600 Volunteer Health Workers Added On Gov’t’s Payroll …As CSA Targets Fraud In Civil Service

By Grace Bryant Mollay
The Government of Liberia has officially placed 600 of the country’s 761 volunteer healthcare workers on the national pay roll toward strengthening Liberia’s healthcare workforce and reinforcing public sector accountability.
The announcement was made Tuesday by the Director-General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Josiah Joekai, during a press briefing hosted by the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT).
Joekai further disclosed that the remaining 161 volunteer health workers are currently undergoing a vetting process for potential inclusion in subsequent employment rounds.
“This move is a significant milestone in recognizing the selfless sacrifices of healthcare volunteers across the country. It’s also a step toward stabilizing our health system by improving job security for these essential workers,”said Joekai.
The decision marks a moment of relief and reward for hundreds of men and women who have worked tirelessly often without pay to support Liberia’s healthcare system, especially during the most challenging times of national emergencies.
Beyond the healthcare workforce, Joekai also unveiled sweeping actions taken by the CSA to clean up government payrolls and reallocate resources toward impactful development projects.
He revealed that the agency had seized salaries from non-compliant officials, resulting in savings of US$89,577.60, which has been placed in an escrow account.
According to him, President Boakai has since directed the funds to the Ministry of Education to support the “One Child, One Chair” initiative, aimed at providing proper seating for school children across the country. Over 2,000 chairs are expected to be produced by local carpenters from the Monrovia Vocational Training Center (MVTC) and Booker T. Washington Institute (BWI).
Joekai also made concern payroll fraud at the House of Representatives. He accused of illegally adding 243 individuals to the legislative branch’s supplementary payroll.
The CSA swiftly acted to remove the names and canceled a subsequent request for US$327,000 that was linked to the irregular entries.
He emphasized the CSA’s commitment to transparency and integrity in public service.“The supplementary payroll at the House has now been entirely shut down,”Joekai stated.