The government of Liberia has revealed that it has discovered no fewer than 40,000 illegal civil servants in its system.
The Civil Service Agency’s director general, Josiah Joekai, informed reporters that the Personnel Action Notice (PAN) contained incorrect or incomplete information about civil servants.
The Pan process is a mandatory requirement for employment.
Africa Today News, New York reports that here are at least 70,000 civil servants in Liberia and more than 50% are currently illegal because they did not do the Pan process, he said.
Mr Joekai said the process comprises the full details of individuals who are entered on the government employment roster after completing evaluation and credential checks.
Mr Joekai revealed that some people were placed on the civil service payroll through text messages, telephone calls, emails and WhatsApp, between 2019 and 2023.
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The CSA boss said that since these workers cannot be held responsible, they are affording them a grace period of 90 days to register properly.
Those who fail to complete the process will be fired.
President Joseph Boakai’s government says it intends to reduce what it called a bloated payroll and reduce the government wage bill. It says it wants a smaller and more efficient public service.
It is not clear how the new scheme will be greeted by the Liberian population.
Recall that President Boakai had weeks ago indagated a task force to crackdown on corruption and to recover stolen state assets from the previous administration.
Mr. Boakai gave the order for it to find and bring charges against any high-ranking officials. Investigations against former and present government officials are necessary.
Assets “wrongfully acquired at the expense of the government and people of Liberia” must be returned, according to his executive order.
It was imperative to “curtail this alarming menace that has engulfed our country”, the president said.
People who purchased government assets illegally would also be forced to return them.