A former Acting Supervisor in the Ministry of Labor’s Division of Trafficking in Persons (TIP), Rev. Thomas T. Jones, has alleged that widespread tribal favoritism within the Ministry is contributing to internal injustices-including what he described as the “wrongful withholding” of seven months’ salary owed to him.
Rev. Jones, who served from June 7, 2024, to May 20, 2025, claims the Ministry paid him for only six of the thirteen months he worked. But beyond the issue of unpaid wages, he argues that the Ministry is structurally dominated by officials from a single county and tribe, which he believes fosters administrative unfairness.
“When it comes to tribalism, the Ministry of Labor needs to be scrutinized,” Rev. Jones told this paper.
Rev. Jones asserted that many top officials of the Ministry of Labor hailed from Nimba and of the ethnic group of the “Gio” speaking trib.
“Many top officials-from the Minister to several Assistant Ministers, Directors, and Inspectors-are from the same county and tribe. This affects fairness in administrative decisions,” he noted.
According to Rev. Jones, the majority of senior leadership positions at the Ministry-including the Minister, Deputy Ministers, and several Directors, are allegedly held by individuals from Nimba County, particularly from the Gio tribe.
He further argued that this concentration of power creates an environment where decisions, including personnel matters and internal grievances, may be influenced by tribal loyalties rather than professional merit.
“The leadership composition is lopsided, and it affects how issues are handled,” he said. “When one group dominates the entire chain of authority, transparency and fairness become difficult.
Rev. Jones’ tribal favoritism allegations emerged after he reportedly attempted to recover his unpaid salary following his resignation on May 20, 2025.
He says that rather than receiving the full amount, he was told by the Deputy Minister for Administration, Othello T. Manzar, to accept payment for only four months and “waive” the remaining three.
“I worked for the Ministry for 13 good months, but I was paid for only six. As I speak, the Ministry owes me seven months. After I resigned, I was told to take four months and let the other three go. That is not justice,” he stated.
Rev. Jones maintains that his situation reflects larger problems within the Ministry that disproportionately affect individuals who do not belong to the dominant tribal group. Resignation and Ombudsman Intervention
In his resignation letter, Rev. Jones cited his obligations as a minister of the Gospel but also made clear his expectation that the Ministry honor its financial commitments—an amount he calculates at USD 2,403.73, based on a net monthly salary of USD 343.39.
On September 2, 2025, the Office of the Ombudsman acknowledged receiving his formal grievance. In a letter signed by Chairman Finley Y. Karngar, the office said it would engage the Ministry and could launch a full investigation pending the Ministry’s response.
Ministry Yet to Comment As of press time, the Ministry of Labour has not issued a public response to the allegations of tribal favoritism or the salary dispute. Rev. Jones insists, however, that the matter is bigger than his unpaid wages.
“I faithfully served this country, especially in the fight against human trafficking. But no Liberian should suffer discrimination or injustice because of tribe. All I want is fairness-and what I earned.”
