[By Our contributing writer]
Monrovia — The Chairman of the Minimum Wage Board and Minister of Labour, Cooper W. Kruah has urged that any change for upward increment in the minimum wage must correspond with what is commensurate in the Mano River region.
Minister Kruah made the recommendation on Friday, October 10,2025 at a tripartite stakeholders roundtable meeting in Monrovia on the revision of the minimum wage of Liberia for private sectors and Autonomous Commissions.
He indicated that the move is necessary in order to align Liberia’ minimum wage with that of the sub region because Liberia is a member of the Mano River Union and its protocols.
The Labour boss further stated that aligning the minimum wage to that of countries like Sierra Leone, Guinea or the Ivory Coast is important as their currencies value differ with the Untied States Dollars being used in Liberia.
“We don’t want to come out with something that is so far or different with what others are paying in the region,” Min. Kruah said. ” Their currencies are different, so we must do a conversion of it to see what the difference is to that of ours,” he stressed.
At the same time, Min. Kruah has called on members of the tripartite stakeholders committe to delve into possibility of differentiating the minimum wage by sector.
He said minimum wage in the mining or agriculture sectors must be carefully review for possible implementation.
” Let’s consider looking at our minimum wage by sector,” he said. ” For example, consider the mining and agriculture sector. Let’s look at jobs associated with more risk,” Min. Kruah urged.
Furthermore, he expressed optimism the the tripatitite stakeholders will derive a workable minimum wage for Liberia, and noted that Minimum Wage Board is working assidiusly to bring higher dignity to the labour force in the country.
Also Prof. Geegbae A.Geegbae, a Board member said the importance of increasing the minimum wage is to reduce poverty, stimulate economic growth, decrease income inequality, improve worker productivity and morale, and promote social justice.
Prof. Geegbae called on participants at the roundtable to consider the living conditions of workers as well as the country economic envelope in ensuring that all benefit from their proposals which may become a law.
Currently, the minimum is at US$143 or US$ 5.5 per day.
The Minimum Wage Board is mandated to review and recommend minimum wages that will promote the attainment of decent work in Liberia.
The Minimum Wage Board of Liberia was established in 2015 by the Decent Work Act. However, it was reconstituted on July 1, 2022, with new members appointed by the President.
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