A Liberian labor advocate, George S. Tengbeh, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance (LILGA), has drafted a landmark policy reform document seeking to amend Chapter 16, Section 16 of the 2015 Decent Work Act, which governs Liberia's private sector minimum wage.
The drafted document has been officially submitted to the Senate Committee on Labour, chaired by Senator Thomas Yaya Nimely, as well as to Speaker Richard Koon and Representative Sumo K. Mulbah for review and consideration.
Tengbeh's Proposed Wage Reform and Decent Work (Amendment) Bill of 2025 emerges at a time when the call for fair compensation has grown louder amid economic hardship. His initiative seeks to fix deep-rooted structural flaws in the nation's wage framework, flaws that, for decades, have left thousands of private-sector workers vulnerable to exploitation and poor working conditions.
Speaking in Monrovia, Tengbeh described the current minimum wage provision as symbolic rather than functional, emphasizing that it lacks the mechanisms needed for enforcement, compliance, and periodic review.
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"We can no longer continue to have a law that sounds good on paper but fails to work for the people it was created to protect," Tengbeh stated. "Section 16 of the Decent Work Act lacks the backbone that ensures wage fairness, compliance, and sustainability. This is why we are proposing a reform that goes beyond mere numbers, one that strengthens the system."
Tengbeh's initiative follows a separate bill introduced by Sumo K. Mulbah, Representative of Montserrado County District #3, which seeks to raise Liberia's minimum wage. While welcoming the lawmaker's intention as a step toward addressing poverty and inequality, Tengbeh argued that the bill lacks a structural and institutional reform strategy.
"Rep. Mulbah's intention is commendable," Tengbeh noted. "But his bill lacks the institutional structures, such as a National Wage Commission, a Compliance and Inspection Unit, and an independent review mechanism, that make wage reform sustainable. Liberia's problem is not only the low wage; it's the absence of a credible wage governance framework."
The Proposed Wage Reform and Decent Work (Amendment) Bill of 2025, drafted by Tengbeh and reviewed by a network of labor experts, rests on five key pillars to build a fair, transparent, and enforceable wage system.
The pillars include a National Wage Commission (NWC) - to conduct periodic wage reviews aligned with inflation, productivity, and cost-of-living indices.
A Wage Compliance and Inspection Unit - a legally empowered body to monitor employers, investigate violations, and enforce compliance using digital and legal tools.
Thirdly, a Workforce Classification Framework - extends wage protection to the informal sector, covering domestic workers, market sellers, and casual laborers.
Also, a Fast-Track Wage Claims Tribunal - an independent body designed to resolve wage disputes swiftly, cutting through bureaucratic red tape.
Finally, the proposed bill highlights a Transparency Mechanism: establishing a national public wage registry and mandating gender pay audits to close pay disparities between men and women.
Together, these reforms would transform the Decent Work Act from a symbolic statute into a functional system for wage justice and labor governance.
In 2024, Tengbeh successfully represented 32 contract workers of the New Redemption Hospital who were dismissed without benefits, securing full compensation after the Ministry of Labour intervened.
In 2025, under the Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) movement, he advocated for 120 unpaid construction workers of the New Platinum Hotel in Congo Town, leading to payment of their long-overdue salaries.
Earlier this year, he championed the case of Ms. Bendu Sonii, an employee of the Mano Palm Company who lost her leg in a workplace accident. Following sustained media advocacy led by Tengbeh, the company paid US$120,000 in compensation, a landmark victory hailed as a milestone for workplace justice in Liberia.
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Tengbeh's fearless advocacy has not been without danger. In mid-2024, he reported receiving threats to his life after condemning what he described as "corrupt and exploitative labour practices" by some officials and private institutions.
In a communication to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Tengbeh expressed concern for his safety but reaffirmed his commitment to the labor cause.
"Threats cannot silence advocacy," he said. "The labour movement in Liberia has always been about courage, and as long as there is injustice, I will continue to stand with the workers."
True to his philosophy of participatory governance, Tengbeh has made the draft bill publicly available via Google Drive, inviting Liberians to review and comment. He insists that policy reform should be inclusive and people-centered, not monopolized by political elites.
