The Ministry of Labour has provided motorbikes to labor commissioners and inspectors across Liberia’s counties as part of efforts to strengthen field inspections, improve monitoring of businesses, and increase revenue generation from work permits and other labor-related services.
The initiative, launched Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at the Ministry of Labour in Monrovia, is aimed at improving the mobility of labor officials assigned in rural areas, particularly those responsible for inspecting concession companies, foreign businesses, and other employers operating outside the capital.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Labour Minister Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah said the provision of the motorbikes forms part of broader efforts to equip labor officials with the tools needed to effectively carry out their responsibilities.
He said the government’s ongoing domestic revenue enhancement drive requires public institutions to strengthen their operations and ensure that resources are properly mobilized.
“Because we are all following the news about the assistance programs for developing countries that have been cut off internationally, it means we have to try to build a strong domestic revenue base,” Minister Kruah said.
He explained that the Ministry has been working closely with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to improve the capacity of its workforce through training and other interventions.
“In addition to giving you the knowledge, we also should be able to provide the means to get out there and see how we can try to mobilize more resources for the government and for the country,” he said.
The Labour Minister stressed that commissioners cannot effectively monitor workplaces and enforce labor regulations while remaining confined to their offices.
“We cannot say you are a commissioner assigned to Grand Kru and you do not have the means to check those areas where you will get the people to either pay their work permit fees and other things. You cannot do it from the office; you have to work on the field,” he stated.
Minister Kruah cautioned recipients that the motorbikes are strictly for official duties and should not be used for personal transportation or commercial activities.
“These motorbikes are not for transport, not for commercial purposes. Use them for the intended purpose,” he warned.
He urged commissioners and inspectors to regularly visit their assigned territories, monitor businesses, and provide accurate reports to the Ministry.
“If you don’t go out there to check and see what is happening within the region you control, you will not be able to give the correct feedback when it comes to revenue generation or anything like that,” he added.
Minister Kruah disclosed that the Ministry has recorded significant progress in revenue generation through work permits, generating more than US$12 million between January and June 2026.
“Between January and June, we have generated more than $12 million through work permits,” he announced.
He credited the achievement to the efforts of labor commissioners and inspectors working across the country and expressed confidence that the Ministry could surpass its annual revenue target.
The Minister also reiterated the government’s policy requiring employers seeking new work permits to first advertise available positions locally for 30 days before foreign workers can be considered.
“We want to make sure that the job is advertised for 30 days in a local newspaper. We also put the same information on our website,” he explained.
He said the policy is intended to increase Liberian participation in the economy by ensuring qualified Liberians have opportunities to compete for available jobs.
“We want to do that to encourage the participation of Liberians in our economy,” Kruah said.
The Labour Minister said the Ministry plans to continue improving the working conditions of labor officials, noting that the motorbike distribution is only the beginning of additional support expected in the future.
“This is the beginning of many things. We are starting with motorcycles. Hopefully next year there will be vehicles so that we can improve the working condition of our people and increase productivity,” he said.
He warned commissioners that the equipment must translate into improved performance and stronger reporting.
“We don’t give you the motorcycle, you go pack it, and then we don’t hear from you. We don’t see improvement in your reporting and things like that,” he cautioned.
Minister Kruah encouraged regional commissioners to maintain regular communication with the Ministry and promptly report challenges from their respective areas.
“If we don’t hear from you for two or three months, there is no feedback, it means either you are making your farm or you are not doing our job,” he said.
He also disclosed plans to strengthen labor monitoring along Liberia’s borders, particularly in areas vulnerable to illegal activities and undocumented labor movement.
The Minister mentioned possible plans to establish a labor office near the Cape Mount border with Sierra Leone to improve monitoring and enforcement.
Chairman of the Labor Commission Council, Eric Kollie, thanked Minister Kruah and the Ministry’s leadership for providing the motorbikes, describing the initiative as a major boost to labor operations in rural counties.
“We were here a few days ago for capacity building, which took us across the rural counties. Today, in addition to the capacity building, we are receiving motorbikes,” Kollie said.
“This is something that will help us enhance our work.”
Speaking on behalf of commissioners from the counties, he pledged that the motorbikes would be used responsibly to strengthen workplace inspections, improve labor services, and support national revenue generation.
“We are going to use these motorbikes purposefully to enhance our work in generating revenues and protecting labor practices for our nation,” he said.
