By Amos Harris
MONROVIA—India has reaffirmed its commitment to boosting Liberia’s technical and manpower development sector following the graduation of 26 employees of the Ministry of Labour from a specialized capacity-building program. The training was conducted by the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA).
The graduates received certificates in key areas critical to institutional efficiency: Monitoring and Evaluation, Project Management, and Public Financial Management. This achievement marks a significant step in the Ministry of Labour’s push to enhance its workforce competence.
Speaking as the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony in Monrovia, H.E. Manoj Bharti Verma, India’s Ambassador to Liberia, lauded the initiative. He emphasized his government’s continued willingness to support Liberia’s development through investment in human capacity.
“We believe that the best thing any country can do is to invest in its people,” Ambassador Verma stated. “Through initiatives like the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program, India continues to share democratic values and a common vision for inclusive development.”
Ambassador Verma revealed that India-Liberia bilateral relations have reached new heights, with trade between the two countries growing by an impressive 54 percent, reaching nearly USD 400 million in the 2024–2025 financial year.
He underscored that the longstanding relationship between the two nations is built on shared democratic ideals and mutual respect. Verma further assured the Ministry of Labour of the wide range of opportunities available for Liberian public sector workers under India’s technical cooperation framework, pledging continued partnership in advancing professional training.
Labour Minister Cooper W. Kruah, Sr. expressed delight at his staff’s achievement and urged them to immediately apply the knowledge and skills gained to improve productivity and efficiency within the Ministry.
“By applying what you have learned, you will contribute meaningfully to achieving the transformative goals of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID),” Minister Kruah said.
The capacity-building effort was also praised by Civil Service Agency (CSA) Director-General Josiah Joekai and LIPA Deputy Director-General for Administration Michael Wah. They commended the Ministry for prioritizing staff training as a key element in fulfilling the Performance Management Compliance System (PMCS) requirements.
Mr. Wah disclosed that LIPA is expanding its training scope, having partnered with the Ghana Institute of Public Administration (GIPA) on advanced technical programs designed to strengthen government service delivery across the nation.
In closing remarks, Mr. Mohfel Dekpah, Director of Personnel at the Ministry of Labour and spokesman for the graduating class, thanked Minister Kruah for aligning staff development with the government’s reform agenda.
The ceremony concluded with an announcement that several additional Ministry of Labour staff are expected to soon depart for further capacity-building training in neighboring Sierra Leone, supported by regional cooperation programs.
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