(August 7, 2025) The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has raised significant concerns about the ongoing fight against corruption in Liberia, especially in light of recent acknowledgments by the government regarding the pervasive nature of corruption within the country.
The Union suggests that the frequent use of strong descriptors—such as “public enemy number one,” “vampire,” “cancer,” and “king kong”—indicates that efforts to combat corruption have not produced the expected outcomes for the public.
In his address during the opening session of a two-day training workshop focused on investigative journalism and anti-corruption efforts, PUL President Julius Kanubah emphasized the need for a genuine and collaborative partnership among government entities, civil society organizations, and international partners to address corruption effectively.
This training, organized under the auspices of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as well as funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, is themed “Uncovering the Facts: Strengthening Integrity through Journalism.”
It is part of a larger project aimed at “Empowering Citizens and Communities to Foster Social Accountability and Transparency in Governance and Public Service Delivery.”
Speaking at the training in Ganta City, Nimba County, Kanubah commended the LACC and UNDP for their commitment to capacity building in journalism.
Nonetheless, he criticized the tendency of some local and international organizations, including government institutions, to unilaterally organize and conduct journalists’ training without engaging the PUL.
He highlighted the Union’s vital role in shaping the design, implementation, and evaluation of such initiatives, stating, “While the good intentions of capacity building are commendable, it is crucial to recognize that outcomes may not meet expectations if relevant stakeholders are not fully included.”
Moreover, the PUL President called for targeted and sustained investments in investigative journalism and anti-corruption reporting to institutionalize the fight against corruption, particularly within a media landscape often influenced by political and economic interests.
The training program is attended by 30 Liberian journalists, including 12 women, representing diverse regions across the country.
Facilitators are drawn from the LACC, various media organizations, and the United Nations, with centering on overview of the LACC’s mandate, asset declaration processes, an understanding of corruption, development reporting, investigative journalism techniques, documentary evidence examination, digital forensics, data analytics, the use of artificial intelligence in investigative journalism, and ethical reporting on social media.
