Careysburg – His Excellency, President George Manneh Weah Friday, May 13, 2022 dedicated the newly-constructed temporary Quality Control Laboratory of the Liberia Medicine and Health Product Regulatory Authority (LMHRA). He described the facility as an important milestone in Liberia’s healthcare endeavors. 

President Weah said healthcare for citizens is an essential part of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), his Government's flagship development program.

In a special statement at the dedication ceremony held in Careysburg, the Liberian Leader acknowledged that the citizens will struggle in vain without a healthy nation.

The President assured the LMHRA family and Liberians in general that he fully supports the construction and dedication of the Laboratory, stressing, "it is vital to have a system for inspecting the quality of medical drugs on the Liberian market."

"In the past we have been confronted with many incidents of the abundance of fake drugs and other health products," the Liberian Chief Executive note, calling the administration of the Liberia Medicine and Health Product Regulatory Authority to continue to enforce existing laws and regulations in order to protect the general public from dangerous and fake medical products.

“The commitment of my Administration to a healthy nation remains unwavering,” Dr. Weah added. “That is why since I assumed the Presidency, we have continued to improve and equip Liberia’s largest referral hospital, the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, as well as undertaken the construction of several new health facilities throughout the country."

He also recounted the training of health workers and the incorporation of additional medical staff on the government payroll as evidence of government's commitment to ameliorating the country's health system.

President Weah assured that efforts towards revamping the health sector will remain unabated "despite limited resources and competing priorities."

“My Administration remains committed to the goal of making Liberia a center of excellence in the health sector, thereby reducing our reliance on other nations for solutions," the Liberian Chief Executive disclosed.

The President expressed appreciation to the management of the LMHRA for undertaking such a monumental initiative, which enables it to begin full testing of medicines in Liberia in its own purpose-built facilities.

He said he was exceedingly glad to have learned that the LMHRA built the temporary Quality Control Laboratory from fees collected locally.

"This is indeed commendable," the President said.

He added: "I am even more pleased to be informed that, from the same local revenue collected, together with some support from Government, you have been able to complete the construction of the foundation of an ultra-modern laboratory complex here at King’s Town in Careysburg, which will ensure that all medicines and health products, including cosmetics, coming into this country are tested for their compliance with internationally-accepted standards of quality.”

He encouraged the LMHRA management to dedicate all of its efforts to mobilizing resources to complete the new permanent Quality Control Laboratory Complex within the next 12 months.

Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire - The President of the Republic, Dr. George Manneh Weah, says there is urgency for collective global action to deter the crippling effects of climate change, stating that there are huge benefits  for Africa and the rest of the world if they acted together.
 

He also said climate change has the potential to create global insecurity.
 

Addressing the Heads of State Summit of the Fifteenth Session of the Conference of Parties taking place in Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire on Monday, May 9, 2022, the President stressed that such danger is insurmountable unless leaders acted urgently and decisively together to deal effectively with the problem of drought and desertification which are elements of climate change.
 

President Weah said the theme of  COP-15, “Land. Life. Legacy: From Scarcity to Prosperity”, could not be more appropriate to draw collective attention to the urgent necessity to preserve, protect, and manage land more efficiently.
 

"Land is a major natural resource that is too often taken for granted, and it is important that we become aware that, if it is neglected, or used unwisely, it can become a wasting and depletable asset," the Liberian Leader told international delegates at the conference.


He indicated that people of the world  do not only derive sustenance from land, but also have a duty to ensure that it will continue to support the lives and livelihoods of future generations.
 

 According to the Liberian Leader, it has become common knowledge that the global stock of healthy land is being increasingly degraded through the combined effects of desertification and drought.
 

He stressed that "It is therefore important that we use this forum to formulate new policies and approaches to mitigate the negative impact of these phenomena, by restoring degraded land and combating desertification."
 

President Weah used his speech to remind COP15 Conferees of similar opportunity provided at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, to discuss issues surrounding climate change, and to re-awaken the global community to once again conclude on the full implementation of the Paris Agreement, as well as find a lasting and sustainable solution to global warming.


"I represented my Country at COP26, and fully participated in the discussions, because we are of the view that Africa happens to be one of the most vulnerable regions in the world that are heavily impacted by climate change, which tends to impede the growth and development of our dear continent," the President recalled.
 

As he stated during COP26, President Weah once more informed Leaders that the problem of climate change is not Africa’s making, but it's continuously experiencing the worst consequences of it.
 

He noted: "Drought and floods are beginning to occur with increasing frequency on the continent, and in many countries which have never experienced them before.'
 

"This has not only led to the deaths of thousands of our citizens, and the displacement of millions of our people, but has also caused a direct reduction in food security and an increase in cross-border migration of populations," he continued.
 

At the same time, President Weah informed his counterparts of the significance of finance in addressing land degradation and ecosystem restoration to avoid drought.
 

While commending various international mechanisms such as the Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, and many others vigorously working with countries to address the issue of combating drought, reducing or preventing desertification, and restoring lost land, he reiterated that there is an inherent imbalance in the current architecture of climate financing.
 

 "We who are the richest in terms of forest resources and biodiversity are also the poorest in terms of socio-economic development," Dr. Weah said further.

"We who are the lowest emitters of harmful greenhouse gases, and who bear the brunt of the impact of climate change, benefit the least from the solutions and financing for tackling climate change," he said and added: " And we who maintain and protect the largest remaining tracts of forest reserves, receive the lowest payments for these ecosystem services."

Monrovia, Liberia –The President of Liberia, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, has directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dee-Maxwell Kemayah, to immediately investigate circumstances leading to the issuance of Liberia’s Diplomatic passport to Sheik Bassirou Kante, who was recently arrested in the U.S.

In his directive, the President ordered that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately stop the issuance of diplomatic passports to anyone unless otherwise authorized by him.

The Liberian Chief Executive also directed Minister Kemeyah to submit a full report detailing a review of how Liberian diplomatic passports are issued.


The report by the Foreign Minister is to be submitted within one week of the date of the President’s directive, May 10, 2022.

Monrovia, Liberia –His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah has left the Country today, May 8, 2022 to attend the Heads of State Summit on Drought Resilience and Sustainable Land Management in Cote d’Ivoire.

The Summit is part of the fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) runs from May 9-20, 2022.


President Weah and world leaders attend the Summit on Monday, May 9, 2022. The summit will build on the Great Green Wall agenda and offer a concrete response to the interconnected challenges of land degradation, climate change and biodiversity loss, stepping into the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.


This year’s COP15 theme, 'Land. Life. Legacy: From Scarcity to Prosperity', is a call to action to ensure that land, the lifeline on this planet, continues to benefit present and future generations.


In addition to the leaders from Government, COP15 will also bring together the private sector, civil society, and other key stakeholders from around the world to drive progress in the future sustainable management of land, one of our most precious natural assets.


While President Weah is away, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Samuel D. Tweah, Jr. will act as chair of the Cabinet in consultation with the Vice President of Liberia and via telephone with the President.

The Liberian Chief Executive is expected home on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.