Information Minister Jerolinmick Mathew Piah has clarified what he described as a "clerical mistake" in President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), delivered on Monday, January 27, 2025.

Speaking at the Ministry of Information's regular press briefing, Minister Piah highlighted a portion of the President's address that he said contained inaccurate information.

He explained that the error occurred during the preparation of the speech and resulted from the inclusion of content that differed from the officially submitted content by the Ministry of Public Works.

According to Minister Piah, the prepared speech stated that the administration had reduced Liberia's paved road deficit from less than 12 percent to at least 50 percent, while maintaining 783 kilometers of roads and ensuring year-round connectivity across several regions of the country.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

However, he clarified that the Ministry of Public Works' submitted information indicated that Liberia's paved roads increased from under 12 percent to at least 20 percent, and that more than 780 kilometers of major road corridors were maintained. The report also emphasized the government's focus on restoring key corridors and expanding secondary roads as part of its commitment to national connectivity.

Minister Piah noted that those responsible for developing and reviewing the President's speech have taken full responsibility for the error. He stressed that the Ministry of Public Works should not be held accountable for the mistake.

Meanwhile, he disclosed that the error has since been rectified. According to him, the correction was made shortly after the President's SONA, and an accurate version of the statement has been published on the Ministry of Information's official Facebook page.