Ministry of Youth, Sports Entangles in theft of service Scandal

Monrovia, Liberia: As President Joseph Nyuma Boakai intensifies his war against corruption, it appears as though the Ministry of Youth and Sports is diametrically opposed to the President’s agenda, as the ministry has been the center of unbridled acts of corruption.

The Ministry is currently battling allegations of financial misconduct and abuses of power as nearly 80 casual workers besieged the grounds of the ministry on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, in protest for seven months of salary arrears.

The deliberate refusal on the part of the ministry to settle its indebtedness to workers from the maintenance department has already resulted in the death of two individuals, leaving several others critically ill owing to the unbearable stress and hardship inflicted on them due to the ministry’s outright negligence.

The workers, primarily from the ministry’s maintenance department, are owed US$150 per month. With $1,050 per worker outstanding, the total amount of unpaid wages stands at an alarming $84,000.

The aggrieved workers with nearly sixteen years of dedicated service to the ministry accused Minister J. Cole Bangalu of withholding their salaries while selectively paying other employees secretly in dubious transactions.

Despite their repeated appeals for justice, the agitated unpaid workers claimed the Minister Bangalu has remained indifferent to their plight, demonstrating a blatant disregard for their well-being.

During a recent protest at the ministry, frustration boiled over as workers voiced their grievances, accusing the minister of deliberate marginalization and corruption.

The protest escalated in chaos at the advent of Deputy Minister for Administration, Henry B. Yonton, Jr., who threatened to run over the protesters with his vehicle if they blocked any entrance to the ministry.

K-News sought Deputy Minister Yonton’s response to these allegations, but he declined to comment. However, a staffer confirmed his presence at the ministry during the incident to our reporter.

Further exacerbating the aggrieved workers’ outrage are a litany of allegations against Assistant Minister for Administration Valerie D. C. Williams ranging from verbal abuse, physical assault, intimidation, and harassment.

The protesters accused Valerie as the mastermind behind their marginalization, playing a key role in perpetuating their suffering.

When approached by K-News on the angry workers claims, Valerie declined to comment on the grounds that she was not an appropriate authority to speak on the matter.

Her dismissive attitude has left the aggrieved workers feeling increasingly abandoned by those who should be advocating for their rights.

Madam Valerie has never ceased to be a focus of unhealthy attention at the ministry. It may be recalled that in October 2024, she had ordered officers of the Liberia National Police to arrest and detain maintenance workers who had gone to similarly protest for their salary arrears.

A background check on Valerie portrays an image of cruelty. One particular shocking detail, as K-New gathered, is recorded during the 2024 festive season when she (Valerie) denied maintenance workers at MVTC receiving a 25-kg bag of rice as a festive package. She took this action while the Ministry is still indebted to the workers

Also, Ephraim Paye, a maintenance worker at MVTC, met his unfortunate demise in late November 2024 due to severe depression and frustration because he had not taken a salary for nearly eight months.

Paye, who worked as a maintenance man for more than a decade, got impatient from enduring hardship and had to leave with his children on grounds that she could no longer bear the consistent pinch of hunger.

This situation had a devastating emotional and physiological impact on Ephraim that subsequently resulted in his death. Like the 80 protesting maintenance workers, Ephraim had not taken a salary for over eight months. 

Paye died en route to Nimba County from where he hailed after a relative had come to take him home because he was neglected by the ministry. And up till today, there is no record to show that the Ministry of Youth and Sports made any intervention in his burial rites take less about meeting his family members.

A K-NEWS depth investigation also established that Valerie, a staunch member of the Unity Party, was supervisor at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium during the former Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)-led government.

According to what this medium gathered, Valerie was elected President of the MYS Workers Union due to her vocal stance against then Minister Zeogar Wilson and the CDC-led government.

One source who spoke to K-News on the condition of anonymity informed this medium that Valerie's cruelty against the suffering maintenance workers is in political retaliation against the former government under whose authority most of the maintenance workers were employed.

Our investigation also uncovered that the Assistant Minister for Administration was the primary mastermind behind the removal of Alieu Lee Kemokai as Director at MVTC. According to our investigation, she accused Kemokai of being a member of the CDC and subsequently prevailed on Minister Bangalu, an effort that saw Kemokai take the exit door.

Kemokai is not the only victim of this lady political shenanigan. Paul Soper, Deputy Director at MVTC, a devout member of the CDC suspension, was engineered by Valerie. Although a one-month suspension has elapsed, he has not resumed work, our source told K-News.

K-News also gathered that while Valerie occupies the lowest office in the hierarchical ladder at the Ministry, she wheels so much authority due to her proximity to higher-ups in the Executive Mansion. 

The protesting workers claimed Minister Bangalu and his core of officers, with Valerie being at the center stage, have not only ignored their pleas but have also engaged in financial mismanagement and abuse of power.

These allegations come at a time when President Boakai’s administration has promised to stamp out corruption and restore public trust in government institutions.

Yet, the actions of top officials within the ministry threaten to undermine these efforts, casting doubt on the government’s commitment to accountability.

The human cost of this scandal cannot be overstated. The deaths of two workers—a man and a woman—serve as a stark reminder of the dire consequences of neglect and corruption.

These individuals lost their lives while waiting for salaries that were rightfully theirs, leaving their families devastated and their colleagues enraged.

Meanwhile, others have fallen gravely ill, unable to afford medical care or basic necessities due to the prolonged financial hardship.

The protesting workers are now calling for immediate intervention from the government.

They want President Boakai to launch a full-scale investigation into the Ministry of Youth and Sports, holding Minister Bangalu, Deputy Minister Yonton, and Deputy Minister Brown accountable for their actions.

The workers argue that their prolonged suffering is not an isolated incident but a symptom of deeper systemic corruption that must be addressed urgently.

The scandal has sparked widespread condemnation from civil society groups and citizens alike. Many have questioned how such blatant misconduct could persist within a ministry tasked with promoting youth development and empowerment.

Critics argue that the Ministry of Youth and Sports has failed to uphold its mandate, instead becoming a breeding ground for corruption and exploitation.

As the protests intensify, the pressure on the ministry’s leadership continues to mount.

The workers’ demands for justice resonate with a broader call for transparency and accountability across all levels of government.

This crisis has become a litmus test for President Boakai’s administration, challenging its ability to tackle corruption and protect the rights of ordinary citizens.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports must act decisively to resolve this crisis. This includes immediately paying the unpaid salaries, addressing the workers’ grievances, and cooperating fully with any investigations.

Edited: E. Geedahgar Garsuah, Sr.