Monrovia – Legislative Press Pool says its attention has been drawn to the disgusting action of the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICAT), Eugene Nagbe, verbal insult on reporters Estelle Liberty-Kemue, of Power FM/TV, Jackson Clay of the New Republic newspaper and other colleagues.
In a statement issued Thursday the Press Pool deemed his action unacceptable and thinks that such violates the Code of conduct which speaks to the conduct of public officials. LEGISPOL also believes Minister Nagbe’s action has the proclivity to undermine the President quest for media freedom.
“What is so disdainful about the uncontrolled and recalcitrant attitude of the discourteous Minister is his lack of sensitivity of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s presence on the grounds of the Capitol.
The Minister of Information lacks of responsible comments in the public glare, especially few minutes after President Sirleaf’s annual message shows that he is not a public servant and be short of respect for womanhood in a modern society like ours,’ the release stated.
The group said, Minister Nagbe’s uncontrolled, outburst in the midst of national and international dignitaries who had turned out on the invitation of the government shows his level of irresponsibility as a public servant and secretary general of the Unity Party.
They believe Nagbe’s action occasioned by an interview of an opposition politician on the state broadcaster and his threat to dismiss a colleague, Emmanuel Capehart, undermines media freedom and the government brags that not a single journalist has been injured by the administration.
“Let the Minister be informed that his authority does not extend at the state broadcaster to dismiss any employee, even though, he serves as board chairman of the state broadcaster.
We warn that the Minister read his lines of duty and stop projecting himself as a man of the time. MICAT boss blatant and inapt attitude is not different from an extremist and it undermines the government’s signature to the Table Mountain Declaration.”
In a release the PUL auxiliary group said, the Minister, without evidence and unsubstantiated accusation of a member of LEGISPOL, Estelle Liberty-Kemue and Jackson Clay, on account of their reportorial duty, was gruesome and inappropriate to the norms of a civilized public servant.
We think it is incumbent upon all public servants for which, Minister Nagbe is not an exception to possess the moral rectitude and be armed with the facts before making a statement so as not to injure people’s high-earn characters.
“LEGISPOL therefore condemns the verbal attack and demand Minister Nagbe with immediate effect to apologize.
The Legislative Press Pool will not hesitate to encourage its injured colleagues to embark upon legal proceeding should Minister Nagbe exhibit a non-compliant posture, the release stated.