Flashback: President George Weah poses with members of the Communication Teams of Government at the Farmington Hotel Retreat in February 2023 in Margibi County

IPNEWS-Monrovia: On February 18, 2023 when President George Weah addressed a one-day Retreat of the Government of Liberia Communications Team at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County, he described quality communication as an important and effective tool in promoting and enhancing good governance.

President Weah stressed that quality communication is an antidote to counteracting ‘deliberate misinformation’ which he said is a “phenomenon that has become so frequent nowadays.”

The President, therefore, wooed “drivers of government’s information dissemination structures, to rise to the occasion and maximize every given opportunity” to improve the quality of their communication skills.

President Weah said improving their communication dexterity has become very necessary than ever before, as the country approaches the presidential and legislative elections in October this year.

“As all of us are aware, the lack of proper information can be a recipe for violence and chaos.  As the country prepares to conduct such a crucial exercise, we must put in the necessary measures that will ensure that the process is peaceful and transparent,” the president opined.

President George Weah flanked by Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Kemayah on the move upon arrival in the US

President Weah reaffirmed how committed and determined he is to ensure that the electoral process is fairly and freely executed for the good of the country’s peace and democracy.

He reminded the government communicators of the consequences that are often paid in the absence of not communicating effectively.

“So I will be counting on you to do the needful,” the Chief Executive said. “I believe that it is a fair assessment to acknowledge that, as a government, we have been wanting in this arena.”

As a media manager himself, President Weah told the retreat participants that there are benefits accrued from communicating well.

“King’s FM and Clar TV, broadcasting stations that I founded and operated some years ago, have managed to give their listeners alternative views about the state of governance in Liberia over the years, in spite of measures in the past to stifle their voices.  Our messaging is timely, accurate, and impactful.”

In the age of social media, the President said it was only advisable that government communicators work overtime to correct the flood of what he termed “fake news that spreads like wildfire all over the internet.”

“I hope that you will remain mindful of this responsibility and rise to the challenge because improper communication is as bad as no communication at all,” Pres. Weah asserted in February at the Retreat. “This is something that we cannot afford in a post-conflict society like ours.”

The President expressed optimism that the retreat would serve the important purpose of filling the gap between fake news and the truth and also hoped that the retreat augments participants’ skills and knowledge.

He thanked the team for organizing the retreat that provided the platform to deliberate on ways they can enhance the quality of their work as members of the Communications Team of the government.

He emphasized that the gathering only demonstrated the public communicators’ desire to sharpen their skills and make corrections where needed.

The one-day retreat brought together ministers, directors, and other communication experts from the Liberia Broadcasting System, the Ministry of Information, and the Office of the Press Secretary to the President, and the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.

Did President Weah’s Statement to GOL Communications Team Fall on Duck’s Back?

Fast forward to March 2023, it seems President Weah’s address to Government Communications Team did not fall on fertile grounds, indicative of the complete silence being demonstrated by the Ministry of Information and the Office of the Presidential Press Secretary at the Executive Mansion/the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs on the latest of President George Weah to the United States reportedly based on an invitation from the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) based in Langley, Virginia.

Minister of Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism, Ledgerhood Rennie – Head of Gov’t Communication Team

On Friday, March 17, 2023 the Executive Mansion through a press statement told Liberians that President George Weah and a select members of the Cabinet, including Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Kemayah, Justice Minister Cllr. Musah Dean, National Defense Minister Maj. Gen (Rtd). Daniel Ziankahn, Commerce Minister Mawine Diggs, Information Minister Ledgerhood Rennie, Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah, and the Commissioner of Liberia Maritime Authority, Eugene Lenn Nagbe, departed Liberia for international engagements in the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates.

Deputy Information Minister for Press and Public Affairs Jarlawah Tonpo and Deputy Information Minister for Technical Services Boakai Fofana — The both are members of the Government Communications Team

The release said as part of his engagements, the Liberian Leader was scheduled to meet with key United Arab Emirates (UAE) and US government officials, Liberia’s development partners, and would-be investors.

A day later, Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Smith Toby in an interview with a local daily told Liberians that President Weah’s visit to the UAE was in furtherance of previous visits by President Weah to that Gulf nation, to do follow-ups on promises made to Liberia by the UAE.

Presidential Press Secretary Isaac Solo Kelgbeh and Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Smith Toby. They both are part of the Government’s Communication Team

Few days later, President Weah was seen arriving in the United States via an Executive Mansion live feed screened on its Official Facebook page. But since then, there has been no reports from the President’s Communication Team surrounding the details of his visit to the United States of America sparking lots of speculations from Liberians who have continued to ask questions regarding President Weah’s latest visit to the United States, Liberia’s number one ally.

Rumors of CIA Director William Burns’ ‘Secret Visit’ to Liberia

Prior to President Weah’s latest visit to the United States of America, rumors swamped the air that the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States of America, William Burns secretly visited Liberia and held discussions with President George Weah and other national security authorities on issues that were said to be against the interests of the United States government. IPNEWS could not confirm the speculation relating to the reported visit of the CIA Director to Liberia.

CIA Director William J. Burns 

Though there were no details released to the public, neither did the Government of Liberia confirm nor deny the rumors but remained tight-lipped, there were speculations that following discussion with President Weah, the CIA Director reportedly extended an invitation to the Liberian leader to visit Langley in Virginia, USA for further discussions on issues that affect the interests of the US government, where is it believed Liberia under the George Weah’s leadership is accused of allegedly playing a key role against the interests of the United States government.

Up to the date of President Weah and his delegation departure for the UAE and the United States, the Liberian government did not respond to the speculations and even after arrival in the US, the Government still remains mute.

Liberians Demand Information Ministry and Executive Mansion to Speak on Pres. Weah’s Visit to America

As the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism and the Executive Mansion remain tight-lipped on the latest visit of the President George Weah to the United States of America, several Liberians via various radio talk shows call-in programs have asked the Government of the Liberia to speak to the country about the President’s visit to the America in the wake of mounting speculations that he was invited by the Central Intelligent Agency (CIA) of the US to be investigated over “a plethora of international crimes obtaining in Liberia.”

There are mounting public speculations that the CIA is allegedly investigating President Weah in connection to alleged activities occurring in Liberia against the interests of the United States but IPNEWS cannot independently confirm these speculations as well as the purpose of the President’s visit to the United States, as the Ministry of Information and the Executive Mansion continue to remain silent on these claims and speculations emanating from the Liberian public via radio talk shows call-in programs.

President George Weah upon arrival in the United States

Almost every caller on JOY FM 101.5 Morning Show on Friday, march 24, 2023 asked the Liberian government through the Ministry of Information and the Executive Mansion to speak to Liberians and disclose the purpose of President Weah’s latest trip to the United States since he and delegation are using tax payers’ monies to facilitate their trip to the United States.

“It is very strange for President Weah to travel to America and the Ministry of Information or the Executive Mansion refuse to tell Liberians the actual purpose of his visit, except for one line in the Executive Mansion previous press release that ‘President Weah will hold discussions with US government officials, Liberia’s development partners, and would-be investors’, but there are no photos on the Executive Mansion or the Ministry of Information official Facebook Pages or Websites to indicate if the President is indeed holding those discussions that they talked about in the previous press release,” one caller wondered.

Another caller averred and later asked, “The more the Government through the Information Ministry and the Executive Mansion communication teams continue to remain silent there will be more public speculations about President Weah’s visit to the United States. Why are they not telling Liberians the about what is going on? Is it true that the President is allegedly being investigated by the CIA and for what reason if it is true, does the government feel embarrass to tell Liberians”?

But some supporters of ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) who called on the JOY FM 101.5 Morning Show refuted the public speculations that President Weah is being investigated by the CIA on his current visit to America. “Our President is on an official trip in the interest of Liberia, but his detractors are spewing lies and misinformation that he is being investigated by the CIA for alleged activities against the interest of the United States. We believe our President will bring back home good dividends from his latest visit to the US.”

President Weah being welcomed by Liberia Ambassador officials as a little girl presents a flowers upon arrival in the US

Meanwhile, political pundits who have been following the latest developments regarding President George Weah’s latest visit to the United States have also called on the Liberian government through the Ministry of Information and Offices of the Presidential Press Secretary not to keep the people in doubt, otherwise there will be more speculations on the President’s ‘strange’ visit to the United States.

“It is better to tell the people what is going on than to keep mute and keep them in doubt. If the President is visiting America to hold discussions with the US government officials on national security issues affecting America’s interest in Liberia and around the world, tell the people let them know that these are all part of governance but to remain quiet in the midst of mounting speculations only muddies the waters politically for the government,” one Pundit told IPNEWS.