MONROVIA – The Civil Servant Association of Liberia (CSAL) has commended the Government of Liberia (GoL) for presenting a historic US$1.2 Billion Draft National Budget for Fiscal Year 2026, hailing it as a “significant leap forward” from the previous US$800 million ceiling.
By Francis G. Boayue
The Association, led by President Moibah K. Johnson, in a press conference on Wednesday, issued a strong call for the government to include an immediate wage increment for all public sector workers, citing years of economic hardship following the 2019 “Harmonization” policy.
CSAL President Moibah K. Johnson acknowledged the expanded budget which provides a crucial opportunity to address national priorities like infrastructure and healthcare, but stressed that the needs of civil servants—the “backbone of government operations”—must be reflected in resource allocation.
He lamented that the true intent of the 2019 pay reform initiative, known as Harmonization, has never been achieved. It claims the exercise resulted in salaries for nearly 70,000 civil servants being slashed by over 40%.
“Since the harmonization in 2019, the Association has observed with shock and dismay that the true intent of the harmonization has never been achieved,” he said, adding that members are feeling the adverse economic impact monthly, exacerbated by high inflation and the depreciation of the Liberian dollar.
Mr. Johnson argued that these cuts have left employees with insufficient disposable income, leading to “untold hardship” that prevents them from affording school fees and other domestic needs, and that the proposed budget, despite its massive size, only captured increments for certain Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs) while leaving civil servants’ salaries “untouched.”
He noted that it had previously presented a comprehensive joint resolution to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning , the Legislature and the President Pro-Tempore’s Office on November 5, 2024, advocating for wage increases and salary restructuring.
“Not to see it as a priority in the budget preparation in our mind is a disservice to us and shows insensitivity to the role we played in aiding the government in achieving policy-driven initiatives,” he declared.
He further contended that the government is currently violating the principles of the National Remuneration and Standardization Act of 2019, specifically the requirements for equity, transparency, and competitiveness in personnel pay structures.
The Civil Servant Association of Liberia is now urging the National Legislature to exercise due diligence and use its review process to mandate the full consideration and approval of a salary increase for ALL Public Sector Workers.
The Association affirmed its commitment to constructive dialogue to secure “dignity, equity, and prosperity” for civil servants.
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