Africa-Press – Liberia. The House of Representatives has taken steps to review the status of volunteer teachers and health workers around the country.
The House decision follows a communication from Maryland County Electoral District #2 Representative, Anthony F. Williams, who sought clarity on the number of volunteer teachers, nurses, and doctors placed on the government payroll in 2025 and 2026, as well as those still awaiting inclusion.
According to Rep. Williams, the persistent salary delays, especially at a time when the Government has committed to strengthening the education and health sectors, risk undermining worker morale, classroom effectiveness, healthcare delivery, and the overall quality of public services.
Appearing before the House of Representatives Thursday the Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., said there is a strong collaborative relationship between the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), the Civil Service Agency, and line ministries, particularly the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Health (MoH), in addressing payroll and human resource-related matters.
He said the collaboration covers human resource management, payroll processing, and compensation alignment, ensuring that personnel actions are properly reviewed and integrated into the national payroll system.
“The Ministry of Education submitted 2,148 Personnel Action Notices (PANs) to the CSA, and the Agency reviewed and validated the files and successfully placed 2,148 volunteer teachers on the government payroll”.
He said there are challenges with bank account details, explaining that some applicants submitted incorrect or incomplete account information, which delayed processing in a few cases.
Regarding the Ministry of Health, the CSA Director General reported that 1,879 PANs were submitted, and of that number, 1,050 health workers were initially placed on the payroll, with an additional 450 added in December, bringing the total to 1,500, and the remaining 329 health workers are expected to be integrated into the national payroll system in February.
Dr. Joekai explained that, to prevent volunteers from remaining unpaid, the Ministry of Finance created a special payroll mechanism, while stressing that the Government remains committed to abolishing the supplementary payroll system in favor of a unified national payroll.
According to the CSA Director General, the total number of volunteers placed on the payroll nationwide now stands at 3,406, including teachers from the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS).
He further disclosed that issues relating to bank account numbers at the Ministry of Internal Affairs are being addressed, with both Liberian dollar and United States dollar accounts currently being received and reconciled.
Dr. Joekai informed lawmakers that the total number of volunteers across the country is 2,396, with county-by-county breakdowns submitted to the CSA. He said the Agency will review the 2,396 PANs received in December to facilitate their possible inclusion on the payroll.
The CSA Director General stressed the need for a national conversation on sustainable funding to ensure the full integration of volunteers into the payroll system, noting that funding availability remains critical for the Ministry of Finance to create allotments for newly approved personnel.
He reiterated the importance of continued collaboration among the CSA, the Ministry of Finance, and other line ministries, assuring Plenary that the CSA will continue to work meticulously and transparently on employment and payroll-related issues.
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