MONROVIA – A leaked dossier of government payrolls has exposed alarming salary disparities within Liberia’s public sector, prompting a strong call for reform in an open letter to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. The letter, written on September 29, 2025, by Liberian activist Martin K. N. Kollie from The Hague, Netherlands, describes the plight of civil servants as “slavery” and urges the President to act decisively.
According to the Civil Service Agency’s 2024 Annual Report, the government’s workforce stands at 67,746 employees across 104 spending entities, of which 42,076 are civil servants. The leaked payrolls highlight that many civil servants, particularly within the judiciary, are earning less than US$150 per month, with some net salaries as low as US$86.99. Kollie argued that such wages are not only insufficient but also a deliberate continuation of inequality.
“How can US$86.99 even transport a civil servant to work and back home, let alone feed him or her, pay rent, buy clothes, settle bills, and educate children?” the letter asked. “If the so-called ‘big shots’ believe civil servants can survive on US$86.99, why can’t they also survive on US$1,000 to US$5,000 in the same country with the same prices?”
The letter detailed several examples of salaries within the judiciary. One employee with ID 430750 reportedly earns US$115 in gross and only US$86.99 in net pay, while another with ID 431581 earns US$115.50 in gross and US$87.71 in net. Even among higher earners, most fall between US$100 and US$125 net, figures Kollie described as “non-living wages.”
In stark contrast, top government By comparison, top government officials including lawmakers, ministers, and managing directors receive monthly salaries ranging from US$5,000 to US$11,000, excluding benefits. Kollie noted that it would take an average civil servant over seven years to earn what a single lawmaker takes home in one month. “Some lawmakers and ministers spend in a day what civil servants earn in an entire month,” the letter stressed.
Kollie condemned what he described as “public waste” in government and urged President Boakai to cap all salaries and benefits of top officials at US$5,000 per month. He argued that doing so would free resources to significantly improve civil servants’ salaries, restore dignity to the public workforce, and honor the sacrifices of those who supported Boakai’s election.
“This is not ‘Rescue,’ Mr. President. This is ‘Re-use.’ In fact, this is slavery,” Kollie wrote, pointing to the government’s practice of dividing civil servants’ meager earnings into 70 percent U.S. dollars and 30 percent Liberian dollars amid rising prices.
The activist reminded the President that civil servants were among the strongest supporters of his election victory and warned that their continued neglect would undermine the credibility of his administration. He called on the government to prioritize civil servants in the upcoming FY2026 budget cycle, the third under Boakai’s watch.
“Civil servants must be treated with dignity and respect. It’s time to put the people’s interest first,” the letter concluded. “Liberia First. Liberia Forever.”
