By Joseph Kerkula
The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Information has issued a stern warning to former President George Manneh Weah, cautioning him against using church platforms to advance political narratives that are misleading and inappropriate.
Speaking Tuesday during the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing in Monrovia, Information Minister Jerolinmek M. Piah strongly criticized the former president for what he termed the “misuse of the church pulpit,” stressing that religious spaces should remain dedicated to worship, truth, and spiritual guidance rather than partisan politics.
“The Pulpit Is Not for Politics”. Minister Piah emphasized that honesty and integrity must be upheld in sacred spaces, noting that even the Bible condemns dishonesty. He quoted Scripture, saying, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
According to the minister, the passage underscores the importance of truthfulness, especially in places meant for worship.Piah accused the former president of making misleading statements from the pulpit, which he said were intended to confuse the Liberian people and distort the record of the past administration.
“Someone who almost burned the country down should not be standing in a church trying to rewrite history,” the minister asserted.
The Information Minister also questioned why Mr. Weah chose a church platform instead of engaging the public through traditional media outlets. “We have all the media institutions in this country. President Boakai was just on the radio. But Weah left the radio and went on the pulpit to spread lies,” Piah said.
He further pointed to what he described as inconsistencies in Mr. Weah’s long-standing personal narrative, noting that the former president has alternated between portraying himself as a “poor boy from Gibraltar” and someone who built a house in his twenties, claims Piah said were contradictory and politically motivated.
The government’s response follows remarks made by former President Weah on Sunday, December 28, 2025, during a church service where he criticized officials of the current Boakai-Koung administration.
In his address, Weah accused some government officials of ingratitude and hypocrisy. “Those you voted for who once could not afford anything are now the same people you hear on the radio saying this government is doing better than the previous one. They have forgotten where they came from.
Some of them came from the streets and refugee camps. We brought them, encouraged people to vote for them, and today they are on TV talking rubbish,” Weah said.
Minister Piah however, reaffirmed the government’s respect for religious institutions, stressing that the church must remain a place for spiritual growth, moral guidance, and truth, not “a platform for political contradictions.”
He urged religious leaders and congregations to preserve the sanctity of the pulpit and avoid allowing it to become entangled in partisan politics.
The Ministry of Information said it will continue to monitor the situation and cautioned all political figures to use appropriate and responsible channels when addressing national issues.
