18 January 2018

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Weah-Howard Taylor’s Inauguration At SKD Sports Stadium January 22 -Events kick off this Friday, Sources: Daily OBSERVER, News Public Trust, The Bush Chicken, and The NEWS

The official ceremony marking the inauguration of Liberia’s new president and vice president is set to take place at the SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville, outside next Monday. The Foreign Ministry Wednesday released the Calendar of Events leading up to President-elect George Weah and Vice President-elect Jewel Howard Taylor’s inauguration beginning 19 – 22 January. It will mark the first smooth and peaceful democratic transition in Liberia in 73 years when an elected president will hand over power to another elected president. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the Inaugural 2018 Calendar of Events begins on Friday, 19 January with what is dubbed: “Taste of Liberia”. Read more

President Sirleaf Congratulates ECOWAS, Sources: Executive Mansion News, New DEMOCRAT, and The ANALYST

Outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has congratulated ECOWAS for selecting January 16 each year as ECOWAS Human Rights Day. The Day was proclaimed on 16 December 2016 during the 50th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government with the aim to promote human rights and inclusive government mainly with regard to women and you.

The Day is in honor of President Sirleaf's unwavering support to the regional efforts of the advancement of the promotion and protection of human rights for the benefit of the ordinary ECOWAS citizens. "Today marks another milestone in the history of Liberia; I extend deep honor to ECOWAS for the honor bestowed on me for selecting January 16, the day I was sworn in as the first elected female President of Africa every year as ECOWAS Human Rights Day," President Sirleaf said. According to an Executive Mansion release, the outgoing Liberian leader made the statement on Tuesday at Bella Casa Hotel during the official celebration of ECOWAS Human Rights Day. Read more

African Women Extol President Sirleaf, Sources: Executive Mansion News, FrontPage Africa, The ANALYST, and The New Dawn

The Association of African Women under the auspices of the Angie Brooks International Center (ABIC) in collaboration with the Governance Commission (GC) has commended outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for being the first female elected President on the Continent of Africa, which they said served as a motivation for women across Africa. ABIC Board chair, Mrs. Olubanke King Akerele, a former foreign and commerce minister, said it is time for celebration because Liberia has accomplished something that many countries around including the world greatest nation have not. According to the women, President Sirleaf, as the first democratically elected female President of an Africa country is indeed someone to be proud of and celebrate as a nation and continent describing her as a woman of substance. They congratulated the outgoing Liberian leader for lifting women issues and for being the voice of women in Africa, which according to them stimulated the rise for leadership at different levels. Read More

Executive Mansion Not Prepared for Weah, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Since the Executive Mansion was gutted by fire during President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s first term of office 11 years ago, it is yet to be prepared as offices and habitable living quarters for the new president-elect, George Weah, sources have told the Daily Observer. The Executive Mansion was gutted by fire during Liberia’s 159th Independence Anniversary celebration on 26 July 2006. President Sirleaf was at the time feting foreign guests and dignitaries in the gardens of the Executive Mansion.

When contacted, presidential press secretary Jerolinmek Piah said the renovation of the Executive Mansion is in progress, but, however, failed to state the expected completion date or time frame of the project. President-elect George Weah and Vice President-elect Jewel Howard Taylor will be inaugurated on Monday, 22 January 2018 and there are mounting public concerns that President Weah will not occupy the official seat of the Presidency not anytime soon.

Observers say that the Executive Mansion has been deserted and abandoned mainly due to the outgoing president’s alleged fears about ghosts and evil spirits haunting the building.  But it remains unclear whether Sirleaf’s failure to complete the renovation of the building before the end of her tenure is deliberate, can be attributed to her alleged fear of lurking ghosts and evil spirits or whether it can be attributed to wanton corruption or gross mismanagement of resources allocated to its renovation. Read More

Liquidity Crunch Hits Liberian Businesses, Source: Daily OBSERVER

A Daily Observer survey has revealed that the ongoing liquidity crunch that a few months ago hit banking and other financial institutions continues to bite hard across the country. Initially, when the liquidity crunch set in, heads of financial institutions and independent experts laid blame at the doorsteps of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL). In a swift reaction to the claims of the commercial banks, CBL executive governor Milton Weeks told a news conference in Monrovia that the bank gave the commercial banks USD5,000,000 intended to stabilize the ever-growing demand for United States dollars by business entities in the country.

Well-placed financial analysts recently told the Daily Observer that a practical strategy must be put in place by the CBL to urgently address the current liquidity crunch that continues to adversely affect Liberians across the country. The financial experts, however, alluded to the fact that the CBL has made some interventions in the financial market in Liberia to help stabilize the escalating USD exchange rate against the very weak Liberian dollar (LRD). Read more

PUL Takes Issue with President Sirleaf …Constitutes Two Committees, Sources: The INQUIRER and The NEWS

The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has termed as bold-face scapegoating President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s latest slam on the Journalism Community in Liberia, adding that it believes the president’s statement attempts to justify her low points during her stewardship of the country, this paper reports.

The PUL said on 21 July 2012, President Sirleaf became the second African Head of State to endorse the Table Mountain Declaration (TMD), which calls for the repeal of criminal defamation and ‘insult’ laws throughout Africa. The Union stressed that President Sirleaf signing of the TMD was a result of the revolutionary role led by the Liberia Journalism Community and its partners in Africa.

Almost six years, the PUL said the outgoing president willfully ignored her commitment to the protection of free expression and only grand stood with a submission of a draft Act seeking to decriminalize defamation laws in Liberia on the eve of her departure from office. The Union insists that during the near end tenures of Madam Sirleaf, she was for the most times silent on journalists’ protection as the media was met with intolerance and hostility due to the unwavering coverage of nepotism and escalating wave of corruption in public service. President Sirleaf, the Union asserts is leaving a Liberia behind where excessive libel damages are required in keeping defamation laws she had vowed to repeal.

Meanwhile, the PUL has vowed to lobby the incoming George Weah administration to resubmit the bill seeking to repeal defamation laws for subsequent action by the 54th  Legislature.

At the same time, the PUL has constituted two committees for the World Press Freedom Day program scheduled to be held in Maryland County and also named members to the 2018 Awards Committee. The WPFD program committee is chaired by Estelle Liberty Kermon, while the 2018 Awards Committee is headed by Jarlawah Tonpo.

Liberian Artists Pushed to the Back Seat for Weah’s Inauguration, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Daily Observer reports that during the election, President-elect George Weah was associated with several famous A-list local artists whose support for his campaign played a crucial role in helping him win the coveted presidency. But, as his inauguration fast approaches, things appear that when it comes to performing at the inauguration, those A-list local artists are now been pushed to the back for foreign artists. Although names of artists are far from being settled, sources close to the inauguration committee on entertainment have revealed that “we should expect invited international non-Liberian acts like Frederic Meiway and Chidinma Ekile;” although Chidinma is said to be asking for over USD10,000 before she comes for the inauguration. Read more

Woman, Stabbed by Jilted Lover, Survives Ordeal, Source: Daily OBSERVER

A Sierra Leonean national only identified as Jerry, 30, was apprehended by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) for allegedly stabbing his lover of 15 years relationship in the stomach on an accusation of cheating on him. The incident occurred Wednesday in Duala on Bushrod Island outside Monrovia, the LNP has said. Meanwhile, the victim identified as Naomi has reportedly survived the stab wounds having after been rushed to the Redemption Hospital. 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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