Bill W. Cooper
Information Minister, Eugene Nagbe says the continuous struggle of media institutions in the country is because the media institutions’ owners, the government and partners continue to see the media as their step child’ and not as a partner in progress.
Speaking at the opening of a three-day “Sexual Gender Base Violence (SGBV)” sensitive reporting online training for various journalists, Minister Nagbe said that it is time the government and other well-meaning NGO’s strengthen the media due to the many challenges facing them.
According to him, the media institutions all around the world with Liberia being of no exception play a pivotal role in maintaining the peace as well as fostering development and as such, the issue of the lack of insurance, low salaries and bad working environment need to be quickly addressed if the issue of SGBV is to be defeated.
He noted that as the media continue to play a major role in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in the country as well as the fight against SGBV, it is time that the government needs to ensure that the media are empowered, because many challenges facing the media are predicated upon their effectiveness in discharging of their duties.
“As this critical time in the country, if we don’t have a strong media, we cannot have a strong democracy and a vibrant society for all,” the government’s chief spokesperson intoned.
Minister Nagbe added that due to the drastic effects of the government in its fight against Covid-19 which might be some of the causes for the increase of SGBV in the country, he hoped that the training will help provide media institutions with the needed supports and expertise so that they are able to carry on their work smoothly for the betterment of the society.
The Information Minister further urged international partners, as well as other NGOs to support the work of the media in whatever ways so that they are motivated to continue reporting on issues affecting the country.