Monrovia – Jefferson Tamba Koijee, Secretary-General of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), has strongly criticized Liberia’s Information Minister, Jerolinmek Piah, for his derogatory remarks directed at a journalist in a widely circulated audio recording.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972) | [email protected]
In the recording, Minister Piah is heard berating a journalist for posing a question, labeling the inquiry as intrusive.
“What nonsense is that? People don’t have privacy? What stupidity is that? This is not journalism. You want to beg. What the hell—you see someone in private and you want to interview them?” the Minister is heard saying.
Koijee, the former Mayor of Monrovia, condemned the Minister’s comments, accusing him of ignoring critical national issues in favor of targeting media practitioners.
Koijee’s Response
In a strongly worded social media post, Koijee described Minister Piah as a “spineless, shameless, parasitic creature,” stating that his behavior exemplifies disregard for the challenges facing the nation.
“While citizens are being kidnapped and taken into torture chambers, fear and pandemonium have engulfed the country, and lawlessness has become the order of the day, all Piah cares about is arrogantly attacking media practitioners,” Koijee wrote.
He further criticized the Minister’s actions as a display of “arrogant showmanship” and warned that public dissatisfaction with such behavior would soon reach a tipping point.
“But he can be assured that very soon, this arrogant showmanship of intoxication will be silenced by the people’s anger,” Koijee added.
Call for Government Focus
Koijee urged the government to prioritize addressing Liberia’s dire economic challenges and the worsening hardships faced by its citizens. He stressed that the administration should concentrate on resolving pressing national issues rather than attacking the media.
The incident has sparked public debate about press freedom and the government’s treatment of journalists, further intensifying scrutiny on Minister Piah’s conduct.