President Boakai, Launches Employee Status Regularization Program and Unveils Consultants

Monrovia: the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) on July 4, 2024, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic of Liberia, heralded the official launch of the Employee Status

Regularization Program (ESRP). This initiative, a cornerstone of his administration's commitment to transparency and efficiency, aims to revolutionize employment practices within

the Liberian government President Boakai emphasized that the ESRP is a critical component of the Administration's ARREST Agenda, focused on Accountability, Reconciliation, Recovery, and Sustainable Transformation. 

At its core, the program seeks to rectify inefficiencies within the government's payroll system by identifying and eliminating ghost names, double dippers, and unqualified personnel. By doing so, the

initiative not only promises to streamline operations but also to enhance wages for deserving civil servants The President underscored the economic significance of this initiative, highlighting

that the presence of non-existent or ineligible individuals on the payroll has resulted in substantial financial losses monthly.

The implementation of ESRP, led by the Civil Service Agency (CSA), aims not only to curb these losses but also to

ensure that public funds are utilized with transparency and accountability Already underway across 26 of the government's 103 Spending Entities, the ESRP has uncovered significant discrepancies, including duplicate National Identification Numbers (NINs) and incomplete Personnel Action Notices (PANs).

President Boakai stressed that these findings underscore the urgency of the initiative and reaffirmed his commitment to achieving a clean, efficient, and professional civil service.

The ESRP, President Boakai announced a major overhaul in the utilization of consultancy services within the government.

Criticizing previous administrations for excessive and often ineffective consultancy hires, he disclosed the recruitment of 97 highly qualified professionals through a rigorous vetting process aligned with the National Consultancy Policy Guidelines. 

CSA boss Josiah Joekai 

These experts, spanning legal, human resources, management, and medical fields, are poised to contribute significantly to governmental operations and service delivery.

The President expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Civil Service Agency for spearheading these reforms and assured the public that these measures are designed to deliver tangible improvements in governance.

He outlined the timeline for the ESRP's implementation, projecting completion by September 2024, with milestones including audit assessments, data verification, system implementation and comprehensive training

President Boakai urged Liberians to support these reforms, emphasizing that they are essential for building a stronger, more responsive government.

 He reiterated his administration's commitment to serving Liberia with integrity and dedication, encapsulating his vision with the motto:

In essence, the launch of the Employee Status Regularization Program and the recruitment of qualified consultants mark significant steps towards realizing a transparent, efficient, and accountable government under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.'s leadership

Meanwhile the Civil Service Agency of Liberia said it has discovered and removed 687 potential ghost names from government payrolls across four spending entities.

Speaking at the Ministry of Information Culture Affairs and Tourism regular press briefing Thursday, CSA Director General Josiah Joekai disclosed that the move will save the government from spending the total of US$2.6 Million annually.

Meanwhile, President Joseph Boakai has welcomed the decision from the CSA, stressing that efforts will also allow for improved salaries for civil servants.