For illegal dismissal, the Labor Ministry directed the National Port Authority to pay over US$280,000 to a former employee

Monrovia, Liberia: The Ministry of Labor has ruled that the National Port Authority (NPA) wrongfully dismissed its former Comptroller, Gabriel S. Bull, and has ordered either his immediate reinstatement or compensation exceeding $280,000.

This decision, issued on Friday, June 20, 2025, followed a formal complaint by Bull through his lawyer, Cllr. Arthur T. Johnson.

After thoroughly reviewing testimonies, documents, and other evidence, the Ministry concluded that Bull's dismissal violates the doctrine of due process.

The Director and Hearing Officer of the Division of Labor Standards, Boakai A. Sheriff, found that the NPA failed to conduct a proper investigation before terminating Bull’s employment.

This action, according to the Hearing Officer, Sheriff, breaches both national labor standards and the NPA’s internal protocols.

“The Ministry is convinced that the complainant was wrongfully discharged,” said Director Sheriff in his official ruling.

As a remedy, the NPA has been instructed to either reinstate Mr. Bull with full back pay and benefits as though he were never dismissed or to compensate him financially.

The compensation package includes, 24 months’ salary: $156,000 (at $6,500/month), Gasoline arrears: $59,655.60 for 13,620 gallons, Scratch card arrears: $64,100 for 12,820 units, Rice allowance: $1,190 for 70 bags of 25kg rice which sum up to $280,945.60 in general compensation.

The Ministry’s decision emphasized that no evidence was presented showing Mr. Bull was ever investigated or held accountable through a fair process, as mandated under Liberian labor law. Workplace investigations, the Ministry maintained, are essential before any termination on grounds of misconduct.

In its defense, the NPA alleged that Bull was dismissed for gross negligence and financial mismanagement, citing Article 5, Section 2(a) of its employee handbook.

However, the Labor Ministry dismissed the claim, stating that the NPA had not followed the necessary steps to substantiate such allegations.

Mr. Bull, who had worked at the NPA for over 18 years, said his dismissal came as a shock. He recounted an incident on March 8, 2024, when the Deputy Managing Director for Administration asked him to issue a check for the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) late at night.

Upon arriving at the NPA headquarters around midnight, the task could not be completed due to the unavailability of electricity. Two days later, on March 10, he received a WhatsApp message informing him of his dismissal—news he later learned had been broadcast by the Spoon Network.

Despite the message, Mr. Bull showed up for work the following Monday and continued his duties until 3:45 p.m., when he was handed an official memo confirming his termination.

He argued that the entire process ignored established internal disciplinary procedures and that the real motive behind his dismissal was to avoid settling long-standing benefit arrears owed to him.

Bull also stated that at no point during his career had he been audited, reprimanded, or subjected to an internal investigation, reinforcing his claim that the termination was unjustified and aimed at denying him nearly two decades’ worth of entitlements.