3 November 2017

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Transition remains on course – Ellen tells AU, ECOWAS leaders, Source: INSIGHT

A release from the Executive Mansion says President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Wednesday met with three regional leaders at a meeting held at a local hotel in Monrovia Wednesday. President Sirleaf and here Guinean counterpart, Alpha Condé and  President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo discussed regional issues and the electoral process in the country assuring that the transition process was well on course. The meeting was also attended by other stakeholders including Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP), Senator George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Benoni Urey and Alexander Cummings of the All Liberian Party (ALP) and Alternative National Congress (ANC) respectively among others.

Runoff prohibition bags questions, Source: The New Dawn

The Supreme Court Wednesday issued a stay order instructing the National Elections Commission (NEC) to stay any and all actions in respect of the pending presidential runoff election scheduled for November 7. The stay order, which is now enforced arises from a petition filed by the Liberty Party (LP) praying the high court for a writ of prohibition on activities leading to the runoff, to enable the electoral body look into its complaint of allegations of fraud and irregularities in the October 10 elections. The LP has argued that should the runoff be allowed to take place while its complaints are before the NEC, any outcome after the runoff results would have defeated the purpose of its complaint before the NEC simply put; it wants a rerun of the October 10 election, but fall short of saying if it is only contesting the presidential. So, Justice-in-Chambers Justice Kabineh Ja’neh granted the LP’s prayers and has since referred the matter to the full bench of the high court that was expected to look into the merits and demerits of the petition on Thursday, November 2 as stated in the stay order.

But the action by the LP has left several questions unanswered, at least as far as the timeframe provided for in Article 83 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution on electoral contest is concerned.  Besides, it raises a further question as to what this would mean to the ordinary Liberian and the implications it would have on the election timetable as prescribed by the same Article 83. Read more

Pending Supreme Court Decision, What Lies Ahead?, Source: Daily OBSERVER

As the Supreme Court makes a decision on the fate of the presidential runoff election today, there are many who are wondering about the possible implications for the nation, especially if the November 7 runoff election is postponed. And with rumors rife on social media about possible constitutional crisis and a potential interim government, it may be safe to suggest that the rumor mongers are getting way ahead of themselves. In an interview with the Daily Observer on what lies ahead for the nation as citizens and partners await the decision of the Supreme Court, Cllr. Frances Johnson Allison said what the Liberty Party (LP) did by taking their concerns to the high court was not an error, neither hate for the country’s forward march as may be perceived by some people.

Cllr. Allison a former chief justice and chairperson said “Article 83C of the Liberian Constitution guarantees any aggrieved party in national elections the right to file in their complaints to the National Elections Commission should they gather evidence to present. And, if the findings from the NEC hearing office nullify a complaint and the aggrieved party is not satisfied, an appeal can be taken to the Board of Commissioners (BOC) or the Supreme Court.” Read more

Police, Immigration deploy armed officers, Source: The New Dawn

Residents of Montserrado County and its environs have expressed fear over the deployment of heavily armed personnel of the Liberia National Police (LNP), and the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) in the streets of Monrovia and its suburb. The deployment followed a stay order from the Supreme Court to the National Elections Commission (NEC) to halt all electoral activities pending disposition of a petition filed by the Liberty Party against the results of the October 10 elections in which the party claims it was cheated. The Supreme Court has accordingly placed a temporary stay order on the November 7 runoff election between the ruling Unity Party (UP) and the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). Expressing apprehension about the heavy security presence in the streets, a resident of Capitol Bye-pass in Central Monrovia, Jonah Toe, says the situation is causing panic among the public.

But police spokesperson Sam Collins said the police did inform the public about the heavy deployment on Wednesday. “Heavy armed men will be deployed in Monrovia today, their presence will be especially heavy on Capitol Hill at the Temple of Justice, and other surrounding areas,” he said when he spoke to a local radio station in Paynesville. Collins wants citizens and the general public to abide by instructions from state security officers, noting that the unusual presence of armed police is a proactive measure in the best interest of the State. Read more

MOVEE’s Mont. 17 representative candidates pledge support to Boakai, Source: FrontPage Africa

Seventeen candidates who ran on the ticket of the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE) have pledged their support for Vice President Joseph Boakai, the standard bearer of the ruling Unity Party (UP) in the runoff election, the paper has reported. They did so in a statement they delivered Thursday at the party’s headquarters endorsing UP candidate. According to them, Mr. Boakai has an unmatched commitment of religious tolerance and peacebuilding.

LUPD wants Liberians stop warmongering, Source: FrontPage Africa

The local group, Liberian United for Peace and Democracy (LUPD) says it has detected that some individuals are attempting to subvert the gains made by Liberians and international partners to restore peace to Liberia and that of the effort of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf by beating war drum. LUPD noted that some individuals are spreading lies that a victory other than a Unity Party victory will result in the resumption of war and social upheaval. The group also said it is concerned about the lies saying the international community will not welcome a victory of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) if elected.

PSU, DEA link to armed robbery, Source: The New Dawn

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officers and some officers of the Police Support Unit (PSU) have allegedly armed robbed a local businessman in WedaboKaybor, Grand Kru County in southeastern Liberia.  The victim, Sopah Blah, narrates that the security personnel allegedly looted his business center during night hours on Friday, 27 October and forcibly brook into his home through a narrow window. He said the DEA and PSU officers took away nearly $230,000 Liberian Dollars plus materials value over USD700.00.  Mr. Blah also alleged that the armed officers were led by Grand Kru County DEA commander, Major Charles Toe. But Major Toe denied and said that his men only arrested a drug dealer and claim that they stole money is baseless. Read more

Resume normal activities –EPA urges Sayewhen Town residents, Source: INSIGHT

The chairperson of the Internal Ministerial Crisis Management team, Anyaa Vohiri says much has been done to restore the livelihood of the people of Sayewhen Town at the Goldmine in Kokoya, Bong County. It follows after slurry containing cyanide from the company’s Tailing Storage Facility (TSF) was discharged into the Sein creek and wetlands in September this year when a section of the geomembrane layer of the TSF dam ruptured, resulting in the contamination of groundwater and affecting also farmland. Ms. Vohiri, also executive director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it is working with the company to repair whatever damage it cause it is now safe to for the inhabitants to carry out their normal activities.

Japanese Government Boosts Local Rice Production, Donates USD500k farm equipment, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Japanese government has donated to Liberian farmers some energy saving farming equipment that will enable them to produce more rice to feed the country’s growing population. The equipment, which comes with a USD500,000 price tag includes 31 pieces of BCS rotary tillers and 424 pieces of garden weasels.

The donation is part of the Japanese Rice Grant Project implemented by the Community of Hope Agriculture Project (CHAP) in five of the 15 counties that suffered the worst of the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and 2015. The counties are Lofa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Bomi, and Montserrado. CHAP executive director Robert Bimba donated the equipment simultaneously to heads of farming cooperatives from the five counties at the formal program held in Monrovia over the weekend. 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.

 

 

Print Headlines