By Amos Harris
Monrovia, Liberia – A massive wave of discontent is sweeping through Liberia’s civil service, with thousands of government employees poised for a nationwide protest against what they describe as “meager and inhumane” salaries and deeply entrenched pay disparities. Sources within key ministries reveal that civil servants across all fifteen counties are in the advanced stages of organizing a unified demonstration, demanding urgent salary reform and the principle of equal pay for equal work.
The looming protest threatens to paralyze essential government functions unless the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai swiftly addresses their grievances. This brewing unrest is rooted in a deteriorating wage structure that civil servants say has plagued the sector for years, particularly exacerbated during and after the previous Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government.
Civil servants allege that under the CDC administration, salaries were drastically cut, leaving many struggling to survive. A whistleblower from the Ministry of Information (MICAT) disclosed that some employees are currently earning as little as US$90 per month, supplemented by L8, 000 (approximatelyUS40), totaling a paltry less than US$130 monthly.
“This is disgraceful,” remarked an anonymous MICAT staff member, fearing reprisal. “How can a full-time government employee, with a family, be expected to survive on just 90 dollars? It’s unsustainable, and it’s insulting.” The source further highlighted gross inequalities within the same institutions, where employees performing identical tasks receive vastly different wages based on connections or political affiliations. “Two persons doing the same work—one gets paid US90, another gets US300. That’s what is killing the morale in the system.”
Civil servants trace the genesis of this crisis back to the salary harmonization policy implemented by the CDC-led government of former President George Manneh Weah. Intended to create equity, this policy, they contend, triggered widespread salary reductions—in some cases by over 50%—leaving many earning significantly less than before.
“This is why Liberians voted the CDC government out,” stated an employee at the Ministry of Education. “They took away our dignity when they cut our pay, and even now, under a new administration, we are still stuck in this poverty trap. We expected better.”
Frustration continues to mount as public servants report no significant salary improvements under the new Unity Party-led government, despite its campaign promises to prioritize public sector welfare.
Civil servants are now issuing a direct appeal to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to intervene immediately and institute reforms before the situation escalates into nationwide protests. “We are tired of waiting on rescue missions,” reads a widely circulated statement among civil servants. “Mr. President, we supported you with the belief that you would end this suffering. But now, it’s time to act. No more promises—we need action.”
Organizers plan coordinated protest marches in every county capital, threatening to paralyze key government sectors if their demands are not met. “This protest is not just for MICAT or the Ministry of Education,” a source emphasized. “This is a movement that includes the Ministries of Health, Internal Affairs, Public Works, and even agencies like LISGIS and the Civil Service Agency itself. We are all facing the same problem. This will not be business as usual.”
The impending protest comes at a critical juncture for Liberia, still reeling from economic shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, global inflation, and rising commodity prices. With double-digit inflation and a depreciating Liberian dollar, civil servants assert their current wages cannot cover even basic household needs.
“It’s not just about salaries,” explained a female employee at the Ministry of Health. “It’s about rent, food, school fees, transportation, and even medical care. Every month, our pay finishes within the first week; we borrow money just to get through the rest of the month.”
Many public servants have resorted to side jobs—from petty trading to commercial motorcycling—to supplement their incomes. Teachers report going to school hungry, nurses complain of burnout from extra shifts, and administrative workers speak of profound demoralization. “The government needs to understand that when public servants suffer, the whole nation suffers,” the health worker added. “You cannot expect productivity from hungry workers.”
A core grievance fueling the planned protests is the stark inequality in pay, both across and within ministries. Sources describe a system where those with political connections or appointed through nepotism receive significantly higher wages than colleagues in similar roles.
“How it is that someone with less experience than me earns double my salary?” a senior clerk at the Ministry of Internal Affairs asked rhetorically. “We do the same job, work the same hours, report to the same people, but one of us is struggling to buy rice while the other is living comfortably. This must stop.”
Protest organizers are finalizing logistics and identifying leaders in each county to coordinate mobilization. Civil servants in Bong, Nimba, Grand Bassa, and Lofa Counties have reportedly begun holding meetings and forming planning committees. “Every region has something to say,” said an organizer from Nimba County. “This is not Monrovia’s fight alone. Teachers, nurses, and clerks from across the country are ready to join the protest. We want to send a unified message to the government that the suffering is nationwide.”
Some organizers also plan to petition the Liberian Senate and House of Representatives, urging lawmakers to push for a full audit of the civil service payroll and to pass a comprehensive Civil Service Salary Equalization Bill.
Civil society organizations and labor unions are calling for a peaceful resolution. “We believe the time has come for the government to sit with representatives of civil servants and find a solution that brings dignity back to public service,” stated a representative of a leading labor union. “We do not support violence or the disruption of essential services, but we cannot continue to ask our members to suffer in silence.” Human rights organizations have also cautioned against any attempts by security forces to suppress peaceful protests, warning it could lead to wider instability.
As of this report, the Office of the President and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning have not issued official statements regarding the civil servants’ grievances or the impending protest. However, insiders suggest behind-the-scenes consultations are ongoing.
With political pressure mounting, the Boakai administration faces a critical test: respond decisively to the cries of Liberia’s struggling civil servants, or risk facing what could become one of the largest public sector protests in recent Liberian history. As the clock ticks, civil servants across Liberia wait anxiously—not for another promise, but for tangible action that will restore their dignity, economic survival, and trust in government.