MONROVIA – Representative Musa Hassan Bility of Nimba County has publicly voiced his unequivocal support for a bill currently before the Liberian Senate that seeks to reduce the monthly salaries of lawmakers to Five Thousand United States Dollars. In a detailed statement on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, Rep. Bility commended Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon for introducing the legislation, describing it as a critical step toward accountability and fiscal discipline in Liberia’s governance.
Addressing fellow Liberians, colleagues in the Legislature, and members of the media, Rep. Bility stressed that he “stands 100% in support of this bill,” emphasizing the moral imperative for leaders to align their earnings with the hardships faced by ordinary citizens. “At a time when our people are struggling to access basic healthcare, quality education, and decent public services, it is morally indefensible for their elected representatives to continue to preside over a wage structure that is generous to officials and cruel to citizens,” he said.
While praising Senator Dillon’s initiative, Rep. Bility argued that the reform must extend beyond the Legislature. “The Liberian people are not only questioning lawmakers’ pay. They are questioning the entire architecture of excessive remuneration for top public officials,” he said, calling for amendments to ensure that all senior officials in the Executive Branch, including the President, Vice President, and heads of Ministries, Agencies, Commissions, and State-Owned Enterprises, should earn no more than Five Thousand United States Dollars per month.
Rep. Bility further proposed that benefits for these officials also be reduced to create equity and fairness across government. He warned that without such comprehensive reforms, efforts to cut legislative salaries would remain partial and incomplete. “Anything less than this would be partial and incomplete,” he said, urging a standardized compensation system for top officials.
Highlighting the broader impact of such reforms, Rep. Bility explained that capping salaries across the Executive Branch could free up millions of dollars that could be redirected to public services, including hospitals, schools, teacher pay, medicines, and infrastructure. “One of the deepest wounds in our democracy is the perception that government is a machine designed to enrich public officials,” he stated, stressing the need for leadership by example.
Rep. Bility underscored that reducing salaries is not merely a financial matter, but a question of restoring public trust. “When the people see their leaders taking cuts, it becomes easier to ask them to tighten their belts,” he said, arguing that standardized pay scales across branches of government would demonstrate fairness and show that no position is above sacrifice in the national interest.
The Nimba County lawmaker also linked the salary reform to the Legislature’s constitutional responsibility over national appropriations. “Under the Constitution, appropriation and control of the national budget lie with the Legislature. That power is meaningless if we are afraid to regulate our own pay and that of other senior officials who depend on the public purse,” he said, signaling his readiness to vote for and advocate for the bill’s passage once it reaches the House of Representatives.
Rep. Bility urged his colleagues in both Houses to rise above personal comfort an popularity, framing the debate as a madtter of justice and responsibility. “History will remember whether we used our time in office to protect our personal allowances or to reset Liberia on a path of fairness and discipline,” he said, challenging lawmakers to prioritize national interest over self-interest.
He further noted the urgency of the matter, stressing that the public is closely watching how their leaders handle compensation issues amid widespread economic hardship. “The Liberian people have endured too much hardship, while a small group of officials live far above the realities of ordinary citizens. We cannot continue this way and still claim to be serious about change,” Rep. Bility said.
Concluding his statement, Rep. Bility reaffirmed his commitment to support the salary reduction initiative and to advocate for a broader review of executive remuneration. “Now that Senator Dillon’s bill is formally before the Senate, there is no excuse. I therefore pledge my full support in the House of Representatives for Senator Dillon’s bill and strongly suggest that the reduction in salaries of top officials of the Executive Branch be included in the bill,” he said, urging swift legislative action for the benefit of the Liberian people.
