Liberia Labour & Governance Alliance

01/05/2026

''May Day of Mourning - When the Liberian Worker Bleeds Behind the Celebration”: May 1 — “Happy” International Labor Day

To every worker across Liberia, especially those whose sweat oils the wheels of this nation but whose names are never called, today, we are told to celebrate you.

Celebrate the men and women who inhaled tear gas in Nimba for daring to ask for just benefits and dignity. Celebrate those in Grand Cape Mount whose voices were answered not with dialogue, but with bullets. Celebrate the countless workers bruised, silenced, and discarded by a system that remembers them only when it needs applause lines and political slogans. Celebrate our brother who lost his leg in the B**g Mines by one of the China Union trains. Celebrate our brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Sinoe County as they gathered to look for their daily bread in the mining field.

Yes, today is your day.
A day for speeches.
A day for promises.
A day for carefully crafted statements about “the backbone of the economy,” while that very backbone is bent, broken, and abandoned.

On this day, we are expected to clap for survival wages that cannot sustain a family. To smile, for workplaces where safety is a luxury. To cheer for institutions that look away while exploitation becomes policy, not accident. To cheer for a company like Bea Mountain Mining Company, where discrimination among workers is at its zenith. A company that has white bathrooms and black bathrooms.

So let us celebrate, too, the workers within the very Ministry of Labor, those who have labored without pay for over 17 months, without contracts, without security, without dignity. Let us honor the cruel irony that those tasked with protecting workers have themselves become victims of the same neglect.

Let us applaud the informal sector; the market women, the motorbike riders, the street vendors, the hustlers of survival, who carry Liberia on their backs without recognition, without protection, without rest. You are praised in rhetoric and punished in reality.

Today, we remember.
We remember the sting of tear gas when students of the university of Liberia will march for job but will be tear gas by the very state that should protect them.
We remember the sound of gunfire in Kinjor, Grand Capemount co.
We remember the silence that follows injustice.
We remember the empty pockets, the unpaid wages, the broken promises. We remember the stories from papa when he comes home daily with empty plastic bags.

And in remembering, we refuse to pretend.
This is not a celebration, it is a reckoning.
A reckoning with a system that has normalized suffering.
A reckoning with leadership that confuses endurance for progress.
A reckoning with a reality where the worker is essential only when convenient.

Yet even in this sorrow, there is truth: the Liberian worker has not surrendered. You rise each day, not because the system is fair, but because your resilience is stronger than its failures. You endure, not because conditions are just, but because hope refuses to die.

But endurance is not justice.
Survival is not dignity.

On this so-called Labor Day, we do not offer hollow congratulations.
We offer solidarity.
We offer remembrance.
And above all, we renew the demand that the life of every worker must matter, not in speeches, but in policy, not in symbolism, but in action.

Until that day comes, May 1 will remain not a celebration, but a mirror reflecting the pain we are too often told to ignore.

In sorrow, in anger, and in unwavering solidarity,

George Sahr Tengbeh
Executive Director
Liberia Labor and Governance Alliance (LILGA)

29/04/2026

CSO Wants AFL Change Rule For Recruitment –Why?

Monrovia - Liberia,
The Liberia Labor and Governance Alliance, through its Executive Director George S. Tengbeh, has urged the Ministry of National Defense and the Armed Forces of Liberia to reform military recruitment requirements, arguing that current standards—particularly the insistence on physical WASSCE certificates—are excluding many qualified and motivated young Liberians. Speaking at a press conference in Congo Town, Tengbeh emphasized that online WASSCE results should be accepted as valid proof, noting that delays in certificate issuance unfairly block applicants. He warned that maintaining rigid requirements could reduce enlistment and weaken the AFL, whose estimated strength of 2,000 personnel is significantly lower than regional counterparts like Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. While the AFL maintains standards such as a high school certificate, police clearance, valid identification, human rights record, and physical fitness, the Alliance and some lawmakers are advocating for more inclusive and practical criteria—including proposals to lower academic thresholds—to ensure broader youth participation in national service.

https://newspublictrust.com/cso-wants-afl-change-rule-for-recruitment-why

New Public Trust Newspaper

PHOTO: George Tengbeh, ED Liberia Labor and Governance Alliance By Augustine Octavius, [email protected] A civil society organization, the Liberia Labor and Governance Alliance has called on the Ministry of National Defense and the high command of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFP) to stop....

17/04/2026

LILGA Exposes Alleged Asylum Document Fraud Scheme Involving Government Officials

Monrovia, Liberia — A major governance and corruption concern is unfolding within Liberia’s asylum and labor administration systems, as the Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance (LILGA) publicly accuses government officials of facilitating what appears to be a fraudulent scheme involving the issuance of asylum-related documentation to foreign business actors.

In a formal complaint addressed to the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) on March 30, 2026, LILGA requested a full-scale investigation into the issuance of an attestation letter to a Pakistani national, Mr. Atta Rasool, who was identified as an asylum seeker. However, weeks after the communication, the Commission has reportedly failed to respond. Efforts to obtain clarification from the Ministry of Labour have also yielded no results, despite a prior commitment from the Deputy Minister for Manpower Planning and Human Resource Development, Hon. Steven Kolubah, to investigate the matter.

According to our investigation, the attestation letter in question was issued on January 9, 2026, under the supervision of Mr. Darrell S. Cholopleh, Director for Protection at the LRRRC.

We argue that this action represents a clear breach of established administrative procedures, as such authority legally resides with the Executive Director of the Commission—not subordinate officials. This deviation, LILGA warns, signals potential abuse of office and institutional breakdown.

The situation is further complicated by allegations that due process governing asylum applications may have been deliberately bypassed. Under Liberia’s asylum framework, individuals seeking protection must first apply through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), after which their case is reviewed by the statutory Asylum Committee before any employment authorization is granted. LILGA contends that this legally mandated process was ignored, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of the documentation issued.

Beyond procedural violations, LILGA highlights the broader economic implications of the alleged misconduct. We assert that asylum documentation is being improperly used to regularize the stay of foreign nationals who are actively engaged in business activities—thereby allowing them to evade standard immigration and labor requirements, including work permits and associated government fees. This, LILGA emphasizes, amounts to a direct loss of lawful state revenue and undermines fair labor market competition for Liberians.

Even more concerning are claims that the incident may not be isolated. LILGA reports receiving credible information suggesting a pattern of similar practices within the system, pointing to possible systemic corruption involving the issuance of asylum-related documents. Such actions, do not only violate Liberia’s domestic laws but also compromise its obligations under international refugee protection frameworks.

“This is a continuous dangerous precedent,”. “The asylum system is designed to protect vulnerable individuals fleeing persecution—not to serve as a backdoor mechanism for economic actors to circumvent Liberia’s legal and revenue systems.”

The organization is now demanding immediate government action, including a transparent investigation, public disclosure of findings, and administrative sanctions against any officials found culpable. It also calls for a comprehensive review of asylum governance structures to restore integrity and accountability.

As public attention intensifies, the silence of the LRRRC and the Ministry of Labour is likely to fuel further concern. For many, this case represents more than an isolated administrative issue—it is a critical test of Liberia’s commitment to the rule of law, institutional accountability, and the protection of its economic sovereignty.

We remain committed to mainstreaming bad Labour practices and advocating for good governance in all parts of Liberia.

Liberia Labour & Governance Alliance

Ministry of Labour, Republic of Liberia
International Labour Organization
IndustriALL Global Union
Global Labour University
Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission

15/04/2026

The Executive Director of the Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance, George S. Tengbeh, has sounded the alarm over what he describes as a deep structural failure in how Liberia manages its natural resources, urging the government to adopt a bold “Trade-for-Transformation Strategy” to convert re...

13/04/2026

APRIL 13, 2026 - PRESS STATEMENT

From Extraction to Transformation — A National Call for Trade Justice and Industrial Growth (LEITI 2016–2022 Evidence Speaks Volumes)

Part 1: Extractive Sector Review (2016–2022)

The Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance (LILGA) expresses its profound concern and deep regret over the continued failure of governance systems that have left Liberia resource-rich yet economically deprived. This statement is issued against the backdrop of recent national reflections, including confirmations by senior government officials during visits to concession-affected counties, which validate what we have consistently maintained: Liberia is not a poor country—it is a poorly negotiated one, undermined by years of weak leadership decisions and elite capture of national wealth.

As global partners such as the U.S. Embassy Monrovia advance a policy shift from foreign aid to trade and investment, Liberia stands at a decisive moment in its history. The statement by Nick Checker that “sustainable economic growth does not come from aid, but from private enterprise” should serve as both a wake-up call and a strategic opportunity. However, LILGA emphasizes that without strong governance, transparency, and national interest-driven negotiations, this shift risks deepening exploitation rather than fostering development.

Evidence from the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative between 2016 and 2022 exposes the structural weaknesses of Liberia’s extractive governance. During this period, the country generated the following revenues from its extractive sector:
• 2016/2017: $48 million
• 2017/2018: $53 million
• 2018/2019: $71 million
• 2019/2020: $67 million
• 2020/2021: $84.7 million
• 2021/2022: $182.35 million

While these figures reflect hundreds of millions of dollars derived from Liberia’s natural resources—including iron ore, gold, diamonds, rubber, and timber—LILGA notes with grave concern that these earnings remain disproportionately low relative to the scale of extraction and export. More troubling is the stark disconnect between these revenues and the living conditions of ordinary Liberians. Communities hosting these concessions continue to face extreme poverty, lack of basic infrastructure, inadequate healthcare, and an education system that in many areas still operates under trees.

LILGA unequivocally states that this contradiction is not incidental—it is the direct result of systemic governance failures.
Liberia’s concession framework remains fundamentally flawed. Foreign corporations continue to access vast tracts of land at unjustifiably low costs that fail to reflect the true economic, environmental, and social value of these assets. LEITI data reveals that land rental rates are as low as $0.20 per acre during exploration, increasing marginally to approximately $5 per acre in early mining stages and about $10 per acre in later years. These figures are not only economically insignificant but represent a gross undervaluation of national assets. Meanwhile, affected communities are displaced, stripped of their livelihoods, and excluded from meaningful economic participation.

Equally concerning are the minimal royalty rates embedded within these concession agreements. Companies extracting iron ore pay approximately 4.5%, gold and base metals about 3%, and diamonds roughly 5% in royalties. These rates are far below international benchmarks and ensure that Liberia receives only a negligible share of the true value of its resources. Consequently, while billions of dollars’ worth of minerals are exported, the returns to the Liberian state—and by extension its citizens—remain critically inadequate.

This unjust arrangement continues to deprive the nation of the resources needed to invest in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and long-term economic resilience.
Despite extractive industries accounting for over 50% of Liberia’s GDP and between 96% to 99% of total exports, the benefits have not translated into broad-based development. LILGA therefore reiterates: Liberia is not poor—the governance system managing its wealth is deeply broken.

In light of the global transition from aid to trade, LILGA calls for an urgent and comprehensive policy shift toward what we define as a Trade-for-Transformation Strategy. This approach demands the renegotiation of existing and future concession agreements to prioritize national industrialization and inclusive growth.

Specifically, LILGA advocates for binding provisions that require:
• The establishment of processing plants and manufacturing industries within Liberia
• The development of industrial zones and economic corridors
• Direct investment in energy and transportation infrastructure
• Mandatory technology transfer and skills development for Liberian workers
Such measures are essential to ensure that resource extraction leads to domestic production, job creation, and sustainable prosperity. This is the only pathway through which Liberia can transition from a raw material exporter to a value-added economy capable of competing in regional and global markets.
LILGA stresses that true partnership in the emerging global trade framework must be anchored on fairness, equity, and mutual benefit—not exploitation disguised as investment. Trade without strategy is exploitation, and Liberia must not fall victim to another cycle of economic injustice.
We therefore call on the Government of Liberia to demonstrate bold leadership, reject weak concession agreements, and prioritize the long-term interests of the Liberian people. The time for incremental reform has passed; what is required now is decisive structural transformation.

Liberia is not poor.
Liberia is under-negotiated.
And this must change—now.

Signed
Alexander Kermun Jr., Director of Communications

Approved,
George Sahr Tengbeh
Executive Director
Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance (LILGA)

02/04/2026

ENDING THE $50 FEE FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LEVY as, It violates section 21 of the PFM laws of Liberia.

To Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah Sr & officials of the Ministry of Labour, public office is a position of trust, not a platform for experimentation with public funds. The laws of Liberia are not suggestions. They are binding obligations.
No Minister, no matter how powerful, has the authority to override the financial laws of this Republic.

Fellow Liberians:
The Minister of Labour has with immediate effect suspended the March 20, 2026 as it violates the laws of the republic. Good news! We thank the Minister of Labour, Cllr. Cooper W Kruah for listening and doing the right thing.

This moment demands courage.
It demands accountability.
It demands action.
We cannot build a just labour system on a foundation of illegality.
We cannot promote decent work through corrupt structures.

At the Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance, we remain committed to defending transparency, protecting workers, and upholding the rule of law.

This is not just about $50.
This is about the soul of public governance in Liberia.

We will not be silent.
We will not be intimidated.
We will stand for accountability.

Thank you

Liberia Labour & Governance Alliance
Global Labour University
IndustriALL Global Union
Ministry of Labour, Republic of Liberia
International Labour Organization

30/03/2026

The actions of the Ministry of Labour, Republic of Liberia, under the leadership of Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah Sr. represent a clear misuse of statutory authority and a troubling departure from established legal frameworks.

By introducing a US$50 Workforce Development Levy on foreign workers and directing that such payments be made to a private entity, “LiberiaWorks,” rather than through the Liberia Revenue Authority, the Ministry has acted beyond the scope of its lawful functions.

This is the first of its kind for such to happened at the Ministry of Labour. While Chapter 7, Section 7.1 of the Decent Work Act permits the issuance of regulations, it explicitly restricts such powers to actions consistent with existing laws; therefore, any regulation that establishes a parallel revenue collection system outside the Consolidated Fund violates the Public Financial Management Act of Liberia.

The imposition and redirection of this levy, without legislative backing or financial accountability mechanisms, is not only ultra vires but also indicative of administrative overreach that undermines transparency, erodes institutional integrity, and raises serious concerns of corruption and mismanagement within the Ministry.

OUR DEMANDS

The Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance therefore demands:
1. Immediate suspension of the Workforce Development Levy arrangement
2. Full public disclosure of the ownership, structure, and operations of LiberiaWorks
3. A comprehensive investigation by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission
4. Legislative hearings by the National Legislature
5. An independent audit of all funds collected or intended to be collected under this scheme
6. Administrative accountability for all officials involved, including the Minister

30/03/2026

PRESS STATEMENT ON SYSTEMIC FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT AT THE MINISTRY OF LABOR: LIBERIAWORKS COLLECTIONS OF $50.00 USD FROM WORK PERMIT FEES

Date: 30. 03. 2026

THE ISSUE BEFORE THE NATION

On March 20, 2026, the Ministry of Labour issued an amendment introducing what it calls a “Workforce Development Levy”, requiring employers to pay USD $50 for every foreign worker.
Ordinarily, such a levy, if lawful, would be paid into government accounts through the Liberia Revenue Authority. But this is not what is happening. Instead, the Ministry has directed that these funds be administered by a private platform called LiberiaWorks, an entity with no clear statutory basis, no legislative approval, and no public accountability framework.

This raises one fundamental question:
Who authorized the privatization of public revenue in Liberia, and why is the function of the Bureau of Employment stripped from the Ministry and given to a private institution?

CLEAR VIOLATIONS OF THE Public Financial Management Act of Liberia

Fellow Liberians, the law is clear.
Section 21 of the PFM Act states:

“𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟, 𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐟, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝.”

Yet, under this scheme, public funds are being diverted away from the Consolidated Fund into a privately controlled structure. This is illegal. This is unacceptable.

Section 23 of the PFM Act further provides:
“𝐍𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐰.”
But what we are seeing is even worse, public money is being prevented from ever entering the Consolidated Fund in the first place. This is not just a violation. This is a deliberate circumvention of the law.

Section 2 of the PFM Act emphasizes:
“𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲, 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬.”

We ask:
Where is the transparency in LiberiaWorks?
Where is the accountability?
Who audits this entity?
Who oversees the funds?
No answers have been provided.

INSTITUTIONAL BYPASS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ILLEGALITY

The Liberia Revenue Authority is the only institution legally mandated to collect government revenue.
By assigning this responsibility to a private entity, the Ministry has:
a. Undermined a statutory institution
b. Violated established revenue laws
c. Created an unlawful parallel financial system

𝐖𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞.

A PATTERN OF CORRUPTION AND MISMANAGEMENT

This action is not isolated. It reflects a broader and more troubling pattern within the Ministry of Labour:
a. Disregard for due process
b. Politicization of labour governance
c. Marginalization of qualified Liberian workers
d. Weak enforcement of labour protections
e. Opaque recruitment and employment practices
And now, we see the most dangerous development yet, the monetization and privatization of labour regulation itself.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR LIBERIA

If this precedent is allowed to stand:
a. Every ministry could create its own “company” to collect public funds
b. The national budget framework would collapse
c. Public oversight would be eliminated
d. Corruption would become institutionalized
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝.

OUR DEMANDS

The Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance therefore demands:
1. Immediate suspension of the Workforce Development Levy arrangement
2. Full public disclosure of the ownership, structure, and operations of LiberiaWorks
3. A comprehensive investigation by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission
4. Legislative hearings by the National Legislature
5. An independent audit of all funds collected or intended to be collected under this scheme
6. Administrative accountability for all officials involved, including the Minister

A DIRECT MESSAGE TO THE MINISTER

To Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah Sr.:
Public office is a position of trust, not a platform for experimentation with public funds.
The laws of Liberia are not suggestions. They are binding obligations. No Minister, no matter how powerful, has the authority to override the financial laws of this Republic.

Fellow Liberians:
This moment demands courage. It demands accountability. It demands action.
We cannot build a just labour system on a foundation of illegality.
We cannot promote decent work through corrupt structures.
At Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance, we remain committed to defending transparency, protecting workers, and upholding the rule of law.

This is not just about $50.
This is about the soul of public governance in Liberia.
We will not be silent.
We will not be intimidated.
We will stand for accountability.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Alexander Kermun Jr.
Communication Director

Approved,
George Sahr Tengbeh
Founder/Executive Director ___________________________________________
Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance (LILGA)
Advocating for Decent Work, Justice, and Accountability in Liberia

29/03/2026

We will have a press conference tomorrow at 11:30am to discuss the violation of the PFM laws at the Ministry of Labour. Other matters…

23/03/2026

🎉 Happy birthday to the remarkable Executive Director of LILGA George Tengbeh! 🌟 Your selfless service to humanity and dedication to the workers of our country is truly unparalleled in our nation's history. Your tireless efforts have made a lasting impact, and we're honored to have you leading the way 🙏.

Here's to many more years of inspiring leadership, making a difference, and breaking barriers 💪. Your legacy continues to motivate us, Sir. Keep doing what you do best – we're rooting for you! 🎂 Cheers to you on your special day!

26/02/2026

Formal Letter to the President of Liberia

His Excellency, Joseph Nyumah Boakai
President of the Republic of Liberia
Executive Mansion
Monrovia, Liberia

February 26, 2026

Subject: 𝐔𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫

Your Excellency,
We extend respectful greetings and write to you out of deep concern for the current state of labour governance in our country, particularly within the Ministry of Labour.

This letter has been pending while we conducted a thorough review of the portfolios and performance records of the individuals concerned. Please note that the concerns raised are not limited to the five executive positions mentioned below at the Ministry of Labour.

𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬, 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐮 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡.

Across the private sector, workers are experiencing heightened fear, frustration, and insecurity. The atmosphere has shifted from difficult to toxic. Reports and testimonies indicate that the Ministry, which is legally mandated to enforce labour laws and safeguard workers’ rights, is failing to discharge its core responsibilities with neutrality and integrity.

There are growing allegations that workers who exercise their lawful rights, including speaking out against unfair labour practices or engaging in industrial actions due to violations of Collective Bargaining Agreements, are met with intimidation rather than protection.

It has been proven beyond doubt that the current leadership cannot uphold the protections embedded in the DWAL:
Chapter 17 (Freedom of Association),
Chapter 18 (Right to Strike),
Chapter 14 (Protection Against Unfair Dismissal), and the obligations under ILO Conventions 87 and 98, then serious questions must be asked about competence, neutrality, and fitness to administer labour justice.

Such actions, if left unchecked, undermine public confidence in state institutions and weaken industrial harmony.

Recent labour-related disturbances, including incidents in Kinjor and events surrounding AFCON-related confrontations, further highlight the urgent need for credible, transparent, and professional leadership within the Ministry.

Public communications perceived as defending corporate entities instead of upholding labour standards have intensified distrust among workers.

Your Excellency, you are the President of all Liberians, workers and employers alike. Sustainable economic growth, foreign investment confidence, and social stability depend heavily on a functional and impartial labour administration.

In light of the above, we respectfully urge your office to consider a comprehensive restructuring of the Ministry of Labour, including:
1. Replacement of the Minister of Labour.
2. Replacement of the Deputy Minister for Administration.
3. Replacement of the Comptroller General.
4. Replacement of the Human Resource Director.
5. Replacement of the Assistant Minister for Labour Standards.

Such decisive action would signal your administration’s commitment to accountability, fairness, and the rule of law. It would also restore worker confidence and reposition the Ministry as a credible guardian of labour rights rather than a perceived adversary.

Liberia’s workforce deserves protection. Employers deserve fair regulation. Our nation deserves institutional integrity.

We trust in your leadership to take the necessary steps toward reform, renewal, and redemption of the Ministry of Labour for the benefit of all Liberians.

Respectfully submitted,

George S. Tengbeh
Executive Director
Liberia Labour & Governance Alliance

Cc:
Ministry of Labour, Republic of Liberia
U.S. Embassy Monrovia, Liberia
Global Labour University
National Bureau of Concessions of Liberia
IndustriALL Global Union