08 January 2018

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Sawyer advises Weah, Source: The New Dawn

The chairman of the Governance Commission (GC), Dr. Amos Sawyer has cautioned President-elect George Weah to manage the expectations of his followers if he is to succeed as President. “When somebody, who had been so determined to get into position gets that position, his followers have every right to have expectations”, says Dr. Sawyer on Friday when he spoke to the state-run ELBC Radio  Paynesville.

The GC chairman says Liberia is where it is now because of tremendous efforts made in recent times, adding that in those days when the court failed, everything across the country broke down, but today, things have changed. Sawyer, a former interim president continued: “I will caution that there is a need to manage expectation, because if people expect that there will be more jobs, things prices will come down then, there should be a program in place to meet those expectations other than that, such expectations wouldn’t be met.” Read more

House to be subjected to audit, Sources: Daily OBSERVER, The New Dawn, and The NEWS

Deputy Speaker Hans Barchue, who is vying to become speaker of the House of Representatives, has pledged that when elected speaker, he will ensure that the lower House submits to audit. Addressing a news conference in Monrovia on Friday, Mr. Barchue stressed the need to conduct a forensic audit in the first of branch of government in order to lay the foundation for transparency, accountability, and high grounds for lawmakers. Read more

Naymote Wants Lawmakers Be Held More Accountable, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and FrontPage Africa

The pro-democracy group Naymote says it strongly believes that lawmakers should be more accountable, accessible, and responsive to their constituents and uphold their constitutional responsibilities to enact legislation, represent citizen’s interests, as well as adequately oversee executive policy implementation, performance, and set up a legislative agenda to promote national development.

Unfortunately, Naymote says the huge turnover during the just-ended elections indicated that those elected officials were not working in the interest of the citizens and that they were not responsive or accountable to their constituents. Hence, it is from this background Naymote says it is working to strengthen legislative agenda that will be responsive to citizens’ needs and promote democratic accountability in fulfillment of campaign promises and has initiated two high-level youth stakeholders’ dialogues in Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties. Through these dialogues, Naymote is creating a platform for young people to explore opportunities to influence the legislative agenda of the newly elected lawmakers since young people overwhelmingly voted in the elections. Read more

MRU congratulates President-elect Weah, Source: The New Dawn

The secretary-general of the Mano River Union (MRU), Ambassador Medina Wesseh, has commended and thanked President-elect George Weah for his election and the peaceful manner in which the process was handled and his certification by the National Elections Commission (NEC). Ambassador Wesseh gave the MRU’s congratulatory message and commendation last Friday when she paid a courtesy call on President-elect Weah at his residence. The MRU secretary-general was further pleased with the acceptance remarks by the president-elect upon his certification by the NEC in which he urged all Liberians to come together to work for the greater good of Liberia. Read more

Montserrado Representative-elect To Contest for Deputy Speakership, Source: FrontPage Africa

Montserrado County District #4 Representative-elect, Rustonlyn Suacoco Dennis has vowed to contest for the deputy speakership of the 54th Legislature ahead of the inauguration on January 22. Ms. Dennis is entering a packed field of contestants for the deputy speakership but said the details of the competition should be restricted to the 73 lawmakers and not the public. Dennis said her ambition to contest the deputy speakership is to help tackle the many challenges confronting the Liberian people and the parliament. Read more

Soldiers Threaten to Protest ‘Salary Deductions’, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Daily Observer reports that some soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) are threatening to stage a peaceful public protest should the Defense Ministry fail to reimburse what they claim is money “compulsorily” deducted from their salaries. According to the aggrieved soldiers, the ministry has been deducting money from the soldiers’ paychecks since the force was restructured in 2006, even up to present. However, defense minister Brownie Samukai has dismissed the claim stating that the deductions began in 2009 and not in 2006 as claimed; and they are paid into a Welfare Fund created with the intent to cater to the needs of soldiers. Read more

9-Yr-old Girl Raped by 59-Yr-old Man - Elders Negotiate Compromise, Source: FrontPage Africa

A nine-year-old girl has been allegedly raped by a 59-year-old man in West Point, Monrovia’s biggest slum community. The girl struggled to tell her mother after four times being abused by the suspect until after several attempts by family and neighbors she revealed the name of the perpetrator. Fayiah Cole, the suspect, is currently behind bars at the West Point Police depot after the complaint was filed to the Police Women and Children Protection Section (WACPS).  But some so-called elders of the community identified as Richard Edwin and Pa Weah have been negotiating with the police for the release of the alleged rapist. They have reportedly demanded the release of the survivor who is being held at a safe home. Read more

Lutheran Bishop rallies Liberians, Source: The New Dawn

As Liberians gear up for the inauguration of their 25th President-elect, the Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Liberia says it is time that everyone comes onboard to serve in the interest of the country regardless of political difference. The bishop says the elections are over, but the major concern now is for all Liberians to put the acts together to move the country forward. He spoke Sunday in Monrovia. Read more

House of Representatives Leadership Confirms Representative Fallah Illness, Source: FrontPage Africa

The House of Representatives has confirmed news of the illness of one of its members, Thomas Fallah of Montserrado County Electoral District #5. But the House in a press statement said Representative Fallah’s illness is not a serious one and that he’s on a ‘normal medical check-up’ in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire. A local daily, in one of its publications, had insinuated that the lawmaker was gravely ill and was out of the country receiving medical treatment. Read more

Ellen dedicates maritime training facility, Sources: Daily OBSERVER, The New Dawn, and The NEWS

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has dedicated a maritime training institute facility in Marshall City, Margibi County, hailing the management of the maritime program here as a major accomplishment. Performing the dedicatory exercise on Friday at the Liberia Maritime Training Institute (LMTI) in Marshall, President Sirleaf said because Liberia had already established its efficiency in the management of the maritime program, it has encouraged many ship owners. According to the president, many ship owners were encouraged and they established from the operation of the institute that in order to leave the commitment to "us", they will begin to train Liberians who will then be employed on vessels that are registered under the Liberian flag. Read more

GSA Impounds Government Vehicles, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The General Services Agency (GSA) over the last few days has impounded Government of Liberia licensed vehicles, the Daily Observer has gathered. Some of the vehicles are reportedly parked in the courtyard of the Executive Mansion on Capitol Hill. Police spokesperson Sam Collins confirmed the report, saying, “While the GSA was impounding the vehicles, police officers supported the exercise.” The Daily Observer has gathered that the action by the GSA comes against the backdrop that many vehicles with government license plates belonging to the various ministries and agencies have been replaced with private plates. Read more

Disclaimer
 

This media summary consists of selected local media articles for the information of UN personnel. The public distribution of this media summary is a courtesy service extended by UNMIL on the understanding that the choice of articles included is exclusive, and the contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership. The inclusion of articles in this summary does not imply endorsement by UNMIL.

 

 

 

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