Liberia’s Finance & Development Planning Minister Urges Journalists To Set Higher Editorial Standards

Minister Samuel D. Tweah addressing journalists

(LINA) – Liberia’s Finance and Development Planning Minister, Samuel D Tweah ,has called on Liberian journalists to set higher editorial standards aimed at checkmating information dished into the public space.

Speaking Friday at a Special Press Briefing at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT), Minister Tweah encouraged journalists to always verify news contents and statements from newsmakers before reporting to the public, indicating that whatever the media puts out the public tends to believe it quickly.

According to him, factual reporting is cardinal in professional journalism, no matter the alignment of the journalist.

Meanwhile, Minister Tweah lamented the issue of power theft in the country, stating that the act derails the resource mobilization arm of the power-providing institution.

He clarified that the Government of Liberia does not owe the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) “a cent, as is being circulated in the public.”

Tweah disclosed that the Government of Liberia is in good standing financially with the LEC, adding that it is the LEC that owes the government in the tune of US$22 million.

According to him, the government has decided to suspend the collection of the US$22 million form the LEC on grounds that the institution’s revenue is still low as a result of power theft.

He disclosed that the Government will not collect such an amount from the LEC until the revenue of the institution is increased.

Tweah noted that the Liberia Electricity Corporation is not giving the Government of Liberia goods and services tax, citing that the money citizens pay goes straight to LEC revenue and not the government.

“We need to solve the power theft issues if LEC is supposed to receiveUS$1 million and people are stealing power they will lose US$500,000 due to power theft,” he emphasized.

The Finance Minister indicated that the government and the LEC are going to work closely to make the laws against power theft more vigilant.

He further noted that no government official or citizen should engage in power theft or try to interfere with the work of the LEC because the country and the corporation need to generate revenue from power.

“We are going to come down hard on those that will be involved in power theft,” the minister stressed.

He assured Liberians that LEC has enough meters in the country and there is no need to steal current.

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