Thursday, 1 March 2018

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Weah gives early warnings – Threatens Dismissals, Source: The New Dawn

President George Weah on Wednesday warned his few confirmed cabinet members at their first cabinet meeting that he will not hesitate to dismiss officials who are not punctual in their attendance to meeting. “I will not hesitate to replace anyone of you who will act contrary to this warning,” Mr. Weah told his first cabinet meeting at the Foreign Ministry’s C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium. The president said he expects his cabinet members to be punctual in their attendance, diligent in their dealings, and humble always in their approach and dealings with the Liberian people whom they serve. President Weah’s warning comes amidst debate he had also not been punctual during his State of the Nation’s address, a situation that raises questions as to whether he violated the constitution. Read more

IDI Amin Returns In Jewel – Wants Liberians Boycott Lebanese, Indian Shops, Source: New DEMOCRAT

Frozen food and rice imported by Asian businessmen into the country are not fit for consumption because they contain chemicals that are dangerous to human health, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor revealed Monday when she addressed members of the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) and advised Liberians to grow more food to avoid eating imported rice. Vice President Taylor said Lebanese imported rice is the cause of diseases that are creating public health problems that are killing Liberians. “Our mothers never used to get the kind of sickness we are getting now,” the vice president said.

She continued: “This is happening because we are eating the wrong food. All the frozen foods we are buying have chemicals inside it. We need to start eating our own food. All the Lebanese people are saying we are not serious because they are the ones bringing in imported rice that is giving us diabetes. For me, I can eat ‘country rice’ from Bong County because it is better. No chemical inside.” Read more

Ellen’s Impunity Bill Faces Senate No, Source: New DEMOCRAT

The New Democrat reports that Senators are unwilling to endorse former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Presidential Transitional Act seeking immunity from prosecution and retirement benefit for top elected officials. Senator Varney Sherman, the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and Human Rights said in plenary Tuesday that committee members could not reach an agreement to pass the bill, five months after its submission. “I write to reluctantly return the presidential retirement bill to plenary session after Senators could not agree to act upon the bill in committee room,” Senator Sherman said. The Proposed Presidential Transitional Act of 2017 stipulates amongst others that tenured officer holders are untouchable and that their “unlawful” removal from office will require the new administration paying their salaries and benefits in one lump sum. Read more

Overcrowded Payroll …Liberian Lawmakers Duplicate Positions To Create Employment For Supporters, Source: FrontPage Africa

FrontPage Africa reports that while the new government is still taking time to form amid economic constraints, there are lingering concerns and its ramifications about the duplication of jobs to appease allies and supporters of politicians. “There are concerns that government is carrying a huge burden because some ministries and agencies of government are being overstaffed,” the paper said.

At the legislature, many persons are being employed straightly on family or on political connection, which is resulting in the duplication of functions – leaving several staffs to perform the same task. According to FrontPage Africa, lawmakers and people in leadership positions at the Legislature are making recommendations for employment based on political reasons, mainly as an appeasement for the support they received during the campaign. The Legislature Standing Rule allows lawmakers to employ at most 16 office staffs, but they are also influencing the employment of several others in the central administration.

Sources say current staffs that served in the 53rd Legislature as civil servants are still receiving regular salary and benefits for jobs such as an operator of an elevator that no longer exist. Read more

Legislature Petitioned to Stall President Weah’s Quest For Dual Citizenship, Source: FrontPage Africa

Some Liberians have started opposing the amendment of Articles 22a and 27b of the Liberian Constitution to allow people of non-Negroes descent to become citizens of Liberia. President George Weah addressing the Legislature in his first Annual Message to the nation described the two articles, as “racist” and called for their amendment. The clause was "unnecessary, racist and inappropriate", President Weah stated in his address.

But since Weah’s pronouncement calling for the amendment, some Liberians have greeted the president’s plead differently. Others have welcomed dual citizens, but disagreed with him for people of non-Negro descent to become citizens and own properties in Liberia.

As the debates deepen, a group of Liberians Tuesday gathered at the Capitol Building to present a petition to lawmakers to register their rejection of the amendment of the Constitution. The citizens under the umbrella, Fubbi Foundation for Development and Sustainability (FFDS) said President Weah’s quest to amend the Constitution undermines the creed for which Liberia was founded. The chairperson of the House Committee on Claims and Petitions, Rustonlyn Dennis received the petition and promised to submit it to House plenary. Read more

Nigeria Gripped by Massive Lassa Fever Outbreak…90 deaths reported …Liberia says “no need to panic”, Source: Daily OBSERVER

WHO says it is teaming up with national and international health agencies to tackle what appears to be the largest outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria, as reported by the Voice of America. The latest figures show 1,081 suspected cases of the disease, including 90 deaths so far.

But in the wake of the report, health authorities in Liberia say they are prepared and capable of defeating any outbreak, adding that: “Our disease surveillance officers at each of our entry points are active on duty.” Sorbor George, the communications director of the Health Ministry told the Daily Observer that although the ministry was not fully aware of the outbreak in Nigeria, nonetheless the country’s health authorities have learned enough lessons from Ebola, and are, therefore, prepared to deal with any eventuality in the sector. “Unless I inquire from health authorities, I’m very sure the ministry is making a couple of interventions to prevent anything around here,” Mr. George said. Read more

Several Projects Stalled in River Gee County …Citizens want speedy implementation, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Citizens of River Gee County have appealed to the government to complete several stalled projects under the previous administration. In a recent radio talk show in the county, the citizens also want the past leadership of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to explain to them why the projects stalled. The projects include the Executive Guest House, the pavement of the main street in Fish Town City, the Administrative District’s compound in Tienpo District, among others. Read more

‘I Paid Contractors for WFP Contract’, Source: Daily OBSERVER

‘Pastor’ Steve Kettor, one of the two men being tried for allegedly duping a Korean businessman of over USD130,000 from a vehicle rental contract with the World Food Programme (WFP), told Criminal Court ‘C’ that he “paid contractors for the WFP contract” he entered into with the UN agency in 2014, when his CEO, Hungchi Choi, had left the country due to the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak. Testifying Wednesday as second witness for the defense, Kettor, who was then the general manager of the Korea Trading Corporation (KTC), claimed that as part of the arrangement he hired five contractors, including drivers and operators, for three months and each of them was paid USD200, which amounted to USD1,000 a month.

But during his testimony, Choi presented a document allegedly produced by Kettor that showed him (Kettor) to have instead paid the drivers and operators USD2,500 monthly. The document detailed how Kettor claimed that a payment of USD92,225 was made for the five months, out of which some employees of the UN agency demanded USD12,500 as kickbacks, however, the alleged employees were not mentioned on the document. Choi testified that KTC did not receive a dime because he was out of the country when the contract was signed and approved. Read more

FIND Decries Crowded Prison, Sources: New DEMOCRAT and The INQUIRER

The Foundation for International Dignity (FIND) has decried Liberia’s pre-trial detention and over crowdedness of the various prisons in the country. FIND said pre-trial detention continues to be a problem of serious concern coupled with the overcrowding of the prison in the country. FIND said although there has been training of judicial officers and magistrates, the problem of pre-trial detention and prisons being overcrowded are major challenges the justice system continues to contend with in Liberia.    

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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