By: Andrew B Weah, 0770637216/0886429103, andrewbweah@gmail.com
Governance Failures in Liberia’s Labour Sector Uncovered in 2025 Report.
IPNEWS: The year 2025 revealed alarming governance failures within Liberia’s labour sector, as detailed in a recent report by the Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance (LILGA). The findings highlight rampant corruption, ethnic favoritism, and the systematic exclusion of qualified Liberians from job opportunities, underscoring a significant mismanagement by the Ministry of Labour under the leadership of Minister Cooper W. Kruah.
Making the disclosure during a press conference on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 in Paynesville the Executive Director of Liberia Labour and Governance Alliance( LILGA’s)Mr, George Tengbeh said the Ministry of Labour, which is legally mandated to protect the workforce and regulate foreign employment, has instead deepened the vulnerability of Liberian workers.
LILGA’s report outlines how the foreign work permit system evolved into an unregulated marketplace, where political appointees allegedly profited from the sale of access to the labour market the case of Bangli PTE Ltd exemplifies the disregard for legal requirements, allowing foreign workers to enter the country without proper justification or compliance with tax regulations.
Tengbeh futher that despite the Ministry’s announcement of a nationwide audit in June 2025, the results were disheartening. Only 19 permits were revoked from nearly 11,000 issued in 2024, indicating that the audit was performed more to appease public pressure than to enact real reform.
The Civil Service Agency (CSA) has also reported that over 70% of jobs reserved for Liberians were filled by foreigners, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the employment process.
The internal environment of the Ministry has not been immune to corruption either. Employees have reported long delays in salary payments, with some going without pay for 7 to 12 months. Additionally, issues such as ghost-name payroll manipulation and ethnic favoritism have led to decreased morale and public trust within the Ministry.Tengbeh Disclosed.
LILGA’s Executive Director revealed that Labour inspectors have faced intimidation when attempting to enforce laws, particularly in sectors dominated by politically protected foreign companies.Which the report combines official data, testimonies from affected workers, and independent research, painting a grim picture of the labour landscape in Liberia for 2025.
The report serves as both a record of failures and a call to action for structural reforms to restore dignity and fairness within the workforce. The Decent Work Act, enacted to provide a solid legal foundation for fair labour governance, was intended to promote decent work, protect workers’ rights, and ensure compliance with international labour standards.
However, the report indicates a significant deviation from these objectives under current governance. The 2025 performance report card for the Ministry of Labour shows a dramatic decline in key performance areas compared to 2024. The enforcement of alien work permit compliance dropped from a grade of C to F, reflecting the Ministry’s failure to uphold the legal frameworks designed to protect Liberians.
LILGA’S is however calling for urgent reforms to address these governance failures and restore public confidence in the labour sector. The organization’s efforts have led to significant interventions, including securing compensation benefits for injured workers and advocating for fair treatment for contractor workers.
As Liberia navigates these challenges, the findings from LILGA’s report serve as a crucial reminder of the need for accountability and transparency in the labour sector to safeguard the rights of all workers and promote equitable economic growth in the country.
