Civil Servants, the military, police and other law enforcement personnel are expected to go laughing in ten days with seven months retroactive pay rise of US$25 across the board per month.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announced the pay package yesterday in her address to the second session of the 53rd Legislature and mandated the Minister of Finance to ensure that this payment be made to these categories of government employees in tens.

In an unprecedented move, the current multiyear fiscal budget failed to increase the salaries of civil servants as lawmakers acquiesced with Finance ministry authorities saying that category of government employees would receive increment only after 'ghost names' are eliminated from the payroll.

But the President acknowledged that the process is sluggish due to many constraints facing the finance ministry and the Civil Service Agency which are primarily charged with pruning 'ghost names' from the payroll.

About a fortnight ago, civil servants refused announcement that US$20 will be added on top their salaries.