Monrovia, Liberia – A pressing call has been sent to all Press Union of Liberia auxiliary groups by Gerald Koinyeneh, the newly elected president of LEGISPOOL. During the ceremonial inauguration of the newly elected leadership of the Legislative Press Pool, Mr. Koinyeneh advised the auxiliary groups to get together and discuss the continuing labor dispute in his inaugural speech.
During the 54th Legislature, on August 25, 2023, members of LEGISPOOL, an association representing professional journalists covering the legislature in Liberia, had its elective congress and unanimously elected a new corps of executives to serve as the group’s leaders for the following two years.
In an effort to address the long-standing leadership issue within the Press Union of Liberia, the umbrella group for all media outlets in the country, Koinyeneh of LEGISPOOL encouraged the heads of auxiliaries to begin discussions. He invited the Executive Mansion Press Corps., the Judiciary Reporters Association, the Sports Writers Association of Liberia, and the Reporters Association of Liberia to join the battle to preserve the union.
The newly elected president expressed disapproval towards legislators who failed to show up for the program. In his words, their nonattendance sends a message to journalists that they should back their own candidates rather than push them.
The newly elected officials, which comprised President Gerald Koinyeneh, Vice President Jackson Clay, Secretary General Blamo Toe, and Assistant Secretary General Bill Cooper, were sworn in at the Joint Chamber of the Legislature on Friday, March 8, 2024.