19 January 2018

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

8 Heads of State, Others to Attend Weah’s Inauguration, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Liberia’s chief of protocol Jarvis Witherspoon has confirmed the impending arrival of eight African heads of state, a special delegation of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), and special envoys from the United States, France, and the United Nations for the inauguration Monday, 22 January of President-elect George Weah and Vice President-elect Jewel Howard Taylor. The African heads of state include Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon, Alpha Conde of Guinea, Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Jose Mario Vaz of Guinea Bissau, Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, and Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana.

Mr. Witherspoon made the disclosure Thursday at the Information Ministry press briefing in Monrovia where he disclosed that several former African heads of state, members of the diplomatic corps, and members of the 53rd and 54th Legislature, government officials, soccer players among others will grace the inauguration. Read more

'We Could Not Have Done It without You' -Ambassador Brown, Source: FrontPage Africa

Liberia's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) Tuesday thanked the United Nations and the international community for the support to ensuring democratic transition in Liberia after more than seven decades. Speaking at an informal session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) convened to hear a briefing by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on his priorities for 2018, Ambassador Lewis Brown said Liberia would not have achieved the historic democratic transition of power without the support of the United Nations and other international partners.

A dispatch from Liberia's Permanent Mission to the United Nations quotes Ambassador Brown as saying “for the first time, many people were bursting with hope and a new sense and new impression of what diplomatic relations can truly represent”. The top Liberian diplomat at the United Nations described his country as a true UN success story. Read more

Fist-fight at UP headquarters, Sources: Daily OBSERVER, News Public Trust, and The New Dawn

Partisans of Liberia's ruling Unity Party (UP) are reported to have entered into a fist fight at the party headquarters in the Monrovia suburb of Congo Town during a protest that results from division within the party following the recent expulsion of standard bearer emeritus, outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and three others by some UP National Executive Committee (NEC) members on allegations of undermining the existence of the party and violating rules requiring support for all party candidates in elections.

But the UP's headquarters  Thursday came under serious attack by some partisans insisting to hold a press conference on the premises to condemn the expulsion of the standard bearer emeritus, Senator Conmany Wesseh and his wife, Medina, and UP national secretary-general Patrick Worzi.

According to reports, it all started when a member of the UP NEC, Nimba Representative Worlea Saywah Dunah called a press conference to denounce and rubbish the expulsion of these party officials. Upon the call of the press conference, some partisans believed to be loyal to UP chairman Wilmot Paye and the defeated standard bearer, Vice President Joseph Boakai locked the main entrance to the premises of the party headquarters. They claim that Mr. Paye had instructed them to deny anyone who wants to use the premises for a press conference. When the partisans in support of the President arrived at the entrance of the headquarters, they were violently prevented from entering. However, addressing the news conference on the porch of the party headquarters, Mr. Dunah termed Sirleaf and others’ expulsion as illegal and argued that it has no bearing on the reported expelled individuals. He said the decision taken does not reflect the full representation of the membership of the executive committee, which is the highest decision making body of the party. Read more

President Sirleaf Meets Wives of Aggrieved Soldiers To Resolve Problems, Sources: Daily OBSERVER, Executive Mansion News, FrontPage Africa, and News Public Trust

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has met wives of aggrieved soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) in an effort to resolve outstanding problems surrounding the compulsory savings they claimed the Defense Ministry owes them. President Sirleaf assured the aggrieved wives of the AFL soldiers of government’s commitment to resolving their concerns. She said the government will pay the money into the soldiers’ accounts over a period of time, noting: “I, as well as the President-elect, have been briefed by the chief of staff of the AFL." she revealed. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf met the aggrieved wives of the AFL soldiers Thursday at her Fish Market residence in Monrovia.  Read more

Government to restitute soldiers’ money, Sources: Daily OBSERVER, FrontPage Africa, News Public Trust, and The New Dawn

Defense Minister Brownie Samukai says the full amount of USD1,147,656.35 expended on the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) for the past several years shall be refunded to soldiers of the AFL by the government immediately in the next budgetary appropriation. Reading a press statement in Monrovia Thursday, Minister Samukai explains that the Defense Ministry deposited USD2,062,160.14 deducted from the salary of soldiers of the AFL as a compulsory savings pension benefit.

The defense minister says the government has determined that it is appropriate and the right thing to do is to restitute the full amount. He acknowledges that the ministry did not provide timely information to the AFL personnel on the operation and utilization of the money, resulting to recent street protest by soldiers’ wives along the Robertsfield highway in Margibi County, demanding restitution.

The statement notes that the ministry spent USD1,147,656.35 of the amount on soldiers and a balance of USD688,964.96 remains in the bank as of 8 November 2017. With the confirmation, the AFL soldiers look forward to receiving their benefit from the incoming government of President-elect George Weah. Read more

Liberia Signs Agreement With Sustainable Development Center For Africa, Source: FrontPage Africa

The Liberian government and the Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa (SDGC/A) have signed a “Host Country Agreement” that will facilitate the establishment of the first West African SDGC/A sub-regional center in Monrovia. The SDGC/A sub-regional center in Liberia will support countries of the Mano River Union (MRU) and member states of ECOWAS. Its establishment is at the request of the MRU countries - Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia and comes with the approval of the SDGC/A Board of Directors. Its establishment comes within a year of the official launch of the SDGC/A in Kigali, Rwanda and continues the organization’s commitment to fast-track the implementation of the SDGs agenda throughout the five regions of Africa. Read more

Some Incoming Government Officials May Not Travel to U.S. For ‘Child Support’ And Other Offences, Source: GNN Liberia

Some executives of the incoming George Weah government may not travel to the US due to what multiple sources from that country hinted the GNN-Liberia that these officials have been caught in the web of child support and other related offences allegedly filed by their US-based spouses will be awaiting court trial any time of their arrival in the US.

Diaspora Liberians have expressed fears of the arrest and detention of their compatriots whenever they enter the US. “We who are here in the US as Liberians are concern and worrying over this news about our officials who may fall in this web”, Anniebell Logan in the US State of Philadelphia said. A source closed to the US Department of Justice also hinted GNN-Liberia the list of those who may be caught in the ‘Child Support’ web and are been wanted will shortly be released and subsequently published. Read more

Ellen Congratulates Elected Speaker and Senate President Pro-Tempore, Source: Daily OBSERVER

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Monday congratulated the newly elected speaker of the House of Representatives, Bhofal Chambers, and Albert Chie, the president pro-tempore of the Senate. President Sirleaf expressed gratitude for the level of cooperation that exists between the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the ruling Unity Party (UP) prior to the election. Sirleaf then expressed the hope that the political marriage between both political institutions that produced the speaker and deputy speaker would continue as they serve the country’s interest. Read more

“Use Payment Systems”, Sources: Daily OBSERVER, FrontPage Africa, and The New Dawn

Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) executive governor Milton Weeks is encouraging stakeholders to make use of the current payment systems rather than withdrawing huge amounts of cash from the banking system. Mr. Weeks said the bank, and by extension Liberia, spends huge amounts of funds to print and import currency; and distribute and collect currency. “If we can push our people towards a cash-lite society,’ Weeks noted, ”this will prove beneficial to all concerned and will significantly improve efficiencies.” The CBL executive governor made the disclosure Thursday in Monrovia when he addressed a National Payment Systems Stakeholder’s Forum organized by the CBL.

Weeks said the CBL looks forward to all stakeholders embracing the payment systems as a means of creating efficiencies that will lead to cost-savings in the long run. “Your commitment to this process will contribute to the stability of our financial system; reduce various associated costs and improve the security environment in which we transact,” the CBL boss pointed out. Read more

‘CDC Government Must Build Youth Capacity’ –Director Gorwor, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The executive director of Hope Empowerment Youth Foundation International (HEMFI) has appealed to President-elect George Weah to build the capacity of Liberian youth to help them secure job opportunities. Ramsey Gorwor described investment opportunities for young people as equity to boost Liberia’s economy. In an interview with the Daily Observer in Monrovia Thursday, Mr. Gorwor said the 2008 census indicates that Liberia’s youth population stands at 60 percent, adding that many of them have placed their hopes in President-elect Weah to secure them jobs. The HEMFI head wants the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government to give the youth the needed attention to acquiring a well-tailored education that will lead to jobs. Read more

Elections Leave Divisive Scars on Nimba -Youth dialogue reveals, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The 2017 presidential and legislative elections are said to have far-reaching impacts leaving scars of hatred and division among the people of Nimba County, local youths at a high-level youth dialogue revealed last Friday, the Daily Observer reports. The dialogue held in Ganta was organized by NAYMOTE Partners for Democratic Development with support from the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

The participants said a number of factors affected the voting process in the county, including the “Prince Johnson” factor, tribal factor, poor campaign strategy, unwillingness to see one political party going for a third term, and two candidates from the same political party running against each other in the same district. Some views suggested that because Prince Johnson liberated the people of Nimba during Liberia’s bad old days, he is seen as the political godfather who has always directed the people of the county to vote his way. Read more

Superintendents honor Ellen, Source: The New Dawn

Outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been honored by superintendents and their assistants from the 15 counties in appreciation of her leadership and the great improvements the country has had during her administration. At the event in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County Thursday, the superintendents cited the Sirleaf Administration's construction of County Service Centers (CSCs), road connectivity, improvement in the educational system and human resource capacity development and the execution of County Development Fund (CDF) through government's decentralization policy, among others to impact the lives of the people. On behalf of the superintendents, Maryland County superintendent Betsy Kuo said the move to honor President Sirleaf was due to the fact that she had made them proud. Ms. Kuo thanked President Sirleaf for the opportunity given the superintendents to serve their country and people, adding that she will be remembered for freedom of speech, bringing women to prominence, and empowering them, among others. Read more

Chinese envoy gets Liberia’s highest honor, Sources: Executive Mansion News, FrontPage Africa, and The New Dawn

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has admitted Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Zhang Yue into the Order of the Star of Africa with the Grade of Grand Band. President Sirleaf said China has been a great partner to Liberia and its people over the years. "China has been a great partner to Liberia; China stood with us in bad times developing our infrastructures and other critical development initiatives. Let me say a big thank you Mr. Ambassador," the outgoing president said. An Executive Mansion release said President Sirleaf made the statement on Wednesday in the C. Cecil Dennis Jr. Auditorium of the Foreign Ministry during an Investiture Ceremony held in honor of Ambassador Zhang for his invaluable services and support to the country's development initiatives. Read more

Mass dissatisfaction at Cuttington University, Source: The New Dawn

The media including The New Dawn reports that living conditions for lecturers and students at the main campus of the Cuttington University (CU) in Suakoko District, Bong County, are very deplorable characterized by salary delay, power outages and reduction in food ration, among others, but CU president Dr. Herman Browne dismisses these reports as sweeping statement and cartoon of fallacy. Read more

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

Buhari, other African leaders to grace Weah’s inauguration, Source: Vanguard

President Muhammadu Buhari is among African leaders that have indicated interest to attend the inauguration of Liberia’s President-elect, George Weah, on Monday. The Chief Protocol of Liberia, Mr. Jarvis Witherspoon, stated this at a media briefing in Monrovia on Thursday. Witherspoon said other current and past leaders from around the world were expected to grace the occasion scheduled to hold at the 35,000-capacity Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia.

“We have very important personalities coming from all around the world. The countries we have already that have confirmed that their presidents would be coming are Ghana, Togo, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Cote D’Ivoire, Cape Verde, South Africa, Gabon, Nigeria (and) Guinea Bissau. The Prime Minister of Senegal will represent his country. We also have several former presidents of African countries who will be attending. The United States of America will have a congressional committee and also a special envoy of the President of the United States of America will be in attendance. There will also be a special envoy from France and Egypt. We expect that by the end of Friday or Saturday, the list is going to get longer.’’

Witherspoon said that representatives were also expected from the European Union Parliament and several other international groups, including world football governing body, FIFA. Read more

Outgoing Liberia Vice President calls on Rawlings, Source: Ghana Web

Outgoing Liberia Vice President, Joseph Boakai and his wife Katumu Yatta paid a courtesy call on former President Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings at his office in Accra on Thursday. Mr. Boakai who contested the last Presidential election and lost to incoming President George Weah held fruitful discussions with the former President on the transition in Liberia.

Former President Rawlings commended Mr. Boakai for helping to ensure a successful Presidential election and described the outgoing Vice President as having a reputation as a man of integrity. “I believe the new government would welcome ideas and suggestions from someone like him. While he may be a prominent leader in the opposition he owes his country and the government that patriotic duty,” Mr. Rawlings said. Read more

UNMIL supports Liberian Police and Immigration Services with high-tech equipment and logistics, Source: The United Nations Peacekeeping

UNMIL handed over items and equipment to the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the Liberia Immigration Services (LIS) through an Integrated Border Management (IBM) project and the Community Policing/Engagement (CP/E) project.

The UNMIL Police Commissioner, Mr. Simon Blatchly commended the IBM project which has strengthened border security through integration of technical equipment, infrastructure, and human resource capacities. “The project enhances Border Patrol Unit to establish the substantial probability of detecting, disrupting, deterring and dealing with illegal immigration, cross-border crime, terrorism and other forms of transnational organized crime through leverage of equipment and technology,” added Commissioner Blatchly.

The equipment provided by UNMIL consisted of fraud detection equipment, motorcycles, mobile phones, desktop computers, laptops, printers, megaphones and other office stationaries. 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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