Africa-Press – Liberia. Advocate Tengbeh described the current framework of the Decent Work Act’s minimum wage section as “symbolic rather than functional.
In a groundbreaking move that has sparked renewed debate on wage justice and labour reforms, Liberian labour advocate George S. Tengbeh, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance (LILGA), has taken a bold step to independently draft a policy reform document to amend Chapter 16, Section 16 of the 2015 Decent Work Act, which governs the country’s private sector minimum wage.
Tengbeh’s decision to draft and circulate the Proposed Wage Reform and Decent Work (Amendment) Bill of 2025 comes at a time when the issue of fair wages has re-emerged as a central topic of national concern. The initiative seeks to correct long-standing structural gaps in Liberia’s wage system that have, for decades, left thousands of private sector employees vulnerable to exploitation and poor working conditions.
Speaking during a recent interview, Advocate Tengbeh described the current framework of the Decent Work Act’s minimum wage section as “symbolic rather than functional,” citing that the law in its current form fails to establish the institutional and structural mechanisms needed to ensure compliance, enforcement, and periodic wage review.
“We can no longer continue to have a law that sounds good on paper but fails to work for the people it was created to protect,” Tengbeh stated. “Section 16 of the Decent Work Act lacks the backbone that ensures wage fairness, compliance, and sustainability. This is why we are proposing a reform that goes beyond mere numbers — one that strengthens the system.”
A Response to a Flawed Legislative Proposal
Tengbeh’s reform effort comes in response to a bill recently introduced by Montserrado County District #3 Representative, Hon. Sumo K. Mulbah, seeking to raise the national minimum wage. While acknowledging the lawmaker’s effort as a positive step toward addressing poverty and inequality, Tengbeh openly criticized the bill for lacking what he calls “a structural and institutional reform strategy.”
He explained that raising the minimum wage without reforming the system that monitors, reviews, and enforces such standards would only lead to short-term political applause but fail to produce lasting results.
“Hon. Mulbah’s intention is commendable,” Tengbeh noted. “But his bill lacks the institutional structures — such as a National Wage Commission, a Compliance and Inspection Unit, and an independent review mechanism — that make wage reform sustainable. Liberia’s problem is not only the low wage; it’s the absence of a credible wage governance framework.”
Tengbeh’s analysis has drawn attention from across the policy and labour spectrum, with many observers describing his move as “a patriotic and technically sound intervention” that challenges the tendency of political quick fixes in Liberia’s governance system.
Inside the Proposed Wage Reform Bill
The Proposed Wage Reform and Decent Work (Amendment) Bill of 2025, as drafted by Tengbeh and reviewed by a network of labour experts, introduces five major pillars of reform aimed at making Liberia’s wage system both fair and enforceable.
The include the Establishment of a National Wage Commission (NWC) – tasked with conducting periodic reviews of wage rates, ensuring alignment with inflation, productivity, and cost-of-living indices, creation of a Wage Compliance and Inspection Unit – a body with legal powers to monitor employers, investigate wage violations, and enforce compliance through digital and legal mechanisms; Workforce Classification Framework – inclusion of the informal sector to ensure that domestic workers, market sellers, and casual labourers are not left behind in national wage policies.
It also seeks the establishment of a Fast-Track Wage Claims Tribunal – an independent body to handle wage-related disputes promptly, avoiding the lengthy bureaucratic processes currently discouraging workers from seeking redress and transparency mechanisms – including a national public wage registry and gender pay audit requirements to promote accountability and close the pay gap between men and women.
Together, these reforms aim to transform the Decent Work Act from a symbolic legal document into a functional governance system for wage justice, Tengbeh said.
Advocacy Backed by Action
Tengbeh’s credibility in labour policy is not built on theory alone. Over the years, he has represented hundreds of workers in major industrial disputes across Liberia, often taking on cases others avoided.
In 2024, he successfully represented 32 contract workers of the New Redemption Hospital who were dismissed without benefits. His advocacy led to the Ministry of Labour intervening and ensuring the payment of the workers’ full entitlements.
Again, in 2025, under the banner of the Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), Tengbeh and his team represented 120 construction workers of the New Platinum Hotel in Congo Town, who had gone months without pay. Through persistent negotiation and legal engagement, the workers received their long-overdue benefits.
In early 2025, Tengbeh championed the case of Ms. Bendu Sonii, a worker at the Mano Palm Company whose leg was amputated following a workplace accident. After public pressure mounted through Tengbeh’s advocacy on radio and electronic media, the company paid Ms. Sonii US$120,000 in compensation in October 2025 — a victory hailed as a milestone for workplace justice in Liberia.
Courage Amid Threats
However, such outspoken advocacy has not come without risks. In mid-2024, Tengbeh reported receiving threats to his life after he openly criticized certain government officials and private entities for what he described as “corrupt and exploitative labour practices.”
In a statement addressed to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Tengbeh expressed concern for his safety but reaffirmed his commitment to continue fighting for workers’ rights.
“Threats cannot silence advocacy,” he said. “The labour movement in Liberia has always been about courage, and as long as there is injustice, I will continue to stand with the workers.”
Public Engagement and Policy Transparency
True to his word, Tengbeh has not only drafted the bill but also made it publicly available via Google Drive, urging Liberians to read and comment on it. He insists that policy development must be participatory and people-centered, not monopolized by political elites.
“This bill is not mine alone; it belongs to every worker, every parent struggling to make ends meet, and every young person entering the job market,” he said in a Facebook post. “We must work together to ensure the law reflects our collective reality and protects the dignity of all Liberians.”
The draft has been officially submitted to the Senate Committee on Labour, chaired by Senator Thomas Yaya Nimely, as well as to Speaker Richard Koon and Representative Sumo K. Mulbah for consideration.
A Call for National Dialogue
The release of the draft bill has stirred conversation across radio talk shows and social media platforms, where citizens, journalists, and economists are weighing in on what many call “a new phase of labour consciousness.”
Several media houses—including KOOL FM, Truth FM, Cape FM, Freedom FM, OK FM, Voice of Liberia, Joy FM, and Llyould FM—have received copies of the draft for discussion and public feedback.
Tengbeh is expected to appear on various radio and television programs to further explain the proposed amendments, where he will engage Liberians on the details of the bill and its potential impact on national development.
Supposition: A Turning Point for Labour Governance
As Liberia continues to struggle with high unemployment, inflation, and wage inequality, Tengbeh’s move to independently draft a reform bill is being seen as both a patriotic gesture and a wake-up call to policymakers.
Analysts believe the Wage Reform and Decent Work (Amendment) Bill of 2025 could mark a turning point in the nation’s labour governance if adopted and implemented with transparency and commitment.
In a country where workers have long been underpaid and under protected, George S. Tengbeh’s initiative stands as a courageous act of citizen-driven reform — one rooted in integrity, expertise, and a deep sense of national responsibility.
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