By Precious D. Freeman
The Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) has reported significant delays in its recruitment process due to the extensive vetting required for over 9,000 applicants.
The recruitment drive, which started on July 18, 2024, aims to address urgent staffing needs but has been hampered by the thorough screening procedures.
Deputy Director General for Administration, Elijah Rufus, revealed during a press briefing that the Civil Service Agency (CSA) notified the LIS that 318 officers are approaching mandatory retirement age and will soon retire; this situation exacerbates the existing manpower shortage, particularly along Liberia’s borders.
“We have been advocating for additional personnel to be trained and deployed to our border posts, which are critically understaffed,” Rufus said; noting, “The challenge has intensified with the impending retirement of several officers when we need more support.”
The recruitment drive launched is to fill 500 available positions and it has received a massive response with 9,743 applications from across Liberia’s 15 counties.
The high volume of applicants has led to delays as the LIS conducts a comprehensive vetting process to ensure the selection of the most qualified individuals.
LIS Deputy Communication Director Abraham Kollie provided an update on the vetting process on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.
He noted that the screening began on August 12, 2024, starting with age verification while applicants outside the 18 to 35 age range were disqualified, narrowing the pool of potential candidates.
The next phase involves verifying the biometric ID cards of the remaining applicants. Despite the rigorous process, no candidates have yet been selected for the available positions.
“We are dedicated to a thorough and transparent vetting process,” Kollie said. “Although there is pressure to expedite the process, our priority is to ensure that we select the best candidates to strengthen our security forces.”
The LIS anticipates completing the vetting and shortlisting process soon, after which successful candidates will move on to the final stages of recruitment.
