ALHRP Inaugurates New Leadership, Sets Bold Agenda For HR Reform

Monrovia – The Association of Liberia Human Resource Professionals (ALHRP) has inaugurated its new leadership under President Jonah Soe Kotee, pledging to place human capital at the center of Liberia’s national development agenda.

The ceremony was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Labour (MOL), the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), and the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA), alongside invited guests and members of the HR community

In his inaugural speech, Kotee described the moment as “a national milestone,” stressing that Liberia’s greatest wealth is not iron ore, rubber, or timber, but its people.

ALHRP was founded in 2013 by Jonah Soe Kotee, Stanley Ford, and Faith B. Morris with a clear aim: to transform HR in Liberia from a back-office clerical role into a strategic profession at the heart of national development. Built on conviction rather than resources or political power, the Association has grown from three members to more than 300, with 150 officially registered.

Kotee outlined persistent labour challenges: weak enforcement of minimum wage laws, gender inequality, outdated labour data systems, and the vulnerability of HR professionals who are often pressured to compromise merit and fairness in the public sector. He also cited non-compliance by the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning (MFDP) with Section 8 of the Revenue Code, which requires adjustments of Liberian dollar benchmarks when the U.S. dollar exchange rate shifts — a failure that has eroded workers’ purchasing power.

The ALHRP President renewed calls for harmonization of the Civil Service Standing Orders with the Decent Work Act, the introduction of compulsory and independent labour audits to strengthen accountability, and the extension of NASSCORP protections to Liberia’s informal workforce, which makes up nearly 80% of all workers. He further emphasized the need for job classification policies that reserve specific categories of employment for Liberians, creating decent and secure jobs for the nation’s citizens.

Unveiling ALHRP’s 2025–2030 Strategic Agenda, Kotee highlighted key priorities including the development of a National Talent Database and Human Capital Dashboard with MOL and LIPA, promoting HR ethics, transparency, and professional regulation. Expanding training, certification, and academic partnerships. Advocating job classification to protect and create jobs for Liberians. Institutionalizing biennial wage reviews and stronger worker protections and ensuring the inclusion of informal workers in social protection schemes like NASSCORP.

“HR is not simply a profession. It is nation-building work,” Kotee declared. “In ALHRP, there are no winners or losers. The profession is the mission. If we stand divided, the profession weakens; but together, we create a force no obstacle can resist.”

The event concluded with a call to strengthen partnerships across government, business, and international HR bodies to elevate Liberia’s HR practice to regional and global standards.