|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Claim: A Media Practitioner by the name KOK on Facebook posted a memo believed to have emerged from the Ministry of Internal Affairs urging all employees to go to the Airport to receive President Boakai from his China tour.
Verdict: Partly true! The Ministry of Internal Affairs released a statement clarifying that the request was issued only to senior staff and members of the National Council of Chiefs working at the Ministry who are responsible for traditional welcoming and not the workers.
Full Text
During the last Administration, it was a basic tradition for workers to abandon their jobs on a working day to drive to the Roberts International Airport to welcome former President George Weah back to the country from international visits.
This action was heavily criticized by the opposition Unity Party, now the current administration of President Joseph Boakai. The Unity Party frowned at such activities when it was in opposition.
Based on this action, a Media Practitioner by the name KOK on Facebook uploaded a letter believed to be a memo from the Internal Affairs Ministry mandating all employees to assemble at Roberts International Airport on Wednesday, Sep. 11, 2024, for a welcoming ceremony of President Joseph Boakai from China.
The letter was posted by former Representative Acarus Gray of the Congress for Democratic Change and others.
“Employees at the Ministry of Internal Affairs have been mandated to go and receive President Boakai at the Airport tomorrow,” the post said.
Screenshot of the post below
The post generated 135 reactions, 75 comments, and 5 shares at the time of presenting the report. In the comment section, Liberians criticized the government for repeating the same things they criticized when they were in opposition. Some expressed frustration and disappointment in the government for its alleged failure to execute change in the country while others also believed the letter was not genuine.
The mixed reactions led DUBAWA to initiate a fact-check.
Verification
DUBAWA decided to authenticate if indeed the letter emanated from the Ministry. The researcher contacted the Ministry of Internal Affairs through its Public Relations Officer Nathaniel Vah. After Dubawa’s inquiry, the Ministry didn’t give any response to the fact-checker. Instead, the office sought to clarify the content of the memo issued.
The Ministry swiftly responded to the claim through a press release. According to the release, the instruction was meant for only senior staff and National Council of Chiefs members responsible for traditional welcoming activities. It stated that employees of the Ministry were not mandated to abandon their jobs and receive the President as portrayed on social media.
“The information spreading on social media suggesting that the entire workforce of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is asked to be in attendance in the welcoming ceremony tomorrow is not accurate. It is important to clarify that only senior staff and members of the National Council of Chiefs of Liberia who are also the staff of the Ministry and are responsible for traditional welcome ceremonies are requested to attend this particular event and not the entire workforce of the ministry as it is widely being spread on social media today”
The release added “We are aware that Wednesday is a working day and as such, it will make no sense to take the entire workforce to the RIA to welcome the President; hence, we must fulfil and continue to do the work of the Liberian people at all times”
Screenshot of the release
However, a few minutes after uploading the letter of clarification it was deleted even though it was captured on Spoon TV before it was deleted..
Furthermore, the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism released another disclaimer on its official page.
“The Government of Liberia denies and disclaims information circulating on social media and on the airwaves that it has instructed workers at the Internal Affairs Ministry to abandon work tomorrow Wednesday, September 11, and assemble at the Roberts International Airport to welcome the President of Liberia back to the country.
This statement refutes any circular issued to workers at the Internal Affairs Ministry or any agency of the Executive Branch of the Government issued on the instructions of the current Chair of the Cabinet, the Minister of Justice, and the Attorney General of the Republic of Liberia, ClIr N. Oswald Tweh”. The Ministry said.
Screenshot of disclaimer released by the ministry.
Conclusion
From our findings, the Ministry did issue a notice to employees to receive the President even though it later clarified that the notice was not to the entire employees.
