A fierce public spat has erupted between veteran Liberian journalist John Kollie and Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon over the role of government officials in the media space.
Kollie, Executive Director of the Liberia Media for Democratic Initiatives (LMDI), has sharply criticized what he describes as a troubling trend of public officials operating media institutions and hosting talk shows roles traditionally reserved for trained journalists.
Speaking Monday on the Truth Breakfast Show, Kollie warned that the practice undermines professional journalism and poses a serious threat to the sustainability of independent media in Liberia.
“Government officials were appointed to perform specific duties based on their areas of training and expertise,” Kollie said. “It is unacceptable for them to abandon those responsibilities and take on the work of journalists, which they are neither trained for nor mandated to do.”
He further alleged that some officials divert public communication contracts to their own media platforms, depriving legitimate outlets of much-needed revenue. Kollie called on President Joseph Boakai’s administration to ensure officials stick to their appointed roles and support rather than compete with the independent press.
But Senator Dillon, who was among the officials singled out for participating in the popular talk show The Class Reloaded, wasted no time firing back. He accused Kollie of being driven by personal interest rather than professional principles.
“How can greedy people like you, John Kollie, who have no spine, tell me someone who left journalism before you what to do?” Dillon retorted.
The senator argued that government officials have the right to use social media and participate in radio discussions to engage directly with the public. He dismissed Kollie’s remarks as an “unprofessional attack” unworthy of someone claiming to be a media leader.
The exchange has sparked debate among journalists and the public, with some defending Kollie’s call for clearer boundaries between governance and media, while others side with Dillon’s assertion that officials have a right to public discourse.
Whether this war of words will prompt action from the Boakai administration or simply fade as political rhetoric remains to be seen but the clash has once again placed the state of Liberia’s media independence in the national spotlight.
Veteran Liberian journalist John Kollie is set to make another appearance on the Truth Breakfast Show (TBS) on Truth FM this Tuesday, August 12, 2025.
