MONROVIA – The issue of foreign employment in Liberia has reached a critical boiling point on Capitol Hill, as Senator Amara Konneh, Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) pushes for a comprehensive compliance and systemic control audit of all work permits issued to non-Liberian nationals.
Mounting concerns over the displacement of qualified Liberians in the job market, coupled with allegations of systemic fraud, corruption, and a lack of transparency at the Ministry of Labor, have fueled this legislative. The PAC is demanding that the General Auditing Commission (GAC) conduct an independent, end-to-end review to reconcile records across key government institutions and ensure strict adherence to the Decent Work Act. The Analyst Report
In a significant move to bolster transparency and protect Liberian jobs, Senator Amara M. Konneh (Gbarpolu County), who also doubles as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has formally requested the General Auditing Commission (GAC) to expand its ongoing audit of the Ministry of Labor. The focus of the expansion is a comprehensive, systemic review of the issuance and management of work permits for foreign nationals.
The directive follows a request from PAC member Senator Abraham Darius Dillon and subsequent deliberation by the Senate Plenary.
In a letter dated November 11, 2025, to Auditor General P. Garswa Jackson, Sr., Senator Amara Konneh of Gbarpolu County emphasized that strengthening compliance in the work permit regime is “essential to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability” in line with Liberian labor laws intended to “protect the rights and economic participation of Liberians within the national labor market.”
“On behalf of the Senate Public Accounts and Audits Committee (PAC), I present compliments and commend the General Auditing Commission (GAC) for the critical work it is doing to promote transparency and accountability in Governance. The Committee would like to inform you that Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, a member of the PAC, has requested an audit of the issuance and management of work permits for foreign nationals at the Ministry of Labor. Plenary, upon deliberation, referred the matter to the Senate
Public Accounts and Audit Committee with the instruction to formally engage the GAC on the scope and concerns identified. This letter is, therefore, submitted in fulfilment of that mandate”, Senator Konneh stated in the letter.
The Committee noted that it was aware that GAC is currently conducting an audit of the Ministry of Labor and it that context “respectfully request that the audit prioritize the compliance and systemic control dimensions of the issuance of work permits” focusing specifically for a comprehensive review of the administrative, legal, and operational processes governing the issuance, renewal, and revocation of work permits for aliens.
The Committee, according to the communication, has mandated a rigorous and detailed review of the system, urging the GAC to prioritize compliance and systemic control dimensions. The PAC then outlined an eleven-point agenda for the GAC to undertake, which includes, to identify system vulnerabilities, procedural flaws, and operational irregularities, reviewing the end-to-end process for issuing, renewing, and revoking work permits. examine internal control gaps, data integrity issues, and potential avenues for fraud, abuse, or corruption, review enforcement mechanisms, including penalties, waivers, discretionary exceptions, and gratis issuances and reconcile work permit data across key government institutions, specifically the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA). PAC stated the exercise should result in a reconciled, auditable dataset with clear provenance and recommendations for remediation.
Others are to investigate violations of visa terms by workers or recruitment agents, including unauthorized work, contract substitution, misrepresentation, and overstay, assess the alignment between visa categories and work permit classifications, identifying any informal or unauthorized pathways used to obtain work authorization, determine how visa and permit systems interact with labor protections, wage standards, and contract enforcement and verify that all applicants meet statutory prerequisites, including residence permits where
required.
Also the PAC requested that the audit should validate the authenticity of credentials and certifications used to obtain work permits, including review of issuing authorities and renewal cycles, assess employer compliance with record keeping, reporting requirements, and obligations to
report suspected non-compliance and recommend improvements to credential management, data security, and privacy protections
The formal engagement underscores the Senate’s commitment to ensuring the government’s processes are robust and accountable. By seeking a systemic review, the PAC is moving beyond standard financial auditing to address structural issues that could impact the local labor market and national security.
The letter commended the GAC for its critical work in promoting transparency, signaling a strong collaborative push between the legislative oversight body and the independent audit agency to safeguard national interests and ensure the integrity of the foreign work permit system.