MONROVIA – The Civil Service Agency (CSA) has officially launched its monthly electronic newsletter, a new communication platform aimed at strengthening transparency, improving public engagement, and keeping civil servants and citizens informed about the agency’s policies, reforms and activities.
By Francis G. Boayue
The newsletter was formally launched on Wednesday, August 5 by Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah, who described the initiative as another milestone in the agency’s ongoing commitment to openness and effective public communication.
Speaking during the launch ceremony, Minister Piah recalled that his previous visit to the CSA was in October 2024 for the commissioning of the National Civil Service Testing Centre, noting that the agency has continued to distinguish itself through innovation and transparency.
“I am back here to officially launch a creative communication tool—a monthly newsletter through which the CSA will tell its own success story,” the minister said.
Minister Piah praised the leadership of CSA Director-General Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., saying the agency has made communication a central component of its operations.
According to him, the CSA has become one of the most active government institutions in utilizing the Ministry of Information’s bi-weekly press briefing platform to communicate its policies, programs and achievements.
“That means the CSA operates with transparency, communicates effectively through public information platforms, and leaves little room for secrecy or speculation regarding its statutory responsibilities,” he said.
The Information Minister described communication as one of the pillars of good governance and commended the agency for consistently keeping the public informed.
He noted that although newsletters have existed for centuries, they remain an effective organizational communication tool, particularly in the digital era.
Minister Piah recalled that the last CSA newsletter was published between 2009 and 2011, largely focusing on the Senior Executive Service (SES) Program.
Following its discontinuation, he said, the public received limited information about the agency’s work.
He observed that since the current CSA administration assumed office in 2024, the agency has significantly improved its communication strategy through regular press engagements, digital platforms, and publications, including an 80-page civil service magazine highlighting reforms and achievements.
“The newsletter we are launching today bridges the information gap by providing a digital platform capable of reaching a much wider audience,” he said.
The minister encouraged other ministries, agencies and commissions to establish similar newsletters tailored to their communication capacities.
He said institutional newsletters not only improve internal communication but also strengthen accountability, facilitate knowledge-sharing, preserve institutional history, and counter misinformation and public speculation.
“I encourage every government institution to tell its own story and document its achievements,” he stated.
Officially declaring the newsletter launched, Minister Piah urged the CSA to ensure consistent monthly publication.
Delivering a special statement, CSA Director-General, Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr., thanked Minister Piah for officially launching the publication and lauded the Ministry of Information for providing government institutions with an effective platform to communicate with the Liberian people.
Dr. Joekai said the ministry’s regular press briefings have enabled the CSA to educate civil servants and the public about government policies, employee rights, responsibilities and ongoing reforms.
“The opportunities your ministry continues to provide have projected the image of the Civil Service Agency and educated government employees about their roles and responsibilities,” he said.
He credited Minister Piah with modernizing government communication, describing the Ministry of Information as having evolved beyond a traditional public relations institution into a proactive communication system focused on public education and transparency.
According to Dr. Joekai, effective communication has helped improve public understanding of government programs while reducing misinformation and misconceptions.
The CSA Director-General highlighted the agency’s broader communication framework, which includes an interactive website featuring a virtual information assistant, regular press briefings, annual reports, a semi-annual Civil Service Magazine and now the monthly e-newsletter.
“Our communication strategy is deliberate and structured. We do not leave our story for others to tell. We communicate our work directly while the media helps amplify it,” Dr. Joekai stated.
He disclosed that the newly launched newsletter had already attracted more than 200 subscribers before its official unveiling, expressing confidence that the audience would continue to grow.
Dr. Joekai pointed out that the publication will serve as another platform to educate civil servants, improve transparency, showcase reforms, and strengthen public confidence in Liberia’s civil service.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to continuously informing government employees about policies affecting their welfare while ensuring that reforms remain accessible to the public.
The launch brought together senior government officials, representatives of the Press Union of Liberia, civil society organizations, the President’s Young Professionals Program, development partners and members of the CSA’s senior management team.
