12 December 2017

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

LCC Urges NEC to Fully Implement Supreme Court’s Mandate, Source: FrontPage Africa

 The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) has commended all major stakeholders in the election process and the Liberian government for ensuring that a smooth transition of political powers is carried out.

The LCC in a release said Liberians have grown over the years exercising political maturity and Liberians have continued to demonstrate a good posture of saying NO to violence and YES to peace by going to the polls and demonstrating their actions by voting for political candidates of their choice.

The Council noted that it acknowledges the pathway of petitioners to seek legal redress through the court system on the conduct of the October 10 elections and also the matured manner in which the Supreme Court has acted making sure that the due legal process was followed. Meanwhile, the LCC has called on Liberians to remain calm and regain energy to participate in the runoff election to be announced by the National Elections Commission (NEC), and challenged the electoral commission to overhaul the elections mechanism and rectify the challenges encountered during the October 10 polls so as to avoid future occurrences. Read more

Ahead of Presidential Runoff: ECOWAS Aids NEC …In Cleaning up Final Voter’s Roll, Source: INSIGHT

This paper reports that ECOWAS has expressed its willingness to assist the National Elections Commission (NEC) in the cleaning up of the Final Registration Roll (FRR). The cleanup of the FRR is one of the high points of a recent Supreme Court ruling in an electoral dispute case involving the NEC, the opposition Liberty Party (LP), and the governing Unity Party (UP).

The ECOWAS Ambassador to Liberia, Tunde Ajisomo told a news conference over the weekend in Monrovia that IT experts from the region are determined to help in the process. According to him, the NEC and other stakeholders are working to ensure that this is fully implemented. Ambassador Ajisomo pointed out that this is in line with efforts by the sub-regional body to support the consolidation of democratic governance in West Africa.

Recently, the High Court ruled that the NEC cleanup the Voter Registration Roll before the conduct of the presidential runoff election between the UP and the main opposition Coalition for the Democratic Change (CDC) following the resolution of the electoral dispute by the High Court.

Conference of Women in the Security Sector Opens Thursday, Source: INSIGHT

The Gender and Security Sector National Taskforce Conference of Women in the Security Sector opens Thursday, 14 December at the Foreign Ministry in Monrovia under the auspices of the Ministries of Justice, Defense, and Gender in coordination with the National Security Council Secretariat with the support of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), this paper reports.

According to the organizers, the conference is aimed at bringing together key stakeholders from across Liberia to identify the main challenges that women face in the security sector and to agree on solutions and recommendations to prevent and respond to SGBV. The conference will also establish a platform to advocate for the promotion of women to a leadership position, to increase women’s representation to a minimum of 30% through all the recruitment process, according to a release issued in Monrovia.

The day-long conference which is part of the taskforce collective efforts to promote gender mainstreaming and equality also aims to discuss ways to promote equal opportunities for women in the security institutions.

FeJAL Holds Retreat in Nimba, Source: INSIGHT

The Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL) is expected to hold its 5th Annual Retreat with focus on the presentation of the association’s Status Report on Activities of the Year in Review. According to a FeJAL statement, the retreat will run from 13-17 December in Ganta in Nimba County with over 100 female journalists from the country expected to attend, this paper reports.

The annual gathering intends to highlight FeJAL’s achievements through the year, outline challenges and identify prospects that will enhance and advance the work of the Association. Activities at the retreat, according to the statement, will focus on FeJAL’s 2018 Strategic Plan and Constitutional Review. The retreat is being sponsored by ActionAid Liberia, Internews, UN Women, The Carter Center, and other media institutions as well as individual contributions.

60 ‘Illegal Immigrants’ Face Probe … As LIS Officers Undergo Training in Border Surveillance, Others, Source: INSIGHT

Speaking to the media Tuesday in Monrovia, the Commissioner-General of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), Lemuel Reeves, disclosed that over 60 Ghanaian and Ivorian illegal immigrants are being interrogated at the LIS headquarters for their alleged entry into Liberia. Reeves quoted the suspected illegal immigrants as saying they were brought into the county by a woman, identified as Rebecca Tumah, who is reportedly said to an owner of a local mining company. The LIS Commissioner-General also disclosed that the illegal immigrants have been given 50 days grace period to stay in the country after which they will be allowed to return to their home countries.

In another development, Reeves told reporters that 55 LIS officers are expected to undergo training in the handling and discharging of firearms in addition to the 10 LIS officers who have already completed the training and are currently part of the National Security Taskforce. According to the LIS boss, the training will strengthen the LIS security forces especially, in border surveillance.

"Let Her No Be No" - Activists Warn Against Gender-Based Violence, Source: FrontPage Africa

The Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) has climaxed the 16 Days of Activism in a drive to ending violence against women. The program held at WONGOSOL’s headquarters under the theme: Tackling Violence against Women Beyond Borders brought together scores of young people which culminated into an interactive forum.

OXFAM gender and justice coordinator, Beatrice Newland said the issue of violence against women and girls has to involve young men because they have a key role in ending it. "And in order to advocate for violence against women and girls, one has to be educated, because education plays a very important role in young people's lives," she said.

On her part, Marpue Speare, executive director of WONGOSOL said they hyped the awareness to sensitize young people about violence against women and girls.

Health Ministry, Donors Review 11-year Programs, Documents under EJS, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Health Ministry in collaborations with donor partners and the private sector held a three-day conference to review programs and documents on the health sector’s performance from 2006 to 2017. The review of the sector during the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (EJS) administration is known as the 9th Annual Health Sector Review. The revision of the health sector is to promote governance and improve accountability and performance for quality service delivery within the country’s health sector.

Deputy health minister Yah Zolia said the objectives of the three-day meeting are to identify key challenges and make recommendations to improve the health sector’s performance. Read more

Malaria Outbreak Remains High -Despite progress on Prevention, reveals 2016 LMIS, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The 2016 Liberia Malaria Indicator Survey (LMIS) report released Monday by the Health Ministry has revealed that the infection rate still remains high despite progress being made by the government in recent years. The report provided data on malaria knowledge, prevention, and treatments, noting that the survey revealed that 4,290 households were diagnosed with malaria.

Children between the ages of 6 and 59 months comprising nearly 45 percent who were tested for malaria and anemia were proven positive by a rapid diagnostic test.

The LMIS survey report further revealed that malaria is most common among children in central and southeastern Liberia - constituting over 60% and that those living in rural areas are twice more likely to have malaria than children living in urban areas (62% versus 30%). Overall, 8% of Liberian children are severely anemic. Read more

Checking For Food Poisoning -NPHIL Commences Inspection of Food Centers, Source: FrontPage Africa

The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) in collaboration with the Health Ministry and the National Codex Committee of Liberia is conducting sanitation and hygiene inspection exercise at all food processing centers. The inspection exercise which kick-off on Monday will cover food establishments within Monrovia and its environs and will end 31 December 2017. The categories of food establishments to be inspected include restaurants, hotels, cook shops, bakeries, tea shops, street food vendors, canteens, mobile food vending machines, meat shops etc.

The specific purpose of this food safety inspection is to prevent foodborne illness including cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid; and to ensure compliance with the Public Health Law of Liberia. Read more

NCCC Graduates 110, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Nimba County Community College (NCCC) last Saturday held its third commencement convocation graduating 110 graduates. The commencement speaker, Chief Justice Francis Korkpor, admonished the graduates to shun violence and always seek the path of peace in their pursuit of higher education. He reminded his audience that higher education should be equally accessible to all without any pre-condition, except the individual’s own choosing.

Students Worry Over WASSCE, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The media reports that as next year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) looms, many students are apprehensive about their chances of passing key subjects in the absence of science laboratories in their schools. Student Fatu Konneh of Dr. Henry M. Reeves Memorial Institute in Paynesville said she believes that Liberian students are not prepared for the upcoming exams, considering the late announcement of the test and lack of preparation.

The Daily Observer spoke with students from various high schools in Montserrado County who recently converged at the CDC headquarters in Sinkor to implore its standard bearer, Senator George Weah to assist them in paying the WASSCE fees.

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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