By Amos Harris
Monrovia, Montserrado, Liberia – May 30, 2025 – Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., Director-General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), has publicly addressed the persistent issue of delayed salary payments for staff of the Central Administration of the House of Representatives, attributing the holdup to technical problems at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) rather than the CSA.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing on Thursday, Dr. Joekai clarified that the CSA had completed the processing and approval of July 2024 salaries for the House’s Central Administration staff. However, he stated that the MFDP encountered technical glitches while using the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) system for disbursement.
“The CSA processed and approved the July 2024 salaries for the Central Administration Staff of the House. Disbursement rests solely with the Ministry of Finance,” Dr. Joekai affirmed, citing Chapter 5, Section 2.1 of the Civil Service Standing Orders. He noted that despite the system’s design to prevent payroll fraud and unauthorized changes, several employees did not receive their salaries, even though their information was correctly captured on the CSA’s approved payroll.
Dr. Joekai’s comments followed his appearance before the House of Representatives on Monday, May 26, 2025, in response to invitations from the House’s leadership dated July 29 and 31, 2024. During his testimony, he highlighted serious discrepancies in payroll data submitted by the House, revealing that the monthly payroll had inexplicably jumped from USD $284,401.05 to USD $327,643 — an increase of more than $43,000.
He attributed this significant increase to the unauthorized inclusion of 40 new employees, which he stated violates both the CSA’s Standing Orders and the Human Resources Policy Manual. “The hiring and addition of new employees without CSA approval contravenes Chapter 5, Section 2.3 of the Civil Service Standing Orders,” he emphasized.
Furthermore, Dr. Joekai lamented the Legislature’s refusal to allow the CSA to conduct a physical verification and headcount of employees within the House’s Central Administration – a standard audit exercise already completed in over 100 government institutions, including the Office of the Vice President and the Liberian Senate.
In a startling revelation, Dr. Joekai accused top lawmakers of intimidation and threats. He specifically named Bong County District #3 Representative and Chair on Rules, Orders and Administration, Hon. J. Marvin Cole, for allegedly shouting at him and threatening to drag him before a committee for rejecting the addition of unauthorized names to the payroll. “Hon. Cole angrily shouted at me, saying, ‘We will drag this man before my committee. He is very stubborn,’” Dr. Joekai recalled.
He also cited a chilling incident involving former House Speaker Hon. Jonathan Fonati Koffa, who reportedly warned him at a presidential event, “On Monday, I will send you to jail for refusing to pay employees of the House for some technical reasons.” Dr. Joekai further recounted a disturbing phone call with the former Speaker on Saturday, August 3, where a threatening remark – “You think I will carry you somewhere and kill you?” – left him feeling deeply distressed and unsafe.
“I felt deeply demoralized and intimidated by your treatment, though I did not show it. The psychological toll was immense,” Dr. Joekai confessed during his appearance before the House.
In closing, Dr. Joekai called for professionalism and mutual respect between the CSA and the Legislature, stressing the need to end intimidation and promote effective collaboration. “I respectfully urge that we foster a work environment free from intimidation, harassment, and threats. Let us work together to resolve these issues and ensure the smooth functioning of our government,” he appealed. He reaffirmed CSA’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and collaboration in managing human resource matters across government institutions.