IPNEWS: The office of Lofa County, District#2 Representative Julie Fartoma Wiah has termed a news story linking her to the embezzlement of a purported US$25K meant for the construction of a clinic in her district as erroneous, egregious, libelous, and politically manipulated.

The office wishes to inform the people of Lofa and particularly her District that she has no knowledge and neither has she participated in any deliberation surrounding the appropriation of US$25, 000 for any health facility by the name ‘Nyekehun Community Clinic’, located in Nyekehun Town, Wahasa District.

By the same token, verification made with the Ministry of Health by our office has established that the MOH has at no time allocated in the national budget said amount to any clinic called “Nyekehun Community Clinic, contrary to the malicious media report.

The office of Representative Fartoma-Wiah was shockingly drawn to the Wednesday edition, 22 March 2023 with an alarming caption: “In Electoral District #2 in Lofa County- Criminal Syndicate of a False Clinic uncovered …Citizens demand an explanation from Rep. Wiah”.

The story alleges that Citizens of Electoral District #2 in Lofa had discovered a criminal syndicate of a false clinic placed within the National Budget under the Ministry of Health, but the said money has been siphoned by Rep. Wiah and the officials of MOH, adding, the intended purpose of such money has not been met.

What the office of the Representative finds astounding and disconcerting is the fact that the Heritage Newspaper intentionally failed to contact the Lamaker to ascertain her side of such a fallacious story which runs counter to the good ethics and values of journalism. Not contacting the lawmaker on such a grave allegation that impinges on her character clearly shows embedded motives on the part of the Heritage newspaper.

The office of the lawmaker is fully aware that ever since she accentuated her seat as Representative of Electoral District#2, the Publisher of the Heritage Mr. Mohammed Kanned has embarked on a vicious expedition to defame her reputation, malign her office, and undermine her works in the district. It has been a determined behavior pattern for the last six years, where Mr. Kanneh callously and unceasingly smeared the character of the Lawmaker. He has been regularly scavenging the district and spewing misinformation and disinformation to people in the district about her, as well as publishing mendacious and incriminating stories in his Heritage newspaper about her.

The plain truth is Mr. Kanneh has a political interest and agenda he is pursuing in the district–in favor of a candidate that is glaringly lacking in political legitimacy, pedigree, and dexterity, to unseat Representative Wiah who outstanding works in the district and effective representation in the legislature have set her apart and endeared her to the hearts of her people.

Me. Kanneh, as we know is a patent tribal bigot and proudly pushes a tribal agenda in the district. He and his adherents believe that the district must be led by a Mande person and not a kiss or Gbandi. Ethnicity is his religion and he has been winning souls in the district to the detriment of unity and oneness.

He supports his kinsman identified as Thomas Brima who currently resides in the United States and is returning to contest on the ticket of the Unity Party which doesn’t bother us. Mr. Brima has no touch and appeal in the district as he has been detached from the district and county for several decades.

While it is Mr. Kanneh’s liberty to support whoever he favors, he must refrain from doing so under the pretext of journalism. He cannot also do so by blackmailing the sitting representative with fake and imaginary stories.

The office of the lawmakers encourages Kanneh to present the records of his candidate against the enviable records of Rep. Wiah as the election draws nearer and let the good people of the district be left with their democratic right to choose who is best fit to lead them. Blackmailing the Lawmaker doesn’t cut it and will not give Kanneh’s obscure candidate leeway to the Capitol Building.

Meanwhile, the office of the lawmaker is calling on Mr. Kanneh to desist from his reckless, malicious, and irresponsible smear campaign at the expense of journalism and come to the political debate with a sense of professionalism, intellectualism, facts, and decency.

Finally, Representative Wiah has instructed her lawyers to issue a lawsuit against the Heritage News Newspaper for Libel and blackmail with the hope that justice will roll against unethical, disgraceful, and vicious journalism.

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