• Respect the Rule of Law – UNMIL Warns, Source: New DEMOCRAT and The ANALYST
• Flogged UNMIL Employee Still Seeking Justice, Source: The INQUIRER
• Chinese Police Receive UN Medals in Liberia, Source: New DEMOCRAT
• Rigging ‘Cover-Up’ – Leaked Emails Allege, But NEC Disputes Report and Terms Emails as Fake, Sources: New DEMOCRAT, Daily OBSERVER and The INQUIRER
• BFF’s President Pinpoints Run-off, Re-run Implications, Sources: The ANALYST and FrontPage Africa
• WAEON Speaks on Election’s Impasse, Source: The ANALYST
• Liberia Will Never Be the Same – Says Brumskine; Receives “Premium of Justice Award”, Source: The ANALYST
• Clergyman Gives Formula for Interim Government, Source: The INQUIRER
• Who becomes House Speaker? Source, INSIGHT
• Welthungerhilfe Hands over Two Health Facilities to Ministry of Health, Source: FrontPage Africa
• MoH, Partners Conduct National Action Plan for Health Security Validation Meeting in Monrovia, Source: FrontPage Africa
• KtK Networking Seminar Benefits 30 Rural Women, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• Participants at Natural Resource Management Confab Challenged, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• Senator Jallah initiates USD500,000 Road Project, Sources: The ANALYST, FrontPage Africa and INSIGHT
• LIPA Begins Modern Complex Construction in Margibi, Source: The ANALYST
• Liberian Red Cross Society Pleads for Funding Support, Source, INSIGHT
• Liberians concerned about Government Silence on Migrant’s Issue, Source: The INQUIRER
• 6,000 Treated at Eye Hospital, as Dr. Rao Gets Liberia’s Highest Honour, Source: The INQUIRER
• Ministry of Health Launches LMIS, Source: The INQUIRER
• Mass Communication Students Alarm over Libel Lawsuits against Media, Source: The INQUIRER

• Nipping Liberia’s Drug Trade at the Earliest, Source: News Public Trust

Respect the Rule of Law – UNMIL Warns, Source: New DEMOCRAT

Heads of United Nations Missions in West Africa have warned Liberians not to compromise ongoing legal process over elections dispute involving irregularities and vote fraud complaint filed by Cllr. Charles Brumskine’s Liberty Party (LP) and collaborating parties, this paper reports.

UNMIL’s SRSG, Farid Zarif, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, SRSG MINUSMA; Mohamed Ibn Chambas, SRSG UNOWAS; and Babacar Cisse, UN Resident Coordinator for Cote d’Ivoire made the statement at the headquarters of the UN Mission of Liberia (UNMIL). “We are calling on you to respect the rule of law. Your own constitution and don’t abuse it. We are not asking for shortcut of the legal process because it’s constitutional,” SRSG Farid Zarif said during a question and answer period when the Heads of UN Missions in West Africa addressed the media on 1 December 2017.

A Communique’ was issued at the end of the 31 High-Level of Heads of United Nations Missions in West Africa held in Liberia, stating their position on the ongoing legal proceedings of the reported elections ‘irregularities and fraud’ as alleged by some aggrieved political parties.

The objective of the meeting was to provide insights and exchange views on peace and security dynamics in the areas of operations of respective missions and in the West African region. It was also meant to strengthen coordination in order to address common challenges in such areas as elections, transnational organized crimes, violent extremism and terrorism, security sector and constitutional reform processes, as well as democratic transitions.

Flogged UNMIL Employee Still Seeking Justice, Source: The INQUIRER

A staff member of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) who was reportedly beaten by UN peacekeepers years ago is still seeking justice for alleged brutality meted against him by the UNMIL Jordanian police. Dominic Howard said UNMIL continues to ignore his case despite the ruling from the UN Dispute Tribunal in Kenya that held the mission liable for the brutality against him.

Chinese Police Receive UN Medals in Liberia, Source: New DEMOCRAT

This paper reports that the fifth Chinese Peacekeeping Police team to Liberia was awarded UN peacekeeping medals for its outstanding performance, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said Friday, 1 December 2017. All 140 members of the team received the award at a ceremony at their camp in Monrovia, capital of Liberia, on 30 November 2017, according to the Ministry’s statement.

The team helped train a 150-strong Liberian riot police task force under the command of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and performed well in armed patrols, garrison and guard missions, Mou Yuchang, Political Commissar for the MPS Border Control Bureau, was quoted as saying at the ceremony.

According to the statement, Farid Zarif, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of UNMIL, spoke highly of China’s contribution to world peace and expressed gratitude to Chinese peacekeeping police team for their service in maintaining peace and stability in Liberia.

China sent its first police team to join the UN peacekeeping operations in Liberia in 2003. The fifth team has served in 574 missions since it arrived in Liberia in March. It will be China’s last peacekeeping police contingent in Liberia.

Rigging ‘Cover-Up’ – Leaked Emails Allege, But NEC Disputes Report and Terms Emails as Fake, Sources: New DEMOCRAT, Daily OBSERVER and The INQUIRER

The New DEMOCRAT has come across what appears to be a chain of leaked emails between and amongst certain National Elections Commission’s database administrator and the Chairman, Jerome Korkoya, detailing how the elections system was infiltrated, voter roll altered and compromised. At the same time, The INQUIRER newspaper reports that is unknown who released the ‘fake emails’ to the media.

But in reaction, the National Elections Commission (NEC), through its director of communications, Mr. S. Henry Flomo has sharply reacted to an email said to have come from one of its staffers, regarding the voter roll which is aimed at bringing NEC into public disrepute. Addressing the media at an unusual and impromptu press conference yesterday, Mr. Flomo said the alleged email was illegally generated and has been circulated to harm the reputation and credibility of the electoral process.

“The Commission clarifies that the alleged email was never written nor circulated by the Chairman of the Commission, Cllr. Jerome George Korkoya and the contents therein are false and only designed to cause confusion in the country,” he said. The alleged email, a copy of which is in the possession of this paper, has ‘admin@necliberia.org’ as its source while the recipient is Jerome Korkoya (jkorkoya@necliberia.org).

It is said to have been sent to Korkoya on Wednesday, 28 July 2017, at 9:19 p.m., with the subject, “Unknown Database Changes”.

BFF’s President Pinpoints Run-off, Re-run Implications, Sources: The ANALYST and FrontPage Africa

The President of the Better Future Foundation (BFF), Augustine Arkoi, says the country lacks the capacity to handle the aftermaths of the re-run of the 10 October Presidential and Legislative elections. The media quoting Mr. Arkoi as saying, “any re-run of the election would provoke conflict and would be difficult to resolve when the entire October election results are annulled.”

He made the comment recently on a local radio station. He however proposed as the way forward, for Vice President Joseph Boakai and Senator George Weah, the two runner-up’s to engage in a dialogue during and after the run-off.

WAEON Speaks on Election’s Impasse, Source: The ANALYST

The paper reports that the West Africa Election Observation Network (WAEON) has commended the Liberty Party and the ruling Unity Party for taking advantage of the due process in their complaint to the Supreme Court and not resorting to violence. The group then urged Liberians to be resolute in their confidence in the National Elections Commission and the justice system.

Liberia Will Never Be the Same – Says Brumskine; Receives “Premium of Justice Award”, Source: The ANALYST

Speaking Monday in Monrovia when the political leader of the Liberty Party (LP) held a program to honour the party’s representatives-elect, Cllr. Charles Brumskine asserted that the country would never be the same if whether or not the Supreme Court rules for a run-off or re-run of the October 10 elections. “Today, all of us Liberians will appreciate the rule of law”. He said.

Meanwhile, LP representative-elect of Margibi County District #2, Michael Speare presented a ‘Premium of Justice Award’ to Brumskine at the headquarters of the party. He said it was in recognition of Brumskine’s pursuit of the rule of law in the 2017 post-election dispute.

Clergyman Gives Formula for Interim Government, Source: The INQUIRER

A clergyman has advanced suggestion for the formation of an Interim Government should the current election dispute before the Supreme Court fails to be resolved peaceful. Father Nimely Doyen made the comment at the weekend in a statement saying that a credible government should be formed to replace President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration. He added that since the 10 October elections was claimed to be fraudulent by aggrieved political parties, the entire result should be nullified.

Who becomes House Speaker? Source, INSIGHT

According to the INSIGHT newspaper,  five  representatives have expressed their interest to run for Speaker of the House to replace the current, Emmanuel Nuquay now the vice presidential running mate to  the ruling Unity Party presidential candidate, Joseph Boakai.  The prospective runners are Representatives Hans Barchue of Grand Bassa, Bhofal Chambers of Maryland and Thomas Fallah of Montserrado. Others are representatives-elect Jonathan Koffa and Johnson Gwaikolo of Grand Kru and Nimba counties respectively.

Welthungerhilfe Hands over Two Health Facilities to Ministry of Health, Source: FrontPage Africa

Welthungerhilfe, a German Development Aid group, has recently handed over three modern health facilities to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Sinoe and River Gee counties respectively, supporting the government of Liberia in its quest to build a resilient health system. The Federal Government of Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW) released a grant of 5 million Euro to the Government of Liberia to improve the health system in Southeast Liberia, the FrontPage Africa reports.

Welthungerhilfe implemented the program which has a strong focus on the upgrading/renovation or construction of new health facilities in line with the newest infrastructure standards of the MoH and even taking extra measures for the protection of health workers in their facility. The project under the title “Ebola Support Programme is constructing altogether nine health facilities in three counties: Sinoe, River Gee and Grand Gedeh. The handover ceremonies of three of the facilities took place on 23 & 25 November and in Dugbe River District, Sinoe County and Fish Town, River Gee County respectively.

The handed-over facilities are Menwah Walker Clinic (a new clinic with a maternal ward attached to the facility and valued at USD224,000.00, Karquekpo Clinic (upgraded with a triage, latrines and a maternal unit, valued USD118,000) and the Fish Town Hospital Isolation Unit (a structure with 10 isolation rooms, and upgrading of the hospital with a morgue, laundry and triage unit and erosion protection around the facility against rainwater, water tower, generator house, pavement within the compound and waste management system all valued USD729,548.00). Read More

MoH, Partners Conduct National Action Plan for Health Security Validation Meeting in Monrovia, Sources: FrontPage Africa

The Ministry of Health (MoH) and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), with support from the UN-World Health Organization (WHO) have ended a two-day validation meeting for Liberia’s National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS), this paper reports. The NAPHS will align with all health security interventions, through the Global Health and Security Agenda (GHSA), suing the One Health Approach and the government’s broader health system strengthening whole security approach.

Speaking to reporters at the climax of the meeting on Friday, 1 December, the Director for the Division of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology at the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Thomas Nagbe, averred that the five-year plan (2017-2021, will cover 19 key areas under the four-core components of preventing, detecting, responding, and building capacity to address other International Health Regulations (IHR) related hazards (radiation, chemical and points of entry); adding that Liberia is a signatory to the IHR in 2005.

KtK Networking Seminar Benefits 30 Rural Women, Source: Daily OBSERVER

According to the Daily OBSERVER, 30 members of the Liberia National Rural Women (LNRW) from 15 counties have participated in a three-day training in Gbarnga in Bong County to strength networking and coordination among themselves, along with their partners in order to reach their development goals. The total number of rural women in the 15 counties is put at 77,100.

The networking and coordination training, sponsored by the Kvinna Till Kvinna (KtK) Foundation (meaning women to women), is to help them cooperate with other women to do things that will serve the nation. KtK representatives Elizabeth Dolo and Sianie Kolubah, said networking is the process of coordination, sharing independence functions, adding that is all about connecting and communication with each other to learn new skills that will speedily bring women on the path with men.

Participants at Natural Resource Management Confab Challenged, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The keynote speaker at the recent two-day conference on Natural Resources Management in Gbarnga, Bong County, has challenged the over 100 participants to use the best practices for advocating change in the sector in their respective communities, this paper reports. Mrs. Carolyn Myers Zoduah also admonished the participants to establish partnerships with other organizations local or international and share experiences on how they work in their various organizations.

Mrs. Zoduah, who is the Coordinator of the Non State Action (NSA) at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, said the Civil Society Organizations are responsible to break the clique and increase the voices of the citizens on the usage of the natural resources that would provide them better education. The conference was held under the auspices of the Community Development and Research Agency (CODRA) with support from USAID, with participants being drawn from Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Margibi and Montserrado counties.

Senator Jallah initiates USD500,000 Road Project, Sources: The ANALYST, FrontPage Africa and INSIGHT

The President Pro-tempore of the Senate and Senator of Gbarpolu County, Armah Jallah reports say has initiated a USD500,000.00 road project linking White Flower to Gbalazuah in Bopolu District of Gbarpolu. In a release, he stated that the project will bring economic and social relief to the inhabitants.

According to the report, the project would cost USD50,000.00 per kilometre. “I want quality work done on the road because during the rainy season, travelling from one point to another in the county is always tedious.” Pro-temp Jallah said.

LIPA Begins Modern Complex Construction in Margibi, Source: The ANALYST

Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA) has begun the construction of a modern complex in Doemah Town in Margibi County. The training centre to be constructed is being funded by USAID and titled: “Shine Project” and aimed at creating sustainable high impact infrastructure for education and agriculture.

Liberian Red Cross Society Pleads for Funding Support, Source, INSIGHT

The Liberian National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) president has appealed to local and international partners for support to the Red Cross. Speaking at a ceremony to present the Florence Nightingale Medial Award to a nurse, Mrs. Roselyn Nugba Ballah on Thursday in Monrovia, LNRC President, Jerome Clarke assured the Cross partners that former LNRC officials involved in the misapplication of donor fund in 2014 are being investigated.

Liberians concerned about Government Silence on Migrant’s Issue, Source: The INQUIRER

The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has expressed concern over the inhumane, bigotry slave trade and horrible execution of African migrants in Libya.  At a protest held before the Libyan Embassy in Monrovia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the group stated that the government of Liberia and the Libyan Embassy here have not spoken on the situation. It further called on the Government and the Embassy to provide explanation on the situation. 

6,000 Treated at Eye Hospital, as Dr. Rao Gets Liberia’s Highest Honour, Source: The INQUIRER

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has admitted Dr. Gullapalli Rao, an Indian eye doctor at the John F. Kennedy Medical Centre into the Order of the Star of Africa at a ceremony held recently in Monrovia. Dr. Rao, making remark at the event, said some 6,000 eye patients have been treated at the National Eye Centre at the JFK.  He said the next focus of the eye centre will be on treating patients with cataract.

Ministry of Health Launches LMIS, Source: The INQUIRER

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has launched the Liberia Malaria Indicator Survey (LMIS) which provides data on malaria knowledge, prevention and treatment among others. More than six in 10 Liberian household own an insecticide-treated net which has increased in the last LMIS in 2011, according to the survey.

Mass Communication Students Alarm over Libel Lawsuits against Media, Source: The INQUIRER

A group, Mass Communication Students Union has alarmed over the wave of libel lawsuits against media institutions and their workers. At a news conference at the weekend, the group stated that it was concerned about what it calls unreasonable lawsuits against media institutions  something it says has the ability to silence critical voices who are  champions of human rights and democracy in Liberia.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

Nipping Liberia’s Drug Trade at the Earliest, Source: News Public Trust

Liberia is today said to be facing a serious problem with narcotic drugs and substance abuse fueled by rising drug trade, which is having a serious toll on the post-war country’s youthful population. Back in June 2009, DEA undertook one of its biggest antinarcotics crackdown operations, when it destroyed illicit drugs worth LD24 million. In the past week alone, reports from just two counties—Nimba and Grand Bassa said many kilograms of narcotic drugs including marijuana were seized by the drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

This country is seeing the sale of narcotic drugs (cocaine, heroin, “Italian White”, etc. at a rate never experienced before since this West African state’s independence 170 years ago. There is also a corresponding consumption of the substances and their effects on those using them. Health experts have established a link between drug abuse and mental illnesses, which affect a sizable portion of Liberia’s youngsters.

Rampant drug abuse became a common place in Liberia at the peak of the civil crisis with heads of fighting groups using them to intoxicate their foot soldiers before going to face the enemy. They were regularly made available and rationed. For whatever reason, the harmful, but lucrative trade is dominated by aliens from mainly the West African sub region. It is almost an open business, because it is public knowledge that banned substances are sold in the limelight at conspicuous locations even frequented by some law enforcement agents. This has led many appealing for the DEA to be strengthened in order to be able to curb the trade.

The DEA itself seems to have restricted its own powers to fighting largely marijuana sellers and users, leaving questions as to why cocaine and heroin users are rarely apprehended. One strategy DEA authorities have in recent years adopted is to conduct training of its agents in handling drug addicts and thematic counselling of them. The hopes of worried residents and citizens now hinge on central government intervening to nip the drug trade in the bud at the earliest and save future leaders of the country from destruction. Fears are that if not, the crisis could further worsen and hatch more powerful drug lords that could be likened to the notorious El Chapo of Mexico or Pablo Escoba of Colombia, who built their own armies that openly confront law enforcement officers in gun battles. The relevant authorities must pay heed and act because every drug dealer is a potential drug lord.

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.