The Government of Liberia is facing a surge of public backlash following the resurfacing of an audit report from the General Auditing Commission (GAC), which exposes serious irregularities in the employment and payroll practices of the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs. Though the report was officially published on April 21, 2025, on the GAC’s website, it remained unaddressed by both the current and former administrations until it began attracting public attention on May 28—over a month later.
The audit, which covered the final stretch of the George Weah-led Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government and the first two months of the current Unity Party (UP) administration, has drawn sharp criticism for what many see as a continuation of poor fiscal management and disregard for civil service laws. According to the report, the CDC administration failed to follow legal procedures in hiring over 700 supplementary employees—individuals whose appointments were not vetted or formalized by the Civil Service Agency. These hires significantly bloated the government’s wage bill and raised questions about payroll accountability.
Former President Weah had previously defended the appointments on humanitarian grounds during a radio interview, arguing that the workers were serving the nation and should not be dismissed arbitrarily. However, upon taking office, the Unity Party administration terminated these supplementary workers, citing their illegal employment. Yet, the GAC audit reveals that the same UP government went on to employ an additional 74 supplementary workers during its first two months—without correcting the very procedural flaws it had criticized. Political pundits are left to wonder whether the UP-led government is using the playbook of the CDC.
Amid growing public concern, Deputy Minister of State for Administration Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah took to social media to defend the ministry’s actions and clarify the financial details. She explained that payments for the supplementary workers were processed through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), which opted to issue individual checks rather than transferring salaries via bank accounts. This decision, she said, was aimed at verifying the identities of those on the payroll, especially since most lacked official employment letters.
Kruah noted that individuals who could not be verified never received payment, and the unclaimed checks were voided. As a result, the government retained $76,440—funds that were not disbursed due to a failure to substantiate work performed. “Nobody ate money yah,” she wrote in a post. “We saved the government $76,440 and that money remained for government’s use.”
Despite these assurances, the GAC report has raised deeper concerns about systemic issues at the Ministry of State. It highlights how, for years, the ministry has relied on supplementary workers—individuals whose hiring circumvents civil service protocols—resulting in a financial strain and diminished institutional integrity. The report also pointed to the flawed compensation methods used to pay these employees, noting that some received salaries despite rarely reporting to work.
Following the layoffs, the government agreed to compensate the affected workers with three months’ back pay and a modest handshake bonus. This process, led by the MFDP, saw the government disburse $646,362.50 to verified former employees, while saving the $76,440 from unverified cases.
While the audit acknowledges efforts to bring some level of order to the situation, it ultimately questions the sincerity of the Unity Party’s pledge to do things differently. Many Liberians now see little distinction between the two administrations when it comes to governance ethics and transparency.
Civil society organizations are calling for a full legislative investigation into the audit’s findings. They argue that the hiring and payment of unvetted workers not only waste taxpayer money but also undermine public trust in government institutions. Critics are urging President Joseph Boakai to respond decisively to the report and prove that his administration is committed to the accountability it promised during the campaign.
For now, the audit has become a flashpoint in the national conversation about governance, raising uncomfortable questions about Liberia’s public sector management and the political will to reform it. As pressure mounts, the Boakai administration must decide whether to lead with transparency—or risk being perceived as continuing the same practices it once condemned.
