-Sen. Augustine S. Chea Terms Pres. Boakai’s MOI Visit Amid Konneh-Sando Clash
MONROVIA – Sinoe County Senator Cllr. Augustine S. Chea has characterized President Joseph Boakai’s recent visit to the Ministry of Information as a “vote of confidence” in the institution’s controversial communication approach, rather than a rebuke many Liberians had anticipated .
The senator’s remarks come amid heightened public scrutiny over the Ministry’s combative communication style, which has earned it the unflattering nickname “Ma and Pa Cuss Ministry” . Speaking via his office Facebook page on Saturday, August 15, 2026, Chea addressed widespread expectations that the President’s visit would signal corrective action following a week of intense public exchanges between Deputy Information Minister Daniel Sando and Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh .
According to Senator Chea, some attendees at the program he attended expressed anticipation that “hell will break loose at the Ministry of Information today” during the President’s visit. However, the senator observed that those expectations were disappointed as the visit appeared to endorse rather than reprimand the Ministry’s current trajectory .
The timing of President Boakai’s visit was particularly significant, coming after weeks of acrimonious exchanges on social media between Deputy Minister Sando and Senator Konneh . These exchanges have revived concerns about the Ministry’s pattern of responding to government critics—particularly lawmakers—in ways many Liberians consider disrespectful, dismissive, or condescending .
The Ministry of Information, which bears the constitutional responsibility of explaining government policies, providing accurate information, correcting misinformation, and clarifying issues, has increasingly been accused of engaging critics in harsh, personal, and confrontational exchanges .
This approach has drawn criticism from multiple quarters, including the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), which recently warned against government institutions becoming “attack dogs” in political confrontations . The PUL emphasized that government agencies exist primarily to serve citizens by providing accurate information about public programs, achievements, and challenges—not to engage in partisan battles .
The Ministry’s combative style has prompted comments from high-profile figures, including Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe, who described the Ministry’s conduct as “a misuse of taxpayer funds” . Former House Speaker candidate Representative J. Fonati Koffa has also mocked the entity as the “Ministry of Ma-and-Pa Cuss” .
The dispute intensified following Senator Konneh’s opinion on President Boakai’s handling of Liberia’s illicit drug crisis. On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Deputy Minister Sando directly questioned Konneh’s credibility as a national oversight voice, claiming he “bears the greatest responsibility for reversing some of the gains” Liberia achieved historically .
During his deliberation at the Ministry of Information press conference, Sando brought religion into the spat, stating that Konneh is a Muslim who “needs to return to the mosque to ask Allah for forgiveness for his sins,” and alleging that Konneh secretly connived to systemically rig past elections .
Senator Konneh responded via social media, defending his Islamic faith and dismissing his accuser as an “unskilled sycophant” . He reiterated his intent to continue investigating the high-profile drug ring because “silence would be complicity” .
Montserrado Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, a Boakai ally, intervened by publicly advising Sando that weaponizing Konneh’s religious beliefs was entirely inappropriate . This sentiment has been echoed by various civil society actors and media professionals concerned about the erosion of public discourse .
Senator Chea’s observation that the President’s visit appeared to be a “vote of confidence” rather than a corrective measure suggests the administration may not be prepared to alter the Ministry’s communication strategy despite growing criticism .
The visit has thus become a focal point for broader questions about how the Boakai administration views the role of government communication and whether it will address concerns raised about professionalism, respect, and the appropriate boundaries of governmental response to criticism.
