NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – Former Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Joseph Vallai has strongly denied allegations linking his recent resignation from the Office of the President to a drug investigation or any other wrongdoing, saying his decision to leave government was entirely personal and professional.
By: Kabina S. Kabah – kabinaskabah98@gmail.com
Vallai, who said he resigned nearly a month ago, made the clarification in response to a social media post published by SAPA TV Liberia concerning the circumstances surrounding his departure.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that my resignation had nothing whatsoever to do with any investigation, drugs, or any other allegation being circulated,” Vallai said.
According to Vallai, his resignation was motivated by his desire to pursue new opportunities and focus on the next chapter of his life, a decision he said he had been preparing for over the past year.
He disclosed that, for nearly a year, he had deliberately stayed away from Facebook and largely withdrawn from day-to-day political discussions to focus on personal development and other priorities.
Vallai said he decided to respond after a friend brought the SAPA TV Liberia post to his attention.
While acknowledging the media’s right to report on matters of public interest, he stressed that media institutions have a responsibility to verify information before publishing claims that could unfairly damage an individual’s reputation.
He said SAPA TV Liberia should have contacted him for clarification about his resignation before publishing what he described as information that created a misleading impression.
“I therefore respectfully call on the management of SAPA TV Liberia to take down the post in question or issue an immediate clarification correcting any misleading impression created by it,” Vallai said.
“My name should not be used for sensational content, particularly content associating me with drugs or any other allegation that is entirely false.”
Vallai said he has been a private citizen since his resignation and is entitled to the full protection of the law and his civil liberties.
He added that his resignation letter remains with his former employer and that he continues to maintain a professional relationship with the Office of the President and the administration.
Despite stepping down from his government position, Vallai reaffirmed his support for President Joseph N. Boakai Sr. and the ruling Unity Party.
He said he remains an ID-card-bearing member of the Unity Party and continues to participate in the party’s internal communications strategy as Deputy Secretary of the Press and Publicity Committee.
Vallai also expressed confidence in the Boakai administration, acknowledging that while the government may not yet have delivered all the changes Liberians seek, he believes it has demonstrated the potential to bring meaningful change under President Boakai’s leadership.
The former presidential aide also called on the Press Union of Liberia to continue promoting professional standards and responsible journalism, stressing that the credibility and integrity of the media are essential to Liberia’s democracy.
Reflecting on his professional journey, Vallai said he has more than 10 years of experience, including service at the Legislature, the CLSG, the World Bank Africa Youth Fellowship, and the Office of the President.
He described his career as imperfect but rooted in “courage, dedication, discipline and grace,” adding that he holds no bitterness toward his past.
“I have always allowed the future to attract me,” he said.
Vallai further said he has subjected himself to public and private scrutiny throughout his professional life, even when such scrutiny did not favor him.
However, he maintained that he would not take allegations linking him to criminal activity, particularly drugs, lightly.
He said he has never been involved in a dispute requiring intervention at a town hall or had any dealings with a police station, making the alleged connection to drugs particularly troubling to him.
Vallai is now urging the public to disregard the allegations and has renewed his demand for SAPA TV Liberia to immediately remove the post or issue a clarification.
“I have chosen to move forward with dignity, focus and purpose,” Vallai said. “I ask only that my decision to pursue the next chapter of my life be respected and reported with the same professionalism and fairness that I extend to others.”
