“Expatriate” Minister Jarso Saygbe Pockets US$46K As Relocation Package From USA To Liberia
An in-depth investigation conducted by Verity News has uncovered that a lump sum of US$46,000 was dished out from the GOL Operation Account to Education Minister, Dr. Jarso Jallah Saygbe, just to relocate her from the USA to Liberia.
Monrovia – Liberia: Public wastage in Liberia has come of age, and successive regimes have done little to end it in the world’s eighth poorest country. From ex-President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to ex-President George Weah and now President Joseph Boakai, wasteful public spending has been and remains commonplace in successive governments.
The six (5) highest offices in Liberia (President, Vice President, Speaker, Senate Pro-Temp, and Deputy Speaker) are pocketing a whopping US$11.14 Million in just 12 months according to the FY2024 Approved National Budget even though public health facilities and academic institutions across Liberia remain deplorable due to budgetary constraints. Recently, Chief Justice Sia-A-Nyene Yuoh lavished over US$33,000 only to seek a medical check-up in Turkey at a time when John F. Kennedy Referral Hospital in Monrovia lacked needed medical supplies including drugs.
Another in-depth investigation of Verity News has uncovered that the Minister of Education, Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah-Saygbe, received US$46,000 as a package to relocate from the United States to Liberia after being appointed as Minister of Education by President Joseph Boakai on January 24, 2024, and confirmed by the Liberian Senate on February 6, 2024.
A check of US$46,000 was raised and issued to Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah Saygbe by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning on March 26, 2024. The US$46K which came from the GOL Operation Account (#0010011602007015) was paid for the “immediate relocation” of the Minister of Education.
Saygbe was already in Liberia before the check was issued on March 26, 2024, and before it was processed for payment on March 28, 2024, according to financial documents held by Verity.
Before Dr. Jallah-Saygbe could remain in Liberia, she served as Associate Vice President of Student Success at Delaware State University. According to a document sourced from Glassdoor dated September 9, 2023.
The U.N. Relocation Package average yearly salary for an Associate Vice President Of Academic Affairs Student Success And Engagement in the United States is US$75,857. But the World’s eighth poorest country is paying US$46K just for Dr. Jallah-Saygbe to relocate.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah-Saygbe, got far more in relocation package than United Nations staff are entitled to.
“For an initial appointment or a change in duty station of two years or more to an “H” (headquarters) duty station, the staff member may opt for the relocation grant as established for the unaccompanied shipment entitlement,” United Nations Staff Rule 7.16 Relocation Grant.
The U.N. Relocation Grant is categorized into two:
“One year or more
On initial appointment or change of duty station when the appointment or assignment is for a period of one year or longer and the staff member is not entitled to relocation shipment (i.e. non-“H” duty station or less than two years at “H” duty station), the relocation grant rates are:
$15,000 USD for staff with dependents, at least one of whom must travel to the duty station at the Organization’s expense
$10,000 USD for staff members only
Lower rates as may be established for Associate Experts.
Less than one year For an initial temporary appointment or a temporary assignment to a different duty station of less than one year, and for separation from temporary appointment, the relocation grant rate is $1,200 USD (single rate only).”
The Minister of Education received a relocation package from a poor country, Liberia, three times more than a U.N. staff with dependents even though the U.N. has a regular budget of US$3.59 billion while Liberia has a budget of US$738.5 Million. This again has further exposed the extent to which public waste in Liberia has become a culture under successive regimes.
The Liberian Law
No statute under the laws of Liberia supports the decision to dish out US$46K to a presidential appointee. The 2012 Civil Service Standing Orders Law has no financial provision for the “relocation” of any civil servant including senior public officials. The 2016/2017 GOL Revised Travel Ordinance of Liberia has no provision to fund relocation. The Labor Law of Liberia, Code of Laws Revised – Title 18, and The 2015 Decent Work Act have no such provision of dishing out over US$40K to an appointed government to relocate from abroad to Liberia.
Verity News contacted an experienced Liberian Labor Lawyer and the lawyer who prefers anonymity said, “There is no law that supports such a decision to grant a relocation package or benefit to a government official or anyone appointed from abroad. After seeing this check, it’s clear that such a disbursement is a waste, and hope an investigation can be held to hold people accountable.”
As the outcry for cuts in the exorbitant salaries and benefits of senior public officials in Liberia intensifies, the people still look up to President Boakai to take aggressive steps to ensure fiscal discipline and accountability in public service.
