The deadly disease, HIV/AIDS, is said to be on the increase in the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County about188 kilometers from Monrovia, posing threat to the local population.
The Superintendent of the county, Madam Julia Ducan Cassel, told journalists over the weekend that sixteen out of a total of sixty persons who showed up to join the new Liberian army have been dropped from the on-going recruitment exercise in the county after they were proven positive of the virus.
The superintendent predicted a further increase in the number of HIV/AIDS carriers in the county as the recruitment exercise progresses.
Sources at the government hospital and the OTC hospital in Buchanan told this paper that these hospitals were replete with HIV/AIDS records, and if immediate remedies were not found, a significant portion of the county’s population would be infested with the disease.
Supt. Cassell said her administration would shortly embark on a sensitization campaign to combat the spread of the disease which is a threat to the county and its people. She disclosed that the campaign would be extended to all communities and institutions for effective dissemination of preventive messages.
She indicated that if the virus is not sufficiently dealt with, the entire county would be severely infested which could underpin development there. Supt. Cassell challenged parents, guardians, and other stakeholders in the county to take the lead in the campaign in the fight against the disease.
Labour Minister Praises Germany
The Minister of Labor Atty. Samuel Kofi Woods, II, has said the experience and resource of the people of Germany are critical in helping the Government and people of Liberia through the Ministry of Labour in ensuring that LEEP/LEAP are fully implemented.
According to a Labour Ministry release issued yesterday, he made the statement Monday, July 31, 2006 when he met with the Ambassador of Germany to Liberia, Thomas Freudenhammer at the Labour Ministry.
He informed Ambassador Freudenhammer of efforts by the Government of Liberia to redirect the energy of young Liberians, who are idle, through the Liberia Emergency Employment Program (LEEP), is a short term program which runs for 18 months and a long term program, the Liberia Employment Action Program (LEAP).
He highlighted the need for capacity building programs to improve the skills of employees of the Ministry of Labour to be able to collect, manage and store information on the Labour market of Liberia.
Minister Woods said there would be no understanding of the contemporary challenges of the Liberian Labour sector if employees of the Minstry are not properly trained.
According to him, his administration is at the moment engaged in the exercise of improving the Labour Standards to ensure compliance with the new political dispensation and international standards.
For his part, Amb Thomas Freudenhammer said unemployment in every country is a burden to Government. He praised the government for the employment programs and promised his Country’s commitment in working with the Ministry to improve the well-being of the Liberians. |
