IN A NATION struggling to curb soaring unemployment and reintegrate thousands of trained young Liberians into the workforce, revelations that Labor Minister Cooper Kruah has issued thousands of work permits to foreign nationals — without clarity or justification — represent not just administrative negligence, but a betrayal of public trust and national interest.
OVER THE last several months, the Liberian Senate has attempted to get answers from Minister Kruah concerning how and why 8,000 work permits were granted to non-Liberians. These are not high-level executive jobs that require foreign expertise. These are jobs that Liberians are trained and equipped to perform such as drivers, carpenters, plumbers — roles that vocational institutions across the country have been preparing our youth to occupy.
YET, MINISTER KRUAH appears either unable or unwilling to explain why these positions have been outsourced to foreigners.
MINISTER KRUAH’s repeated appearances before the Senate, each marked by vague explanations and evasive answers, have only fueled public outrage. His justification — that the Ministry of Labor’s system does not capture job descriptions — borders on absurdity.
HOW CAN a Ministry tasked with regulating the nation’s workforce issue a permit without knowing what job the applicant will perform?
THE MINISTER’s claim that his administration inherited a flawed system is not a defense — it’s a glaring admission of his failure to reform a broken process. And more egregiously, he continues to operate within this defective framework while Liberian families struggle to make ends meet.
IF, AS he states, 6,980 of the 8,000 permits were issued to non-African nationals, and a further 2,699 to non-ECOWAS nationals, then the issue is not just bureaucratic — it’s systemic and deeply troubling.
WE ARE WITNESSING the deliberate erosion of Liberia’s labor protections, as enshrined in the Decent Work Act of 2015 and the Liberianization Act, which were both designed to ensure that certain jobs remain the exclusive domain of Liberians.
SECTION 6 of the Decent Work Act clearly stipulates that no work permit should be issued to a foreigner unless it is proven — through publication and certification — that no qualified Liberian is available. Yet, this safeguard appears to have been completely ignored.
IF MINISTER KRUAH cannot ensure the integrity of the systems under his control, he should step aside for someone who will. At this point, his continued presence in office poses a risk to the country’s economic sovereignty. Issuing permits for informal and low-skilled jobs — reserved under law for Liberians — to foreigners is not just negligence; it is a gross violation of the trust placed in him by President Joseph Boakai.
THIS EDITORIAL would be remiss if it did not commend Senator Abraham Darius Dillon for his tenacity and patriotic stance in bringing this issue to the fore. While others have chosen silence, Senator Dillon has shown exemplary courage in defending the rights of ordinary Liberians.
HIS PERSISTENCE in demanding transparency and accountability is the kind of leadership this country desperately needs. He has proven that he is not just a senator, but a public servant in the truest sense.
IN ONE OF his passionate remarks, Senator Dillon rightly noted: “We cannot continue to invest in the training of our citizens, only for them to find that foreigners are occupying the jobs they are qualified to do.”
THIS SPEAKS to the heart of the problem. When Liberians see their government actively undermining their chances for employment, it creates not only economic despair but also breeds mistrust in the institutions meant to protect them.
THE SENATE has granted Minister Kruah a final two-week grace period to produce the documents outlining the job categories tied to these permits. This should be the last extension. If he fails again, it is imperative that the Senate take decisive action, including considering a vote of no confidence.
LIBERIANS DESERVE better. They deserve a labor ministry that fights for them, not against them. The future of our workforce should not be sacrificed at the altar of incompetence, favoritism, or foreign appeasement. The time has come for accountability — not just promises.
MINISTER KRUAH must answer for his actions — or the Senate must hold him accountable. The Liberian people are watching.
