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A Liberian activist residing outside of Liberia, Martin K. N. Kollie, has made several claims on his official Facebook page. DUBAWA felt compelled to verify them as part of our efforts to promote truth in public discourse.
Claim #1: “The president of Burkina Faso is putting his people, including the youth back to work. He just opened another new detergent factory valued at US$7.4 million.”
Verdict: Misleading. The factory is owned by a private Burkinabe promoter, El Hadj Mady Sawadogo, and President Ibrahim Traore was only invited for its opening.
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Liberian activist Martin K. N. Kollie, who currently resides outside the country, posted a video on his official Facebook page alleging that Burkina Faso President Captain Ibrahim Traore has opened a new detergent factory.
“This is how to create jobs in the private sector. The president of Burkina Faso is putting his people, including the youth, back to work. He just opened another new detergent factory valued at US$7.4 million,” Martin Kollie stated.
His comment criticised the current government, headed by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, for allegedly failing to provide jobs for young people in Liberia.
Verification
To verify this claim, the researcher contacted the claimant to ask whether he had evidence to back his claim but did not receive a response.
The researcher then investigated this claim and discovered that the Burkina Faso president, Captain Idrahim Troar, as leader of the country, cut the ribbon, officially opening the factory, as reported by Troy Beverly, an investigative journalist.
According to The Gambia Times, the factory is also owned by a Burkinabè businessman, El Hadj Mady Sawadogo.
Conclusion
Based on the pieces of evidence provided by The Gambia Times and investigative Journalist Troy Beverly, the factory was not opened by the Burkina Faso President, Captain Idrahim Troar, but by Burkinabè businessman El Hadj Mady Sawadogo.
Claim #2: “Liberia spent US$8.7 million in 12 months to protect Pres. Joseph Boakai, his family, and other VIPs.”
Verdict: True! According to Liberia’s 2024 National Budget, the Executive Protection Service (EPS) received US$8.7 million in budgetary allotment.
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Martin K. N. Kollie, in the same Facebook post, also claimed that the country spent US$8.7 million in 12 months to protect President Joseph Boakai, his family, and other VIPs in the country.
According to activist Kollie, Liberia is ranked amongst the world’s poorest countries, and spending so much on the president and his family’s security was/is not in the country’s interest.
Activist Kollie thinks that said amount must be used to improve the living conditions of ordinary citizens, not to spend it solely on the president.
The Executive Protection Service (EPS) is an elite security guard responsible for providing high-level protection for the President, vice president, speaker, president-pro Tempore, and other key officials and foreign guests.
Verification
To verify this claim, the researcher reviewed the country’s 2024 national budget, and it was discovered that said amount was indeed used toward the president’s security, as seen in the screenshot below.
Conclusion
Based on the evidence in Liberia’s 2024 national budget, activist Kollie’s claim that Liberia spent US$8.7 million in 12 months to protect President Joseph Boakai, his family, and other VIPs is true.
