ZWEDRU, Grand Gedeh County – Smile FM, a community radio station based in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, has resumed broadcast operations following a successful two-day mediation effort led by the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) and the Association of Liberia Community Radio (ALICOR).
The mediation, held from May 18–19, 2025, brought a peaceful resolution to a leadership dispute that had shut down the station since May 5. The conflict stemmed from a power struggle between two rival Boards of Advisors and two Station Managers, each operating under separate versions of Smile FM’s Constitution and By-Laws.
To resolve the impasse, the PUL and ALICOR facilitated the dissolution of all competing Boards, paving the way for a new Board of Advisors. This newly reconstituted Board was transparently selected by the nine institutions recognized as founding members of the station.
As part of the agreement, Anthony Flahn was appointed Acting Station Manager for a three-month interim period. A permanent Station Manager will be recruited through a transparent and credible process overseen by the reconstituted Board.
The new Board has also been tasked with reviewing and reconciling the conflicting Constitutions and By-Laws, ensuring the adoption of a single, unified governance document that reflects best practices in community radio management.
The PUL and ALICOR mediation team included Mr. Julius Kanubah, President of PUL; Mr. Teah Doegmah, Chair of ALICOR’s Board of Advisors; Mr. Lawrence Tokpah, ALICOR Vice President for Operations; and Ms. Christina Sonpon, Station Manager of Radio Kakata in Margibi County.
The effort was undertaken in collaboration with Representative Jeremiah Sokan of District #1, where Smile FM is located.
Both PUL and ALICOR expressed gratitude to Representative Sokan, Superintendent Alex Grant, and current and former officials and citizens of Grand Gedeh County who sought their intervention based on the credibility and independence of the two institutions.
During the mediation, PUL President Julius Kanubah and ALICOR Board Chair Teah Doegmah reiterated that Smile FM is a community-owned radio station and must operate free of political interference.
They also commended Mr. Solo Uriah Lewis and Madam Jesadeh Barzon, former Station Manager and former Board Chair respectively, for their dedicated service and for fully cooperating with the mediation process.
With these issues resolved, Smile FM is once again on air—serving the Grand Gedeh community with content that informs, educates, and uplifts.
