The arbitrary dismissal and suspension of civil servants has rekindled hope, as Civil Service Boss, Dr. Josiah Joekai, discloses a plan to reinstate about 200 affected Civil Servants.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, Liberia; August 21, 2025 – The Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA) of Liberia, Dr. Josiah Joekai, Jr., has inspired hope in dismissed and suspended Civil Servants across the country, disclosing that the Independent Grievance and Complaint System has concluded inquiries and investigation into 260 complaints of wrongful dismissal, with nearly two hundred resolved, awaiting to be overturned, while boasting that arbitrary suspensions, dismissals, or transfers era has past.
Delivering a keynote address on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, during the celebration of the 22nd anniversary of the Accra Comprehensive Peace Accord, organized by the Kofi Annan Institute of Conflict Transformation, University of Liberia, Dr. Joekai said the CSA has embarked on a series of reforms, especially the establishment of the Board of Appeal.
“The Civil Service is the backbone of governance. For too long, it was weakened by patronage. But change is here. For the first time in 18 years, President Joseph N. Boakai reconstituted the Examining Committee of the Board of Appeal. Civil servants now have an Independent Grievance and Complaint System. Over 260 cases have been received, with nearly 200 resolved, many of which required wrongful dismissals to be overturned.’ Dr. Joekai stated.
According to him, Civil Servants no longer fear arbitrary suspensions, dismissals, or transfers, while boasting that such dark era is past, adding that today, dignity, decency, and accountability are returning because a merit-based system is being introduced at all levels, and they are held accountable for punctuality, performance, and productivity.
“But let us also be clear, the public sector cannot be Liberia’s largest employer. A weak private sector burdens the state, stunts growth, and reduces tax revenue. A strong civil service requires a strong private sector. We must create jobs. We must implement the Decent Work Act of 2015. No foreigner should hold a job that a Liberian is qualified to perform. Companies must return unskilled and domestically trained jobs to Liberians. This is not xenophobia. This is fairness. This is the law. Other nations do it. Ghana prioritizes Ghanaians in employment and public access fees. We must do the same for Liberians. Because unless Liberians are prioritized in their land, we undermine peace itself.’’ He indicated.
Commenting on the Accra Comprehensive Peace Accord, with specific focus on the True and Reconciliation Commission and Liberia’s current political stability, Dr. Joekai said that security is not enough because peace is not only about silencing guns. Peace must also mean confronting the truth.
He stated that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) gave Liberia a framework, and it collected over 22,000 statements from victims and perpetrators, while documenting massacres, atrocities, and human rights violations, and provided recommendations for justice, reparation, and healing.
“It was not perfect. But it gave us something precious; it gave us memory. And yet, two decades later, much of its work remains undone. Many recommendations remain ignored. Victims still wait for closure. Perpetrators still walk freely. My fellow Liberians, let me be honest with you: reconciliation without truth is shallow. Peace without justice is fragile. That is why the government’s decision to establish the War and Economic Crimes Court is historic. It signals that Liberia is finally ready to stop dancing around the truth. Those perpetrators must account. Those victims must see justice. The culture of impunity must end. This is not vengeance. This is not a division. This is healing. This is accountability. This is the only way to ensure that Liberia never again returns to war.’’ Dr. Joekai pointed out.
Speaking on governance and democracy, he asserted that the ACPA was not only about peace, but it was also about governance because it established institutions designed to prevent the abuses that had fueled war.
He lamented that the Governance Commission was tasked with reform, while the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission was designed to ensure transparency, and the National Elections Commission was strengthened to safeguard democracy.
“And because of those reforms, Liberia has held multiple free and fair elections. Since 2005, we have seen peaceful transfers of power unthinkable during our years of conflict. But democracy is not just elections. It is also accountability. It is transparency. It is the fight against corruption. It is the courage to decentralize power so that every county, every district, feels the presence of government. Let us be clear: Liberia is not yet the democracy we dream of. Corruption lingers. Institutions are weak. But compared to where we stood in 2003, we have moved mountains. And that movement is owed to the framework of governance born from the ACPA”, Dr. Joekai noted. Editing by Jonathan Browne
