MEDIA SUMMARIES: SYNOPSIS OF THE LOCAL DAILIES

Beginning today, Monday, February 7, 2011, the Bureau of Public Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commenced the compilation of local media summaries, a synopsis of top news articles that appear in the Liberia’s media. This is to keep our Missions around the world and all those who visit the website abreast of the political, social and economic situations as appeared in the local dailies. However, the media summaries do not necessarily represent the views of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Weah to Quit Politics?
Snowe, Nagbe Back Ellen
(Reported by the Daily Observer)
• According to the Daily Observer, the political leader of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Ambassador George Weah may be abandoning politics in preference of taking up a US$6 billion contract with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF). The paper who quotes sources on the basis anonymity said the football legend is expected to relinquish his ambition for the Liberian presidency and settle down for a UNICEF $6 billion dollars project for Africa. Weah was once the Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, promoting peace in conflict zones, as well as the eradication of diseases and poverty. He relinquished the title in 2005 when he decided to contest the Liberian presidency in 2005.

In order to secure the contract for the construction of football stadiums in Africa, Daily Observer sources say, he will need a strong recommendation from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, his political arch-rival.

Meanwhile, after years of political opposition, two strong critics of President Johnson Sirleaf have expressed their support to the ruling Unity Party, vowing to ensure the re-election of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, The former secretary-general of the Congress for Democratic Change  and former House Speaker Edwin Snowe, also Montserrado County District #5 representative, both declared unflinching support for President Johnson Sirleaf’s second term bid at a UP political rally held over the weekend in Monrovia.

Ellen Gets Solid; Edwin Snowe, Eugene Nagbe, Samuel Wulue pledge support
(Also reported in The New Republic, The News, and National Chronicle newspapers)

GOL to Build 44 schools For Hard to Reach Areas
(Reported by the Daily Observer)
• The Government of Liberia, through a grant from the Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Fund (FTI) has been empowered to build several early childhood, elementary and junior high schools throughout Liberia to cater to hundreds of thousands of school aged children.

According to the reports, there is a grave challenge facing education in post-conflict Liberia. This was revealed during the just ended National Education Conference at the Cuttington University in Suakoko. A ‘staggering and mind-boggling’ set of statistics were presented to conference delegates which necessitated the urgency of the project. Among them, 60 percent of Liberia’s population is under-12; pre-school children already enrolled alone number 546,836, not noting those who are not enrolled; while , there are 600,000 children enrolled in primary school, only 165,000 at the junior high level and only 65,000 at the senior high level.

The grant will enable Liberia to build 20 junior high schools (grades 7-9), 24 elementary schools
(grades 1-6), and 16 other schools in “hard to reach areas”. Eight of the 16 “hard to reach” schools will cater to “early childhood development” which ranges from ages under six. The other eight schools will be for the lower basic education pupils. Hard-to-reach areas are those areas hardly accessible by road, which have low population density.

(Also reported in The New Republic and New Democrat newspaper)

Ellen’s son dedicates toilets in New Kru Town;
Renovates Slipway Sports Pitch
(Reported by the Daily Observer)
• Robert Sirleaf, Senior Advisor and son of the President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has embarked on several development projects across the country. He has completed over 39 projects in Monrovia. Some of the projects undertaken by Mr. Sirleaf include: market building, latrines, sports pitch and micro-finance loan to small businesses. The projects are intended to alleviate poverty in Liberia. He has afforded 30 students in the country to access education.

Mr. Sirleaf, over the weekend, dedicated five latrines to serve the growing population in New Kru Town. He turned over a renovated football field to the massive youth population of Slipway Crown Hill community. The total cost of the five latrines constructed by Mr. Sirleaf as put at US$70,000; while the Slipway sports pitch was also estimated at US$43,000.

Last year, Mr. Sirleaf turned over a newly constructed market to residents of District #7 in Jacob Town, Paynesville. He also constructed a basketball court and renovated a market hall in West Point. The value of that project was put at over US$73,512.61.

AMEZU Graduates 359
(Reported in The News)
• The African Methodist Episcopal Zion University last Friday graduated 359 students in various disciplines. In her keynote address, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told the graduates to utilize their degrees for the betterment of their country and families. The Liberian leader said the administration has played its part by imparting knowledge into the graduates, but it was now on the graduates to make better use of their respective degrees. She urged the graduates to maximize the knowledge their by contributing towards the growth and development of Liberia. She reminded them that government cannot employ everybody but would create the means to ensure they have the opportunity to serve their country in the private sector.

Dismal Government Jobs Prospects for Graduates… President Warns
 (Also reported in the New Democrat)

Tipoteh to Address UN Development Group
(Reported in The News, and The Inquirer)
• Former presidential candidate and former Professor of Economics, Dr. Togba Nah-Tipoteh will today, February 7, 2011 address the joint executive world meeting of the United Nations Development Group at United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA.

The News and Inquirer newspapers quoting a release said, Dr. Togba Nah-Tipoteh, Chairman of SUSUKU has been invited to serve as Guest Speaker at the board meeting. The UN Development Group is composed of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). He is expected to address the Joint Executive Board Meeting on the subject: “The Efficiency of Emergency Responses and Transition to recovery and Development.” The Joint Executive Board is concerned that considerable funds have been utilized for emergency relief, recovery and development in Liberia, but Liberia remains one of the poorest countries in the world.

Ellen wants Liberians Hold UN, Others Posts
(Reported in The Inquirer)
• President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has said it is time for Liberia to take up positions in the United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS.

She made statement in a chat with the paper’s Managing Editor Philip N. Wesseh following the 16th Summit of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The President said that Liberia has for too long been left out of leadership positions and even common positions in these organizations which she said could be attributed to the country’s financial default to these organizations since Liberia could not put out a candidate.

President Johnson Sirleaf said now that the situation has changed as Liberia has now settled its financial obligations and has re-established its leadership role and is very active in these institutions, the country is now making a vow for leadership and positions  in the UN, AU and ECOWAS.

Sawyer Named on International Panel
(Reported in The Inquirer)
• The Chairman of the Governance Commission, Dr. Amos C. Sawyer has been named to serve on the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) or (APR Panel), representing West Africa. Others named are Professor Mohamed-Séghir Babès, Chair (Algeria, representing North Africa); Ms. Domitilla Mukantaganzwa, Vice Chair (Rwanda, representing East Africa); Barrister Akere Muna (Cameroon, representing Central Africa); and Barrister Julienne Ondziel Gnelenga (Congo, representing Central Africa).

The panel members were appointed by the Forum to independently oversee the review process, to ensure its integrity, to consider review reports and make recommendations to the Forum. Established in 2003 under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), APRM is an instrument that is voluntarily acceded to by African Union (AU) member states. A country formally joins by ratifying the African Union Declaration Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) adopted in Durban, South Africa in July 2002.

 NEC Extends Voters’ Registration Exercise
(Reported in The Inquirer)
• The National Elections Commission has extended the Voters’ Registration Exercise to Saturday, February 12, 2011. According to an NEC release, the NEC Board of Commissioners consented to extend the Voters’ Registration exercise beyond the official deadline which ended on the 6th of February 2011 based on numerous appeals from various stakeholders, partners and a cross-section of the Liberian society.

(Also reported in The News)

Ellen Faces Serious Lady Challenger
(Reported in the Public Agenda)
• President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Iron-Lady as normally refer to by her supporters and admirers, who refers to herself as formidable candidate is expected to be challenged vehemently by another lady who is expected to be put forth by the proposed Liberia Reconstruction Party (LRP). The founder and standard bearer of the LRP, Dr. Manjerngie Carpenter Cecelia Ndebe says the lack of a defined vision by the ruling Unity Party in leading the country has caused Liberia to miserably flunk behind other countries in terms of development.

Civil Society Envisages 2011 as Defining Moment for Liberia
(Reported in Public Agenda)

• A pro-democracy group, Liberia Democratic Institute (LDI) has raised some issues on the future of Liberia beyond 2011. In its latest critical perspective of the 2011 elections under the caption, “Digging Into the Annuals of Electoral Democracy,” the LDI described the ensuing legislative and presidential elections as a defining moment for Liberia; consolidation of peace and stability, but also a litmus test to the operationalization of reform measures and the democratic gains that have been made in sustaining the country’s fledgling democracy.

Government Compensates Property Owners over Demolition Exercise
(Reported in The Analyst)
• The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Public Works has compensated legitimate property owners affected as a result of the ongoing demolition exercise in the Paynesville Community. The properties were mainly buildings along the Paynesville corridor where the Liberia Electricity Corporation is extending its ongoing electrification exercise outside Monrovia.

The first six recipients of property compensation checks received the total amount of US$235,999.71. They included Bob Taylor, US$47.098,32; Wonkerie Zolie, US$129,736.00; Mike Umeh, US$10,076.42; Frank Harris, US$13,563.63; J. Menlay, US$9,496.05; and Equal Davis.

Tipoteh Resigns from ADP
- But Vows To Stand in 2011 Presidential Race
(Reported in The Analyst)

Delta Increases Flights to Liberia, Connects Ghana
(Reported in the INSIGHT)

Final Arguments in the Taylor Trial Set
(Reported in The News and The Inquirer)