-Says Civil Servant President

The President of the Civil Servants Association of Liberia Mr. Moibah Johnson has described a Pension Bill recently passed by the Legislature as totally unacceptable and wicked.

Mr. Johnson told journalists at a press conference Monday evening, 20 March 2023 that the bill is only intended to keep people who are working in abject poverty.

He argued that the defeat of a sitting lawmaker in legislative elections cannot be considered a retirement of that lawmaker.

But he lamented that members of the Legislature have included defeated lawmakers in the pension bill for pension benefits.

"We want to throw light and frown on the decision taken by the Senate to pass a bill that we feel is not in our interest as workers and the general population," Johnson said.

He wondered how lawmakers will pass a bill that make them receive about 50% of their gross salary even when they are no longer in government.

He said in the first place, the lawmakers fail to clearly define what they referred to as retirement.

"We're asking the president not to sign this bill because we think this bill is against the interest of the workers of this country. It's also against the interest of the growth of the health sector, the improvement of the education sector, and other key sectors," Johnson pleaded with President Weah.

Mr. Johnson retains his position as president of the association after a five-year tenure as inscribed in the constitution of the Civil Servants Association of Liberia (CSAL).