Vice President Boakai made the call Tuesday in his keynote address at programs marking the celebration of World Press Freedom Day in Voinjama, Lofa County.

“The media is quite essential in this regard,” VP Boakai noted, adding that “the press would certainly share the credit for such historic milestone because a peaceful and successful transition is a victory for Liberia and all Liberians.”

Boakai said: “The media must be willing and ready to closely scrutinize the process, the government, political parties, international partners, CSOs and all relevant stakeholders to ensure a smooth landing for our country at the end of 2017 and beyond.”

“On account of ensuring a free press, this administration has a solid, lofty and indisputable record, no one here at home or in foreign domiciles can argue genuinely against the unprecedented scale of freedom the Liberian press currently enjoys,” he pointed out.

The Liberian Vice President indicated that he can even vouch that no one can either disagree nor discount the massive wave of freedom being enjoyed by citizens, unarguably the first of its kind since the founding of the nation.

“Liberia is celebrating ‘media pluralism’ at the highest level to date, the Government records 55 newspapers, 34 local radio stations in Monrovia and its environs and 54 community radio stations across the country,” he indicated.

Boakai pointed out that the Liberian media celebrates a wholesome functioning Freedom of Information Commission (FOI) which ensures that citizens have the right and power to access public information in clear demonstration of the Liberian government’s commitment to openness and transparency.