The Republic of Liberia Executive Mansion, Monrovia - In a significant move, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of Liberia, on Thursday, July 4, officially launched the Employee Status Regularization Program (ESRP). He also unveiled a team of consultants at a press briefing held at the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT).
The ESRP is a key component in the civil service reform effort under the Boakai Administration. It aims to enhance employment and payroll transparency and accountability within the government.
In his remarks, President Boakai emphasized that the program represents a crucial step towards creating a more efficient, transparent, and accountable civil service under the Government's ARREST Agenda. This agenda is rooted in principles of transparency and accountability.
The ESRP involves a comprehensive employee headcount and physical verification exercise to identify and remove ghost names, double dippers, and unqualified individuals from the government's payroll system. The initiative also seeks to improve wages for legitimate civil servants and create opportunities for qualified professionals to deliver efficient services.
During the press briefing, President Boakai highlighted that the ESRP has already covered 26 out of 103 government Spending Entities. The initiative has identified numerous discrepancies in the government's payroll system, including ghost names, double dippers, unqualified employees, duplicate names, and National Identification Numbers (NIN) on the payroll. These issues have resulted in significant financial losses for the government.
The President stressed that addressing these discrepancies is essential to ensuring accuracy and transparency in the payroll system. This will minimize waste and abuse of government resources while effectively utilizing public funds.
The ESRP aims to achieve three key deliverables over three months from July to September 2024: an updated payroll system free of ghost names and incomplete Personnel Action Notices; a streamlined process for ongoing payroll data management; and a depoliticized workforce maintaining payroll integrity.
In addition to launching the ESRP, President Boakai announced recruiting 97 highly qualified professionals through a rigorous vetting process consistent with National Consultancy Policy Guidelines launched earlier this year. These consultants include legal, human resource, and management experts who will support government initiatives and help bridge human resource gaps in the country.
The President expressed gratitude to the Civil Service Agency for spearheading both initiatives. He emphasized their significance in bringing integrity to the national payroll system, saving millions for the Government, and improving Liberia's workforce.
The launch of the Employee Status Regularization Program and recruitment of highly qualified consultants reflect the Government's commitment to transparency, accountability, and efficient public resource management. This marks a pivotal moment in Liberia's journey toward a more productive civil service.
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