The Civil Service Agency (CSA) has unveiled the results of a sweeping workforce verification and institutional assessment across three major public institutions, describing the exercise as a foundational step toward restoring accountability, curbing graft, and professionalizing Liberia's civil service.
The audit, which covered the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and the Governance Commission, examined payroll integrity, attendance compliance, credential authentication, gender distribution, job alignment, and retirement profiling. According to CSA Director General Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, the findings establish "a new baseline for accountability and institutional reform."
"This exercise has provided the Ministry of Transport and other institutions with a clear and comprehensive picture of workforce structure, qualifications, and institutional gaps," Dr. Joekai said. "If these recommendations are implemented, these entities will be well positioned to strengthen workforce governance, improve accountability, and deliver efficient public services."
At the Ministry of Transport, 324 of 377 listed employees were verified as the base workforce. Eleven were not verified and flagged for investigation, while 37 were formally excused. Five individuals were identified as presidential appointees.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Attendance compliance emerged as a critical concern. Only 131 employees recorded satisfactory attendance. Sixty-seven employees were absent for 14 days or more and are recommended for dismissal. Another 22 face one-month suspensions without pay.
"These findings underscore the need for stronger workforce discipline mechanisms," Dr. Joekai emphasized.
By recommending the immediate blocking of unverified employees from the payroll and suspending or dismissing chronic absentees, the CSA is effectively targeting one of Liberia's long-standing governance challenges: ghost workers and salary leakages. In a public sector historically criticized for bloated payrolls and weak oversight, the audit's data-driven approach signals a shift toward verifiable employment records and performance-based accountability.
At the Governance Commission, 91 percent of 146 employees were physically verified. Five unverified staff members are to be blocked from payroll pending confirmation -- a move Dr. Joekai noted is essential to protecting payroll integrity and preventing fraudulent salary disbursements.
Beyond attendance and headcounts, the audit revealed systemic weaknesses in qualification standards and job alignment.
At the Ministry of Transport, 34 cases -- about 10 percent of the workforce -- were flagged for possible forged or unverifiable credentials. While 84.8 percent of employees possess legitimate qualifications, 73 were found underqualified for their roles, nine overqualified, and eight completely misplaced. Ninety employees were recommended for reclassification or redeployment.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy presented similar challenges. Of 401 employees, 363 were verified. The audit found 55 staff without formal qualifications and 48 with questionable credentials. Additionally, 123 employees require reclassification due to job misalignment.
By institutionalizing credential authentication and job alignment reviews, the CSA is introducing structural checks that aim to prevent politically motivated appointments and unmerited promotions -- practices that have historically weakened service delivery and fueled perceptions of patronage.
Across the institutions, the CSA identified recurring institutional gaps: incomplete personnel files, inconsistent job titles, weak attendance monitoring systems, and absence of standardized human resource documentation practices.
The Agency's reform package includes blocking unverified personnel from payroll, reclassification and redeployment of underqualified staff, performance-based promotion systems, and verification at recruitment levels. Others are structured career development pathways and strengthened HR documentation and compliance mechanisms.
Taken together, these measures signal an attempt to shift Liberia's civil service from a patronage-driven model toward a rules-based administrative system anchored in merit and documentation.
Assistant Minister for Administration Cooper Paasewe, receiving the report on behalf of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, pledged compliance. "The Ministry remains committed to implementing the findings of the exercise," he assured, adding that internal processes will continue to ensure full adherence.
Minister Archieboy Adams of Transport similarly pledged support. He stressed that public servants "must perform their duties without fear or political bias" and promised the recommendations would be addressed in good faith.
The audit also highlighted structural inequities. At the Ministry of Transport, 66 percent of verified employees are male, compared to 34 percent female -- a 32 percent gender gap. At Mines and Energy, the disparity is starker, with 81 percent male and 19 percent female representation.
By formally documenting these imbalances, the CSA has introduced gender equity as part of the governance reform conversation, potentially paving the way for inclusive recruitment and leadership policies.
Retirement profiling further underscores sustainability concerns. At Transport alone, 19 employees have reached retirement age and are recommended for transition to the national pension payroll. Without systematic retirement planning, the government risks payroll congestion and limited opportunities for younger professionals.
Prof. Alaric Tokpa, Acting Chairman of the Governance Commission, described the initiative as "a significant step toward rebuilding and reforming state institutions," while decrying political interference in public administration.
His remarks underscore a broader governance concern: that technical reforms can only succeed if shielded from partisan manipulation. The CSA's emphasis on documentation, verification, and standardized HR practices seeks to insulate administrative processes from political bias.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
A Reform Aligned with National Vision
The CSA framed the audit as aligned with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's vision of a more accountable and performance-driven public sector. In practical terms, the initiative represents a move from reactive anti-corruption rhetoric to preventative systems reform.
By establishing a verified employment baseline, auditing credentials, and linking attendance to pay consequences, the government is creating enforceable controls that reduce opportunities for graft before they occur.
If fully implemented, these measures could yield reduced payroll fraud and fiscal leakages, greater meritocracy in recruitment and promotion, improved service delivery, and increased public confidence in state institutions.
However, many believe that the true test lies in enforcement. Blocking payroll entries, dismissing chronic absentees, and redeploying politically connected but underqualified staff will require sustained political will.
The CSA's audit signals a decisive attempt to reset standards within the country's civil service. Whether it becomes a transformative reform milestone or another well-documented but weakly implemented initiative will depend on follow-through across ministries.
As Dr. Joekai put it, "This is a baseline. The real reform begins with implementation."
