Two senior Liberian government officials are publicly challenging the credibility of performance grades recently published by FrontPage Africa (FPA), one of the country’s leading news outlets. The report, which evaluated ministries, agencies, directors and managers on their work in government, assigned Gender Minister Gbeme Horace Kollie an “F” — a score she says is tied not to performance, but to her refusal to financially benefit journalists.
Minister Kollie took to social media to express her frustration.
“I don’t have money to carry newsmen and their family members on trips to deserve an ‘A’.”
Her comment has fueled public debate over whether media grading systems are influenced by personal or financial interests rather than objective assessments of government performance.
Youth and Sports Minister Cole Bangalu, who also received an “F,” echoed similar concerns. In a strongly worded post, Bangalu accused the newspaper of retaliating because his ministry refused to provide free electricity to a restaurant it allegedly owns at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex.
“FrontPage Africa are owner of the Kadi’s restaurant which operates at the SKD Sports Complex,” Bangalu wrote.
“They insist as long as the Ministry of Youth and Sports refuses to supply them LEC current free of charge like the previous administration, we will continue to score ‘F’ per their standard.”
Bangalu added that the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has independently metered all customers, including the restaurant, and stressed that his ministry would not “buy grades.”
“We refuse to ever become students that will buy grades. Our work in Youth Development, Technical Vocational Education and Sports Infrastructure Development remains on track,” he said.
FrontPage Africa has not yet publicly responded to the allegations from the two ministers.
The controversy has intensified national discussions about transparency, media independence and accountability — both within the government and the country’s press sector.
