Monrovia – The Minister of Labour, Cllr. Cooper Kruah, has denied allegations that his ministry issued over 8,000 work permits to foreign nationals for jobs that Liberians are capable of doing.
The denial comes in response to a complaint filed recently by Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, who accused the Minister of providing work opportunities to foreigners at the expense of qualified Liberian citizens.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Labour Ministry on Monday, June 2, Minister Kruah addressed the allegations head-on. “The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Labour, will on Tuesday, June 3, commence a nationwide audit of work permits at all business and concession areas across the country,” the Minister announced. He said the audit aims to determine whether foreign employees are working in compliance with the roles specified in their permits.
The Minister’s remarks followed days of public scrutiny after Senator Dillon’s claims were raised on the floor of the Liberian Senate. In his statement to plenary, Senator Dillon said, “These are jobs we are training Liberians for, and yet, foreigners are taking them.” He argued that the situation is particularly unjust given the country’s soaring unemployment rate and economic vulnerability.
“This is unfair to Liberians,” Senator Dillon stressed, emphasizing that thousands of capable citizens remain jobless while foreign nationals occupy roles they could competently fill.
However, a senior source at the Labour Ministry, speaking to FrontPage Africa on condition of anonymity, refuted the Senator’s figures and interpretation of the facts.
The source explained that when Minister Kruah took over the Ministry in 2024, the total number of new work permits issued under his leadership amounted to 2,484, not 8,000 as claimed. The source added that these permits were largely renewals for major concession companies such as ArcelorMittal, Bea Mountain, Firestone Liberia, and the Liberia Agricultural Company, among others, whose prior permits had expired.
According to the source, “Minister Kruah inherited many of the work permits that are currently being counted against him. These were permits issued during the administration before his appointment, not during his tenure.”
The Ministry insider further clarified that the Decent Work Act of 2015 does not contain a list of job roles reserved exclusively for Liberians. This is because Liberia is a signatory to the International Labour Organization (ILO), which prohibits discriminatory hiring practices by member states.
“There is no listing of jobs that can only be done by Liberians,” the source noted. “Liberia’s labour laws must align with global labour standards set by the ILO.”
In his press briefing, Minister Kruah reinforced this legal framework while stressing the importance of compliance by both employers and foreign employees. He explained that the upcoming audit is intended not only to confirm adherence to approved roles but also to identify employers who misrepresent job descriptions when applying for or renewing work permits.
“We have observed an alarming trend wherein employers misrepresent the actual job roles of alien employees during the permit application process, especially during renewal applications,” Kruah said.
He announced that all employers will be required to present the approved work permit applications for each alien worker, along with a list of Liberian workers and their job titles, and a full roster of alien employees and their assigned positions. “Any company found to have misrepresented the job function of an alien worker will face revocation of the work permit,” he said.
