Liberian Civil Service Agency Launches County-Level Consultations in Bong

The Civil Service Agency (CSA) of Liberia has initiated a series of consultations with government institutions in Bong County to decentralize its administrative operations. According to AllAfrica, CSA Director-General Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr. began these engagements on Friday, October 16, with the specific goal of improving access to payroll and human resource management services across the country. The visit marked the start of a broader effort to bring essential civil service functions closer to employees in rural areas.

The consultations targeted several key institutions, including the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), local offices of the Ministry of Education, and Phebe Hospital. During a meeting with CARI’s senior management, led by Director-General Dr. Arthur Bob Karnuah, Joekai outlined reforms focused on employee welfare and personnel verification across 109 government spending entities. Karnuah welcomed the visit, describing it as a significant step toward strengthening collaboration between the research institute and the CSA to address workforce challenges.

Following the CARI engagement, the CSA delegation met with Bong County Education Officer David V. Boakai and district staff at the Ministry of Education’s offices. Boakai expressed support for the decentralization initiative, noting that rural teachers frequently face difficulties resolving payroll discrepancies that require travel to Monrovia. He argued that bringing these services to the county level would reduce the financial burden on staff. In response, Joekai assured education officials that the Agency would address these concerns through its ongoing reform programs.

The delegation, which included senior directors for regional services, security, and communications, was scheduled to meet with Phebe Hospital’s management on Saturday, October 17. This was to be followed by an inspection of the construction work on the CSA’s new regional headquarters in Gbarnga. The construction of this facility, along with another planned for Zwedru in Grand Gedeh County, is central to the Agency’s strategy to eliminate the need for rural employees to travel to the capital for routine administrative matters.