Lofa Lawmaker Wants Civil Servants’ Salaries and Wages Aligned with the Decent Wage Bill

Lofa County Senator, Joseph Jallah, has called on the Liberian government to ensure that the salaries and wages of civil servants across the country are aligned with the Decent Wage Bill, which was enacted to guarantee fair and livable compensation for all workers. Speaking during a recent Senate session, Senator Jallah emphasized that if the government has already set a standard for the private sector through the Decent Wage Bill, it should also serve as a model by ensuring that public sector employees earn salaries that reflect the same principles of decency and fairness. “If we have a bill that mandates investors and the private sector to pay a decent minimum wage, then the government must also be the exemplary force,” Senator Jallah said. 

“The salaries of civil servants and our local government officials ,  chiefs, commissioners, and city mayors should be commensurate with the decent wage standard.” He noted that many public servants, especially those at local administrative levels, continue to receive wages that are far below acceptable living standards, making it difficult for them to sustain their families. Jallah urged the Senate leadership, particularly the Committee on Ways, Means, and Finance, to reconsider the current wage structure during budget deliberations and make room for adjustments. “I am appealing once again to the President Pro Tempore and my colleagues to align the civil servants’ pay structure with the Decent Wage Bill,” he said. 

“Even if this begins with a temporary adjustment in the budget, it will be a step toward fairness and motivation in the public service.” Senator Joseph Jallah also called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other relevant agencies to appear before the Senate to explain ongoing efforts aimed at harmonizing salaries and improving working conditions for local government officials. In his broader remarks, the Lofa lawmaker disclosed that his office continues to engage with both domestic and international partners to advance socio-economic development initiatives in his county, including solar electrification projects for rural communities and participation in economic consultations in Accra, Ghana. 

Concluding his statement, Senator Cyrus assured his colleagues and the public that ongoing consultations with key stakeholders will soon translate into concrete legislative actions aimed at promoting equity, improving livelihoods, and modernizing the structure of public service compensation in Liberia. “We are engaging all relevant institutions to transform our consultations into policies that benefit the people,” he said. “Our civil servants deserve better, and it starts with aligning their pay with the Decent Wage Bill.”

Author: Zac T. Sherman