In a country where most citizens struggle daily to make ends meet, revelations about monthly salaries of US$10,000 or more at state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are both enraging and deeply concerning. Dr. Robtel Neajai Pailey, a Liberian scholar and author, has aptly described this practice as a form of structural violence that perpetuates inequality and undermines the very foundations of a just society.
Dr. Pailey’s critique strikes at the heart of Liberia’s postwar governance dilemma. In a public statement, she declared that it is unconscionable for SOE heads to receive such exorbitant compensation while the vast majority of Liberians earn far below the minimum wage. According to her, the current wage structure entrenches inequality and reflects a system designed to benefit a few at the expense of many. She calls this economic disparity an “egregious crime” and urges the public to speak out.
In her analysis, even the minimum wage itself, often romanticized as a measure of progress, is “structurally violent, inherently unequal,” and incapable of enabling Liberians to meet basic human needs. If minimum wage earners are trapped in cycles of poverty, how can it be morally or politically justifiable for a small elite to receive salaries that eclipse the national average by hundreds of times?
Dr. Pailey did not stop at SOEs. She also pointed fingers at legislators who continue to pocket what she terms “exorbitant amounts of money.” These lawmakers, she argued, should not be immune from scrutiny, especially when their earnings far exceed what is reasonable in a low-income, aid-dependent country like Liberia. The need for public alarm, she said, is not only urgent; it is long overdue.
Her criticism coincides with a developing scandal. On June 25, 2025, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai suspended Arthur S. Massaquoi, Director-General of the Bureau of State Enterprises, over credible allegations of financial and administrative malpractices. The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) is now investigating the matter, and Mr. Massaquoi has been instructed to cooperate fully while handing over his responsibilities to the Deputy Director for Administration, Hon. Varlee F. Sanor.
President Boakai’s move may be seen as a step in the right direction, but systemic reform is needed. The issue is not limited to one individual or one bureau; it is embedded in how the state values or devalues its workforce. It’s a matter of equity, of governance, and ultimately, of national survival. You cannot rebuild a nation by institutionalizing economic apartheid.
What Dr. Pailey has done is articulate a truth that too many Liberians have internalized but rarely voice: that obscene wealth concentrated in the hands of a few public servants is not just bad optics; it is a moral failure. Her call to action is clear. If Liberia is to progress, these salary structures must be re-evaluated, laws must be reformed, and the people must demand accountability.
Liberians are not asking for miracles. They are asking for fairness, justice, and dignity in the governance of their resources. They are asking that public service be rooted in service, not exploitation. Paying SOE heads US$10,000 per month while the vast majority of Liberians remain trapped in poverty is not just unsustainable; it is unjust.
Until then, they must be reminded that they are public servants, paid by the people, answerable to the people, and expected to serve the interests of the people, not their own bank accounts.
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