Monrovia—FrontPage Africa has reliably gathered that Deputy Minister for Economic Management at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Dehpu Y. Zuo, is reportedly prioritizing “personal connections” over qualified candidates for key positions within the Department of Economic Management.
By Selma Lomax, [email protected]
Sources have confided in FrontPage Africa that Deputy Minister Zuo has decided to fill these roles with those believed to be his friends, family members, and political allies, at the expense of experienced and qualified internal candidates.
This paper has gathered that since 2020, over 20 positions in the Department of Economic Management have become vacant due to resignations, promotions, transfers, and deaths.
These positions, including roles such as Economist, Assistant Director, and Director, typically require candidates to hold a Master’s degree in fields such as Economics, Finance, Public Policy, or Management, along with significant work experience.
Despite meeting these criteria and acting in these roles efficiently for months or even years, many internal staff members have been reportedly overlooked.
“An analysis was conducted at Minister Zuo’s request to determine which staff members were capable of filling the vacant positions,” said an anonymous source. “To our utmost surprise, Deputy Minister Zuo chose to bring people from outside the ministry who are his friends, families, and political allies.”
According to sources, most of the new hires performed poorly during mandatory interviews, yet Zuo remains intent on hiring them. This decision contradicts the directive given by then Finance Minister Kamara during a general staff meeting on June 28, 2024. Then Minister Kamara emphasized that employment-related activities should focus on promoting existing staff members to higher positions, leaving only lower roles open to external candidates.
“Bringing in new people prevents current staff from growing and results in relatively inexperienced supervisors,” explained one staff member who wished not to be named. “It’s demoralizing and hampers overall productivity.”
Recent reports suggest that with Finance Minister Kamara’s resignation, Deputy Minister Zuo appears more determined than ever to proceed with his hiring plans. He is reportedly waiting for approval from the Civil Service Agency (CSA) to finalize these appointments, FrontPageAfrica gathered.
“We urge the leadership of the CSA, Vice President Koung, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, and other stakeholders to intervene,” pleaded another anonymous source. “Deputy Minister Zuo’s decision to bring less qualified and inexperienced people to supervise more competent ones will only lead to disenchantment, discontent, and strikes within the department, hampering overall productivity.”
According to sources, there are calls among top brass at the ministry for the establishment of an independent recruitment panel to ensure a competitive hiring process, giving equal opportunity to current staff members and external candidates.
As the situation unfolds, the department remains in a state of uncertainty, awaiting a resolution that balances fairness, competence, and transparency in hiring practices.
When contacted, Deputy Minister Zuo declined to comment on the matter. “I don’t run my office via telephone,” he said.
