Africa-Press – Liberia. Dr. Joekai disclosed that the internal payroll system at the MCC was designed to supplement the CSA-managed payroll due to discrepancies in salary payments.
The Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., has revealed that the current leadership of the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) inherited two separate payroll systems—one managed by the CSA and the other operated internally by the MCC.
This revelation is contained in the CSA’s report from its recent Human Resources Assessment of the MCC. The CSA also released similar assessment reports for Lofa County University and the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency.
The CSA conducted a month-long personnel and credential verification exercise at the MCC as part of efforts by the Boakai administration to strengthen and improve personnel systems across the public sector.
Releasing the report on Friday, July 4, 2025, in the Conference Room of the CSA at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Dr. Joekai disclosed that the internal payroll system at the MCC was designed to supplement the CSA-managed payroll due to discrepancies in salary payments.
“As much as the intent may have been good, it poses serious risks, including the possibility of irregular salary payments and even double-dipping—whether intentional or not,” Dr. Joekai said. “The existence of dual payroll systems compromises the physical integrity of the payroll process and increases the risks of duplication, inefficiency, and irregularities.”
Key Findings include employee verification. The CSA verified 736 out of 777 employees listed by the MCC, representing a 97% verification rate; Unverified Employees: 41 individuals (5.3%) could not be verified, raising concerns about ghost employees or unauthorized hiring.
For credential audit, 456 employees (62% of those verified) presented legitimate and verifiable academic credentials. However, 36 individuals (5%) were found with unverifiable or falsified documents.
The educational profile: 325 employees hold only high school certificates, while 244 have no formal academic qualification. Very few possess bachelor’s or master’s degrees, revealing significant skills gaps within the workforce.
Attendance Analysis: 75 employees were absent for 3–6 days during the assessment period, 8 employees missed 7–13 days, 2 employees were absent for more than 14 days and 11 employees had no attendance record at all.
For role placement assessment, 154 employees are qualified for reclassification based on their qualifications and job roles, 43 employees were found to be misplaced and 16 employees are overqualified, and 7 are underqualified for their current roles.
On governance and payroll risks, Joekai further disclosed that 150 individuals were hired unlawfully on April 3, 2023, without adhering to MCC or CSA employment protocols and without any formal authorization from the office of the mayor.
“These appointments bypassed budgetary, legal, and operational standards and undermined institutional governance,” he emphasized.
“Only 150 of the more than 160 people hired on that single day were verified during our exercise,” he added.
Findings on gender distribution show that 540 of the verified staff (73%) are male, 196 are female (27%), indicating a significant gender imbalance that the CSA says needs to be addressed.
Recommendations
In light of the findings, Joekai outlined several key recommendations for the MCC.
They include immediate removal of the 41 unverified employees from the payroll, suspension of employees with unverifiable or falsified credentials, reclassification and redeployment of employees based on qualifications and job fit and automatic dismissal of employees who were absent for more than 14 days during the verification period.
“There are 43 employees who are clearly misplaced, and over 244 who need reclassification. We will work with the MCC to ensure this process is done effectively,” Dr. Joekai stated.
“We also recommend that those absent for over 14 days be dismissed immediately—this is non-negotiable.”
Joekai emphasized the CSA’s commitment to working with the MCC to implement these recommendations, noting that the agency remains dedicated to improving efficiency, accountability, and professionalism across all government institutions.
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