Fraudulent Scheme by Fake Journalists Exposed in Todee District

In a shocking revelation, the Todee District authority in Rural Montserrado County has uncovered a fraudulent scheme by individuals posing as journalists to spread lies and report false information about residents consuming water from the creek due to a poor water pump's operation.

Recently, a group headed by journalist Mr. Augustine Myers, under the banner of the WASH Reporters and Editor network, released a March 20, 2024, article in the New Republic Newspaper with the caption “Todee Residents Return to Creeks Water for Drinking” and a video containing potages of children and ordinary citizens, portraying the condition of creek water consumption by Todee residents.

To fact-check this claim by the purporting journalists, a joint fact-finding mission, including chiefs, commissioners, district inspectors, school administration, representatives of civil society, and the media, found it untrue and malicious.

The team determined that the individuals fabricated the story and misrepresented the communities' water conditions to malign the reputation of certain development partners in these areas.

A witness who encountered the scammers is Memah Peterson who said she was misled into bearing false witness of consuming creek water, to attract more donor support.

“They asked me when I needed cold water to mix my hot bath water, and where I would get it from if the current put spoils. I said from our other pump. The man said no and stopped the camera. He told me to say I would get water from the creek, so I repeated after him when he restarted the video camera.”

The district authority has meanwhile condemned this fraudulent scheme.

Daniel Pabie, the Township Commissioner of Tolbert Town Todee district, questioned the scam's motive and termed it counterproductive to the district's development.

Chief Fatu Willie of Willie Town, a member of the district's elder council, clarified that it is the community's responsibility to take ownership of the water facilities once they are certified by the government and turned over to the NGOs.

Speaking specifically of her community, Chief Willie said institutions providing water services follow rigorous standards and procedures for water point construction and maintenance.
WaterAid is one organization that engages in careful planning and consultation before installing pumps. This involves meeting with local officials and stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Public Works and Health, to ensure the installation process is thorough and effective.

Moreover, the elder said the organization provides training to local individuals for pump repair and maintenance, and user fees are collected to fund the purchase of spare parts in case of breakdowns.

“Let me clarify that it is our [community] responsibility to maintain the pumps. The training provided, mainly by WaterAid, has enabled us to handle many pump problems, which our people do not have to leave from Monrovia to come here to handle”, said Chief Willie.

A local civil society organization, United Youth for Peace Education Transparency and Development (UYPETDL) independently investigated a media article and video footage claiming that water pumps provided by WaterAid Liberia were non-functional. UYPETDL's Executive Director, Timothy Kpeh, stated that the media report and video footage were all scams.

An expert of the civil society group states, “The WASH R & E media group conducted an inaccurate inquiry by failing to interview community leaders who have authority over the pumps, even the pump management committees, or permanent residents.

According to Kpeh, during UYPETDL's visit on March 24, 2024, all pumps reported were found to be functioning, with manor issues, whose repair cost did not cost more than US$5.00.

Additionally, the individuals (WASH R & E) who conducted the interview deceived the community that they were WaterAid Liberia staff and wanted to work with the community to exaggerate their story of drinking creek water, to attract more support and results.

Moreover, some of the locations and running water depicted in the WASH media network video were not situated within the project communities of the NGO mentioned in the report. Some of the photages were also downloaded from the internet to tell their story, said UYPETDL.

WaterAid Liberia, which provides water services to households, schools, and health facilities in Todee Districts, has reaffirmed its commitment to continue providing access to clean water, decent toilets, and hygiene services despite the malicious reports frowned upon by many people.

“Our ambition for Todee District is that in 2028, we will make sure that 700,000 more people are provided access to sustainable, safe and inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), in addition to mobilizing 13 million annually to the Liberia WASH sector, said WaterAid Country Director, Chuchu Selma.”

Mr. Selma said priority focus will be placed on the marginalized, including women, girls, people living with disabilities, and the ones living in remote and hard-to-reach areas in Todee.

A water tower provided by WaterAid which provides pipe-water services in Gobah Town, Todee District, which mainly benefits women and children in maternal care.
Meanwhile, residents have emphasized that all journalists must report credible, balanced, and accurate information without any misrepresentations to avoid causing harm to innocent individuals or organizations. “This is a fundamental requirement that every journalist must follow to maintain the integrity and promote the good work of the media.”