MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Ministry of Labor has come under intense scrutiny following its disclosure that 10,117 work permits were issued to foreign nationals in 2024, a revelation that has reignited public outrage over Liberia’s growing unemployment crisis. The data, submitted to the Liberian Senate on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, by Labor Minister Cllr. Cooper Kruah, comes after months of delays and repeated demands by lawmakers for transparency in the issuance of alien work permits.
In a formal letter to Senate Secretary T. Nanborlor F. Singbeh, Sr., the Labor Ministry detailed the distribution of permits by category, gender, and nationality. The report revealed that 75 percent of the permits, totaling 7,633, were renewals for foreign nationals who were already employed in Liberia, largely in concession companies and other private sector entities prior to the current administration. The remaining 2,484 permits, or 25 percent, were newly issued in 2024.
The gender breakdown in the report showed a glaring imbalance: 8,802 permits, or 87 percent, were granted to male applicants, while just 1,315 permits went to female applicants. Even more striking was the nationality data, which showed that 6,980 permits, or 69 percent, were issued to non-African nationals. Another 2,699 permits, or 27 percent, went to non-ECOWAS African nationals, while ECOWAS citizens accounted for only 438 permits, just 4 percent of the total.
The Senate, which had demanded this report to assess the Ministry’s compliance with labor laws and concession agreements, is expected to deliberate on the findings as it considers whether foreign workers are being hired in positions that should be reserved for Liberians. The disclosure follows a tense standoff between the Senate and Minister Kruah, who was recently given a two-week ultimatum to explain why thousands of permits had been issued without proper accountability.
Senators argue that the issue goes beyond administrative compliance; it speaks to the heart of Liberia’s economic sovereignty. At a time when thousands of Liberians, particularly young people, are struggling to find work, the idea that jobs are being handed out to foreign nationals, many for roles that Liberians are capable of performing, is seen as a betrayal of national interests.
The controversy has also cast a spotlight on Liberia’s concession agreements, which are supposed to include clauses that prioritize Liberian labor. Lawmakers contend that failure to enforce these provisions not only violates the agreements but also erodes public trust in government institutions.
The Senate’s recent move to demand full disclosure from the Labor Ministry marks a rare but decisive moment of oversight in a system often plagued by opacity. If Minister Kruah fails to provide adequate justification for the issuance of these permits, he could face contempt proceedings. This would set a powerful precedent for accountability in a country where impunity has long been the norm.
The Ministry’s report may have checked a procedural box, but for lawmakers and citizens alike, the broader question remains unanswered: why are so many Liberians still unemployed while thousands of foreign nationals legally occupy jobs within the country? The coming weeks will determine whether the Senate’s stance signals a new era of assertive governance or simply another flash of outrage lost in the tide of political inertia.
