The Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) has debunked allegations on its Executive Chairman Brima Baluwa Koroma by Gleaner Newspaper on Facebook and Voice of Salone Newspaper of recruiting staff without due process.

According to a post on Facebook by Unity Broadcasting, the publication is untrue describing it as an unverified and unchecked publication with the sole aim to dent and taint the hard-earned integrity of the Executive Chairman of PRA.

The debunking publication stated that Koroma took over the leadership of the Agency in 2018 and at the time, the Agency had very limited staff that would help transform the visions of President Julius Maada Bio by making the Agency very fascinating and compelling that will meet the demand of international standards.

Notwithstanding, it was at that background Koroma together with his management advertised vacancies and followed due procedures that led to the current status quo of the Agency.

The publication stated that the allegations sounded very deceitful and repugnant to the general public and well-meaning Sierra Leoneans whose managements ought to have been taught about the tenets of Ethical Journalism, accusing the said newspapers of not doing the required investigations accordingly and just publishing their stories with a lot of inaccuracies and unbalances.

It sheds light on the principle of Ethical Journalism which gives everyone involved in a story have equal opportunity to tell their side of the story so that readers can get a balanced and fair view of the situation, which both newspapers fail to follow.

In conclusion, it was confirmed that all staff at PRA went through due procedures adding that there are substantial documents at the Human Resource Department of the Agency to vindicate their statement.

“The Agency prides itself on professionalism, integrity and compliance. The Facebook publication done by Gleaner Newspaper and Voice of Salone is not only misleading but a figment of imagination to a very large extent that aims at seeking public attention and undue fame” it concludes.