By Reagan S. Lebbie
MONROVIA, Oct. 22-(LINA) – The Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, has outlined several gains made by the government through the Civil Service Agency of Liberia.
According to him, the cleaning of payroll through the Employee Status Regularization Project is one of the major achievements, where ghost names were removed, saving millions of dollars.
Speaking Tuesday October 22-2025 at the official launch of the Automated Legal power of Attorney (LPA) at the Ministerial Complex, in Congo Town, the Liberia Civil Service Boss added that the Government of Liberia has raised the minimum wage of civil servants to a fair and decent level, coupled with the launch of the National Civil Service Testing Center, ending favoritism and ushering in merit-based recruitment for the first time in our nation’s history.
“Today is not just a ceremony. It is a turning point. We are gathered to mark the rebirth of an idea, an idea that once defined what it meant to be a proud Liberian civil servant. Today, we are here to tell every teacher, every nurse, every police officer, every public worker across this nation, your government sees you.
He said when you walk into a participating or an LPA-approved store, all you do is verify your identity, choose your goods within your credit limit, and you’re done, No forms, No approvals, No waiting, No humiliation and the total cost is spread over six months through automatic payroll deductions, allowing every civil servant to make purchases and pay small amounts, safely and honorably.
“Today, the Legal Power of Attorney is no longer a stack of dusty files. It is a fully automated, biometric, real-time digital service that is fast, smart, and secure Here’s how it works”.
The DG further mentioned the reconstitution of the Civil Service Board of Appeals, ensuring that justice and fairness return to the workplace, citing “We are finalizing the Act to establish the Civil Service Commission; an independent body that will safeguard the rights of every public worker in the Republic of Liberia,”
According to him, each of these reforms’ points in the same direction — toward a government that works smarter, serves better, and treats its employees as partners in progress including the
National Partnership & Empowerment: Building Together, Standing Together.
“My friends, the progress of this scale does not happen in isolation, It happens through partnership, collaboration, and a shared vision for national transformation,” the CSA boss said.
Dr. Joekai noted that the government is not only working to pay your wages, but to restore your dignity, this is the story of the Legal Power of Attorney.
It can be recalled in 2024 the Civil Service Agency (CSA) saved Liberia $2.4 million by removing more than 5,500 ghost workers from the government payroll, slashing the monthly wage bill from $23.5 million to $21.1 million in a sweeping crackdown on fraud and inefficiency.
According to the report, the payroll cleanup was pivotal in restoring transparency and accountability in government spending.
“The reduction in the payroll budget is a direct consequence of the successful identification and removal of ghost workers who were illegally on the payroll,” the report states. The agency also confirmed that over 12,000 government workers were verified during the project, ensuring that only legitimate employees remained on the list.
As part of the verification process by the CSA more than 700 salary accounts linked to individuals with no valid government employment records were blocked. “This action alone has saved the government $205,548 annually,”
Dr. Joekai used the occasion and expressed profound gratitude to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Ministry of Justice, two institutions that have walked this journey with us from conception to implementation.
“Your collaboration represents exactly what His Excellency President Joseph N. Boakai, Sr. has consistently charged us to do, to govern through peer learning, resource sharing, and technical cooperation” he said. Adding, this is how to build a responsive government, one that does not operate in silos, but in solidarity.
To our financial partners, I extend heartfelt appreciation: To ECOBANK Liberia, the International Bank of Liberia Limited, and the Afriland Bank thank you for your confidence, your partnership, and your continued support for this reform.
He also appreciated the technology partner, Mwetana Consulting and Technology Group, a professional, proudly Liberian firm and an undisputed leader in our nation’s tech sector, I say this: You have proven that Liberian ingenuity can drive Liberian progress.