By George C Flomo
MONROVIA – The Acting Managing Director of the National Insurance Company of Liberia (NICOL), Mr. Abdullah Swaray, has clarified reports circulating in the public regarding alleged wrongful hiring practices and payroll padding at the institution.
Speaking Thursday at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing in Monrovia, Mr. Swaray described the allegations as “misleading, malicious, and based on misinformation,” noting that his actions were intended to prevent financial malpractice and strengthen institutional transparency.
Mr. Swaray explained that upon assuming office, he inherited what he described as a severely dysfunctional institution with critical administrative gaps. According to him, NICOL had “no existing procurement department, no functional Human Resource Division, and poor customer service structure.”
These gaps, he said, were unacceptable for an institution entrusted with protecting government assets and offering insurance services.
He noted that insurance operates on trust and professionalism and NICOL must reflect that capacity.
“Insurance is about selling something you don’t have — trust. Customer service is everything,” he said.
Explaining the controversy surrounding recent attempted hires, Mr. Swaray disclosed that a staff member of NICOL died in July while another retired, leaving their names active on the payroll — a situation he said could evolve into payroll padding if corrective action was not taken immediately.
“As a forensic auditor and certified examiner, I could not allow names of deceased or separated staff to remain on payroll. Payroll padding is a crime, and I was acting to prevent it, not encourage it,” he stated.
To address staffing shortages, Sweaty said NICOL hired an independent firm — without management interference — to conduct a recruitment process for the vacant positions.
The Civil Service Agency (CSA), he said, later conducted its own extensive screening and examination process, after which four out of five candidates were certified, deemed qualified, and issued employment letters dated October 9.
However, Mr. Swaray noted that complications emerged the following day after the NICOL Board convened and imposed a moratorium on new employment as part of cost-control measures.
He said that despite the new hires already completing recruitment formalities, he instructed the HR office to hold their onboarding until the board lifted the freeze, stressing that the decision was strictly procedural and not intended to deny employment.
According to him, the delay prompted a series of anonymous threats and attempts to “blackmail” NICOL through sections of the media.
Mr. Swaray alleged that one individual claiming relation to a deceased staff member expressed anger over the payroll removal and threatened retaliation.
“Because I stopped a wrongful payroll process, someone felt entitled to benefit from their deceased relative’s salary and vowed to destroy my name,” he said.
The NICOL boss said the situation escalated into media reports he described as unfair and one-sided.
He cautioned journalists to avoid being used as weapons for blackmail, reminding them that credibility is central to Liberia’s democratic and accountability architecture.
“When someone complains, the first assumption is often that the accused is guilty. But professionalism demands balance — both sides must be heard,” he stated.
Mr. Swaray emphasized that the four recruits remain legally employed and are only awaiting the board’s decision to lift the hiring freeze.
He assured the public that NICOL remains committed to reforms, institutional transparency, and the elimination of payroll fraud.
He added that the institution—operating with fewer than 60 employees—requires capacity building to function effectively and fulfill its mandate to safeguard government assets.
All restructuring efforts, he maintained, are in line with public service laws, procurement regulations, and civil service hiring standards.
He concluded by expressing hope that the accurate version of events reaches the public.
“My actions were to prevent, not support, payroll padding. These are qualified Liberians, recruited fairly, professionally, and transparently. The story of NICOL should reflect the facts,” he said.