Liberia: House staffers to receive 16 months’ salary arrears

By Bridgett Milton

After so many protests at the House of Representatives, Speaker Bhofal Chambers has mandated the Committee on Rules, Order, and Administration in collaboration with the human resource department of the House of Representatives to validate all staff of the Central Administration for payment of 16 months’ salary arrears and benefits.

Concerned staffers of the House had protested three times on Capitol Hill in demand of salaries and benefits. But the Bhofal Chambers leadership assured staffers of settlement of their salaries and benefits that were deducted during the salary harmonization process in government.

The most recent protest was on August 31, 2021, when angry staffers locked the main entrance to the Legislature to prevent lawmakers from leaving the grounds of the Capitol Building, demanding salary arrears but they were dispersed by security guards on duty.

The protesters carried locks in an attempt to seal up the main entrance of the first branch of government, tussling with legislative security guards mostly women.

On Monday, September 6, 2021, at the launch of the validation, Speaker Chambers told staffers the process isn’t only aimed to validate names of staff but to also tackle the issue of ghosts on the administrative payroll.

The validation process is expected to last for three days.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/speaker-snubs-aggrieved-workers/ Editing by Jonathan Browne