IPNews-Monrovia: Press Union of Liberia’s Presidential candidate Octavin Williams has announced that he will commence an insurance scheme for Liberian journalists once elected as head of the Press Union of Liberia.
Speaking on several media outlets this week, the Liberian journalists said he is saddened that when journalists get ill or die, there are numerous SOS calls to help, making the media profession bad.
He said it is time the union stands tall at remedying this situation by beginning an insurance program that will cover every journalist in the country and he is willing to take the lead in his ‘Change Mantra’ for the forward march of the PUL.
#TeamOctavin is led by Publisher of the Nation Times Newspaper Octavin Toegar Williams, Madam Weemon JallaCole Boyce, women activist and staunch media practitioner, VP candidate, E.J Nathaniel Daygbor, former Head of the LEGISPOOL , secretary general and Jutonu Kollie, News Director of Prime FM, Assistant SG.
The team has at the sametime, announced the opening of Liberia’s independent radio to be dubbed PUL Radio and a printing press to ease the huge cost publishers have to go through to come out daily on the market. The huge payment coupled with limited funding to the Liberian media has caused many entities to either shutdown or never to return to the news stand after one publication.
Octavin has been Vice president of the Press Union who was suspended for his stance on how the Press Union has been run by President Charles Coffey. His letter to President Coffey unearthing many inconsistencies of the President relative to campaign promises created a bad blood between the two.
Octavin Williams comes from a strong independent media background as an employee of Catholic run Radio Veritas where he fought for press freedom, media independence amongst others.
He and colleagues were amongst few journalists who stood firm when journalist Darlington Pelenah of Kings FM/Clar TV was imprisoned on frivolous armed robbery charges. His persistence in engaging the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s government had the journalist freed after nine months in jail. They called for a media blackout on the High Level Panel Conference attended by world leaders including UK prime Minister then David Cameron.
His advocacy and tough reporting on critical issues in the country cannot be overemphasized, he and few journalists unearthed the corruption on Capitol Hill where he served as Radio Veritas correspondent which eventually led to senators removing Protempore Isaac Nyenabo at the time.
He has also been to jail for his stance on state actors who misuse the public trust making him to be the favorite candidate in the ensuing election as journalists remain at a crossroad on who to trust with their noble institution.
He has been captured in the Freedom House report, State department report and US Treasury report for his stance on protection of free speech and critical reporting .
