By Jonathan Browne
President George Manneh Weah announces his government’s intention to expedite payment to pensioners across the country, disclosing that government, through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Civil Service Agency and the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation, intends to fully reform the entire process of retiring and paying retirees on time.
“In this regard, I am hereby admonishing all relevant entities to accelerate their work and complete the reform by the middle of this year”, he urges.
Delivering his 5th Annual Message to the 54th Legislature on Monday, January 24, 2022, at the Capitol President Weah said his administration continues to implement several reforms on the Central Government payroll and pension schemes, citing that the government has successfully placed all workers on biometric ID; reduced non-contributory pension scheme from about 17,000 pensioners in 2017 to about 6,000 pensioners to date; expanded social security coverage and increased social security contribution by 300 percent in some instances.
“At the completion of this exercise”, he says, “workers who retire today must receive their money the following month” and looks forward to announcing this to the Nation during his next annual message in 2023.
Meanwhile, President Weah underscores a need for government to continue to show strong gains in the fight against corruption, money laundering and illicit financial flows.
He explains that the administration is strengthening and empowering the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to prevent fraud and acts of corruption before they occur.
“You will be aware that the House has already passed the new LACC Act giving a broader mandate to the LACC to fight corruption. It is my hope that, in the supreme interest of the Liberian People, the Senate will soon concur”, he adds.
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He reports that the House of Representatives has also passed the new anti-money-laundering legislation, which empowers the Financial Intelligence Unit to fight illicit financial flows, such as money laundering, and drug and terrorist financing while vowing “We will spare no effort to bring Liberia within international compliance in the fight against corruption and illicit financial flows.”
Liberia has become a major transit center for dangerous drugs such as heroin and cocaine to other parts of the world. The illicit trade is having a serious toll on the youth of Liberia, who are being lured into abuse by traffickers and local dealers.
Opposition politician and leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) Mr. Alexander B. Cummings on Sunday urged the Government of Liberia to take a hard look at itself and get serious about stopping harmful drug business in the country by prioritizing youth rehabilitation and mentorship programs to mitigate the uncontrollable flow of disadvantaged youth across the country.
In a press statement issued Sunday, January 23, 2022, Mr. Cummings wondered how many more citizens have to die before the government can grasp the urgency of acting seriously to secure streets and communities here from hardcore criminals propelled by illicit drugs.
His comments were in response to last week Wednesday, 19 January’s stampede in New Kru Town which led to the death of 29 Christian worshipers, who were attacked by drugged criminals while returning from a crusade at the D. Twe Memorial High School soccer pitch.
“Today, Liberia is referred to as a transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets. This means people are using our country to sell harmful drugs to other countries. The harmful drugs are not just passing through our country but they are selling it to our children, including in our schools “, Mr. Cummings lamented. https://thenewdawnliberia.com/weah-delivers-5th-annual-message-today/
