In Liberia: Ten Fired, Three Suspended, Others Forfeit Benefits

Sirleaf said those fired were "insensitivity" to the Ebola crisis

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has ordered the dismissal of eight junior level cabinet ministers and two other government officials, who, in the wake of the deadly Ebola outbreak left the country and have yet to return.

According to President Sirleaf, those dismissed officials showed "insensitivity to our national tragedy and disregard for authority."

Liberia Prays Ebola Out

President believes that God is the
ultimate solution of the
Ebola crisis 

Liberians from all walks of life have been asked to observe three days of National Fast and Prayer beginning Wednesday, August 6, through Friday, August 8, 2014, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, the Executive Mansion announced yesterday in Monrovia.  The three-day fast and prayer is Liberia's way of soliciting God's intervention in its ongoing war against the deadly Ebola outbreak.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in a brief statement released by the Liberian presidential palace said: “Acknowledging our devout gratitude to God for our existence as a Free, Sovereign and Independent State, and relying on His Divine Guidance for our survival as a Nation, I call on all Liberians to observe three days of National Fast and Prayer to seek God’s face to have mercy on us and forgive our sins and heal our land, Liberia, as we continue the fight against the deadly Ebola virus.”

According to the Liberian leader, God is the ultimate solution to this crisis and source of Liberia’s deliverance as a nation.

MRU Gangs Up Against Ebola

(l-r) Ivorian Health Minister, Dr. Ramonde representing President Ouattara, Presidents Koroma of Sierra Leone, Conde of Guinea and Sirleaf of Liberia 

Leaders of the Mano River Union, a sub-regional grouping, have agreed to take important and extraordinary actions at their inter-country level to focus on cross-border regions that have more than 70 percent of the deadly Ebola epidemic. These areas will be isolated by police and the military. The people in these areas being isolated will be provided with material support. The health care service in these zones will be strengthened for treatment, testing and contact tracing to be done effectively. Burials will be done in accordance with national health regulations.

Liberia Institutes Measures to Kick Ebola OUT

Special Statement 

By President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

On the Ebola Crisis  

(As Delivered Wednesday, July 30, 2014)

My fellow citizens:

Today, in continuation of our efforts to combat the deadly Ebola virus, I am pleased to launch the National Action Plan presented by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in partnership with the World Health Organization. Given the multi-dimensional efforts, including local, regional and international which we must bring to this fight against this scourge, the National Action Plan as presented is by no means exhaustive. However, it establishes a useful framework by which we can continue our work, as well as seek international support and assistance, as we invite the inclusions of other important aspects to the plan.

Amara Konneh: Liberia’s Dual Minister

Min. Konneh

Liberian legislators are now left with no other option but to rest their case against Amara Konneh and stop branding him as “impersonator”.  

Konneh became the country’s super minister Tuesday night, when President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announced the long-anticipated merger of the ministries of Finance and Economic Planning, with Amara Konneh maintaining his position as Minister.

Concurrently, he served as Liberia's Acting Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs, in addition to his role as the country’s finance minister; something that aggravated legislators in August 2012. Their (legislators) point was that the position of “Minister of Finance and Planning” was non-existent in the Liberian government. They argued that it was inaccurate for Konneh to ascribe (assign, credit) such a title to himself, describing such reference by him as “not only deceptive, but an impersonation.” According to them, this was an affront and disrespect to them.

At one point, they wondered why Konneh was still signing documents as acting minister of planning when in fact they had raised the matter with the President and she had assured them that she would address it. He had been summoned numerous times by the House of Senate over his dual-ministerial role at Finance and Planning. In fact, lawmakers had recently called for his resignation.

Well, the President’s Tuesday announcement puts Konneh [officially] in charge of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. Members of the national legislature had better start concentrating their energies on more pressing national issues. At least now, Konneh is off their plate.   

Finance and Development Planning Minister Konneh has been a core member of President Sirleaf's Economic Management Team and is also the National Coordinator of the Liberia Development Alliance that coordinates Liberia’s development agenda (Agenda for Transformation - 2012 - 2017), among other positions of influence. He was named Finance Minister of the Year 2014 by The Banker magazine for his efforts to reform and grow the Liberian economy.