“We Have an Energized Ministry of Information” -Boakai Warns Officials Running Offices on Social Media
MONROVIA – The President of Liberia, Joseph N. Boakai has warned officials against conducting government business on social media, saying the government has a competent and energized Ministry of Information through which officials are to speak about their official transactions in doing business for the people.
Speaking yesterday at the commissioning officials of government at the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, The President reminded officials that his administration does not encourage doing business on the social media.
The statement by President Boakai is directly supportive of pledge made by the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Jerolinmek Mathews Piah during his confirmation at the Senate when he assured lawmakers and the public that the ministry, under his watch, would not serve as a conduit for the spread of fake news and propagandas to the public, but rather that the ministry would facilitate public communication based on truth-telling.
Mr. Piah added at the time that the ministry would serve as a facilitator for the exchange of ideas and information and not as propagandist for untruth and fake news.
“We are in the information technology age where in seconds millions of people around the world can receive all the news, gossip, propaganda and sometimes fake news. The dissemination of truthful and timely information to the people of Liberia on the operations of the government will be the foundation of our stewardship.”
President Boakai asserted: “We have a competent and energized Ministry of Information. Ministries and agencies should speak through the Ministry of Information; and in so doing allow them to do their jobs.”
The President said it is understandable that this behavior of speaking through the Information Ministry is acceptable, and to depart from it is unacceptable.
As role models for the children, the President Boakai further warned public officials to conduct themselves in a manner that is good in taking their decisions than in a manner that will not be tolerable.
“I refuse to accept that this is the way we did it and it should remain that way,” he warned, noting that the Liberia people did not elect this Unity Party Government to continue business as usual.
“We must set a new standard to achieve optimal result,” the stressed, warning those who choose to allow going out of the standard being set by government to choose to step aside.
“Public officials must learn to coordinate, to be tolerant and work with each while they set respecting the rights of each other,” he said.
According to him, those who learn to express their grievances in an unorthodox manner to embarrass the government should cease work in the government and expected to give way for a tolerable and respectable governance.
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