The Reporters Association of Liberia (RAL) is warning House Speaker, Bhofal Chambers to stop harassing and intimidating independent reporters providing coverage at the House of Representatives.
The umbrella organization of reporters in the country said the Speaker’s continuous hatred for journalists covering the lower house, wrongs contrary to the vision of President George Weah, who is ensuring that all citizens including journalists enjoy freedom of speech.
In a statement, the reporters’ group described Speaker Chambers’ recently sanctioned communication for the revocation of Truth FM reporter Musa Kanneh as unjustifiable because he lacks the authority to revoke any reporter’s accreditation based on his/her critical reporting.
RAL argued that only on unethical grounds a reporter’s accreditation can be revoked, and such revocation should be channeled through the reporter’s institution of work, and not a speaker using power to oppress journalists for their reportage.
Last week, the House Press Bureau acting on Speaker Bhofal Chambers’ order, demanded the management of Truth to revoke its reporter Musa Kanneh’s accreditation for what it calls repetitive reporting.
The Speaker is on record of attacking reporters including Nathaniel Dayboy of NewDawn, Henry Karmo of FrontPage Africa and Jackson Clay of New Republic Newspapers for reporting a story that did not favor him.
The Reporters Association said it is unfortunate that Speaker Chambers who was critical against former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf enjoying free of speech, will allow himself to be engulfed by power to be intolerant to the same free speech now.
The group is calling on its members covering the House of Representative to remind unbending in reporting happenings at the House in line with professionalism, and should not succumbed to any intimidation.
RAL is urging the Press Union of Liberia to intervene in the situation so that the government’s professed free press agenda will not be tainted by the Speaker’s action.