Claim: “Civil servants' salaries have been slashed by 3% to 10% under President Joseph Boakai's administration.”
Source: William Dolo, Austin Kawah
Verdict: It remains unclear whether or not there was a cut in the salaries of civil servants. Josiah Joekai, the Civil Service Agency boss, has refused to speak with our fellow because he thinks the fellow wants to “blackmail” him.
Full Text: The Civil Service Agency was established in 1973 by an Act of the Legislature to increase efficiency in the civil service and act as the central personnel agency of MACs.
The Civil Service Agency (CSA) is the principal human resource institution for the Government of Liberia, responsible for managing the Civil Service workforce and ensuring compliance with established regulations and procedures.
With a focus on transparency, efficiency, and meritocracy, the CSA plays a crucial role in driving institutional excellence and promoting public trust in government operations.
On February 15, 2025, William Dolo, the chief executive officer of ‘One Bong County Agenda’ and Austin Kawah, a journalist at Freedom FM, claimed that civil servants’ salaries were slashed from 3% to 10%.
The claim that civil servants' salaries have been reduced by 10% instead of the previous 3% appears to have gained attraction among certain sectors of the public, including social media platforms, following recent discussions on budgetary constraints and public sector wages.
Some reports have suggested that due to economic pressures, the government, under President Joseph Boakai, may have enacted salary cuts to balance the national budget or mitigate inflationary effects.
The figure of 3% to 10% salary cuts has been cited, although no official government announcement or concrete documentation has been provided to substantiate the claim.
Verification: To verify the truth of this claim, we sought an official response from the Civil Service Agency (CSA), the body responsible for overseeing the terms of employment and compensation for Liberia's public sector workers.
However, despite several inquiries, Josiah Joekai, head of the Civil Service Agency, has not offered any official clarification regarding the alleged salary cuts. When asked about the specific question of salary reductions, Joekai said it was unnecessary to verify such a claim.
He said it would have been better if the claim was made by officials of the CSA instead of an individual.
He refuted having no idea about the claim, terming the fact-checker as a blackmailer.
We again contacted William Dolo to share his source with us. William said he sent a link in the One Bong Agenda group chat about four days later. We, however, did not see it. William later asked us to check the social media page of one Austin M. Kawah.
However, we did see the claim on Austin’s page that has to do with a 10% cut in civil servants’ salaries.
This lack of response from the Civil Service Agency has created uncertainty and left the public without any concrete information about the state of civil servants' wages.
However, without an official statement or budgetary records confirming any salary cuts, it is speculative to suggest that civil servants have experienced reductions in their pay.
Naomi Dolo, classroom teacher, Gorpudoloboi Public School, when contacted, said, ”For me, I can not say anything about salary cuts because I am still taking the same money. Nothing has happened to my pay. The same amount they have been paying me, that's the same.”
Jack Y. Mulbah, principal of Flomo Barwolor Public School, said his salary is constant; we have been told of an increment but that has not taken effect. “However, there have been no slashes and it is just what it has been.”
Meanwhile, we have contacted the civil servants association; when they respond, this article will be updated.
Meanwhile, we have contacted the civil servants association; when they respond, this article will be updated.
Conclusion: After careful investigation, we conclude that the claim that civil servants' salaries have been slashed from 3% to 10% under President Joseph Boakai’s administration cannot be definitively verified. The lack of transparency and the refusal of the Civil Service Agency's head to provide any public comment on the matter leave the issue unresolved.
We will update the story when the CSA speaks clearly
By: Joseph Titus Yekeryan (Bong Fellow)
We will update the story when the CSA speaks clearly
By: Joseph Titus Yekeryan (Bong Fellow)
