MONROVIA: Triggered by media reports pointing to wrongdoing in the issuance of work permits to foreign people, and amid questions from the Senate over the matter, the Civil Service Agency (CSA) carried out what seems to be ‘forensic’ probe. On yesterday, Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the report from the investigation was taken to the Senate, with a presentation delivered by Agency’s Director General Josiah Joekai who, amongst other things, revealed that the Ministry of Labor violated Liberian labor laws and policies in the issuance of over 7000 work permits to foreigners. But before inks got dried on Mr. Joekai’s report, the Minister of Labor, Cooper Kruah, came out with collateral reaction, strongly disagreeing with the CSA’s conclusions and standing in the matter. THE ANALYST reports.
The Minister of Labor Cllr Cooper W. Kruah has swiftly reacted to the investigative report by Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA) that the Ministry of Labor had dished out over 7,000 work permits to foreign nationals for jobs that are, under the country’s laws and policies, reserved for Liberian citizens.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Analyst newspaper yesterday, Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Minister Cooper Kruah said the report made by CSA Director was wrong as it was not done with the acquiescence of, and in consultation with, his Ministry.
Kruah argued that the CSA director has failed to understand and differentiate between the Civil Service Standing Order which he controls and the Decent Work Act that is under the control of the Labour Ministry.
“The Decent Work Act falls under labour laws of Liberia; it deals with private sector workers. It is under the Ministry of Labour,” he emphasized, adding that the sooner the CSA director appreciates the difference between the Civil Service Standing Order and the Decent Work Act better he would keep himself and CSA from undue meddling.
Minister Kruah said whatever opinion was expressed by the CSA boss in his report to the Senate did not meet the consent and approval of the Ministry of Labor.
He added: “Joekai talks about regular work permit, and that 70% of the people we gave regular work permits are supposed to be Liberians. But the law that we rely upon is the Decent Work Act, which does not have provisions listing jobs exclusively for Liberians.”
The Labor Minister further said the law grants him the power to give work permits based on discretion.
“We issued work permits we have the fiduciary responsibility to do so, and because the companies and the concessional areas needed to operate. They needed to work, and to be functional,” he said, quipping, “Should we close them down?”
Appearing before the Liberian Senate, on Tuesday, Civil Service Agency (CSA) Director General Josiah F. Jokai disclosed that the Ministry of Labor has granted over 7,000 work permits to foreign nationals for jobs that, by law, are reserved for Liberian citizens.
The CSA’s analysis shows that 7,032 work permits were issued to foreigners, including 6,156 regular permits, 314 under the ECOWAS protocol, and 562 categorized as GRATIS—a clear violation of the nation’s labor laws, particularly the Decent Work Act of 2015.
“This is not just a bureaucratic misstep; this is an outright betrayal of the Liberian people,” said Director Jokai during his presentation. “Thousands of qualified, unemployed Liberians are being sidelined in favor of foreigners, often for positions that require no unique skills or international expertise.”
The jobs in question are supposed to be “Reserved for Liberian Nationals”, a category intended to protect local employment in a country where the unemployment rate remains alarmingly high. According to Jokai, the decision to issue these permits without proper vetting undermines the very foundation of Liberia’s workforce policies.
“When 69.5% of all work permits go to foreigners for positions meant for Liberians, we are not just bending the rules we are breaking the backs of our own people,” Jokai emphasized.
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