By Elbie Sebleh
MONROVIA: In a move towards greater transparency and accountability, the Civil Service Agency (CSA), in through its Director General, Josiah Joekai, has implemented a moratorium on salary payments to individuals pending a thorough verification process.
The latest decision of the CSA comes after the Auditor General of Liberia’s ‘s recommendation to address the issue of ‘ghost employees’ on the Liberian government payroll.
According CSA Director Joekai, through the auditing of 103 governments spending entities by the General Auditing Commission (GAC), it was discovered that 564 employees across various ministries and agencies lacked National Identification Numbers (NIN), leading to payments being made to illegitimate individuals.
Speaking at the regular press briefing of the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT), the CSA boss further disclosed that as a result, the CSA has decided to temporarily block salary payments to these individuals for the month of April 2024, allowing for a comprehensive verification process.
During the audit, he said, an additional 166 individuals from 17 Spending Entities were suspected of impersonating as government employees.
Director Joekai pointed out that the alarming revelation has prompted the CSA to take immediate action to ensure that payments are directed only to bona fide employees, preventing further financial losses for the government.
He explained that if the verification process is not completed by the end of April, the CSA will permanently remove the blocked individuals from the government payroll, starting in May 2024.
This measure aims to safeguard public funds and promote accountability within the government.
By addressing the issue of ghost employees and implementing stricter verification procedures, the CSA boss affirmed that Liberia is taking a significant step towards promoting transparency and ensuring that public funds are allocated to legitimate individuals.
At the same time, director Joekai lamented that the CSA’s move showcases the government’s commitment to responsible financial management and to set an example for other nations to follow.
