22 January 2018

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Shift of Gavel …Ellen Transfers Power to Weah Today, Source: The NEWS

The gavel of authority will be transferred to one of Liberia’s ‘grass root’ sons and soccer legend, Ambassador George Weah, as president of the Republic of Liberia. Today, 22 January at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, Ambassador Weah, and Madam Jewel Howard Taylor will take the oath of their respective offices as president and vice president. The oath of office is expected to be administered by Chief Justice Francis Korkpor. Read more

Her Last Proclamation: Sirleaf Declares January 22, 2018, ‘Inauguration Day’ -Monday is a Public Holiday, Source: News Public Trust

In what is to be her final Proclamation before handing over power, outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has declared today Monday, 22 January as “Inauguration Day” and it’s to be observed throughout Liberia as a Public Holiday. According to a Foreign Ministry release issued Sunday, President Sirleaf has also called on all citizens, and all foreign residents within Liberia’s borders to observe the Day as such and directs that all government offices and business houses be closed from Six O’clock ante meridian to six O’clock post meridian. Read more

Legislature Supports ‘Change’ of Inaugural Venue –Adopts, Signs Resolution, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Amid controversy about what critics claim is ‘undoing history and tradition’ regarding the holding of a presidential inauguration outside of Monrovia – the seat of the government – the House of Representatives and the Senate have adopted and signed a Joint Resolution to change the venue and city of the 2018 Inauguration from the Capitol Building in Monrovia to the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Sports Complex in Paynesville, outside of Monrovia. Members of both Houses adopted and affixed their signatures to the Joint Resolution on Friday, 19 January during the 1st Day Special Sitting of the 1st Session for the inauguration of President-elect George Weah and Vice President-elect Jewel Howard Taylor to be held at the SKD Sports Complex today, Monday, 22 January. Read more

President Sirleaf issues final Executive Order, Sources: Africa News, Executive Mansion News, FrontPage Africa, News Public Trust, and The New Dawn

Outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Friday issued Executive Order No. 92 to protect women against domestic violence and abolish female genital mutilation (FGM) against young girls under the age of 18. President Sirleaf said in 2012, Liberia committed at the UN to make sure an Act is passed to protect women against any form of violence. The Domestic Violence Law, which criminalizes domestic violence against women including violence against men and children, was passed by the 53rd Legislature without the FGM component, which according to her undermines the very essence of the law and leaves it incomplete. The outgoing Liberian leader made the statement at the Gender Ministry. Read more

‘Don’t Tamper with People’s Rights’ –Catholic Church admonishes President-elect Weah, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Catholic Church of Liberia, through its Bishops’ Conference (CABICOL), has called on President-elect George Weah and his team not to tamper with the rights of Liberian citizens, stressing in that way he would not jeopardize the country’s peace. CABICOL’s secretary, Reverend Father Cephas Dennis, told reporters Thursday in Monrovia that respect and protection of citizens are inalienable rights that all Liberians, and those living within the country’s territorial limits, must enjoy to ensure the permanence and supremacy of peace.

Father Dennis assured the incoming government of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) of the Catholic Church’s commitment, as it has always done with past administrations. CABICOL said its support for and launching of peace campaigns in the country will not stop until the desired objective of attaining peace with development is achieved. Read more

Liberia’s New Speaker Appoints House Committees Members, Source: FrontPage Africa

House Speaker Bhofal Chambers has named the heads and members of the House of Representatives’ standing and statutory committees. According to the communications director of the House of Representatives, Isaac Redd, Speaker Chambers’ decision was made in consultation with Deputy Speaker Prince Moye. Those named include Munah Pelham Youngblood, chair of the Committee on the Executive; Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, chair of the Judiciary Committee; Edwin Snowe, chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs; Vincent Willie, chair of the Committee on Lands, Mines, and Energy; and Mariamu Fofana, chair of the Committee on Rules, Order, and Administration. Read more

Liberian Senate to Deny Presidential Appointees with Dual Citizenship, Source: FrontPage Africa

FrontPage Africa says it has reliably learned that the Senate has decided to reject nominations of persons with dual citizenship. The Senate’s decision, according to sources within the Capitol, is intended to avoid people who have sworn an oath of allegiance to other countries from holding positions of trust in the new government.

“We cannot continue to confirm people whose loyalty is to America; this was a mistake we have made over the years and we want to correct those wrongs. We will write the President-elect and inform him of this decision so he can take the necessary measures. You appoint and confirm people who have dual citizenship and at the end of the day, we realize serious austerity – people taking money to pay for their mortgages in America. They don’t have loyalty to country,” the legislative source said. The source further notes that the Senate is taking very seriously like never before the scrutiny of presidential nominations for positions in government. Read more

Fraudsters Impersonating As UNMIL Personnel, Source: News Public Trust

Fraudulent activities are being exercised by persons impersonating as employees of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), a press release from UNMIL said in Monrovia at the weekend. The release is putting the Liberian public on notice that “these impersonators are selling fake employment contracts for a considerable amount of money in exchange for employment with UNMIL or other UN organizations.”

“Be advised that in the event of employment opportunities with any United Nations entities in Liberia, associated advertisement appear in local daily newspapers and the respective official website. Read more

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

George Weah to be sworn in with Liberian hopes sky-high, Sources: AFP, Daily Mail, Daily Nation, Foreign Brief, and News24

Former international footballer George Weah will be sworn in as Liberia's new president on Monday, a landmark moment that marks the troubled country's first peaceful democratic transition since 1944. Weah will become the 25th president of the West African nation, taking power from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf after 12 years, with expectations running sky-high among Liberians that he will deliver on his promises of jobs and better schools. The inauguration is due to begin at 9.45 am (0945 GMT) in Samuel Kanyon Doe stadium near the capital, Monrovia, with heads of state from Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Togo expected to attend along with friends and former colleagues from his football years. Read more

Liberia’s new president will have to tackle some very old problems, Source: Quartz Africa

For the first time since 1944, Liberia will have a democratic transfer of power as former soccer star George Weah is sworn in as the country’s new president today (Jan. 22). Weah won the presidency after run-off elections last December with 61.5% of votes. He takes over from Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female president, who steps down after two terms of six years each. Weah’s ascent to the presidency after a short period as a senator and a long, illustrious career as one of world soccer’s most decorated stars has been well chronicled. But beyond that, after finally winning the presidency at his third time of trying, Weah is faced with his toughest challenge yet. Read more

President of Liberia receives greeting from Sisi, Source: Egypt Today

President of Liberia George Weah received in his residence in the Liberian capital of Monrovia, Ibrahim Mahlab, assistant to the President of the Egyptian Republic for national and strategic projects, in the presence of the ambassador of Egypt in Monrovia. Mahlab delivered a greeting message sent by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to the Liberian president, inviting him to visit Egypt. Weah grew up in Clara Town, a slum in Monrovia and went on to become the only African to win FIFA World Player of the Year, starring for AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. Read more

Liberia ushers in President Weah, Source: Daily Trust

The long-running real-life drama of former football superstar turned politician George Weah becoming President of Liberia reaches its climax today with his swearing-in before large groups of supporters at the country’s main stadium in Monrovia. The road for George Weah’s from grass to grace rise becoming president has been long and tortuous including challenges due to personal shortcomings raised by the opposition. Both the 2005 and 2011 races including Weah, the incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ending in run-offs excited many across Liberia and within the ECOWAS region due to Weah’s ‘stardom power’ always remaining a strong defining factor.

How does one explain the conversion of Weah’s football stardom power into the acquiring political power including climbing to the top political office in the land? While the first civil war lasting nearly a decade raged, everything about Liberia at the time was negative. The only positive news Liberians and outsiders knew and heard was about Weah and his mates playing football and thus raising high the name of Liberia. Weah, at the time, was palpably synonymous with Liberia. ECOMOG peacekeepers have testified to the fact that rebel fighters of the former warlord Charles Taylor would drop their weapons, hide them and come across the line to watch football matches involving Weah and the national team in Monrovia. Read more

Zuma no longer going to Liberia, Sources: eNCA, MENAFN, and The Citizen

President Jacob Zuma will no longer attend the inauguration of Liberian President-elect George Weah. Instead, Water and Sanitation Minister, Nomvula Mokonyane, will represent him. The inauguration will take place in Monrovia on Monday. Earlier, Zuma praised the manner in which the elections were carried out in Liberia, ensuring a peaceful transfer of power from outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Read more

Abdulsalami Abubakar lauds Peaceful transition of power in Liberia, Source: Vanguard

Former military Head of State, Retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar on Sunday hailed the ongoing peaceful transition of democratic government to another in Liberia. Abubakar told newsmen that the development was yet another testimony of the rapid growth and development of democracy in the African continent. The former leader spoke shortly after arriving in the country for Monday’s inauguration of Liberia’s President-elect, George Weah. “It is a pleasure to see that in our region democracy is growing from strength to strength. Liberia is a sister country to Nigeria, and during the Liberian crisis, the world knows the sacrifice Nigeria made in this country in terms of human and material resources. I commend the Nigerian government, the troops, and Nigerians who supported Liberia during the crisis to arrive at this day.’’ Read more

Archbishop Duncan-Williams in Liberia ahead of George Weah’s inauguration, Sources: Ghana Web and Prime News Ghana

The General Overseer of the Action Chapel International, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, has arrived in Liberia, ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of president-elect George Oppong Weah. The event is scheduled to take place today Monday, January 22, 2018. About 8 heads of state are expected to grace George Weah's inauguration, they include Jacob Zuma, South Africa; Ernest Bai Koroma, Sierra Leone; Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria; Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghana; Ali Bongo Ondimba, Gabon; Faure Gnassingbe, Togo; Alpha Conde, Guinea; and Jose Mario Vaz, Guinea Bissau. Read more

Morocco, Liberia vow to cement legislative cooperation, Source: Xinhua

Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives Habib El Malki and his Liberian counterpart Bhofal Chambers vowed to cement legislative cooperation between the two countries, the Moroccan parliament said in a statement on Sunday. According to the statement, the two speakers met on the sidelines of Malki's participation in the inauguration ceremony of the new President-elect of the Republic of Liberia, George Weah, where he will represent King Mohammed VI. Malki hailed Liberia's democratic and economic progress, which he said would enable Liberia to play a pioneering role in the region. Read more

George Weah was world footballer of the year, Arsene Wenger is his mentor and he played for Chelsea... but now he will become president of Liberia!, Source: Daily Mail

The sun had gone down on another sweltering West African day and mosquitoes and bats filled the humid air while goats roamed the sandy ground of this swampland. In a clearing away from the bamboo-thatch huts that offered slim shelter from the oppressive heat, sat a circle of chairs, 13 of them on the front row, with all eyes turned on the man dressed in a white ‘high-high’ suit, the African tunic and trousers worn by the boss men. For he was the former Chelsea and Manchester City striker, once the best footballer in the world, George Weah. And on Monday at around lunchtime, if arrangements go to schedule, which they never do around here, he will be sworn in as the 25th president of Liberia. Read more

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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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