President George Weah George Weah has described quality communication as an important and effective tool in promoting and enhancing good governance.
Addressing a one-day retreat of the government communications team on February 18, at the Farmington Hotel, Margibi County, Weah stressed that quality communication is an antidote to counteracting 'deliberate misinformation' which he said is a "phenomenon that has become so frequent nowadays."
The president, therefore, wooed "drivers of the government's information dissemination structures, to rise to the occasion and maximize every given opportunity" to improve the quality of their communication skills.
Weah said improving their communication dexterity has become more necessary than ever before, as the country approaches the presidential and legislative elections in October this year.
"As all of us are aware, the lack of proper information can be a recipe for violence and chaos. As the country prepares to conduct such a crucial exercise, we must put in place the necessary measures that will ensure that the process is peaceful and transparent," the president opined.
Weah reaffirmed how committed and determined he is to ensure that the electoral process is fairly and freely executed for the good of the country's peace and democracy.
He reminded the government communicators of the consequences that are often paid in the absence of not communicating effectively.
"So I will be counting on you to do the needful," the Chief Executive said. "I believe that it is a fair assessment to acknowledge that, as a government, we have been wanting in this arena."
As a media manager himself, President Weah told the retreat participants that there are benefits accrued from communicating well.
"King's FM and Clar TV, broadcasting stations that I founded and operated some years ago, have managed to give their listeners alternative views about the state of governance in Liberia over the years, in spite of measures in the past to stifle their voices. Our messaging is timely, accurate, and impactful."
In the age of social media, the President said it was only advisable that government communicators work overtime to correct the flood of what he termed "fake news that spreads like wildfire all over the internet."
"I hope that you will remain mindful of this responsibility and rise to the challenge because improper communication is as bad as no communication at all," Dr. Weah asserted. "This is something that we can not afford in a post-conflict society like ours."
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The president expressed optimism that the retreat would serve the important purpose of filling the gap between fake news and the truth and also hoped that the retreat augments participants' skills and knowledge.
He thanked the team for organizing the retreat that provided the platform to deliberate on ways they can enhance the quality of their work as members of the Communications Team of our government.
He emphasized that the gathering only demonstrated the public communicators' desire to sharpen their skills and make corrections where needed.
The one-day retreat brought together ministers, directors, and other communication experts from the Liberia Broadcasting System, the Ministry of Information, the Office of the Press Secretary to the President, and the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.
Veteran broadcast Journalist Aaron Kollie, Owner of Power FM, facilitated the retreat along with Lenn Eugene Nagbe, Commissioner General of the Liberia Maritime Authority, Ledgerhood Rennie, Minister of Information, and Williametta E. Saydee-Tarr, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
