President Boakai says his government’s launch of the Employees Status Regulation Project is a milestone in pursuing employment, payroll transparency, and accountability across the public sector.
By Kruah Thompson
Monrovia, Liberia, July 5, 2024 –President Joseph Nyumah Boakai officially launched the Employees Status Regulation Project (ESRP) here, underscoring that it marks a significant milestone of his administration’s journey to enhancing employment, payroll transparency, and accountability across all of the government’s 103 spending entities.
“We are grateful for the progress made as we gather to launch one of our flagship programs, the Employees Status Regulation Project, dedicated to enhancing employment, payroll transparency, and accountability within the government – a challenge we’ve been addressing for years,” President Boakai said during the launch at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism on Thursday, 4 July 2024 in Monrovia
Liberia has faced persistent issues such as ghost employees (non-existent or unauthorized personnel on the payroll) and duplicate entries, which have led to financial losses and inefficiencies in public funds management.
Over the years, various quarters, including international donors and civil society organizations, have called for reforms to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency in government operations.
However, under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s leadership, there seems to be a strong commitment to addressing these challenges and implementing reforms to enhance governance and public service delivery.
On Tuesday, April 30, 2024, the Liberian President launched the National Consultancy Policy Guidelines to mandate that all spending entities under the umbrella of the Civil Service Agency comply with what Mr. Boakai terms historic consultancy policy guidelines.
The development of the National Consultancy Policy Guidelines, part of the ESRP, indicates a structured approach to aligning consultancy services with national priorities and ethical standards. This policy framework likely underwent drafting, review, and approval processes within the government.
These guidelines, President Boakai says, aim to ensure that all government consultancy services align with national priorities and uphold ethical standards to deliver tangible results under his administration.
The President launched the project alongside the introduction of “97 highly qualified professionals” consultants who are tasked with driving integrity and professionalism across various government sectors.
During the launch, President Boakai expressed gratitude to Civil Service Agency Director General Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., for his collaboration in the ESRP process.
He believes that the Employees Status Regulation Project (ESRP) marks a significant advancement for his administration, leading to greater efficiency, transparency, and citizen accountability.
“This initiative isn’t just a part of our agenda; it’s a significant stride for our administration,” President Boakai says here, underscoring the government’s commitment to rectifying inherited payroll system issues from the previous administration.
He expresses optimism that the project would promote wage equity among hardworking citizens and enhance the workforce.
“The ESRP demonstrates our dedication. Headcount verification will eliminate ghost names and double dippers, legitimize civil servants, and empower qualified professionals to deliver effective services,” he notes, highlighting steps towards a more productive civil service.
The President further stresses that this vision aligns with the overarching goal of promoting transparency and accountability across all government sectors.
Acknowledging the Civil Service Agency’s efforts, he says its reports represent substantial monthly financial losses, not mere figures on a balance sheet.
He explains that the ESRP would strengthen the payroll system, reduce losses, and enhance compensation and employee quality with transparency and efficiency.
While expressing confidence that the ESRP would address current governmental challenges, the President is optimistic that comprehensive work would guarantee payroll system accuracy and transparency.
Civil Service Agency Director General Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., reported in June 2024 that the Agency had issued its initial set of progress reports on the ongoing Employees Status Regularization Project (ESRP), covering three government entities: the Ministry of Mines and Energy; the Liberia Institute of Public Administration, and the National Center for Coordinating Response Mechanism.
On the occasion, Director General Josiah narrated that the reports highlighted significant mismanagement and abuse of government resources, including illegal salary payments, double-dipping, and duplicate accounts.
“At the Ministry of Mines and Energy, 40 employees were dismissed for absenteeism ranging from 14 to 20 days per month based on time and attendance analyses. Additionally, 81 employees were suspended without pay for 8 to 12 consecutive days of absence, and warnings were issued to 12 others for 5 to 7 consecutive days of absence.” The CSA Boss revealed.
On the other hand, he continues that at the Liberia Institute of Public Administration, 28 employees were dismissed for absenteeism and 30 were suspended for similar reasons during the same period.
Also, regarding the National Center for Coordinating Response Mechanism, the CSA found evidence of 12 individuals receiving illegal payments amounting to $23,500 from October to December 2023. As a result, the CSA requested the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate these agencies’ former executive directors and controllers for their roles in these illicit payments.
Joekai called on the human resource directors of these agencies to report to the Solicitor General’s office at the Ministry of Justice for further investigation.
“If the investigation concludes successfully, the government anticipates saving $488,816.82.” He noted.
Joekai also disclosed that the CSA had completed headcount verification at 29 government entities, identifying and removing 14 unverified employees. This action is expected to save the government $490,828.74.
Furthermore, as part of the ongoing implementation of the General Auditing Commission’s 2021 payroll compliance audit recommendations, Director General Josiah reveals that the CSA has blocked 689 individuals with duplicate National Identification Numbers from the payroll of 49 spending entities.
Joekai estimated that blocking these individuals would save an additional USD 223,413.84 monthly and USD$2.9 million annually. Editing by Jonathan Browne
