MONROVIA – Liberia’s civil service will lose 2,718 workers on December 31. Their exit is the real test of the Boakai administration’s retirement reforms. Civil Service Agency Director General Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr. insists the system now works. His own figures, however, carry a warning. More than half of the retirees come from the Ministry of Education. Health and local government account for much of the rest. Classrooms and clinics, not boardrooms, will feel the gap first. Meanwhile, 117 Liberians who retired between 2020 and 2024 still await a first pension payment. Joekai cites 294 cleared cases as proof of capacity. Succession planning and NASSCORP’s January payroll will decide the verdict, As THE ANALYST reports.
The Government of Liberia has strengthened retirement administration and pension security through reforms that are ensuring public servants transition from active service into retirement “with dignity, security, and confidence,” the Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., has declared.
Joekai made the disclosure Tuesday at the Ministry of Information (MOI) in Monrovia, where he presented an official press statement on the successful conclusion of the 2026 Nationwide Pre-Retirement Counseling and Data Collection Exercise.
Addressing officials of the MOI, members of the press, and fellow Liberians, Joekai said he was pleased to speak on behalf of the CSA regarding the significant progress the Government of Liberia has made in reforming retirement administration.
He noted that since President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., assumed office in January 2024, the Government has taken deliberate measures to address longstanding administrative challenges in retirement processing, personnel documentation, pension enrollment, and the timely payment of retirement benefits.
Years Of Retirement Hardship
The CSA Director General recalled that for many years, retirement presented considerable difficulties for eligible civil servants. He observed that some employees remained in active service beyond their statutory retirement age because of administrative delays, while others retired without receiving their pension benefits for extended periods.
According to Joekai, inadequate documentation limited institutional coordination, and delays in processing retirement records created uncertainty and unnecessary hardship for retirees and their families. He stated that these challenges undermined the dignity of public service and placed additional burdens on individuals who had devoted their productive years to serving the Republic.
Joekai reported that the situation has significantly improved. He disclosed that through strengthened collaboration between the CSA and the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), the Government has established a more coordinated, proactive, and accountable retirement administration process.
He explained that eligible civil servants are now being identified, counseled, documented, and prepared for retirement well ahead of their effective retirement dates. Consequently, he noted, employees who meet the applicable requirements are increasingly transitioning into retirement without the prolonged administrative difficulties many of their predecessors experienced.
The CSA boss described the improvements as a reflection of the administration’s commitment to institutional reform and the welfare of public servants. He added that, as part of its pro-worker and pro-family agenda, President Boakai’s administration continues to institute measures designed to improve the well-being of civil servants across all Government spending entities.
Joekai stressed that the Government recognizes that retirement security is essential to employee welfare, family stability, institutional credibility, and the integrity of the Civil Service. “Public servants who have faithfully served their country deserve a retirement process that respects their contributions and protects their lawful entitlements,” he declared.
2,835 Employees Captured Nationwide
Joekai announced that the CSA, in close collaboration with NASSCORP, successfully concluded the 2026 Nationwide Pre-Retirement Counseling and Data Collection Exercise on October 17, 2026. The exercise covered all 15 counties and involved employees from 67 Government spending entities.
He outlined the exercise’s principal objectives as identifying employees eligible for retirement, verifying their employment and personal records, providing retirement counseling, facilitating pension enrollment, and identifying outstanding retirement cases requiring administrative intervention. The exercise, he disclosed, successfully captured 2,835 employees, of whom 2,718 are scheduled to retire effective December 31, 2026, while the remaining 117 individuals represent outstanding retirement cases from previous years.
According to the CSA Director General, these results demonstrate the Government’s improved capacity to plan retirement transitions, maintain reliable personnel records, and coordinate pension benefit processing before employees leave active service. The CSA’s National Retirement Exercise Performance Summary for Fiscal Year 2026 shows that the exercise covered 15 counties, reached 67 Government spending entities, and captured a total of 2,835 employees.
The summary further shows that of the 2,718 employees scheduled for retirement in 2026, 2,125 (78.2 percent) are male and 593 (21.8 percent) are female. It also lists 117 outstanding retirement cases from 2020 to 2024 and puts the share of captured employees in the 2026 retirement batch at 95.9 percent.
Joekai noted that the results indicate that approximately 96 percent of employees captured during the exercise are scheduled for retirement in December 2026. He described this level of advance identification and documentation as meaningful progress in the Government’s efforts to institutionalize an orderly and predictable retirement system, adding that it also strengthens spending entities’ ability to plan for personnel transitions while ensuring eligible employees receive the necessary guidance and administrative support.
Education Ministry Tops Retirement List
On institutional distribution and workforce transition, Joekai disclosed that the Ministry of Education accounts for the largest number of employees scheduled for retirement, followed by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Local Government. Together, he said, these three institutions represent approximately 76.9 percent of the 2026 retirement batch.
According to CSA data on the Government institutions with the highest retirement numbers, the Ministry of Education accounts for 1,493 employees, or 54.9 percent of the 2026 batch. The Ministry of Health accounts for 300 employees (11.0 percent), the Ministry of Local Government for 297 (10.9 percent), and other Government spending entities for 628 (23.1 percent), bringing the total to 2,718, or 100 percent.
Joekai stated that these figures underscore the importance of effective retirement planning within institutions responsible for delivering essential public services. Retirement administration, he cautioned, must therefore be accompanied by appropriate workforce succession planning to preserve institutional knowledge, maintain service delivery, and ensure continuity in Government operations.
He pledged that the CSA will continue working with Human Resource Directors and relevant authorities across spending entities to ensure that retirement decisions are supported by accurate records, timely communication, and appropriate personnel transition arrangements. “Our objective is to make retirement a predictable administrative process, not a source of uncertainty for employees and their institutions,” Joekai affirmed.
117 Pension Cases Still Outstanding
The CSA Director General described the Government’s improved capacity to identify and resolve outstanding pension cases as one of the most significant achievements of the ongoing retirement reforms. He disclosed that the 2026 exercise identified 117 individuals who retired between 2020 and 2024 but have not commenced receiving their pension benefits, involving 92 males and 25 females across 13 Government spending entities.
Of these cases, Joekai said, 42 were identified at the Ministry of Education, 33 at the Ministry of Local Government, and 19 at the Ministry of Health. He noted that the CSA has begun reviewing, compiling, and transmitting the relevant documentation to NASSCORP for verification and processing, stressing that every eligible retiree deserves timely attention and that the Government remains committed to addressing these outstanding cases through sustained institutional collaboration.
Joekai maintained that the agency’s confidence in this process is supported by measurable results. He recalled that during the 2024 nationwide retirement exercise, the CSA and NASSCORP identified 294 individuals who had retired between 2018 and 2023 without receiving their pension benefits, and that through coordinated administrative intervention, the Government processed all 294 cases, with the beneficiaries now receiving their monthly pension payments.
He argued that this achievement demonstrates that the retirement challenges inherited by the current administration can be addressed through institutional commitment, effective coordination, and consistent follow-through. It also, he said, reinforces the Government’s determination to prevent the recurrence of prolonged pension processing delays.
Pensions Expected In January 2027
On pension payment arrangements and retirement benefits, Joekai explained that the Government’s objective is to ensure that eligible employees transition from active Government payroll to pension administration through a properly coordinated process. He disclosed that under the current arrangements, employees scheduled to retire effective December 31, 2026, are expected to commence receiving their monthly pension benefits in January 2027, subject to the successful completion of NASSCORP’s verification and enrollment requirements.
In addition to their monthly pension benefits, Joekai announced, eligible retirees will receive the Government Retirement Handshake Package, a one-time payment determined by their qualifying years of public service. He said this benefit recognizes retiring employees’ contributions and provides additional financial support as they transition from active employment.
The CSA Director General noted that the CSA and NASSCORP are working to ensure that the required documentation and administrative processes are completed promptly. He added that the Government recognizes that timely retirement payments contribute directly to household stability, particularly for families that depend on the retirement income of former public servants.
“Retirement should be a period of dignity and reasonable financial security, rather than a prolonged struggle to access benefits earned through years of national service,” Joekai declared. He said this principle continues to guide the reforms being implemented under President Boakai’s administration.
Registration Extended To November 30
Joekai disclosed that, recognizing that some eligible employees were unable to participate in the nationwide field exercise, the CSA has extended the retirement capture and documentation period to November 30, 2026. He explained that the extension gives eligible employees an additional opportunity to complete their records and participate in the retirement processing arrangements.
Employees captured and processed under this second batch, he said, are expected to commence receiving their pension benefits in February 2027, including their January 2027 entitlement retroactively, subject to successful verification and enrollment by NASSCORP. Joekai strongly encouraged all eligible civil servants who have not yet been captured to submit their required documentation to the CSA before the November 30 deadline.
He also urged Human Resource Directors and Officers across Government institutions to provide the necessary administrative assistance to ensure that no eligible employee is unnecessarily excluded from the process. The Government, he stated, intends to ensure that every eligible public servant receives appropriate counseling, understands the applicable retirement requirements, and completes the necessary procedures before leaving active service.
CSA, NASSCORP Collaboration Credited
According to Joekai, progress since 2024 shows the importance of sustained collaboration between the CSA and NASSCORP. He noted that by improving the identification of eligible employees, strengthening documentation procedures, providing advance retirement counseling, and coordinating pension enrollment, the two institutions have contributed significantly to a more responsive and dependable retirement administration system.
Going forward, Joekai said, the CSA will continue strengthening retirement planning and personnel data management across Government spending entities. He added that the agency will pay particular attention to early identification of retirement-eligible employees, timely verification of employment records, resolution of outstanding pension cases, and improved coordination among institutions responsible for retirement administration.
The Director General stated that the Government will also continue emphasizing the responsibility of Human Resource Directors and Officers to maintain accurate personnel information and facilitate retirement processing in accordance with applicable laws and administrative requirements. He described these measures as essential to sustaining the improvements already achieved and preventing a return to the challenges that previously affected retiring employees.
Joekai observed that an effective retirement system serves both employees and the Government. For employees, he said, it provides clarity, dignity, and greater confidence in their retirement entitlements, while for Government institutions, it improves personnel planning, strengthens workforce accountability, and facilitates orderly transitions without unnecessary disruption to public services.
“Dignity In Retirement,” Joekai Insists
In conclusion, Joekai told journalists that the successful conclusion of the 2026 Nationwide Pre-Retirement Counseling and Data Collection Exercise represents another important milestone in the Government’s continuing efforts to improve the welfare of public servants. He maintained that since 2024, the Government has made substantial progress in addressing longstanding retirement administration challenges, resolving outstanding pension cases, strengthening institutional coordination, and ensuring that eligible employees are better prepared for retirement.
“President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr.’s administration sends a clear message: public servants who dedicate their productive years to serving Liberia must be treated with dignity in retirement,” Joekai declared. He added that the administration’s pro-worker and pro-family commitment requires it to keep improving the systems that protect employees’ rights, recognize their contributions, and support their families, and that the improvements achieved through the CSA and NASSCORP show that retirement can be administered more efficiently, transparently, and humanely.
The CSA Director General extended sincere appreciation to the leadership and technical teams of NASSCORP, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Human Resource Directors and Officers across Government spending entities, and all stakeholders whose cooperation has contributed to these achievements. He also commended the employees who participated in the nationwide exercise and encouraged those who have not yet completed their documentation to take advantage of the extended registration period.
As the Government consolidates these gains, Joekai said, the CSA remains committed to building a retirement administration system that is reliable, accountable, responsive, and worthy of the confidence of every Liberian public servant. “Retirement must be a dignified transition that honors years of dedicated national service, protects earned benefits, and recognizes the invaluable contributions of those who have served our Republic,” he stated, pledging that under President Boakai’s leadership, the CSA will continue working to make this commitment a lasting reality for public servants across Liberia.