BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA

NEWS SUMMARY, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020

Today’s edition of our regular media summary of the local dailies captures stories on NASSCORP’s donation of 50,000 notebooks to MOE, opening of PCC City Hall community park, Pres. Weah holding talks with sub-regional leaders, GoL receiving 2020 UNLEASH Hacks Liberia winners, the end of one-day strategic stakeholders’ dialogue by Save More Kids, NEC declaring Dillon and Samukai  as winners,conclusion rehearsal training for Green House Gases technicians by EPA, among others.

STORIES

NEC Declares Dillon, Samukai as Winners

The National Elections Commission (NEC) has declared Incumbent Senator Abraham Darius Dillon and former Defense Minister Brownie Jeffrey Samukai, both of the main opposition political force, Collaborating Political Parties as winners of the Special Senatorial Election for Montserrado and Lofa Counties respectively. Senator Dillon was reelected to the Liberian Senate by obtaining 206,368 votes which constitute 61.30 percent of total valid votes cast in Montserrado County. His main rival, Montserrado County Electoral District #5 Representative, Thomas P. Fallah of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) got 120,405 votes, accumulating to 35.76 percent. The final announcement of the winner of the Montserrado County Special Senatorial Election comes on the heel of the completion of counting processes for all 1,983 polling centers within the county. “The Board of Commissioners of the National Elections Commission declares Candidate Abraham Darius Dillon of the CPP with 206,368 votes constituting 61.30 percent, as winner of the Special Senatorial Election for Montserrado,” declared the Chairperson of the NEC, Madam Davidetta Brown-Lassanah. The country’s electoral body said it has completed counting and tallying of votes at all 454 polling centers in Lofa County and that former Defense Minister Samukai has won the race with total votes of 20,431 or 31.80 percent of the total valid votes, while his closest challenger, Cllr. Joseph K. Jallah, an Independent candidate obtained 13,968, which is 21.74 percent, the Heritage newspaper discloses.

Related Caption:NEC Declares 8 Winners in Midterm Election (InProfile Daily)

NASSCORP Donates 50,000 Notebooks to MOE                                                                                            The National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) has donated fifty thousand (50,000) notebook materials to the Ministry of Education (MOE). NASSCORP Deputy Director General D. Nya Twayen, Jr., who made the presentation on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, said the donation was aimed at buttressing government’s effort in improving the educational sector of the country by making notebooks available for all students in the country. He further revealed that the gesture also forms part of the institution’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) mandates to produce the materials for students, particularly those most in need. Twayen explained that the materials, which were donated on behalf of NASSCORP Director-General Dewitt von Ballmoons, would be distributed to students who are in need. He said, “We decided under our corporate social responsibilities mandate for NASSCORP to produce fifty thousand (50,000) copybooks so that you at the MOE can distribute them to students who are in need.” The Deputy NASSCORP Director-General further said that notebooks are designed particularly to inform students about NASSCORP so that when they grow up, they should know the value of social security and know the importance of social security in their lives, Daily Observer newspaper writes.

Related Caption: NASSCORP Donates 50,000 Copybooks to MoE(Heritage)

GoL Receives 2020 UNLEASH Hacks Liberia Winners

The Government of Liberia (GoL) with proud and excitement received the 2020 UNLEASH Hacks Liberia winners. The UNLEASH Hacks are localized innovation processes addressing sustainability challenges in specific contexts. Through a collaborative 2-day event, organized by UNLEASH Alumni, passionate talents work with local stakeholders and community leaders to collectively solve problems and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For the UNLEASH Hacks Liberia, the focus was on the issues around Access to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation. These 2-day local innovation process leverage UNLEASH’s proven methodology and global community of over 3,000 Alumni to generate impactful solutions when they are most needed. The GoL also expressed interest in working with UNLEASH in the future to organize bigger events around helping to improve access to water and sustainable sanitation in Liberia, the Heritage newspaper writes.

Related Caption:Government Receives 2020 UNLEASH Hacks Liberia Winners(InProfile Daily)

EPA Concludes Rehearsal Training for Green House Gases’ Technicians

The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA) recently concluded a three-day National Green House Gases Inventories (GHGI) Training Rehearsal for relevant stakeholders from government and the private sector. The three-day event held under the auspices of the Liberia Forest Sector Project (LFSP) was intended to assess the gaps in existing inventory preparation mechanism. It also sought to evaluate experts and institutions on the GHGI process and data collection. Held under the theme: ‘Building Capacities to Prepare National GHG Inventories in Liberia,’ the workshop was also intended to further undertake a hands on training on GHG inventory preparation using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2006 guidelines and IPCC on good practice guidance’s 2000 and 2003. Mr. Elijah Z. Whapoe, Focal Point of the Liberia Forest Sector Project (LFSP), lauded the GHG experts for honoring the invitation to attend the rehearsal training which according to him was necessary to build their capacities. He is grateful that the Global Environment Facility (GEF) - funded Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) Project implemented by Conservation International (CI) is also building the capacities of GHG’s experts in Liberia. He noted the need for further collaboration between the CBIT Project and LFSP for the incessant building of technicians’ capacities and skills, the Heritage newspaper writes.

Related Caption:EPA Holds Rehearsal Training for Green House Gases technicians (Daily Observer)

PCC Officially Opens City Hall Community Park

The Paynesville City Corporation (PCC), with support from the People’s Republic of China and other partners, has officially opened the Paynesville City Hall Community Park for kids. The opening ceremony was held on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, at the park just across the street from the Paynesville City Hall. Paynesville is a large City in Liberia with a growing population of over 500,000 inhabitants, based on the encore of 2018. The construction of the park, which contains a basketball court, seating facilities and several playgrounds equipment, came as a result of the Chinese Government’s offer to the city government in 2017 to build a basketball court, under the leadership of then City Mayor, Madam Cyvette Gibson. After a series of intense searches for an ideal location for the basketball court project, the city government later appealed to the Chinese Government, through its Embassy in Liberia, to aid the city with the rehabilitation of the entire park. Phase one of the project, which included the construction of the basketball court, was conducted by the Chinese Dillian International Group (CDIG) while Phase Two, which comprises of the children’s playground, was conducted by TSMO Company,Daily Observernewspaper pens.

Pres. Weah Holds Talks With Sub-regional Leaders

President George Weah has held talks with several sub-regional Leaders in Côte d’Ivoire, on the sideline of the inauguration of Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara. According to the Deputy Presidential Press, Secretary Smith Toby, President Weah’s discussion with his sub-regional counterparts on Monday, December 14, 2020 centered on development, regional peace and security. Mr. Toby said President Weah also held separate bilateral talks with Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde. He told ELBC News Hour that the Liberian leader will on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 depart Ivory Coast to attend the inaugural ceremony of Guinean President-elect Alpha Conde. Mr. Toby further disclosed that the Liberian Chief Executive is expected to hold similar bilateral talks with other regional leaders in Guinea on the sideline of the occasion. The Liberian Leader is expected to return home Tuesday, December 15, 2020, the InProfile Daily newspaper says.   

Save More Kids Ends One-Day Strategic Stakeholders’ Dialogue

Grace by local, national and international partners and stakeholder, held a one-day round table strategic dialogue centered around addressing pressing issues of national concern with the hope of making a significant impact and change for the betterment of Liberia. Organized by the Save More Kids, the Executive Director, Mr. Quanquanie Karmue, said that they will continue to remain engaged and dialogue in a move to help change Liberia especially for the dominant youthful population of the Country. “It is time for transformation and it is real than ever before,” he emphasized. Speaking to reporters on Monday, December 14, 2020, minutes after the meeting, he described the one - day meeting as a break through, mainly when it comes to moving Liberia forward. The passionate Liberian’s focus, among other things, is to help empower and transform the lives of the future leaders of Liberia the Heritagenewspaper asserts.