Liberia: Airport Workers Demand Payment of COVID-Era Salary Arrears

MONROVIA – About 20 current and former employees of the James Spriggs Payne Airport are calling on the Government of Liberia(GoL) to settle outstanding salary arrears owed to them by the previous administration.

By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway

The workers say the arrears, ranging from three to four months, were accumulated during the COVID-19 period and remain unpaid despite assurances from both the immediate past and present governments.

In an exclusive interview over the weekend, the affected employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their jobs, explained that the initial arrears stood at six to seven months. However, part of the amount was paid during the early days of the current administration, leaving a balance of three to four months still outstanding.

According to them, repeated appeals were made to former airport manager Emmanuel Tarplah, but no further action was taken before his removal from office.

The employees, comprising both men and women, said the unpaid salaries date back to the height of the health crisis, when many workers were instructed to stay home or operate remotely as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus.

“This is very frustrating. We worked for our money, and yet we cannot receive it,” one female employee lamented.

“We have tried to be patient and respectful, but it seems no one is listening to us,” she furthered.

Another former employee, now working with a different government institution, said they have learned that funding for the arrears has been captured in the 2026 National Budget under the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA).

“We understand that US$116,789 is allocated under ‘Other Compensations,’ and we believe this is meant for our payment. That is why we are appealing to the government, particularly the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, to settle this obligation,” the source said.

The workers further expressed disappointment that despite multiple engagements and assurances from the former management, the issue remains unresolved.

When contacted, Mr. Tarplah acknowledged the claim, stating that the debt was documented in official handover notes.

“Government is a continuity. When leaving office, you provide a turnover note, and this obligation was clearly stated. It is now the responsibility of the current management and government to ensure payment,” he said.

Efforts to reach the current airport manager, Abner Yonly, were unsuccessful as calls went unanswered, and a text message sent to him had not been returned as of press time.

The aggrieved workers are now urging swift government intervention to resolve the matter, warning that prolonged delays could lead to further unspecified actions by them.