Monrovia — The Director of the Civil Service Agency, Mr. Josiah F. Joekai, is in a contentious dispute with the House of Representatives, adopting rather a notably condescending tone. He has accused the Speaker, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, of attempting to jeopardize his safety under the pretense of wanting to meet with him about the delayed salaries of the central administration staff of the House of Representatives.
In an August 5 letter to the Speaker, intended to address the issue of delayed salary disbursements to the Central Administration Staff of the House, Joekai deflected blame, criticized the House, and aired personal grievances. He stated that while the CSA processes salaries, it does not disburse them. Joekai attributed the delays to technical issues with the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) platform used by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
However, in what appeared to to be direct attack at the Speaker, Joekai criticized the House for adding new employees to the payroll without the CSA's approval, referencing sections of the Standing Orders of the Civil Service and the Human Resources Policy Manual. The CSA Director General asserted that the hiring and subsequent addition of new employees to the payroll of the Central Administration of the House of Representatives without CSA involvement violates Chapter 5, Section 2.3 of the Standing Orders. He noted that the additional hires increased the payroll from US$284,401.05 to US$327,643 monthly, a variance of US$43,241.05, which annualizes to US$518,892.06.
The Civil Service Agency boss emphasized his authority by referencing Chapter 4, Section 21 of the Human Resources Policy Manual. This section states that when a vacancy occurs, the institution's head must notify the Civil Service Agency, providing full details and indicating whether the position is temporary or permanent. Funds for salary payment must be allotted within the personnel budget ceiling of the institution before the department of administration initiates the employment process by advertising the job internally or externally.
The most controversial aspect of Joekai's letter is his recounting of personal grievances against Representative J. Marvin Cole and the Speaker. Joekai described incidents where he felt intimidated and disrespected, including threats of contempt and harsh text messages. He stated that Hon. Cole angrily shouted at him, threatening to drag him before his committee for being stubborn. Joekai also claimed that during a recent event, the Speaker referred to him negatively, saying, "He's not a good friend."
One of the most striking elements of Joekai's letter is his insinuation that the Speaker intended to jeopardize his safety when he requested a meeting on a non-working day, which Joekai initially agreed to but later declined due to feeling unsafe. Joekai stated that when he asked for the venue, the Speaker provided a troubling response, causing him significant psychological distress.
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In response, Representative Josiah Marvin Cole, chair of the House's Rules, Order, and Administration Committee, called for Joekai's immediate dismissal for documenting and exposing a private conversation. Cole accused Joekai of undermining the House by refusing to pay 742 staff of the Central Administration for July. He revealed that the 55th Legislature inherited a payroll with discrepancies, prompting a scrutiny and standardization process. Cole stated that 200 ghost names were removed from the payroll, but new staff additions increased the monthly cost to over US$327,000.
Cole dismissed Joekai's claims of two different payrolls and emphasized that the House communicated the new payroll to the Ministry of Finance and the CSA. He accused Joekai of depriving 742 staff of their salaries by disregarding the new payroll. Cole described Joekai as disrespectful and cautioned the government about having private conversations with him due to his alleged lack of confidentiality. Cole warned that the House might pass a vote of no confidence in Joekai if he continues undermining the Legislature.
Meanwhile, the Speaker has described Joekai's communication as "childish" and said the House would respond at the appropriate time.
