Former Liberia Telecommunications Corporation Employees Persist in Protest for Long-Delayed Benefits

MONROVIA – A group of former employees of the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LTC) maintained their protest outside the company headquarters on Monday, demanding the release of their overdue benefits spanning more than ten years.
The demonstrators, primarily composed of elderly individuals, expressed their grievances to journalists as they blockaded the main entrance to the LTC in Monrovia. Their central complaint is that the company’s management has persistently withheld their rightful entitlements.
Repeated appeals to the company’s leadership have yielded no resolution, according to the ex-employees, who have engaged with the management on multiple occasions.
This marks the second consecutive week that this group of frustrated former workers has taken to the streets in protest. Their aim is to draw attention to the institution’s leadership, which has thus far failed to fulfill their rightful financial dues, they said.
Voicing their frustrations, the former employees emphasized that the national government has already allocated the funds meant for their outstanding payments. They questioned the rationale behind the delay in disbursing the money, particularly given Liberian labor laws that stipulate complete settlement of arrears upon an employee’s termination.

“When an employee is laid off, the Liberian law mandates that all arrears must be settled before the individual is released. How can we be expected to make ends meet when we are owed, especially those of us supporting families?” one protester argued.
Another participant, who is also a widow of a former LTC employee, shared her poignant story, underlining the dire need for the long-awaited benefits.
“Some of us our husband died running behind this same money business, we need this money to send our children to school. We have run here too long. This is not one year, two years or five years. We are tired. We need the president to intervene in this money business. we are not begging them, we need our money, she lamented.”
The protester went on to stress that a swift resolution to this matter is not just essential for the welfare of the affected individuals, but it also has implications for President George Weah’s reelection bid.

“For the president’s campaign to go on smoothly, the Telecommunications Corporation must honor its commitment and promptly pay us our overdue benefits,” she concluded.
As the standoff continues, the former LTC employees remain resolute in their pursuit of justice and legitimate financial compensation.