MONROVIA – The Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Josiah Joekai, has assured Members of the House of Representatives that no civil servant is being fired or dismissed, despite widespread speculation. Instead, Joekai detailed a new initiative aimed at regularizing the status of 40,000 employees identified in a recent payroll audit.
Appearing before the House full plenary on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, the CSA Boss explained that the audit revealed two groups: 19,600 employees who initiated but did not complete the mandatory Personnel Action Notices (PAN), and 20,400 employees who were placed on the payroll without starting the PAN process. Joekai attributed these discrepancies to previous administrative oversights.
In a statement from the House Press Bureau, the Civil Service Agency Director General disclosed that the Agency has launched what he calls the Employee Status Regularization Project. The project aims to complete the Personnel Action Notice (PAN) process for both groups, ensuring compliance with the Human Resource Policy Manual and Civil Service Standing Orders. Joekai provided detailed spreadsheets listing the names and employment particulars of the affected employees to the House Committee on Public Accounts.
DG Joekai emphasized that no one has been removed from the payroll due to incomplete PANs. The CSA’s focus is on legitimizing the employment status of all civil servants, granting them rightful access to job-related benefits and security.
The reform initiative also includes implementing recommendations from the 2022 Payroll Compliance Audit Report, salary advances for civil servants, and new measures for credential verification and background checks.
The CSA Boss mentioned that the effort aligns with the Standardization and Remuneration Act, which aims to harmonize Liberia’s national payroll system. The CSA’s commitment to transparency and accountability reflects a significant administrative shift, addressing past inefficiencies and safeguarding the rights of civil servants in Liberia.
