By Grace Q. Bryant
A comprehensive audit by the Civil Service Agency (CSA) has revealed the duplication of 17 positions on the House of Representatives’ central administration payroll.
This practice led to the creation of a supplementary payroll comprising 243 roles, resulting in double-dipping and costing the government US$1,566,564 annually.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism (MICAT) regular press briefing, CSA Director General Josiah F. Joekai stated that these irregularities undermine the objectives of the 2019 National Remuneration Standardization Act, which aims to standardize salaries, eliminate redundancies, and promote fiscal responsibility.
“The report identified multiple duplicated roles, including Research Officers, Office Assistants, and Protocol Officers. These duplication and cases of double-dipping violate transparency and accountability principles,” said Joekai.
He emphasized that the supplementary payroll facilitates the misuse of public funds and contravenes the single salary guidelines mandated by the Act.
To address the issue, the CSA has requested the Comptroller and Accountant General of Liberia to instruct commercial banks to immediately stop processing supplementary payment requests from government entities.
The CSA has also recommended closing the supplementary payroll, reviewing payroll systems to eliminate duplication, and suspending the House’s Human Resource Director and three others implicated in double-dipping. Their salaries are to be forfeited during the investigation.
He furthered that with the consent of the House’s leadership, a special Internal Audit Agency (IAA) team is collaborating with the CSA on the Employee Status Regularization Project (ESRP) to investigate the matter.
He disclosed that those found guilty will be required to repay misappropriated funds, and individuals responsible for approving the supplementary payrolls may face suspension or dismissal.
He urged that adherence to established salary guidelines and consultancy framework, “These measures are essential to safeguard public funds, reinforce fiscal discipline, and uphold the principles of the 2019 Act,”Joekai stated.
He commended the House leadership for taking immediate steps to rectify the irregularities and reaffirmed the CSA’s commitment to payroll management reforms and enhanced governance.
According to him, in 2024, the CSA achieved milestones, including streamlining the national pension payroll, transitioning over 400 retirees to non-active status, and ensuring their access to pensions.
He revealed that more than 1,400 employees across 35 ministries and agencies have been identified for retirement as part of an ongoing nationwide initiative.
The CSA announced a salary top-up initiative for teachers, healthcare workers, security personnel, and agriculture extension workers.
Over 12,000 teachers, 4,700 healthcare workers, 7,600 security personnel, and 480 agriculture workers earn below the minimum wage adding that in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, funds will be allocated to improve their compensation.
“This initiative aligns with President Boakai’s vision for equity in the civil service,”Director Joekai noted, highlighting the importance of fair wages in improving job satisfaction and service delivery.