Monrovia, Liberia – Former presidential candidate Dr. Clarence K. Moniba has called on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to translate his recent acknowledgment that inadequate wages undermine worker productivity into meaningful policy by substantially increasing the salaries of public sector employees in the 2027 National Budget.
In a statement released Thursday, Moniba said the President’s remarks at the JFK Family Breakfast on July 1 reinforce concerns he raised during the debate over the 2026 National Budget. He recalled urging the administration to withdraw and revise the budget to guarantee a minimum monthly take-home pay of US$500 for every Liberian civil servant.
President Boakai, addressing the gathering, stated, “When you pretend to pay, people pretend to work. If you pay somebody something that can’t even cover their transportation or take care of their children…” Moniba described the statement as a public acknowledgment of the financial hardships confronting thousands of government employees.
According to Moniba, teachers, nurses, police officers, health workers, and other public servants continue to receive salaries that fall far short of meeting the rising cost of living. He argued that inadequate compensation weakens morale, reduces productivity, fuels absenteeism, and ultimately affects the quality of public services delivered to citizens.
“The debate is no longer whether civil servants are underpaid,” Moniba said. “The President himself has acknowledged that reality. The challenge now is whether his administration will reflect that understanding in the 2027 National Budget.”
He urged the Boakai administration and the National Legislature to prioritize investment in public sector workers by redirecting national resources toward improving salaries and strengthening service delivery.
Moniba maintained that his proposal for a US$500 minimum monthly salary was driven by the need to restore dignity to public service rather than political considerations, emphasizing that Liberia’s development depends on a motivated and adequately compensated workforce.
He concluded by urging the government to move beyond acknowledging the problem and implement reforms that provide fair wages for civil servants.
“Our civil servants deserve more than sympathy—they deserve fair compensation. Now is the time to move from recognition to reform,” Moniba declared.
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