based in the United States, donated sever baby clothing items to the YPEP and medical supplies, including crutches, clinical tooth brushes and hospital blankets to ELWA Hospital.   The donations were made possible through an Heartbeat, a sponsor organization of the YPEP. The donations were presented yesterday(Tuesday, August 13), during a ceremony marking the One Year Anniversary of the YPEP, which is being operated by the Social Work Department of the ELWA Hospital.  The YPEP comprises teens mothers and pregnant teens who are recruited by Department, while they are patients at the Hospital, Participants of the YPEP undergo a one-year training program, covering several reproductive health, family planning, health, family planning, healing relationship, trauma healing, domestic violence and community reintegration, including vocational and formal education training.

Air Cote D’ivoire Receives CSO Award

Air Cote D’Ivoire, Ivorian airlines, and one of the best and oldest airlines operating in Liberia, over the weekend, was honored by the Society for the promotion of peace, national reconciliation and Reunification. According to the organization, Air Cote D’Lvoire was among sever companies, institutions and prominent personalities that were selected through a vetting process. The organization highly praised the management of Air Cote D’Ivoire for its outstanding, reliable and excellent being rendered over the years which according to the organization, deserves the highest esteemed of commendation and appreciation.  Receiving the Award on behalf of the airlines, the country manager, Madam Mieheline Yahot, thanked the organization for the recognition and honor and said that the airlines is here for the people of Liberia. Madam Yahot in a brief press interview further narrated that since the airlines commenced its operations in Liberia in 2013, it has been here rendering air transport services to the public, Pens the Inquirer.

Bring Perpetrators to Justice -NPP: violence has no place in this Nation                             

The National Patriotic Party (NPP) has denounced all forms of violence across Liberia and condemning unequivocally the district 15 violence, and also called on the Government functionaries to secure the peace and to launch an immediate investigation into the current wave of electoral violence and bring perpetrators to justice so as to set the example that violence has no place in this Nation. In a press statement issued over the weekend, the NPP’s Officials and members of its National Executive Committee made specific reference to the most recent violence perpetrated in Electoral District 15, Montserrado County on Saturday, August 17, 2019. Signed by its Acting Chairman John D. Gray, the NPP in its release reminded Liberians that electoral violence is now a serious Human Rights violation, punishable by the International Criminal Court.  And urged on all Liberians to take steps to prevent the current wave of violence and restore sanity to the Nation the Analyst newspaper writes.

Amb. Patten Calls for Diaspora Liberians’ Support                                                                                          George S.W. Patten Sr., Liberia’s Ambassador accredited to the United States of America, described diaspora Liberians’ role in the country’s development programs as “critical”, a release from Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA) has said.  Amb. Patten said the task of post-war reconstruction and national development for Liberia requires the collective support of all including those in the Diasporas. According to ALJA release,  Amb. Patten called on Liberians abroad, especially those in the United States to take the lead in the advancement of their country’s development agenda the Daily observer newspaper relates.                                                                                          

Moye promises to underwrite 30% tuition fees     

Deputy House Speaker Prince Moye has promised to underwrite 30% of tuition cost of any student attending the newly opened Sumo Moye Memorial Institute on the Lofa Road in Gbarnga, Bong County. The Sumo Moye Memorial Institute is a state of the art academic and vocation institution constructed by Deputy Speaker Moye to provide quality education to residents of Bong County. Speaking in an interview recently with reporters, the National Media Consultant in the office of Deputy Speaker Moye, Mohammed Melvin Kwenah said the gesture is meant to ease the economic burdens faced by many parents in the county, pens the New Dawn newspaper.

Liberia’s Returned Peace At 16 Years

Once referenced as a war-country, Liberia on August 18, 2019 observes and celebrates exactly 16 years since long-sought and hard-earned peace and stability returned to our dear country. That followed almost 14years of civil conflict that destroyed almost every sector of the country, if not all. Worst of all, 300,000 lives were reportedly claimed in the process. But today couldn’t have been possible, firstly with God Almighty, and our country’s international partners, led by the Economic community of West African States (ECOWAS) several peace accords were signed right from the beginning of the civil war in the early 1990’s until its end.  Then came the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement (simply referred to as the CPA in most case) which became the country’s final peace agreement. Signed on August 18, 2003, in Accra, Ghana, the CPA actualized the signing of a ceasefire agreement imitated on June17, 2003, the Analyst newspaper writes.