The National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP) has acknowledged that it is still unable to roll out the long-promised welfare component of its mandate, citing a lack of financial capacity despite years of public expectation.
Speaking at a Vendor Registration and E-GP enrollment awareness exercise in Ganta, NASSCORP representative Ms. Jenneh Kumba Tamba told a gathering of business owners that the institution simply does not have the resources to operationalize that aspect of its work.
"The government doesn't have the money to carry on or implement the welfare aspect," she said.
Ms. Tamba explained that, for now, NASSCORP's support remains limited to its existing programs, including assistance to workplace accident victims, the sick, and retirees under its employment injury and pension schemes. She further cautioned that introducing a broader welfare program could create unintended consequences.
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She also maintained that if welfare is introduced, people would relax, which of course might simply create a burden for the government.
The remarks were made during a joint outreach initiative led by the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), alongside the Liberia Business Registry and the Liberia Revenue Authority. The exercise is aimed at registering vendors, expanding participation in public procurement, and educating businesses on electronic government procurement (E-GP) systems.
Officials at the event emphasized that the vendor registration process is designed to support the implementation of Liberia's Small Business Act, which reserves at least 25 percent of public procurement opportunities for Liberian-owned businesses, including a 5 percent allocation for women-owned enterprises. The initiative also seeks to formalize informal businesses, improve tax compliance, and increase government revenue.
Established to provide income protection and social welfare for workers in both the public and private sectors, NASSCORP operates primarily through two active schemes: the Employment Injury Scheme (EIS), which compensates workers for job-related injuries, and the National Pension Scheme (NPS), which provides retirement benefits. The third pillar--the welfare component--remains unimplemented due to what officials describe as persistent financial constraints.
However, the admission has sparked concern among some participants, who questioned how an institution widely perceived to be financially robust could struggle to fund its full mandate.
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"This is one of the government entities we believed to have money, because they have several properties across Liberia, then how they say no money to implement the welfare component," said one Joseph.
