IPNEWS: The Government of Liberia has entered into a memorandum of Understanding with the Consortium of Public Sector Workers, comprising the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Civil Service, National Teachers Association, National Parents Network of Liberia , the Ministry of Education, and the National Health Workers Association.

The signing ceremony come days after student groups comprising the Liberia National Student Union, Federation of Liberia Youth, on April 14, 2021, calling for the immediate resignation of Finance and Development Minister, Samuel Tweah, for gross ineptitude.

This MOU, brings together two previous agreements signed between the Consortium of Public Sector Workers since the emergence of the George Weah Government.

The MOU highlights problems, challenges, and seek solutions to mitigate those challenges in the stabilization of the public sector.

Speaking at the joint Press conference, Finance and Development Minister, Samuel Tweah, stated that the government is now confident that with the singing of the MOU, Public sector workers now will begin adhering to the terms spelled out in the MOU, for the revitalization of the public sector as an important catalyst to a functioning society.

The negotiation between the government of Liberia and the Consortium was reached through the kind courtesy of the Chief Imam of Liberia, Shihk Ali Klayee.

Entering the MOU between the parties on April 14, 2021, at the Ministerial Complex, Finance and Development Minister stated that the parties out of twenty-four counts Perviously proposed by the Consortium and Student Groups, eleven counts was agreed upon.

Those key issues include:
1. the pension law,
2. August 2020 Retirement and benefits, including handshake
3. Recent dismissal of Teachers on basis of test results of students, shich was an agreement by the Global Partners in Education
4. Transitioning retirees from Government payroll to the National Social Security and Welfare scammed.
5. Challenges with salaries payment and disbursement, including delays of payment to rural parts; access to Banks in rural parts which remain a challenge due to the lack of banks in some counties. Other concerns are the presence of Bamks, yet there was no liquidity
6. Budgetary allotment for public schools
7. Inclusion of former Supplementary Teachers on payroll
8. COVID-19 hazard payment
9. Regular public sector monitoring and evaluation
10. Settlement of 1.3 million to Public sector workers
11. Continued collaboration

On the pension law: there was lot of confusion on this considering that the required age is 60 years. However, there were some retired under 60 years.

The parties agreed that the pension law be published and Printed.

For the Health and Education sectors, it was unanimously agreed that persons of 60 years reaching retirement will now be brought back under a dispensation of contract until the period of that contract expired.

Both the Education and Health sectors, will now be allowed to recruit more teachers and Health workers from the list of people currently volunteering for employment.

Recently, the Consortium of Civil Servants Union of Liberia said it would not be apart of planned national protest against the government as stated in an April 6, 2021 Press Release issued and read at a press Conference by individuals rallying supports of Civil servants to join a planned “ peaceful sit-in actions across the country” on April 14, 2021.

Headed by Mr. Moibah Johnson, as President, the Consortium which is a composition of six public sector groupings including, the National Teachers Association of Liberia, National Health workers Union of Liberia, Monrovia Consolidated Schools system Teachers’ Association, Supplementary Teachers’ Association of Liberia, Civil Servants union of Liberia and the Labor Union categorically distances itself from said call, and at the same time, clarifies that it has not endorsed any calls for the “resignation” or “dismissal” of Finance and Development Planning Minister, Samuel D. Tweah, Jr.

In a release issued April 8, 2021, the consortium strongly cautioned “all public sector workers across the country through this medium not to give credence to any calls of abandoning works on April 14, 2021 to attend what the organizers called “peaceful sit-in actions”, but rather go about their normal working activities”.

The group asserts that as the umbrella group of institutions concerned about the welfares of public sector workers, it continues to engage the government of Liberia to find remedies to challenges faced by public sector workers; something which the government has addressed partly in time past and continues to demonstrate willingness to exploring avenues to finding solutions to persisting demands.

In conclusion, the Consortium of Civil Servants Union of Liberia then called on “all public workers across the country to remain calm and go about their normal working activities on April 14, 2021 and thereafter, we also are compelled to use this medium to strongly admonish the Weah- led administration to expedite commitments made through previous resolutions as such would be necessary to avoid continuous growing disenchantments as the consortium will not hesitate to hold government’s feet to the fire”.