By Archie Boan
Employees of the Liberia News Agency (LINA) on Thursday staged a peaceful protest at the Ministry of Information, accusing Minister Jerolinmek Piah of neglect and allowing the state-owned news agency to collapse.
The workers said LINA has been non-operational for nearly two years, despite government budget allocations of over US$700,000 in 2024 and 2025. They complained of an abandoned office, poor working conditions, and the lack of basic equipment needed to do their jobs.
“We are being paid but have no work to do because the agency is dead,” one staffer said.
In a petition to the Legislature, the workers raised six major concerns, including Non-use of the US$700,000 budget meant for LINA operations, a non-functional website for nearly two years, Lack of equipment, training, and logistical support, a request for a GAC audit of LINA’s 2024 2025 budget transfers, a rejection of comments they say unfairly link LINA workers to past regimes, a call for lawmakers to investigate what happened to nearly US$1 million intended for the agency.
The protesters said they want LINA restored so they can return to work. The Ministry of Information has not yet responded to the allegations.
