One of Liberia’s leading dailies, FrontpageAfrica has again come under attack from the Liberian presidency, with the Executive Mansion on Wednesday, claiming that the paper is engaged in “mischief intended to incite the public against the President by spreading falsehood.”
This is contained in a press statement issued by the Presidency on January 2, 2019, which “expressed dismay over a speculative story reported by the FrontPage Africa in its Monday, December 31 edition captioned, “Pres. Weah’s Multi-Million Dollars Complex Nearing Completion” in which the paper insinuated that the President is being interrogated by some international groups over some purported properties.”
The office of the Presidential Press Secretary neither confirmed nor denied that the properties in question were owned by President Weah, but claimed that FrontpageAfrica published the story without contacting anyone.
Wednesday’s onslaught against the FPA describing this Liberian media outlet as mischief maker and claiming it is inciting the Liberian people against the President is the latest in a string of attacks against the independent press.
The attacks and negative characterization of independent media institutions and some individual have come from the President himself and some of his top officials, ranging from branding them as enemy of the state, envying President Weah or anti-government.
According to Liberia’s leading investigative newspaper, “President George Manneh Weah’s newly constructed multi-million-dollar complex in the Baptist Seminary community, off the Robertsfield Highway has begun raising more eyebrows with many Liberians still wondering how it was funded.”
The paper says construction of the monstrous 41-unit state-of-the-art structures began immediately after the President Weah was sworn into office in January 2018.
Prior to the commencement of the construction, the area was used as a football pitch by members of the community.
The President demolished his US$150,000 9th Street beachside property for reconstruction while at the same time renovating the Jamaica Beach property and building the RIA Highway complex simultaneously.
Here are details of the Executive Mansion’s press statement below:
“January 2, 2019
For Immediate Release
The office of the Presidential Press Secretary has expressed dismay over a speculative story reported by the FrontPage Africa in its Monday, December 31 edition captioned, “Pres. Weah’s Multi-Million Dollars Complex Nearing Completion” in which the paper insinuated that the President is being interrogated by some international groups over some purported properties.
Although FrontPage Africa reported that it had not verified the story, it however reported that the President was “contemplating on presenting the structures as a gift to government as some development partners have launched an investigation into Pres. Weah’s acquisition of the properties.”
The office of the Presidential Press Secretary is alarmed that a media outlet would choose to publish a story of such magnitude without contacting anyone but would base its reportage apparently on hearsay and speculation. This is not journalism, but a mischief intended to incite the public against the President by spreading falsehood.
The Office of the Presidential Press Secretary calls on FrontPage Africa newspaper and other media institutions to always seek clarifications on matters concerning the presidency before publication or broadcast.”
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