Dear Readers,
In recent days, attempts have been made to discredit our work as fact-checkers in Liberia. These attacks, whether from political operatives or propagandists, are not surprising. Our commitment to truth, transparency, and accountability threatens those who depend on misinformation to shape public opinion. But let it be clear: we are not deterred, and we are not going anywhere.
Fact-checking is not about popularity. It is about protecting the integrity of information so that citizens can make informed decisions. We understand that those who thrive on falsehood will seize every opportunity to attack our credibility. Yet their attacks only reaffirm why our work is necessary.
To our critics: we welcome scrutiny. Unlike propagandists, we operate transparently. As a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), we abide by strict principles of fairness, nonpartisanship, and accountability. Our correction policy, which is published openly on our website, ensures that when errors occur, they are corrected publicly and promptly. That is what responsible journalism looks like.
This is why attempts by individuals such as Mr. James Goodday Flomo and Deputy Press Secretary Joseph Vallai to label fact-checkers as “liars” or “so-called” are not just misguided – they are deliberate efforts to undermine a democratic safeguard. The facts we publish are backed by verifiable evidence. When politicians or public figures attack fact-checkers instead of addressing the facts, they expose their discomfort with truth, not the weakness of our work.
On Friday, August 29, a Facebook post by Mr. Flomo sought to discredit our work by terming our fact checks as lies. He saw an error by one of our fact checkers as an opportunity to attack our credibility. We don’t abhor criticism or corrections, but we are concerned about the sheer intent to undermine our credibility.
Mr. Vallai also shared a FrontPage Africa article in an attempt to rebut one of our reports. Yet the article contained no evidence comparing agriculture spending by the former regime with the current administration, while our fact-check presented clear, verifiable data in the national budget as published by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. This is the difference between propaganda and evidence-based journalism.
Fact-checkers are not enemies of government, opposition, or any political camp. We are allies of the public, defenders of information integrity, and protectors of democracy. Efforts to delegitimize us are, in reality, efforts to weaken the right of Liberians to reliable information. That is an attack on democracy itself.
We will not be silenced! We will not be intimidated. And we will not be swayed by propaganda. Our mission remains clear: to hold everyone accountable, regardless of position, party, or power, and to ensure Liberians have access to the truth so they can make informed decisions.
We are fact-checkers. We are here to stay. Get used to us.
Sincerely,
Atty. Alpha Daffae Senkpeni
Executive Director
Local Voices Liberia