Monrovia —The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has warned that the success of Liberia’s fiscal decentralization agenda will depend largely on the strength and independence of community radio journalism, describing local broadcasters as a critical link between government fiscal policies and citizens.
By Patience M. [email protected]
PUL President Julius Kanubah said community radio is more than a channel for disseminating information, stressing that it provides an essential platform for citizens, particularly those in rural and marginalized communities, to understand, question and participate in discussions surrounding public finances.
Kanubah made the remarks Thursday, September 10 at the opening of a four-day training program aimed at strengthening community radio journalism for effective reporting on fiscal decentralization.
The training, organized by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, brings together 26 journalists and media practitioners from Liberia’s 15 counties.
The program is designed to strengthen journalists’ capacity in budget literacy, public finance reporting and data storytelling, enabling them to translate complex fiscal information into stories that ordinary citizens can understand.
“As Liberia advances toward greater local governance and accountability, it is essential that citizens understand, monitor, and influence how public resources are allocated and used,” Kanubah said.
“In this effort, community radio remains the most trusted and accessible medium, particularly for rural and marginalized communities,” he added.
The PUL President emphasized that effective community radio journalism could help transform fiscal decentralization from a government policy into something that directly impacts the lives of ordinary Liberians.
He said stronger community radio platforms can create inclusive spaces for dialogue, amplify local voices and ensure that citizens are not left out of conversations concerning government budgets, public service delivery and accountability.
However, Kanubah identified several challenges that continue to undermine the effectiveness of community radio journalism, including limited technical capacity to interpret complex fiscal data, inadequate training in investigative and accountability reporting, poor equipment, weak connectivity and financial constraints.
He also cited political and social pressures as threats to the independence and impartiality of community media.
According to the PUL, failure to address these challenges could undermine the transparency and accountability objectives of fiscal decentralization.
Kanubah commended the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for investing in the capacity of journalists, describing the initiative as an important step toward improving public understanding and reporting on fiscal governance.
“To our colleagues in journalism and media: thank you for dedicating your time to learn, unlearn, and relearn, while exchanging expert perspectives,” he said.
“As journalists, we carry a profound responsibility to our profession and our country. Let us take this training seriously and ensure that the knowledge, skills and networks we gain here are used to advance quality journalism on fiscal decentralization,” Kanubah urged.
Other officials speaking at the training included Deputy Finance Minister for Fiscal Affairs Anthony Myers; Deputy Minister for Local Government and Decentralization Edwin Mulbah; Deputy Minister for Technical Services at the Ministry of Information, Nat Bayjay; and Comptroller and Accountant General of Liberia Elwood Nettey.
Meanwhile, the PUL has reminded journalists and media practitioners to uphold professional standards by adhering to the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Journalists and Media.
The Union stressed the importance of fairness, accuracy, impartiality and responsibility in reporting, particularly as the country advances efforts toward greater fiscal governance, local participation and accountability.
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