Liberia: CSA Audit Uncovers Massive Qualification Gap, Payroll Irregularities at Ministry of Local Government - FrontPageAfrica

Monrovia — The Civil Service Agency (CSA) has presented to the Ministry of Local Government a comprehensive Personnel and Credential Verification Report, along with a Human Resources Digital System on Personnel Management.

By Francis G. Boayue

In December 2025, the CSA, at the request of the Ministry of Local Government, then known as the Ministry of Internal Affairs, launched the Personnel and Credential Verification Exercise, beginning in Montserrado County.

The process resumed in February 2026, covering the remaining fourteen (14) counties and targeting all employees of the Ministry of Local Government across Liberia.

The report was presented by CSA Director-General, Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr., to the Minister of Local Government,  F. Sakila Nyumalin Sr.  at the Ministry of Local Government in Monrovia on Friday, May 8.

In his presentation, Dr. Joekai stated that a total of 4,724 employees, representing 100 percent of the Ministry’s workforce, were targeted during the 24-day exercise.

Of that number, the CSA Director-General disclosed that 3,325 employees, representing 70 percent, were duly verified, while 1,381 employees, constituting 29 percent, were not verified during the exercise.

“Of the total workforce of the Ministry of Local Government, civil servants constitute 1,770 (37.5%), while appointees who are being paid make up 1,555 (32.9%). We also have another category of appointees, which we consider Special Case Appointees.

These are appointees who are supposed to be enrolled onto the national payroll system. They number 830, constituting 17.58%,” Dr. Joekai said during the release of the findings.

The CSA Director-General further stated that during the Personnel and Credential Verification Exercise, the Ministry’s Excuse Ledger presented 18 employees with legitimate excuses.

However, it was discovered that 3 out of every 10 employees remain unverified. 

Dr. Joekai noted that, after careful review of personnel files, some employees’ records lacked employment letters, credentials, letters of recommendation from schools, communities, and religious institutions, as well as national identification cards, among other required documents.

“What that shows is a weak documentation system, and that undermines accountability and workforce planning. It needs immediate intervention,” Dr. Joekai stated.

The report also uncovered attendance anomalies and outlined a series of recommendations, including salary deductions, suspension without pay, and dismissals.

“Attendance anomalies account for 474 cases. A total of 279 employees are due to face various penalties, including salary deductions for 77 individuals, 305 persons recommended for suspension, and 92 persons recommended for dismissal.

These attendance anomalies signal a disturbing problem with productivity and efficiency, which must be addressed as per the recommendations contained in the report.”

On the issue of qualifications, the report, according to Dr. Joekai, revealed that 1,160 employees of the Ministry of Local Government have no academic or professional credentials, while 290 employees possess only a high school diploma.

Dr. Joekai stated that employees holding Bachelor’s Degrees are 156, Master’s Degree holders 12, Associate Degree holders total 63, Professional Vocational certification holders account for 86, and PhD holders account for one employee.

“Overall, over 82% of employees of the Ministry of Local Government have either no credentials or only a high school diploma, signalling a gross lack of advanced qualifications. That also means, Mr. Minister, there is still a significant gap, and you have to pay attention to that,” the CSA boss was quoted as saying.

Dr. Joekai recommended the urgent need for a robust, intentional, and aggressive education and capacity development program for employees.

The report also highlighted the significant underrepresentation of women at the Ministry of Local Government under the Gender Disaggregation Analysis.

“What did we find? For civil servants, 1,238 males are constituting 69.94% and 532 females constituting 30.06%. For appointees on the payroll, we have 1,396 males, amounting to 89.83%, while female appointees number 159, constituting 10.17%,” Dr. Joekai stated during the report presentation.

Under the Employees Placement and Alignment category of the report, based on qualifications and job roles, 1,444 employees were found to be rightly placed, while 257 employees were discovered to be underqualified for their job roles.

“There are about 55 people who are overqualified for their current positions and 14 people who are misplaced.

The implication is that 18.42% of the workforce at the Ministry of Local Government needs serious and immediate human resource intervention. There is a need for reclassification, redeployment, and targeted training or capacity development.”

On retirement and workforce sustainability, the CSA Director-General stated that employees below the age of 50 are 936, employees within the pre-retirement age range between 50–59 are 411, and those within retirement age total 406 employees.

The report also found that 17 employees at the Ministry of Local Government did not have dates of birth (D.O.B.) on file.

Dr.  Joekai made a series of recommendations contained in the report, including: i. Immediate blocking of the 1,381 unverified employees from the payroll pending verification by the Civil Service Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government. Those who fail to appear for verification will be deleted from the payroll after 30 days in accordance with the CSA Policy Manual.

ii. Suspension without pay for one month for the 305 employees involved in attendance anomalies.

iii. Salary deductions for 77 employees who missed working days.

iv. Dismissal of 92 employees.

v. Transition of 406 employees into retirement.

vi. Reclassification, redeployment, and reassignment based on qualifications.

Dr. Joekai thanked and appreciated the Ministry of Local Government, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for initiating the Credential and Payroll Verification process, describing it as a giant step toward public sector reform and enhanced productivity.

According to him, the process aligns with the mandate of the CSA, which includes providing a comprehensive and transformative blueprint for strengthening human resource management across all 109 spending entities of government.

Upon receiving the report, Minister of Local Government Nyumalin praised the Civil Service Agency for producing a comprehensive report that will help guide future policy decisions at the Ministry.

The presentation of the report and the Human Resources Digital System was attended by scores of employees of the Ministry of Local Government, representatives from UNDP, the Ministry of Education, and the Governance Commission, all of whom praised the CSA for conducting a comprehensive exercise.