LAGOS: Mailo E. Mabeta, the South African Ambassador to Liberia, has called on the government to back up telecommunication companies that are providing communication services for the people of Liberia. The Ambassador also urged the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) to protect communication companies like Lonestar Cell MTN that are involved in promoting the telecommunication sector. He made this known at the program marking the certification of journalists at the close of a one-week training hosted by Lonestar Cell MTN and Ericsson. Mabeta noted that LTA support for the telecommunication sector will help ease the job of the government. He expressed hope that the trained journalists will improved the communication sector and put their ideas learnt at the workshop into good use. Mazen Mroue, the CEO of Lonestar Cell MTN, stated that the company believes Liberia's capacity building agenda would be incomplete without building the capacity of the Liberian media, and improving the individual capacities of the media. He added, “We strongly believe in the media and building a relationship that is centered on a clear sense of professionalism, transparency and accountability. We have enjoyed a strong bond with the media and have been quite pleased that we have done many things together which have been mutually benefitting.” Lonestar Cell was commended by a representative of the Liberia Telecommunication Authority, Commissioner Henry Benson. The company was praised for such initiatives in training Liberian journalists. The Commissioner described the training program as timely and called on the media to use the knowledge acquired to encourage Liberians to register their SIM cards.
