Salary bonanza backfires at LTA.

President Boakai Orders Investigation into Alleged Excessive Salaries at State-Owned Enterprises

By: Kruah Thompson

Monrovia, Liberia September 4, 2024— President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. has directed the Bureau of State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) to thoroughly review reports alleging exorbitant salaries paid to certain government officials at state-run enterprises.

This move underscores the president’s commitment to ensuring transparency and fairness in compensation structures within these institutions.

The scrutiny comes in response to allegations that the Liberia Telecommunications Authority officials are earning monthly salaries and allowances exceeding $15,000.

The Bureau of State-Owned Enterprises, tasked with overseeing the operations of Liberia’s state-run enterprises, has been responsible for investigating these claims and providing recommendations to the president.

Deputy Information Minister Daniel Sando disclosed these developments during Tuesday’s press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism (MICAT).

Speaking on the issue, Mr. Sando emphasized that the president is determined to prevent any misuse of state resources and ensure that compensation practices align with principles of fairness and transparency.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sando emphasized that the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) currently operates with an acting board that lacks formal tenure and has limited authority for certain actions. For this reason, the board is unable to make certain decisions at the LTA level.

He argued that President Boakai’s administration has not instituted any new salary structures for government agencies and that these are the very salary structures used by the Weah administration.

“This means nobody’s salary has been increased, and no new salary has been added to anyone’s pay,” Sando said. “We are still maintaining the existing salary structures for all government agencies from the Weah administration.”

He noted that some of these benefits have sparked public outcry, with some attributing the issues to the government’s inability to manage the country effectively. However, he clarified that these high figures were in place before the Boakai administration and that the current government does not intend to perpetuate them.

Sando explained that when Weah’s administration introduced salary harmonization, they decided to increase their benefits while the ordinary suffered the wrath of the decision.

However, he acknowledged that implementing structural changes in this area is complex, referencing the ongoing delay with the Access Recovery Team, which remains stalled in court.

Despite these challenges, Sando assured the government would not be deterred from its reform agenda. “We came to office with a mandate for change, and despite these challenges, we remain committed to fulfilling our promises,” he concluded.