MONROVIA, Liberia — Several Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) participating in president Joseph Boakai’s Presidential Clean Cities Initiative have raised concerns over what they describe as conflicting information about their monthly compensation, with some alleging a lack of transparency in the program’s payment arrangements.
The organizations, whose representatives requested anonymity for fear of possible consequences, told Verity News that they were initially informed during the recruitment and advertisement process that each participating CBO would receive US$250 monthly, while each of its five selected members would also receive US$100 per month.
According to the representatives, the arrangement was expected to begin in October and continue through December 2026.
However, they alleged that the payment structure has since changed, with the US$250 reportedly becoming a monthly compensation for each CBO’s Supervisor, but now including the five members on the same money.
One representative expressed frustration over what the organization considers a lack of clear communication from the initiative’s leadership.
“At first, during the advert, they said each CBO would provide five members and each supervisor would earn US$250, while each member would receive US$100 at the end of every month, beginning October and ending in December. But the narrative has changed. Now, it is US$250 per CBO monthly, but no compensation for the remaining five persons”, the representative alleged.
They said they were initially informed that the agreements would be processed through their respective city corporations, but subsequent inquiries allegedly revealed that the city corporations had not received the documents.
The CBO representatives also claimed that officials at some city corporations indicated that they had not been informed about the specific compensation arrangements for the participating organizations.
Secretariat Head Responds
When contacted by Verity News, Emmanuel Mars, Head of Secretariat of the Presidential Clean Cities Initiative, offered a different explanation of the arrangement.
Mars said the CBOs were informed that they would receive US$250 in monthly compensation and would be required to bring five members of their respective organizations every week.
However, when Verity News sought clarification about who would be responsible for the compensation or welfare of the five individuals supplied by each organization, Mars reportedly said the Presidential Clean Cities Initiative was not responsible for them, but rather their respective institutions.
His explanation raises questions about the relationship between the US$250 organizational compensation and the separate US$100 monthly payment reportedly communicated to participating youths.
Questions of Accountability
The conflicting accounts have raised important questions about the initiative’s recruitment communication, contractual obligations, payment structure, and responsibility for the individuals expected to participate in its activities.
Among the issues requiring clarification are whether the US$250 is intended for each CBO or individual supervisors, who is responsible for paying the five participating members, and whether formal agreements were established before organizations began participating.
Verity News believes that the initiative’s leadership should publicly clarify the payment arrangements and make the relevant contractual terms available to participating organizations.
As a presidential initiative involving public resources, transparency, clear communication, and accountability are essential to maintaining public confidence and ensuring that participating community organizations and young people are treated fairly.
The central question remains: Who is responsible for the money, and what exactly were the participating CBOs promised?
Verity News will continue to seek clarification from the Presidential Clean Cities Initiative and the relevant city corporations.
