Forty fellows from the President’s Young Professionals Program (PYPP) are set to bolster both local and central government operations following a rigorous vetting and recruitment process.
The deployment details were announced during an acquaintance meeting with the PYPP Board Chair. Executive Director Ciata Stevens d’Almeida revealed that twelve fellows will be strategically placed in local government, with seven assigned to Bong County and five to Lofa County. The remaining twenty-eight fellows will be directly integrated into central government entities within Montserrado County.
Dr. Josiah Joekai, the Board Chair of the PYPP, expressed his strong approval of the selection process, commending the Executive Director and her team for their effective work.
Addressing the fellows, Dr. Joekai underscored the critical importance of upholding the values of respect, honesty, integrity, transparency, and accountability in their respective roles. He expressed his belief that the PYPP model is a highly effective approach to ensuring efficient and productive public service delivery nationwide, citing the significant positive impact of past and current fellows.
“We will not put square pegs in round holes; we are looking for qualified people, and one of the best ways and channels to getting them is the PYPP’s approach. As long as I remain Director General of the Civil Service Agency, we will prioritize PYPs,” Dr. Joekai affirmed.
He further noted that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has significantly appointed PYPs to key positions due to their proven effectiveness in public service. Consequently, the President is committed to safeguarding the PYPP module, recognizing its success and potential.
Dr. Joekai emphasized that Liberia’s public service should be both adequately sized and effective, staffed with competent individuals to achieve optimal results.
Following a meeting with President Boakai, the Board Chair reported that the Liberian leader was highly impressed with the program’s work. The President has mandated that he be kept informed of PYPP activities, aligning with his vision for accountability, transparency, and integrity within public service.
The Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA) assured the fellows of his commitment to creating a strong link between the PYPP and the CSA to enhance public service delivery. He also announced his intention to communicate with all government ministries and agencies, urging them to prioritize the absorption of PYPs into their respective systems and institutions.
Dr. Joekai further emphasized the crucial role of the PYPP in preparing individuals for the Civil Service Agency.
He used the opportunity to encourage Liberians to pursue professional fields of study that are in demand in the job market, moving away from more common specializations.
“We have so many people with degrees across the Country but no jobs because of their area of specialization, namely; Accounting, financial management, public administration, and many others,” he stated.
He pointed out a fundamental issue with career choices in Liberia that needs to be addressed, asserting that the PYPP is an excellent model to facilitate this change.
“I sat and listened to you people introducing yourselves in various specialized areas to include: Bio-Medical Science, Environmental Engineering, Agriculture, Bio-Chemistry, Demography, Public Health, Nursing, Social Work, and many others. These are fields Liberians should be pursuing to dominate the labor market, which foreigners are currently doing,” Dr. Joekai noted.
“We are underrepresented in our labor force because our people’s degrees don’t align with the areas where we need professionals,” he added.
However, with the evident progress of the PYPP, Dr. Joekai expressed his confidence that Liberia is taking significant steps to improve this situation, ensuring that the public service is staffed with highly qualified, specialized, professional, and dedicated individuals committed to serving the sector and the country as a whole.
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