“Is This The Rescue Mission?”: A Civil Servant Decry Repeated Demotion

THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT of the Republic of Liberia in Monrovia was a sad scene when a woman claiming to be an employee of the ministry and a civil servant decry what she calls repeated demotions on the job within a relatively short period of time. The lady who is yet to be identified was seen lying under one of the Ministry’s vehicles to gain public attention to her plight. She accused the Minister of Transport Sirleaf Ralph Tyler of reassigning her three times within less than four months, each time assigning her to a leaser role in the Ministry. Speaking to the press who were attracted to the scene, she lamented that after serving the ministry as director, it was appalling that she would eventually end up in a delapatated office, something she considers a disservice to her commitment and dedication to the ministry over the past several years.

IT CAN BE RECALLED that there have been multiple complaints of politically motivated harassments of civil servants and other employees of government by the Boakai administration since taking over state power from the CDC led administration under former President George M. Weah in January 2024. This has been a pattern in the political history of the country, for incoming administration to sideline those they believed were employed to government based on party lines. Additionally, government officials usually carry out political cleansing of public ministries and agencies to make room for partisans, alliance members, family members and friends. Since President Boakai’s ascendancy to the presidency on January 15, 2024, more than a thousand government employees and contractors have be either suspended, laid off, or forced to walked away due to an unfavorable workplace climate.

THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT employee was seen lying under one of the ministry’s vehicle, bringing back shocking memories of another government employee of the Judiciary who set himself ablaze in 2020 on the grounds of the Temple of Justice. Mr. Leroy Archie Ponpon, a staff of the Temple of Justice set himself ablaze in demand of salary and benefits owed him by the Judiciary Branch of Government. At the time, the then former Vice President Joseph Boakai opposition condemned the CDC led government for failing the Liberia people. Like this lady, Mr. Ponpon had threatened to set himself at blaze if the Temple of justice failed to pay him salary and benefits owed him. Due to his advocacy, Mr. Ponpon was suspended for time indefinite by Chief Justice Francis Kporkor for leading a protest during which the Chief Justice was jeered by angry staffers calling him criminal.

IT WILL BE A SHAME should history get to repeat itself. In a related incident, marketers in Gbarnga, Bong County erected blockades along a major highway running between Monrovia and northern Liberia, bringing traffic to a complete standstill for several hours, as they protested the local government decision to brake down their market stalls along the highway overnight. Marketers complained in a widely aired video that despite they are charged $500 Liberians Dollars to access those spots by the Gbarnga City authorities, their places of business were broken down. They liemented that their petty trade is the only available means of income to sustain themselves and their families, that abruptly denying such opportunity, will adversely affect their livelihood and their ability to pay their children school feels. They expressed disappointment in the Rescue Mission, and threatened to continue their protest action until they can get redress from their county officials. As expectations across the country continued to be unmet, it is important that the government approach governance and development planning from a conflict sensitivity approach.

THESE EVENTS REECHO the just delivered 177th Independence Day oration by Robtel Neajai Pailey when she said, “A re-imagined Liberia intentionally seeks to reduce the ‘unfreedom’ of poverty and the inequity of ‘structural violence’. Because the contrast between our haves and have nots is entirely too stark. For example, over 50% of Liberians live in multidimensional poverty. This is unacceptable and needless for a country that can boast of 177 years as a sovereign state.” It is important that national leaders do not simply seek to make a name for themselves, but to ensure that leadership or governance is genuine, and the pathway to development strategic so that it brings the impoverished population along, and not push them further into the pit of poverty.