BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA

NEWS SUMMARY, Monday, November 2, 2020

Today’s edition of our daily summary captures stories about Red, White And Blue In The Air, President Weah Unseals Liberia Owned Carrier; President Weah expressing regrets over Public Works Minister Nyenpan’s death, saying his death is ‘a great loss to his family and the nation as a whole; the visitation of the new EU Ambassador to NEC office as well as the arrival ofelections’ materials into the country.

Other stories highlighted in the summary include the assertion by Minister McGill that the CDC led-Government is determined to Change Liberia’s story around; the PPCC engagement with the media and civil society groups so as to strengthen collaboration; Gender Ministry ending domestic violence awareness campaign in Monrovia and the graduation of 1,300 youths from small business support, among other stories.

DORMANANT STORIES

Lone Star Air

Liberia has launched a new national carrier to begin flight operations. The West African nation has named the airline, Lone Star Air; 30 years after the former national carrier became defunct. Gearge Weah, Liberia’s President, while inaugurating the national carrier on Friday, said, “It would connect our country to our region and to the world. “It is my dream my hope and my ambition that we will very soon see Lone Star Air, the wings of Liberia, flying our flag in international skies, shining so bright. According to the New Democrat, the airline initially planned to operate flights between Monrovia and regional hubs such as Abidjan in Ivory Coast or Lagos in Nigeria. Related Caption: PresidentWeah Unseals One of His Major Dreams As Liberia Owning Carrier (Independent Inquirer newspaper) Related Caption: Red, White And Blue In The Air President Weah Unseals Liberia Owned Carrier(  Express newspaper)President Weah Unseals Liberia-Owned Carrier(The Inquirer).

President Weah Mourns Minister Nyenpan says his Death Is ‘A Great Loss To His Family And the Nation’

President George Manneh Weah has expressed deepest sadness and grief over the death of Public Works Minister Mobutu Nyepan. Minister Nyepean has been undergoing treatment in Accra, Ghana following a stroke he suffered in early September. He died on Friday, October 30, 2020. President Weah said the deceased minister will be remembered for his humility, family values, and love for country and strong ethics, which resulted in development of many rundown infrastructures in the country. For his dedication and service to the country, the Minister received a special plaudit from the president last year as a mark of encouragement, pens the Independent Inquirer newspaper. Related Caption: Public Works Minister Nyenpan is Dead(Express Newspaper), Public Works Minister Succumbs To Death(News newspaper), Weah mourns Minister Nyenpan(New Dawn), Pres. Weah Mourns ,Describes Min. Nyenpan’s Death “A Geat Loss To His Family And The Nation”(Hot Pepper)

New EU head visits NEC

The new head of the European Union Delegation to Liberia on Friday November 30 paid a fact finding visit to the headquarters of the National Elections Commission, (NEC) and was welcomed by the Chairperson of the NEC Davidetta Browne Lansanah on the Compound of the Elections Commission on 9^th street in Sinkor.  Ambassador Laurent Dela House was accompanied to the Elections Commission by the Deputy European Union head of Delegation Juan Antonio Frutos Goldarat. The two-person EU delegation was met on arrival by NEC officials. the delegation said the union was concerned about the level of preparedness by authorities of the National Elections commission to conduct the 8 December 2020 Special Senatorial Election, SSE, Constitutional Referendum and two the Representatives by elections, pens the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Caption:New EU Ambassador Visits NEC(Hot Pepper)

Election materials arrive

Pre-packed kits for the December 8, 2020 Special senatorial Election arrived here late Sunday, November 01, at the Roberts International Airport in Margibi County onboard a chattered flight, barely a month to the poll. They include: actual materials, training materials and stationary polling items among others, brought in the country by a local vendor Unique Enterprise group of companies. According to the New Dawn newspaper, the NEC executive director Anthony Sengbe, received the materials on behalf of the Commission Sunday. Total cost of the material is placed at US$1.6 million inclusive of the chartered flight.  Related Caption:Dec. 8 Election Materials Arrive(The Inquirer)

PPCC Engage Media, Civil Society Groups To Strengthen Collaboration

The Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), says it will on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 conduct a one day awareness workshop aimed at strengthening collaboration with the media and Civil society organizations to enhance public procurement sensitization efforts and promote national development. The event is scheduled to commence at 9am in the ICampus facility located at Upper Carey Street in Central Monrovia. A release said PPCC is collaborating with Open Government Partnership Secretariat to conduct the worship primarily focused on strengthening the knowledge of journalists to effectively and efficiently report on matters related to public procurement, narrow the existing knowledge gabs and ensure compliance to the PPCA to enhance national development, pens the News newspaper.

Related Caption: PPCC Strengthens Collaboration with Media, Civil Society(The Inquirer)

Group Praises Pres. Weah For Aircraft

The leader of a pro-democracy group under the banner: ‘Weah FULCRUM 2023’ has commanded the Liberian leader for Air Liberia flight in the country. According to Vakuma Dukuly, the Lone Star Air Liberia flight brought dignity to the aviation sector of Liberia among nations of the world. He said for too long Liberia has been left behind in operating its own fight as an African nation, adding that almost all West African countries operating their own flight.  The Weah FULCRUM 2023 leader noted with the presence of Air Liberia on the African Continent given a new face of Liberia in the aviation sector among nations in the region.  According to him, his pro- democracy group is not belly driven politicians, but they are interested in moving Liberia forward and that they believe in the leadership performance of President Weah’s administration, pens the Inquirer.

Related Caption:“President Weah Regime Will Forever Be Remembered” Says Pro-Democracy Group Leader(Hot Pepper)

OTHER STORIES  

Gender Ministry Ends Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign 

In August of 2019, the government of Liberia signed into law the Domestic Violence Bill. The law categorically recognized domestic violence as a serious crime against individual and society which takes on many forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse neglect, and exploitation. The Ministry of Gender recognizes this Act which is highly focused on effectively rendering assistance and protection to victims and survivors of Domestic Violence as a milestone accomplishment, under the Weah-led Administration, asserts the Independent Inquirer newspaper.

Mercy Corp Ends Batch-6 Apprenticeship Graduation Program In Ganta

The Swedish Embassy Funded Prospects Phase-6 apprenticeship graduation in Nimba is the last apprentice and job career development program that Mercy Corp has implemented for the Swedish government. Mercy Corp Prospects program has been a long standing job career and entrepreneur development program that since started in 2012 with implementation in Monrovia Grand Bassa and Gbarnga city respectively and in 2017 the program was extended to Ganta Nimba County. According to Mr. Wah Ajavon the Prospect’s E&F project manager Mercy Corp the program runs on three phases, pens the express newspaper.

1,300 Youth Graduate From Small Business Support

The Ministry Of Youth and Sports through the Youth Opportunity Project (YOP) has graduated over 1,300 young people who completed round two implementation of small business support. According to the News newspaper, the Youth Opportunity Project is five-year project of the Liberian government, implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Liberia Agency for community Empowerment (LACE) targeting 15,000 vulnerable youth in both urban and rural communities. It is supported by the World Bank until end of 2020  

WHO Donates Medical Supplies To Liberia Raises Concern About New Cases 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has donated several assorted medical supplies to Ministry of Health, raising serious concern the reemergence of the Covid-19 in Liberia. In recent time, there have been reports of additional cases of covid-19, to be a serious concern to the Government of Liberia and health partners. Making the donation last Friday at the Health Ministry in Congo Town, WHO country Representative to Liberia Dr. Peter Clement said, the donation is in support of buttressing government’s effort in curbing the pandemic. According to the News newspaper, Dr. Clement said the donation including isolation gowns, safety googles, surgical masks, N92 respiratory masks, face shield, examination gloves, ethanol alcohol, albendazole tablets and meetizen are all essential medical supplies in battling the pandemic and other common sicknesses across the country.

MCC Launches Quizzing Competition For Communities In Montserrado County

The Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) has launched Monrovia quizzing competition for various communities in Montserrado County. Launching competition over the weekend at the Heritage Church in the Slipway Community, the city Mayor of Monrovia Jefferson Koijee said the competition is part of young people contributing education in their communities. According to him, it is unfair that he is seated in influential position that he cannot give, adding that the competition is part of MCC’s educational gesture to molding the minds of young Liberians, asserts the News newspaper.

“CDC Gov’t. Determined To Change Liberia Around” Min. McGill

The Minster of State, Nathaniel McGill, has published that the CDC administration headed by President George M. Weah is prepared to change Liberia around in terms of development; Writes Hot Pepper newspaper, The Minister of State outlined some of President George M. Weah campaign fulfillment, saying that the President has provided free WASCE fees for twelve graders nationwide, introduced free tuition for the University of Liberia and public colleges nationwide. “Before the induction of free tuition at the University of Liberia, 20,000 students did pre-registration and only eight thousand students enrolled, and 12, 000 would drop due to financial difficulty. However, for now, 20,000 students are enrolling at the University of Liberia, which is excellent for the CDC- led administration. The President said if he does not do any major things as claimed by the Liberia people he will connect Liberia before his expiration of his tenure,” Minister McGill pointed out.  The Minister of State told Executive Mansion reporter that for more than one hundred seventy years leeward countries have suffered bad road condition in terms of smooth vehicle movement, which is negatively affecting the agriculture sector, but the President wants to change the trajectory of bad roads construction, he said the road from Fish Town to Harper nears completion, and pends dedication by the President next year, 2021.

Gov’t Relocates COVID-19 Testing Center Today

The Government of Liberia and its partners through the Incident Management System, will on today, November 2, open a new sample collection site for coronavirus at the Union Building, formerly the Lebanese Community House in Congo Town. The current COVID-19 testing and sample collection site at the Samuel K. Doe, Sports Stadium Basketball Court will be closed to the public immediately as of today, Monday, November 2. Meanwhile, the Incident Management System IMS, in partnership with partners, including WHO, UNICEF, CDC USA, USAID, local firms, have established an automated online system (WWW.liberiacovidtravel.org) to allow the public and travelers do their registration and payment using an online platform that is connected to a UBA Account to avoid rush, challenges and other difficulties in getting COVID-19 test results, especially for travelers, pens the Inquirer newspaper.