Monrovia, Oct. 20 (LINA) – Liberia’s largest media auxiliary, Reporters Association of Liberia (RAL) under the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has flipped the leadership table with a female, Cecelia Clarke, taking charge of their Presidency.
This decision is two weeks ahead of the PUL November 2019 congress and elections of a new corps of officials to steer the affairs of the union for the next three years.
RAL is the body that advocates on behalf of all reporters across the nation regarding their well-being and ensures along with the PUL the upholding of ethical standards by its members.
According to the RAL 2019 Election Committee Chairman, Edwin Clarke, ELBC legislative (Senate) reporter Cecelia Clarke obtained 85 of the 221 votes cast ahead of her two male rivals, Paypay Nas Mulbah and Abraham Sollie, during the Association’s congress over the weekend at the Brewerville Town Hall.
The exercises also brought to the leadership platform Frontpage Africa’s Willie Togba as Vice President; LEGISPOL member, Mark Mengonfia as Secretary General as well as Assistant Secretary Alfred Kollie and Hannah Geterminah, Financial Secretary.
The election, witnessed by PUL President Charles Coffey and Executives, the Director General of the Liberia News Agency (LINA); Female Journalist Association of Liberia (FeJAL); Legislative Press Pool of Liberia (LEGISPOL). NPA Communication boss and Anniversary Guest Speaker, was billed as peaceful and credible process, given the political tolerance exhibited by candidates and their supporters and Electoral Committee.
In Brewerville, more than 200 journalists had traveled from rural and urban parts to replace the Necus Andrews leadership after years of service to them, seeing a female as the best choice over two men.
Since the formation of the Reporters Association in 2005, all of its Presidents have been men, a situation that may have triggered the prioritization of a woman leader until 2022.
During the debate session, tackling corruption robustly, upholding ethics and ensuring better wages for reporters were top most concerns highlighted by the electorate in the hall, referencing past allegations of corruption that smeared the image of the institution.
President-elect Clarke committed her leadership to cracking down on corruption, collaboration with PUL and partners as well as empowering reporters through national and international trainings, adding that their deliverables rest on the shoulders of unity within the association.
At the same time, PUL head Coffey lauded the journalists for the responsible and peaceful conduct of the elections, appealing for the same to be applied at the PUL electoral exercise this year.
