Liberia: Boakai Commences Race to Eliminate Ghost Workers, Beef Up Revenue

Liberian President, Joseph Boakai

Abubakar Hashim

The Boakai administration, through the Civil Service Agency, CSA, has commenced an exercise to eliminate ghost workers, through a forensic audit of payrolls across major spending agencies in Liberia, spanning 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023.

The audit will be conducted by the General Audit Commission, GAC, with full Presidential backing.

The prime purpose is to unearth financial irregularities, mainly through ghost workers that have depleted the treasury, despite automation of Liberia’s payroll system, initiated by the United Bank of Africa, UBA, few years ago.

The Director General, CSA, Josiah Joekai, revealed this move at the weekly press briefing at the Ministry of Information, monitored by TheNEWS.

Liberia, comparatively, accounts for huge discrepancies in government payroll system.
The targeted entities include the notorious Ministry of Presidential Affairs, National Police, National Fire Force, Liberia Armed Forces, Liberia Immigration Services, among others.

The Boakai government aims at comprehensive reforms to beef up depleting revenues, in order to enhance fiscal operations.

The measures also aim to address incredible financial mismanagement in the civil service, to render it more accountable and efficient