MONROVIA – Former presidential candidate Dr. Clarence K. Moniba has renewed his call for higher salaries for Liberia’s public sector workers after President Joseph Boakai acknowledged that inadequate wages undermine employee productivity and morale.
In a statement issued Thursday, Moniba said the President’s recent remarks at the JFK Family Breakfast validate concerns he previously raised during discussions surrounding the 2026 National Budget. He argued that public servants cannot be expected to deliver quality services while earning wages that fail to meet their basic living expenses.
“When President Joseph Boakai submitted the 2026 National Budget, I made it clear that the compensation allotment for public sector workers did not reflect the economic realities of the day,” Moniba said. He recalled urging the President to withdraw and revise the budget to guarantee a minimum monthly take-home salary of US$500 for every civil servant.
Moniba’s statement followed comments made by President Boakai during the JFK Family Breakfast on July 1, where the President acknowledged the impact of low salaries on workers’ performance.
“When you pretend to pay, people pretend to work. If you pay somebody something that can’t even cover their transportation or take care of their children…” President Boakai said.
According to Moniba, the President’s remarks reinforce what many public sector employees—including teachers, nurses, police officers, health workers, and other government employees—have experienced for years.
He argued that poor wages not only reduce household income but also weaken employee morale, lower productivity, increase absenteeism, and ultimately affect the quality of public services delivered to Liberians.
“The issue before us is no longer whether public servants are underpaid. Even the President has now acknowledged that reality,” Moniba said. “The question is whether his administration will act on that acknowledgment.”
The former presidential candidate called on the Boakai administration to ensure that the 2027 National Budget reflects the President’s stated understanding of the challenges facing public workers by placing greater emphasis on improving salaries rather than expanding bureaucratic spending.
He said government resources should be redirected toward workers who keep public institutions functioning, stressing that better compensation is essential to improving service delivery and restoring confidence in the public sector.
Moniba maintained that his proposal for a US$500 minimum monthly salary was never politically motivated but intended to restore dignity to public service and create a government that rewards hard work instead of expecting employees to survive on wages that cannot adequately support their families.
He also appealed to the National Legislature to work with the Executive Branch during the next budget cycle to translate the President’s acknowledgment into concrete policy measures.
“Liberia cannot achieve meaningful development while expecting committed public service from workers who remain trapped in poverty,” Moniba said, adding that civil servants deserve fair compensation rather than sympathy.
The statement comes as concerns over public sector wages and the rising cost of living continue to dominate national discussions on economic governance and budget priorities ahead of preparations for the 2027 fiscal budget.
