MONROVIA – Several aggrieved employees of Democracy International’s Elections and Democracy Activity (EDA), a project funded by the United States government in Liberia, have raised alarms over what they describe as an alleged scheme to deprive them of their rightful salaries and benefits following the suspension of funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
By Obediah Johnson
The EDA project is among several initiatives affected by the U.S. government’s decision earlier this year to pause all foreign assistance programs under USAID for 90 days—a policy instituted shortly after President Donald Trump’s return to office.
The EDA initiative, a US$17 million, five-year project, is aimed at strengthening electoral systems, civic participation, and democratic values in Liberia. The program was in its fourth year when the Trump administration announced the blanket suspension of all USAID-funded projects.
In a statement released to FrontPage Africa on Thursday, April 24, and signed by their spokesperson, Varnetta Freeman Johnson, the aggrieved employees said they have been “left in the dark” regarding their employment status and compensation, alleging deliberate efforts to withhold their due payments.
“In the wake of the abrupt shutdown of several USAID-funded projects across Liberia, employees of Democracy International’s Elections and Democracy Activity (EDA) are raising serious concerns over unpaid salaries and benefits. We consider this a calculated attempt to deny us our rightful entitlements under Liberian labor laws and DI’s own policies,” the statement said.
The employees accused DI management of insisting that severance, retirement, and remaining contract payments—outlined in the organization’s updated employee handbook—would only be made upon explicit approval from USAID, a condition the workers described as “unusual and unfair.”
They further alleged that DI has refused to engage in genuine negotiations and has instead imposed its position unilaterally.
“The EDA project employed dozens of skilled Liberians in both technical and support roles. Today, many of these individuals are struggling financially, feeling abandoned by institutions that once championed transparency, accountability, and fairness,” the statement continued.
According to the workers, they were forced to choose between two proposed payment options—terms they considered unjust and unnecessary. They decried the lack of communication, transparency, and support, particularly following the unannounced departures of EDA Chief of Party Antonetta Hamandishe and Deputy Chief of Party Askari Jafari on the evening of April 17.
“We reported to the office on April 18 to finalize asset disposition and retrieve personal items, only to be informed by the landlord that the Chief of Party and her deputy had already left the country. Even some members of the senior management team (SMT) were unaware of their departure,” the employees claimed.
The employees also pointed out that this issue appears isolated to Democracy International, noting that counterparts working under other USAID-funded projects, such as DAI, Mercy Corps, Winrock, and PSI, have reportedly received full benefits and salary coverage for the duration of their contracts.
“This situation at DI raises broader concerns about donor responsibility, organizational accountability, and the treatment of local staff during funding transitions and project closures,” the statement read.
The aggrieved employees are now publicly calling on Democracy International to settle all outstanding salaries through September 2025 and disburse terminal benefits without delay. They are also urging USAID and its local mission to ensure transparency and oversight in the closure of projects, ensuring obligations to local staff are met.
Meanwhile, the workers have appealed to the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Labor, to intervene in the matter.
“We believed in the work. We still do. But justice begins at home—and right now, we are simply asking for fairness, dignity, and the pay we deserve,” they concluded.
As of press time, authorities of Democracy International and the EDA project have not responded to the allegations raised by the aggrieved employees.