Claim: "JNB to close down Kings FM, Freedom, Voice of Lib, Ok FM, and Spoon before July 17.”
Source: Alvin Wesseh, former Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Research and Extension at the Ministry of Agriculture
Verdict: Unproven, no evidence that the Boakai Government plans to shut down within named media institutions.
Full Text: Alvin Wesseh, former Assistant Minister For Regional Development Research and Extension at the Ministry of Agriculture and the currently vice chair for operations, National Youth League of the Congress for Democratic Change on May 9, 2025, claimed that his sources in Government have informed him of a plan closure of Kings FM, Freedom FM, Voice of Liberia, OK FM and Spoon FM by the current administraton before July 17, 2025.
The full text of the claim can be found here. According to Wesseh, the intent is to prevent these stations from providing coverage of a planned protest slated for July 17, 2025, tagged "Enough is Enough."
It can recalled, Solidarity and Trust For A New Day (STAND), a civil rights and civil society movement through it chairman Mulbah K. Morlu announced a massive protest on July 17, 2025, under the tagged: “THE DAY OF THE PEOPLE” which he claim is due to Liberia’s deepening crisis of corruption, economic collapse, and Government failure.
As of the time of this check, the claim has generated over 200 comments, 37 shares, and over 100 reactions.
Verification: Established in 2007 by an act of national legislation, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority has the mandate as an independent commission of the government to regulate the telecommunications sector of Liberia.
We contacted the LTA Board through Patrick Honnah, one of the commissioners who dismissed the claim.
“False. Nobody has even discussed this; I cannot be a victim of such and be a part of the same. We are here. Facts are stubborn.”
The LTA is the government’s regulatory arm for the telecom sector, charged with the authority to promote a vibrant and competitive telecommunications sector in Liberia.
Wesseh was contacted; he asked if the researcher was a journalist. "Where did you get your training? The institution, I want to know, Sir.”
He continued, "Did you read the post well, with no offense to you. Imagine asking me to tell you my sources in government so they can be dismissed from their jobs.”
We also reached out to a few of the Radio Station Managers mentioned in the claim, and they all denied the claim.
“Up till this point, 5:00 pm on May 9, 2025, I have no such information. We’re working tirelessly to rebrand this entity to meet regulatory requirements and compliance standards," Kyne Oliver Kyne, Station Manager of Freedom FM, stated.
Kyne said that his station's relationship with the government may not be as good as it should be, but we’re in good standing with the government of Liberia in terms of our operations. “No mehn”- Clarence Jackson of OK FM responded.
Conclusion: The claim made by Alvin Wesseh, Vice Chair for Operations, of the CDC is unproven.
