Monrovia – The Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Josiah Joekai, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with three insurance companies in Liberia to provide coverage for employees in the public sector.
By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr(231886458910)-[email protected]
The companies that signed the MOU include Insurance Company of Africa (ICA), Saar Insurance Company, and Activa International Liberia Incorporated.
The signing ceremony, which took place as part of broader civil service reforms, was a significant milestone aimed at improving service delivery for civil servants across Liberia’s 105 spending entities.
Joekai, who took over the CSA in March, shared that when he assumed leadership, the agency oversaw 103 entities. Since then, two additional entities have been brought under the CSA’s purview, bringing the total to 105. These entities fall under the CSA for human resource management purposes.
He highlighted several reform initiatives, including the reconstitution of the Board of Appeals after 18 years and the reduction of consultants from 1,000 to less than 100, saving the government $4.1 million.
Joekai also mentioned the launch of the Employee Status Regularization Project (ESRP), which helped reduced the workforce from 67,746 to 61,000 by March 2024.
Employee Status Regularization Project (ESRP)
The ESRP, launched by President Joseph Nyumah Boakai on July 4, 2024, at the Ministry of Information, Culture, Affairs, and Tourism, is aimed at verifying civil servants and removing those who are not legitimate employees.
The project continued with ongoing headcounts and verifications, which reduced the workforce further to 61,000 by September 2024.
Joekai shared statistics showing that, as of the latest audit, 6,281 employees held only a high school diploma, and 9,232 had no credentials at all. He also emphasized the concerning age distribution, with a large portion of the workforce—17,874 employees—falling within the 46-60 age range, underscoring the need for workforce replenishment.
Modernizing the Civil Service Examination System
In another reform effort, Joekai announced the modernization of the civil service examination system. This includes the establishment of a new National Civil Service Testing Center, designed to improve merit-based recruitment. The testing center features 27 cubicles with state-of-the-art setups, an automated system for online booking, and instant results via email. Joekai invited all entities to utilize the center and emphasized the CSA’s commitment to professionalism and merit-based hiring.
Consultancy Reform and Cost Savings
One of the CSA’s key reforms was the transformation of the consultancy regime, which had previously been a source of significant costs.
Joekai revealed that 1,000 consultants had cost the government $6.1 million in the 2023 fiscal year. To address this, the CSA drafted new policy guidelines that reduced the number of consultants to under 100, saving $4.1 million. The new policy also focused on ensuring that consultants provide professional services and are compensated based on performance.
Joekai also discussed the importance of placing professional individuals in key civil service positions to improve service delivery.
He compared Liberia’s approach to the success seen in countries like Ghana and Nigeria, where merit-based hiring has contributed to national development.
He criticized past practices of hiring unqualified individuals and reaffirmed the CSA’s commitment to eliminating incompetence within the civil service.
Civil Service Commission Bill and Future Plans
The CSA and Insurance companies signing ceremony brought together HR from different insurance companies, and representation of public service officials amongst others.
During the event, Joekai touched on the draft bill for the operationalization of the Civil Service Commission, which will be submitted to the President for inclusion in Liberia’s 2025 legislative agenda.
This bill, when passed, will fulfill Article 89 of Liberia’s Constitution and establish the Civil Service Commission, which will further strengthen the independence of the civil service and enforce policies for its improvement.
During the MOU signing ceremony, Ambrose Batu Wreh, the Non-Life Manager at the Insurance Company of Africa, expressed his enthusiasm for the progress the CSA has made in such a short period.
He acknowledged the challenges raised by the associations concerning insurance companies but expressed optimism about resolving these issues through collaboration with the CSA.
He also noted the ICA’s desire to contribute to the civil service reforms, adding that the insurance company would be pleased to further engage with the CSA in the future.
