MONROVIA- In an apparently intentional and methodical way, the General Service Agency (GSA) has put up a chase after Liberian people’s money intended to pay civil servants’ wages, not only to uncover and report wherever it is hidden, but also to raise a loud alarm and possibly retrieve it. While it is common for Liberian civil servants to treat public service—government job—carelessly, often engaging in ‘labor theft’, high and middle-level officials at ministries, agencies and commissions see government payroll as an ideal honeycomb to leech. Folks at the CSA, under the leadership of Director General Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., are putting that tendency in firing range, keeping their dragnets upon it. As The Analyst reports, the CSA management in the last couple of weeks, spread out into many counties and offices of government to conduct headcounts of government workers, and the result is shocking.
A headcount exercise carried out by the Civil Service Agency (CSA) discovered that the employment statutes of 332 government workers of just 11 ministries and agencies could not be verified. Translated into dollar and cent, this batch of unverified workers has been costing taxpayers US$161,117.97 monthly or US$789,280.10 annually in wages or salaries.
The disclosure was made yesterday, August 13, 2024 in a special statement released by the Director-General of the General Service Agency.
Areas where the headcount took place include Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Labor, Liberia Broadcasting System – Central Office, National Water Sanitation and Hygiene Commission, Governance Commission and the Monrovia City Corporation.
Others were Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Office of Vice President, Liberia Land Authority, John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital, and Ministry of Education – Central Office.
It can be recalled that on July 4, 2024, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, officially launched the Employee Status Regularization Project (ESRP), after which the CSA deployed teams across five regions of the country to conduct the verification and headcount exercise across government functionaries.
The exercises were intended to identify legitimate employees on the Government’s payroll, regularize the employment status of civil servants who did not complete Personnel Actions Notices (PAN) in keeping Section 35 1-6 of the Revised Human Resources Policy Manual but are already on the payroll, identify and collect pertinent missing employee data to update the relevant fields on the payroll, and remove ghost names, illegitimate employees, and double dippers.
According to the findings, at the National Wash and Hygiene Commission the team verified and head-counted 82 persons, and only one was unverified. The total number of employees not verified (who did not fully submit the required documents for verification) was one (1). This number represents 1% of the entire workforce.
Total employees who did not attend the verification and headcount exercise (no-show employees): Eighteen (18). This number represents 22% of the entire workforce.
The total number of employees verified during the headcount process was sixty-four (64). This number represents 77% of the entire workforce.
For the Monrovia City Corporation: total workforce of the Monrovia City Corporation during the verification and headcount was 955. Total employees not verified (who did not fully submit required documents for verification) were Two Hundred Nine (209), representing 22% of the workforce.
The total number of employees on sick leave without evidence of approved supporting documents was thirteen (13), representing 1% of the entire workforce. Two (2) employees were on study leave without evidence of approved supporting documents, representing 0.000% of the entire workforce.
Total Employees verified were Six Hundred Thirty (630), representing 66% of the workforce. The total number of employees who did not show up for the headcount exercise (no-show employees) was one hundred and one (101), representing 11% of the entire workforce.
The Civil Service Agency (CSA) is requesting the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) to immediately relieve nine employees who have consistently engaged in dangerous and destructive social media campaigns against public officials, particularly targeting the President of Liberia.
These actions have caused significant harm to the reputation and image of the MCC. The negative portrayal of government officials by these unscrupulous employees has far-reaching effects on the individuals concerned and the government as a whole. Such unacceptable and sustained behavior on social media is incompatible with the status of the employees in question. Therefore, the MCC must consider terminating their services and promptly notify the CSA of this action.
The CSA strongly recommends that the Monrovia City Corporation, in adherence to applicable laws, terminate the employment of any employee with a record of consistent and deliberate job abandonment for more than 15 days in one or more months. This recommendation also extends to employees who have been absent for an extended amount of time without management’s acknowledgment, approval for prolonged absenteeism, or proper documentation of their attendance.
The Civil Service Agency acknowledges Mayor John-Charuk Siafa’s significant contributions to the successful implementation of the ARREST Agenda and will continue to extend our full support to his office.
At the Ministry of Labor, the total employees during the verification and headcount was 224. Reconciliation between the MOL May 2024 payroll uploaded into the CSA System and the headcount field report revealed that two (2) employees on the May 2024 MOL payroll were not reported to be verified, representing 1% of the entire workforce.
The total number of employees verified during the headcount process was One Hundred Fifty (150), representing 67% of the workforce.
Ten (10) employees were not verified (did not fully submit required documents for verification), representing 5% of the entire workforce.
Total employees who did not show up for the headcount exercise (Unverified): 14, representing 6% of the entire workforce.
Total unverified employees were 48, including sick leave, study leave, court assignment, and assignments in leeward counties, representing 2% and 19% of the workforce, respectively.
Ministry of Transport: The total number of employees during verification and headcount was 398. The total number of unverified employees was thirty-four. (sick leave 2, study leave 3, Jury assignment 3, outstation 20, and vehicle enforcement 6) The total number of unverified employees was 34, representing 9% of the workforce.
The Total number of Employees who did not show up to be verified (NO SHOW) was Eighteen (18). This number represents 4% of the entire workforce.
The total number of employees updated but not verified was seventy-one (71). This number represents 18% of the entire workforce.
Total employees verified were Two Hundred Seventy-Five (275). This number represents 69% of the entire workforce.
Liberia Broadcasting System: Total workforce during verification and headcount 142. The total number of employees that were updated but not verified (Did not fully submit required documents for verification) was three. This number represents 3% of the entire workforce.
Total employees verified were 107. This number represents 91% of the entire workforce. Total Employees Unverified but remained on the LBS payroll as of April 30, 2024, were Seven. This number represents 6% of the entire workforce.
Ministry of Information: Total employees during the verification and headcount. The total number of employees not verified was 22. This number represents 6% of the entire workforce.
The total number of employees who did not show up to be verified (NO SHOW) was 11. This number represents 3% of the entire workforce.
The total number of employees updated but not verified was Eight (8). This number represents 2% of the entire workforce. Total employees verified were Three Hundred Fifty-One (351). This number represents 89% of the entire workforce.
Ministry of Education: Total employees during verification and headcount. There were three employees that did not show up for the head count exercise (No-show employees) (3). This number represents 89% of the entire workforce at the central office.
The total number of employees on study leave with no evidence of grades sheets was fifteen (15). This number represents 89% of the entire workforce at the central office
There were five employees on sick and maternity leave without evidence of medical report (6). This number represents % of the entire workforce at the central office
Total employees verified were Three Hundred Four (304). This number represents % of the entire workforce at the central office.
Governance Commission: The total number of employees during verification and headcount was 156.The total number of employees who did not show up for the headcount exercise (No-show employees) was five. This number epitomizes 3% of the entire workforce at the central office.
Total Employees verified were 141. This number epitomizes 90% of the entire workforce at the central office.
The total number of employees not verified was 10. This number represents 7% of the entire workforce at the central office.
At the Office of the Vice President and the Group of 77, the total number of employees during verification and headcount was 174. The total number of verified employees was 97. This represents 67% of the entire workforce.
The total number of employees who were not verified (did not fully submit required documents for verification) was three. This number represents 2% of the entire workforce.
The total number of employees who did not show up for the headcount exercise (no-show employees) was 34. This number represents 23% of the entire workforce.
One employee resigned, and one died. The two employees represent 1% of the entire workforce. Employees on sick, study, maternity, and annual leave were Ten (10). This number represents 7% of the entire workforce.
Accordingly, the CSA said based on the outcome of the verification and headcounts conducted at the reporting Spending Entities, the CSA blocked three hundred 332 employees pending further verification in one month August 15-September 15th.
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