A group of adjunct lecturers at the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA) has issued a strong statement condemning the institution and the Government of Liberia over what they describe as “nearly a year” of unpaid salaries.
In a press release issued on Sunday, October 5, 2025, the lecturers, under the banner Concerned Adjunct Lecturers of LIPA, say they have not received any payments for services rendered since November 2024. They are now demanding immediate settlement of their arrears, accusing the administration of gross neglect and lack of empathy.
“We are professionals, not slaves,” the statement reads. “We have families to care for, medical bills to pay, and livelihoods to sustain. Our commitment to national capacity building should not be repaid with neglect, humiliation, and disregard.”
The group criticized what they view as a stark disparity between the treatment of senior officials and the academic workforce. They pointed to the fact that high-level administrators have access to overseas medical care, while adjunct lecturers struggle to make ends meet at home.
“The ‘Rescue Mission’ was meant to rescue, not to push patriotic citizens into unnecessary hardship and early graves,” they added in reference to the government’s development slogan.
The lecturers further lamented what they called the collapse of LIPA’s once-strong reputation due to “incompetence and neglect,” claiming that the institution is now “collapsing under the weight” of poor leadership.
They specifically called on LIPA Director-General Nee-Alah T. Varpilah and the Government of Liberia to take immediate action. “We have worked; we deserve to be paid. Nothing less is acceptable.”
The strongly worded release concluded with a warning that the lecturers will not remain silent: “Pay us what we have earned, and you may keep your LIPA.”
There has been no official response yet from LIPA management regarding the claims.
LIPA, which has long played a key role in building administrative capacity across the civil service, relies heavily on adjunct faculty to deliver training programs. The lecturers’ protest raises renewed questions about labor rights and financial accountability within Liberia’s public institutions.
