Monrovia – The World Bank’s top official in Liberia has told Liberian journalists that an independent and credible press is not a hurdle to the country’s progress but a building block of it.

“History and research make clear that independent and credible media is not an obstacle to development. It is part of the infrastructure of development,” said Georgia Wallen, the World Bank Group’s Country Manager for Liberia.

Ms. Wallen was delivering the keynote address on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the celebration of the 62nd anniversary of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) in Monrovia. The celebration was held under the theme “Empowering Independent Media for Democracy, Accountability and Sustainable Development in Liberia.”

She built her remarks around the role of the Liberian press in the past, the present and the future.

‘Eyes and ears of society’

Looking back, Ms. Wallen said the PUL had endured for more than six decades of Liberia’s 179-year history, with journalists “giving voice to the voiceless and providing a lifeline of information in good times and in hard times.”

“Across the years, Liberia’s media has been the eyes and ears of society – also influencing the national conscience,” she said. What journalists investigated, reported and published, she added, has helped shape public understanding and the direction of the national conversation.

She recalled that the World Bank’s 2002 World Development Report, Building Institutions for Markets, published as Liberia was still in the grip of conflict, devoted a full chapter to the media. The report, she said, described the press as a force for giving voice to people on the margins, improving public health and serving as “an impetus for commerce,” provided it is independent, accountable and reflects diverse views.

“The foundation of journalism is credibility,” she said. “And credibility is the product of an enduring commitment to truth, transparency and accountability.”

Press and the economy

Turning to the present, Ms. Wallen linked a free press directly to Liberia’s economic prospects.

“Development depends on an informed public, and an informed public depends on a free and responsible press,” she said. Development, she argued, takes more than roads, electricity and private investment; it also takes trusted information and public confidence.

“Investors need reliable information. Citizens need to understand policies that affect their lives. Communities need a platform to voice their concerns and aspirations,” she said.

By reporting responsibly on both challenges and progress, she said, the media helps create conditions in which “businesses can grow, reforms can succeed, and development can be inclusive and sustainable.”

Social media and AI raise the stakes

Ms. Wallen warned that the rapid spread of social media and artificial intelligence places a heavier burden on professional journalists. She cited the World Bank’s 2026 World Development Report, The Promise of Artificial Intelligence, which she said notes that accurate information depends on strong local institutions and data systems.

“As it becomes harder to distinguish truth from fiction, journalism will be increasingly challenged to become more reliable, more rigorous and more indispensable,” she said.

‘A story not yet being widely told’

Looking ahead, the World Bank official pointed journalists to what she called a story “crucial to Liberia’s future, but not yet being widely told”: population growth. She noted that the 2022 National Population and Housing Census projected Liberia’s population will grow to more than 8 million people by 2042.

“What will it take for Liberia to be ready for that future?” she asked. “What investments are needed now to prepare Liberia for realizing its national vision?”

She encouraged reporters to dig into data coming from the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), including the recent Agriculture Census and upcoming surveys of household spending and businesses, and to go “beyond the numbers to uncover the stories of Liberians countrywide.”

‘You are here’

In closing, Ms. Wallen urged journalists not to underestimate the value of their work. “Every microphone you hold, every camera you operate, every interview you conduct, and every story you publish has influence and value,” she said.

While journalists around the world write about Liberia, she said, members of the PUL hold a distinct advantage: “You are here – on the ground in counties, districts, and communities across this great country.”

“The voices of Liberia’s farmers, workers, entrepreneurs, young people, women, children and communities matter; you can help us to hear them,” she said.

She congratulated the Union on 62 years of service and wished it “an even stronger contribution to Liberia’s story – past, present, and future.”

(Monrovia, 1 October 2026): The President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Julius Kanubah, on Thursday, October 1 departed Liberia for Rwanda as part of a high-level study tour on transitional justice.

Kanubah joins a delegation of transitional justice actors undertaking engagements on Rwanda’s post-conflict reconciliation, justice, accountability, and social cohesion processes.

The visit is fully funded by the Office for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (OWECC-L).

OWECC-L’s Executive Director, Cllr. Dr. Jallah Barbu, who traveled on 24 September, is already in Rwanda as part of the advance delegation.

While in Rwanda, the PUL President will collaborate with staff of OWECC-L, the Liberia National Police, and a Rwandan consultant in a series of meetings with government institutions, civil society, media, academia, international development partners, victims and survivors’ groups, as well as the Liberian community in Rwanda.

The mission seeks to draw lessons from Rwanda’s transitional justice experience and to explore avenues for Rwanda’s support in establishing and operationalizing Liberia’s War and Economic Crimes Court and National Anti-Corruption Court.

The study tour comes at a time when legislative efforts toward the creation of the War and Economic Crimes Court are intensifying.

As a public-interest institution, the PUL has consistently championed transitional justice mechanisms to ensure accountability for perpetrators of Liberia’s armed conflict, while advancing reconciliation, national healing, support for victims and survivors, and responsible journalism.

During Kanubah’s absence, PUL Vice President Beatrice Tetee Sieh will serve as Acting President, with full authority to preside over the Union in accordance with Article 7, Section 2 of the PUL Constitution.

Meanwhile, the PUL President will be away from 1–11 October 2026.

MONROVIA — The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) is set to mark its 62nd anniversary on September 30, 2026, with a renewed call for stronger independent media, greater accountability and the protection of journalists’ rights in Liberia.

The Union announced Thursday that the anniversary celebration will be held in Monrovia under the theme, “62 Years On: Empowering Independent Media for Democracy, Accountability, and Sustainable Development.”

According to a press release signed by PUL President Julius Kanubah, the celebration will feature a grand parade through Monrovia, followed by an indoor program with motivational speeches and a high-level panel discussion on the role of independent media in advancing democracy, accountability and sustainable development.

The anniversary comes as the Union continues its longstanding advocacy for press freedom, freedom of expression, journalists’ rights and accountable democratic governance.

The PUL said the occasion will also provide an opportunity to reflect on the media’s contribution to national development and the challenges confronting journalists and media institutions.

PUL to Release Media Ethics, Press Freedom Report

A major highlight of the celebration will be the release of a report by the National Media Council of Liberia detailing cases investigated involving ethical breaches, press freedom infringements and challenges to freedom of speech and expression.

The Union said the report forms part of its broader efforts to promote ethical journalism while protecting the rights and professional independence of media practitioners.

The anniversary will also spotlight the PUL’s renewed efforts to construct its National Headquarters, which the Union envisions as a permanent center for press freedom advocacy, professional development, ethical journalism and the protection of journalists.

150 Participants Expected

The PUL expects approximately 150 participants, including journalists, media practitioners, civil society representatives, journalism students and stakeholders from government, diplomatic missions and the private sector.

The Union said the gathering is intended to provide opportunities for professional learning, networking, experience-sharing and strengthening solidarity among media practitioners.

It also encouraged journalists, communication professionals and members of the public to participate in the celebration, describing the anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on the media’s role in shaping Liberia’s democratic and developmental future.

Attendance, the PUL noted, is an essential requirement for members seeking to remain in good standing with the Union.

Full Anniversary Itinerary Due Monday

The PUL said it will release the full itinerary for the anniversary celebration on Monday, September 28, including the names of motivational speakers and distinguished panelists expected from international development finance and investment, diplomacy, law, government and the media.

Souvenir T-shirts and caps are available at a minimum cost at the Union’s headquarters on Warner Avenue, 9th Street, Sinkor. The items are also being dispatched to journalists and media practitioners across Liberia.

The September 30 celebration will mark 62 years of the Union’s existence and advocacy for journalists’ rights, independent media and freedom of expression in Liberia.

Monrovia – The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) is pleased to announce that the celebrations of its 62ndAnniversary will be held in Monrovia on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.

This year’s anniversary is being observed under the theme: “62 Years On: Empowering Independent Media for Democracy, Accountability, and Sustainable Development.”

The occasion represents a significant milestone in the Union’s enduring struggle to champion journalists’ rights, promote freedom of speech and expression, and advocate for accountable democratic governance in Liberia.

The celebrations will feature a grand parade in Monrovia, followed by an indoor program that will include motivational speeches and a high level panel discussion on how independent media can be empowered to advance democracy, accountability, and sustainable development.

Nationally and globally recognized as the moral guardian of ethical journalism in Liberia, the PUL will also use the anniversary to release a report by the National Media Council of Liberia on cases investigated concerning ethical breaches, press freedom infringements, and challenges to freedom of speech and expression.

This year’s anniversary is particularly noteworthy given the Union’s renewed efforts to construct its National Headquarters, envisioned as a permanent home for press freedom, professional development, ethical journalism, and the protection of journalists.

The celebration is expected to bring together approximately 150 participants, including journalists, media practitioners, civil society representatives, journalism students, and stakeholders from government, diplomacy, and the private sector.

Souvenir T shirts and caps are available at the Union’s Head Office on Warner Avenue, 9th Street, Sinkor, Monrovia at a minimum cost. These items are also being dispatched to journalists and media practitioners across Liberia.

On Monday, 28 September 2026, the Union will release the full itinerary of the anniversary celebrations, including the list of motivational speakers and distinguished panelists drawn from international development finance and investment, diplomacy, law, government and the media.

The PUL encourages all journalists, media and communication practitioners, as well as members of the public, to participate in this landmark celebration.

Attendance is an essential requirement for PUL members seeking to remain in good standing, as the anniversary provides opportunities to learn from experts, network, exchange views, strengthen solidarity and socialize after months of analyzing, reporting, and debating the news and events shaping Liberia.

New Narratives journalist recognized among five finalists continent-wide for exposing corruption in Liberia’s largest human trafficking case; winner to be announced November 11 in Nairobi.

Monrovia – Anthony Stephens, an award-winning journalist and lawyer with New Narratives, has become the first Liberian shortlisted for the prestigious African Investigative Journalist of the Year Award.

Stephens is one of five finalists selected from a record 204 entries submitted from across the continent for the 2026 award, now in its fourth year. He was recognized for his investigation, “The Corruption That Allows Liberia’s Human Traffickers to Stay Free to Exploit the Poorest Citizens,” which exposed an alleged US$7,000 bribe offered to derail prosecution in what became Liberia’s largest human trafficking case. His sustained coverage tracked the case from its initial exposure through trial, culminating in the unanimous conviction of all remaining defendants.

The other finalists are Folashade Ogunrinde and Oladehinde Olawoyin of Premium Times and The Examination, Nigeria, for an investigation into regulatory failures exposing residents to lead poisoning from battery recycling plants; Jeff Wicks of News24, South Africa, for a series tracing a tenderpreneur’s capture of a R360 million police tender; Naipanoi Lepapa of Kenya, working with Svenska Dagbladet and Göteborgs-Posten, for a cross-border investigation into the mishandling of footage from Meta’s smart glasses; and a reporter from South Africa’s amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism, for an exposé on organized crime’s capture of a billion-rand presidential rail project.

The award, run by the Wits Centre for Journalism and supported by Absa Africa, honors outstanding investigative reporting that reveals untold stories, holds the powerful to account, and serves the public interest. This year’s judging panel includes AIJC convener Beauregard Tromp of South Africa, press freedom advocate Gwen Lister of Namibia, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maggie Michael of Egypt, Zitamar News editor-at-large Fernando Lima of Mozambique, and veteran trainer Hamadou Tidiane Sy of Senegal.

The winner will be announced at a gala ceremony on November 11 in Nairobi, Kenya, during the African Investigative Journalism Conference. The top three finalists have been invited to attend.

At New Narratives, Stephens leads coverage of governance issues, including Liberia’s establishment of a war and economic crimes court. His reporting appears in FrontPage Africa and on Okay FM, as well as on NN partner radio stations nationwide. He also cohosts and produces Democracy in Focus, Liberia’s leading current affairs radio program and podcast, and trains journalists on transitional justice reporting.

His coverage of accountability for wartime atrocities has taken him abroad, including to Switzerland to cover the trial of Alieu Kosiah — the first trial and conviction anywhere of a perpetrator of war crimes committed during Liberia’s civil wars — and to Paris, France, to cover the 2022 trial and conviction of Kunti Kamara on war-related crimes charges.

Stephens has worked in Liberian media for 20 years, including stints at Power TV and FM, Star Radio, and Radio Veritas. He was a New Narratives fellow from 2015 before joining the organization full-time in 2022, and has completed training programs with the BBC, VOA, and the Thomson Reuters Foundation. He holds a law degree from the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia and a BSc in Public Administration from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in June 2017.

Monrovia – The Women’s Legislative Caucus of Liberia (WLCL) will convene a one-day National Media Roundtable on Thursday, September 17, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration and build stronger working relationships between women legislators and media institutions across Liberia.

The roundtable will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the First Floor Conference Room of the Honorable House of Representatives in Monrovia.

The Media Roundtable is intended to create a platform for open dialogue between women legislators and media practitioners, improve media understanding of the mandate and work of the WLCL, and promote regular, accurate, balanced, and gender-sensitive reporting on women’s legislative leadership and contributions to national development.

The activity is being led by the Women’s Legislative Caucus of Liberia, with support from UN Women Liberia The activity forms part of the project, Women Legislators in Liberia: Promoting Voice, Leadership, and Gender-Responsive Governance for Sustainable Development. The IBSA Fund supports the project with contributions from the Governments of India, Brazil and South Africa. The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation administers the Fund.

The Women’s Legislative Caucus of Liberia (WLCL) serves as a unified platform for women legislators in the Honorable House of Representatives and the Liberian Senate, working to promote gender-responsive legislation, women’s political participation, and policies that improve the lives of women, girls, and vulnerable populations.

Despite the Caucus’ active engagement in legislative oversight, advocacy, constituency outreach, and policy reforms, many of its achievements, interventions, and contributions receive limited media attention. This has contributed to gaps in public awareness regarding the role and impact of women legislators in Liberia’s national development process.

Recognizing the strategic role of the media in informing the public, promoting accountability, and shaping national discourse, the WLCL is convening the Media Roundtable to foster stronger and more sustained collaboration with media institutions.

The engagement will provide an avenue for open dialogue, mutual understanding, improved access to legislative information, and stronger professional relationships between women lawmakers and journalists. It will also encourage balanced, consistent, accurate, and gender-sensitive reporting on the work of women legislators and issues affecting women and girls.

The WLCL believes that a stronger partnership with the media is essential to ensuring that citizens are better informed about legislative processes, policy initiatives, advocacy efforts, and the contributions of women lawmakers to Liberia’s democratic governance and development.

The national media roundtable will be followed by county-level media engagements led by each of the 11 WLCL legislators within their respective constituencies providing opportunities for women lawmakers to interact directly with local media practitioners and strengthen sustained communication at the county level.

MONROVIA – Information Minister Jerolinmek  Mathew Piah has reaffirmed the Government of Liberia’s commitment to ensuring maximum protection for professional and ethical Liberian Journalists.

By Augustus D.R Bortue-augustusd.rbortue@frontpageafrica0nline.com

‎Speaking at the 2nd Annual Presidential Media Dinner at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, outside Monrovia on  Saturday,  September 12, Minister Piah  stated that under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s Administration,  no Media Institution will be shut down.

‎He committed that no Liberian Journalist operating professionally and ethically will be censored as there will be no journalist unlawfully detained.

‎He emphasized that those dark days in the Liberian Media will not resurface under this government, stressing that the government is ready to protect Journalists, but those with professional and ethical standards.

He then called on Liberian journalists and media institutions to uphold ethical standards and avoid publishing or broadcasting unverified information.

Minister Piah warned that the spread of false or unverified information could create fear, damage reputations, cause public confusion, and undermine public trust in the media.

He  asserted  that information can spread rapidly by radio, Facebook, WhatsApp and other communication platforms, reaching thousands of people within a short period, urging journalists to verify information before publication.

Minister Piah then assured that the government will continue to support and protect a free press that informs the public, investigates issues responsibly, and promotes peace and national development.

Also speaking, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai  reiterated his administration’s pledge to a free, responsible, professional and vibrant media in Liberia.

President Boakai also underscored the importance of the media in protecting democracy and advancing national development.

The President expressed profound appreciation to journalists for their courage, sacrifices and dedication to nation-building.

He also encouraged the press to continue reporting critical national issues by holding government and public officials accountable.

For his part, the President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Julius Kanubah, appealed to President Boakai to support the completion of the National Headquarters of the PUL.

Kanubah said  the  PUL remains committed to constructing its headquarters on the land acquired by the organization since 1997.

He acknowledged past challenges surrounding funds previously contributed toward the proposed headquarters, but said the Union remains committed to transparency and accountability.

Kanubah stated that the proposed facility would serve as a national home for press freedom, professional development, ethical journalism and the protection of journalists.

The PUL President then expressed hope that the Presidential Dinner with the Media would serve as a defining moment for renewed intervention toward the construction of the PUL Headquarters.

Monrovia – Press Union of Liberia (PUL) President, Julius K.  Kanubah, has proposed the formulation and enactment of a Liberia Media Governance and Sustainability Act.

By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway

The proposal aims to establish a transparent national framework for supporting independent, ethical and professional journalism.

Speaking Saturday, September 12 at the Presidential Media  Dinner held at Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, outside Monrovia, Kanubah assured the PUL’s stands readiness to collaborate with the administration as credible journalism remains the lifeblood and oxygen of democracy.

Recounting the legacies of past administrations, the PUL President encouraged the  Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s Administration to do the same that the media community and nation at large will remember and point to.

“Excellency, previous administrations left important media legacies, some with controversies.  Former President Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf’s Administration enacted the Freedom of Information Act, endorsed the Declaration of Table Mountain and contributed US$100,000 toward the proposed PUL Headquarters. Former President George Manneh  Weah’s Administration enacted the Kamara Abdullai Kamara Act and provided a Headquarters for the Female Journalists Association of Liberia, an auxiliary member of the PUL Excellency, the question is: What will be the media legacy of the Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s  Administration?” asked  Kanubah.

“Excellency, it is true the PUL had a terrible experience regarding the Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf 100 thousand donation. It was a blessing that unfortunately turned into a curse for our Union. The quest for accountability for this terribly mismanaged fund persists even after the previous administration of our Union withdrew the matter from court in the name of reconciliation.”

Despite the unfortunate accountability challenges surrounding the earlier US$100,000 contribution, he vowed the PUL’s  commitment to transparency and to constructing its headquarters on the  land acquired since 1997.

He craved the Boakai’s Administration to support the completion of the national home of the Union in a bid to ensure  press freedom, professional development, ethical journalism, and the protection of journalists.

Accordingly, the media union head reported the country’s gains of notable progress in media development citing the enactment of  the Freedom of Information Act, abolition of  anti-free-speech offenses through the Kamara Abdullai Kamara Act of Pres Freedom, expansion of community radio and sustained vibrant and pluralistic media landscape.

In the face of the progress made, Kanubah expressed serious frustration over failure to transform the state-run Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) into an impartial public-service broadcaster; the declining media economy and the difficulties confronting community radio stations and the media in general, including unreliable electricity, inadequate equipment, limited advertising, high operational costs and insufficient professional training.

These recommendations, he pointed out, were echoed at the 2025 Presidential Dinner, but nothing tangible has been done in this direction.

“More than a year later, Excellency, we are yet to see significant progress toward comprehensive ELBC reform, structured support for community radio, improved working conditions for journalists, or a national framework for media sustainability. Liberia has made notable progress in media development. We have enacted the Freedom of Information Act, abolished anti-free-speech offenses through the Kamara Abdullai Kamara Act of Pres Freedom, expanded community radio, and sustained a vibrant and pluralistic media landscape. These achievements must be protected and strengthened.”

“At the first Presidential Media Dinner on 10 April 2025, the PUL highlighted several pressing concerns. These included the need to transform ELBC into an impartial public-service broadcaster; the declining media economy; and the difficulties confronting community radio stations and the media in general, including unreliable electricity, inadequate equipment, limited advertising, high operational cost  and insufficient professional training.”

“More than a year later, Excellency, we are yet to see significant progress toward comprehensive ELBC reform, structured support for community radio, improve working conditions for journalists or a national framework for media sustainability,” he,  among other things,  added.

Monrovia — The President of the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL), Madam Lisa Tenneh Diasay, has challenged President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to take concrete steps to strengthen media access, support county-based journalism, and establish an independent public-interest journalism fund amid growing concerns over the sustainability of Liberia’s media sector.

By Patience M. Jones, patience ones@frontpageafricaonline.com

Speaking at the Presidential Media Dinner on Saturday, Madam Diasay said Liberia’s women journalists are not absent from the profession but are increasingly missing from the rooms where critical national questions are asked, and answers are provided.

“Look at the press delegation that travels with you. Look at who is called on at the briefings, and who gets the sit-down when the story is national,” Diasay told President Boakai.

“The women of this press and of the media are not missing from the profession. We are missing from the rooms where the questions get asked and the answers get given,” she added.

Diasay urged the President to deliberately expand access for women journalists to presidential briefings, official delegations, and high-level engagements, arguing that greater inclusion would bring different perspectives to national discourse.

According to her, women journalists are positioned to raise critical questions around issues affecting ordinary Liberians, including markets, clinics, classrooms, and development activities across the country.

She said the government must also invest in the infrastructure needed to enable journalists outside Monrovia to effectively report on national development.

“Take the duty off broadcast and internet equipment, and give the county bureaus a connection that works, and you will have reporters living where the roads, the clinics and the classrooms are actually being built,” Diasay said.

The FeJAL President maintained that the government’s development agenda cannot be effectively communicated or independently verified if journalism remains heavily concentrated in Monrovia.

“Inclusive development that nobody can verify is only an announcement,” she warned, calling for stronger media presence and access in Liberia’s counties.

Calls for Independent Journalism Fund

Diasay also used the occasion to make a strong case for the creation of an Independent Public Interest Journalism Fund, describing it as a necessary step toward addressing the growing financial challenges confronting the media industry.

She noted that shrinking donor support is creating increasing pressure on media institutions and called on the government and media sector to begin discussions on establishing an independent and transparently managed mechanism to support public-interest journalism.

However, she stressed that such a fund must be protected from political interference to preserve the independence and credibility of the media.

“An Independent Public Interest Journalism Fund is the way,” Diasay declared.

“With the shrinking donor support declining, government and the media sector should begin discussions on establishing an independent, transparently managed fund to support public-interest journalism. The fund must be protected from political interference,” she said.

She argued that sustainable financing for journalism would contribute to building a stronger media ecosystem capable of supporting Liberia’s growth and development.

Diasay’s remarks came during the second Presidential Media Dinner, attended by President Boakai, Information Minister Jerolinmik Matthew Piah, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Presidential Press Secretary Atty. Kula B. Fofana, media executives, and women journalists.

While acknowledging the President’s authority to organize his government, Diasay also raised concerns about the recent reduction in the number of women serving in Cabinet, following the reassignment of Defense Minister Geraldine J. George and Commerce Minister Dagoseh.

She urged the President to ensure that both women continue to serve in positions where their competence can influence national policy and called for greater consideration of women in future government appointments.

But at the heart of her address was a broader message: inclusive development requires an independent, accessible, adequately resourced and diverse media capable of holding government accountable and reporting development beyond Monrovia.

Diasay closed by urging President Boakai to move from commitments to action.

“Give us the count and give us the reach, and we will report the rest,” she told the President.

Buchanan, Grand Bassa County – After nearly 200 years of total centralization, Liberia is now moving into a new direction of decentralization; hence, the Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Anthony G. Myers, wants journalists’ involvement in the process.

By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway

Deputy Minister Myers challenged journalists to take the lead in tracking public spending and exposing misuse of county resources as the government shifts power, money and decision-making to Liberia’s 15 counties.

The top MFDP official spoke Thursday, September 10 at the start of a training program for journalists titled: “Strengthening Community Radio Journalism for Effective Reporting on Fiscal Decentralization in Liberia”.

The training program is taking place in the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.

“For over 170 years or 200 years, if we go back to 1822, everything about our national institutions has been concentrated in Monrovia,” Deputy Minister Myers told journalists.

“This is not only restricted to services provided by government, businesses and international institutions, even the media has been unwittingly a party to the culture of over centralization.”

According to Deputy Minister Myers, the history has produced ” two parallel Liberia,” a one in Monrovia with greater access to information about government and national affairs and another in the counties with little.

 He pointed out that fiscal decentralization provides an opportunity to bridge that gap, but only if journalists move beyond Monrovia-centered reporting.

He urged the media to pay greater attention to county budgets, public contracts, development projects, service delivery and local government operations.

To make that work, Deputy Minister Myers called for stronger partnerships between community radio and national media outlets. He also asked government to formally recognize citizen journalism on the heel of new media – the social media.

“There is now the emergence of the informal or citizen journalism on Facebook and other forms of social media. These people need to be recognized that they also have their own audience who don’t have time for television or radio neither newspaper.’’

“In that way, those issues that are in hard-to-reach place or places that appear to be not too familiar to us in Monrovia, issues from there can quickly be lifted up at the level of national decision makers,” he added.

In an effort to achieve total fiscal decentralization, the MFDP official put the responsibility on MFDP to ensure transparency.

He called for wider dissemination of County Development Agendas so citizens and journalists can monitor priorities in all 15 counties.

“The onus is on us at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to ensure that there is sufficient public dissemination of both hard and soft copies of the content development agenda for the 15 counties,” he said.

Comptroller and Accountant General Elwood T. Nettey backed the call by Deputy Minister Myers as he also urged journalists to follow the money.

This, he believes, is only possible by understanding budgeting and procurement. “We said we have built 10 clinics this month, there must be a question of: “Where are those clinics? Somebody has to answer where the resources went,” CG Nettey told the gathering.

In remarks, PUL President Julius Kullie Kanubah asserted that community radio is a bridge between national fiscal policies and local realities” but cited poor equipment, weak connectivity and lack of budget literacy as key challenges.

Deputy Information Minister for Technical Services Nat Bayjay and Deputy Local Government Minister Edward Mulbah also spoke at the occasion.

A Reminder To The Media

Deputy Minister Bajay, who spoke on behalf of his boss, Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah, indicated that the media serves as the critical bridge between policy formulation and public ownership in implementing Liberia’s National Policy on Decentralization and Local Governance.

“As Liberia accelerates its fiscal decentralization program, the role of journalists, especially locally based ones, is very important. The thought of carrying the media along in this process goes beyond just being participants. This is a reminder that the media serves as the critical bridge between policy formulation and public ownership in implementing Liberia’s National Policy on Decentralization and Local Governance.”

The ongoing four-day training workshop is organized by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government.

For his part, Deputy Minister Mulbah warned that without media oversight, decentralization risks reality.

Without media overnight, he claimed this would just be  moving civil servants from Monrovia without real power or resources.