By S. Matthew M. Quoi Jr.
SANNIQUELLIE, Nimba County, June 30, 2026 – Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung has announced that the Boakai-Koung administration is preparing to increase the salaries of civil servants across Liberia as part of efforts to improve workers’ welfare and strengthen public service delivery.
Speaking Tuesday at Liberia’s first county-hosted Public Service Day celebration in Sanniquellie, Koung disclosed that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. has directed Civil Service Agency (CSA) Director-General Josiah F. Joekai Jr. to immediately begin reviewing government salary structures.
According to the Vice President, the planned salary adjustment is intended to improve employee motivation, retain skilled professionals in the public sector, and build a more efficient civil service.
Addressing government officials, development partners, traditional leaders, and civil servants, Koung praised public employees for their resilience and dedication despite financial constraints and limited resources.
He said the government recognizes the critical role civil servants play in national development and considers improving their living conditions both a responsibility and an investment in the country’s future.
“A motivated workforce is essential to strengthening public service delivery, accountability, and national progress,” the Vice President said.
Koung noted that public servants remain the backbone of government institutions, delivering essential services in education, healthcare, infrastructure, public utilities, and community development across the country.
He said the occasion was intended to honor the sacrifices and commitment of public employees, many of whom continue to serve under difficult conditions.
Delivering the keynote address under the theme, “Enhancing Public Sector Institutions and Empowering Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships,” Koung reaffirmed the government’s commitment to achieving universal access to clean water and safe sanitation by 2063 in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
He emphasized that expanding access to safe water and sanitation is not solely an infrastructure challenge but also a governance issue requiring collaboration among government institutions, local communities, civil society organizations, development partners, the private sector, and citizens.
The Vice President also urged civil servants to uphold integrity, accountability, and professionalism, reminding them that every decision made by a public official directly affects the lives of Liberians.
He called on public employees at both national and local levels to remain committed to serving the public while encouraging citizens to continue holding government accountable.
This year’s Public Service Day marked a historic milestone as the national observance was held outside Monrovia for the first time. Organized by the Civil Service Agency in Sanniquellie, the celebration was held under the theme: “Enhancing Public Sector Institutions and Empowering Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Achieve Universal Water Availability and Safe Sanitation by 2063.”
Providing an overview of the event, CSA Director-General Josiah F. Joekai Jr. described the decision to host the celebration in Nimba County as part of President Boakai’s decentralization agenda aimed at bringing government closer to the people.
He said the move reflects the administration’s commitment to ensuring that national development benefits citizens in every county rather than being concentrated in Monrovia.
Joekai noted that Nimba was selected because of its historic contributions to Liberia’s economic, political, and diplomatic development. He cited the county’s iron ore industry and the historic 1959 Sanniquellie Conference involving Presidents William V.S. Tubman, Kwame Nkrumah, and Ahmed Sékou Touré, which helped lay the foundation for the establishment of the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union.
He explained that African Public Service Day originated from the first Pan-African Conference of Ministers responsible for Public and Civil Service held in Tangier, Morocco, in June 1994, where June 23 was designated to recognize excellence, professionalism, and ethical leadership in public service.
Joekai further noted that the United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed June 23 as United Nations Public Service Day through Resolution 57/277 in 2002, giving global recognition to the contributions of public servants.
He said Liberia continues to observe the occasion annually to honor the dedication of teachers, healthcare workers, administrators, and other frontline public servants whose work strengthens governance, promotes sustainable development, and improves the lives of citizens.
According to Joekai, the annual observance underscores the importance of competent, dedicated, and motivated public servants in building strong institutions and achieving sustainable national development.
