Monrovia – What a week it has been for the George Weah-led government.
The suspension of Mr. Eugene Fahngon, Deputy Minister for Press at the Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism over insensitive remarks regarding the country-congau divide has now been followed by an Executive Order by President Weah, directing all Ministers, Deputies and Assistant Ministers, and Heads of Agencies and Commissions, and their deputies to refrain from making public comments on policy issues of national concern on both conventional and social media without first seeking authorization from the appropriate authorities.
This means MICAT which was created by an Act of the National Legislature in 1965, now resumes full control of all the dissemination of government information.
The President’s Executive Memorandum, issued Wednesday through the Director General of the Cabinet, Jordan Solunteh, also instructed all government Ministries and Agencies to direct their communications on public policy matters to the Minister of Information or his designee.
The Memorandum further indicates that there would be grave consequences for any member of the Executive Branch of Government found in violation of the directive. “The President therefore cautions all members of the Executive Branch to take heed and govern themselves accordingly.”
The order comes as amid mounting criticisms that most of the government’s key messages were being lost in translation with many spokespersons and partisans of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change taking to Facebook and other social media outlet to defend the government and the president.
Since its creation, MICAT has been the statutory body responsibility for developing and disseminating information at home and abroad about the government.
In addition to information dissemination, its core functions promote people-friendly Cultural and Tourism activities through institutions such as the National Museum, which is the custodian of Historical Artifacts, as well as Cultural Villages and the historical Providence Island.