By Smart News Liberia
MONROVIA – The Office of the Presidential Press Secretary has issued an official response to the United States Department of State’s 2024 Human Rights Report, addressing observations regarding accreditation procedures for journalists covering the Executive Mansion.
In a statement released on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, Presidential Press Secretary Atty. Kula Bonah Nyei Fofana emphasized that the accreditation guidelines introduced in June 2024 were intended to strengthen professionalism, ensure safety, and uphold institutional accountability. The measures include police clearance through the Executive Protection Service, verification of media organizations’ business registration, and tax clearance to confirm compliance with national laws. Fofana noted that these requirements are applied flexibly and are not meant to create barriers to media access.
The Press Secretary highlighted that similar processes exist in other democracies. In the United States, journalists seeking White House credentials undergo background checks by the Secret Service, and their organizations must meet accreditation standards. Countries such as Ghana, South Africa, and the United Kingdom also have vetting procedures combining security protocols with professional validation.
“Our policy seeks to balance two equally important goals: protecting the constitutional right to a free press and ensuring the security of the Presidency as a national institution,” Fofana said. He affirmed that access is consistently granted to national, community-based, and international media, without discrimination based on editorial stance. Journalists have recently covered presidential activities across Nimba, Bong, Bomi, Grand Gedeh, and other counties, ensuring nationwide and global visibility.
Fofana also explained that the Executive Mansion supports access to information and media sustainability by publishing announcements and advertisements from international partners, civil society organizations, and government entities on its website. These notices are only posted after appearing in multiple Liberian newspapers, a policy designed to strengthen the local media economy while ensuring public access to information.
The statement concluded with a commitment to ongoing dialogue with the Press Union of Liberia, editors, civil society, and development partners to refine the accreditation process, ensuring it remains transparent, inclusive, and aligned with Liberia’s democratic values.
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