- The President of the Publishers Association of Liberia (PAL), Alphonso Toweh, has issued a stern warning to Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) Managing Director Mohammed Ali, demanding that he retract recent social media comments branding some journalists as "bribe seeking and corrupt people" or face what he described as "serious consequences."
Toweh's warning came Friday during the 7th Induction Ceremony of the Reporters Association of Liberia (RAL) in Monrovia, where he condemned Ali's remarks as reckless, unprofessional and an attack on the integrity of the Liberian media.
The dispute stems from a July 8 post on Ali's official Facebook page in which he accused unnamed journalists of spreading allegations against Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung for personal gain while seeking bribes.
In the Facebook post, Ali alleged that some journalists use gossip and unsubstantiated claims to extort public officials and attract attention.
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"We will pay no attention to bribe seeking and corrupt people pretending to be journalists. We know most of those so-called big journalists thrive on gossips to seek attention," Ali wrote without identifying any individual journalists.
He further challenged those making allegations against the Vice President to produce evidence.
"This is an open challenge for any of you passing around with those flimsy and unsubstantiated allegations to present your evidence," Ali declared. "If not, then shut the heck up and find place to sit. This is exactly why your papers have lost relevance."
Ali's comments came amid an ongoing joint investigation by state security agencies into the US$19.2 million cocaine seizure at Roberts International Airport, a case that has advanced from identifying persons of interest to charging multiple suspects.
Although speculation surrounding the investigation has generated public debate, no public evidence has linked Vice President Koung to any criminal wrongdoing.
Responding to Ali's comments, Toweh said the Publishers Association views the statement as an unjustified attack on the journalism profession and warned that it would not go unanswered.
"This is a caution to the Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation, Mr. Mohammed Ali, that if he does not retract his statement, he will face the consequences," Toweh said.
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While he did not specify the nature of those consequences, Toweh stressed that journalists have a constitutional and professional duty to report news independently without owing allegiance to any public official.
He maintained that no government official, including the Vice President, has the authority to dictate how journalists perform their work, provided they operate within the standards of professional journalism.
Toweh said an independent press remains essential to democratic governance and national development.
According to him, societies that value democracy also recognize the importance of protecting independent journalism and allowing reporters to carry out their responsibilities without intimidation or blanket accusations.
"A stronger society appreciates the presence of the independent media, and a democracy that reflects the will of the people prioritizes professional, ethical and responsible journalism," Toweh said.
He described Ali's social media comments as irresponsible and urged the LWSC Managing Director to publicly withdraw the remarks.
"That statement was reckless and will not be tolerated," Toweh said, reiterating his call for Ali to retract his characterization of journalists as "bribe-seeking and corrupt people."
The controversy has renewed debate over relations between public officials and the media, with journalists emphasizing that criticism of news coverage should be addressed through facts and engagement rather than broad accusations against the profession.
