By Dorcas T. Gboerreh-Boe
MONROVIA, Oct. 18 (LINA) — The Civil Service Agency (CSA), in collaboration with the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), has recorded 2,042 eligible government employees in its nationwide pre-retirement counseling and data collection exercise aimed at preparing civil servants for retirement.
CSA Director-General Dr. Josiah F. Joekai disclosed this on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, noting that the exercise, which runs from September 21 to October 16, 2026, is intended to ensure that eligible public employees receive adequate retirement counseling and have their employment records verified before retirement.
Joekai said the exercise has covered 14 locations, with the final phase scheduled for October 12–16 across Nimba, Margibi, Grand Gedeh, Montserrado, Bomi, Bong, and Grand Bassa counties.
He urged government spending entities and human resource directors to ensure that all remaining eligible employees attend their scheduled sessions to facilitate the verification of records and preparations for retirement.
As part of efforts to improve retirement benefits for public servants, Joekai said the CSA had formally requested funding from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) for retirement “handshake” packages for current retirees.
He explained that the proposed initiative builds on a measure introduced in 2024, under which eligible employees approaching retirement spent their final three months at home while receiving their full salaries before transitioning to the pension payroll.
“The proposed handshake packages are intended to help dignify the retirement process for public servants as they conclude their years of government service,” Joekai said.
Addressing other national issues, Joekai said the CSA was advancing plans to decentralize its operations by establishing regional offices across the country to bring public services closer to civil servants outside Monrovia.
In Bomi County, he said, the agency’s regional office in Tubmanburg had been fully renovated and dedicated by Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan.
The facility is expected to serve government employees in Bomi, Gbarpolu, and Grand Cape Mount counties.
In Nimba County, construction of the CSA’s regional headquarters in Ganta has reached the roofing stage, with roofing work expected to begin the following week, according to Joekai.
He said the facility would include administrative offices, conference facilities, and parking spaces, adding that the Ganta complex is scheduled for completion by December 2026 and is expected to serve civil servants in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba counties.
In Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, foundation and concrete works are underway on another regional headquarters, with completion expected by January 2027.
Joekai said the facility is intended to improve access to civil service operations across the southeastern region.
The CSA is also planning to establish a regional office in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, following an offer of two acres of land from the county administration.
According to Joekai, the proposed office is expected to serve Grand Bassa, River Cess, and Margibi counties, with plans being developed for consideration in the 2027 national budget.