IPNEWS: As the Ministry of Labor commissions, the Digitization of Work Permit, President George Weah has described it as a milestone project and modernization of government operations for better efficiency and greater productivity, Liberia News Agency has reported.

Making remarks at the commissioning ceremony at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Monrovia, Pres. Weah noted that the digitization of the work permit for the first time will bring Liberia on par with other African and Western countries.

“Until today, Liberia is the only West African country that is still using a manual work permit system,” Pres. Weah observed.

He said this innovation will not only improve efficiency but will also increase revenue and provide new employment opportunities.

Pres. Weah added that it will enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Labor to protect and defend the rights of workers in the Republic of Liberia.

The Chief Executive divulged that the digitization of the work permit is a five-year project between the Government of Liberia, represented by the Ministry of Labor, CETIS Graphics and Documentation Services Company of the Republic of Slovenia.

The Liberian leader further said that in addition to upgrading from a manual to a digital system, the project also provides for up-front delivery of over five million United States dollars’ worth of ultra-modern electronic equipment, as well as the supply of 15 double-cabin 4×4 Toyota Pickups; two Jeeps; five Sedans; and 35 Yamaha motorbikes.

“This contract also covers supplies of fuel, maintenance, and insurance of all equipment and vehicles, as well as salaries and daily allowances for the entire five-year duration of the project,” he explained.

Pres. Weah also noted that the equipment will enable the Ministry of Labor to enforce the Work Permit regime of the Government throughout the country.

He asserted that it will immensely enhance the capacity of the Ministry to inspect and ensure the safety and other conditions of workers in the workplace, including overall compliance by employers with Liberia’s labor laws, in both the formal and the informal sectors of the economy.

Pres. Weah also noted that it will enable and empower the Ministry of Labor to work more efficiently and effectively simultaneously in all 15 counties of Liberia, in both the rainy and the dry seasons.

Pres. Weah vowed that his Administration takes very seriously the protection of workers’ rights throughout Liberia and adequate employment for people who are qualified, competent, and available to work.

He noted that as a responsible Government, it is its duty to ensure that investors are treated fairly in their relationship with the government and with their employees.

The Liberian leader observed that government will not hesitate to take stringent measures against any employer who attempts to evade the payment of government taxes or who tries to infringe upon the rights of workers.

“The Ministry of Labor has the statutory responsibility to ensure that Liberians are given priority to jobs in the private sector. We must also ensure that Liberians are given wages that are comparable to foreigners doing the same job,” he stressed.

Pres. Weah also said these policies must be adhered to without compromise, while the government seeks to increase revenue from greater efficiency in the work permit regime.

The Liberian leader furthered that they will not compromise the rights of Liberian citizens to priority employment opportunities.

He admonished all sectors to prioritize gender equity in employment, in both the public and private sectors, and added that the government will continue to seek to build the country’s economy by increasing employment opportunities for Liberians and prioritizing capacity-building in the workplace.

“It is against this backdrop that I, as the President of the Republic of Liberia, now have the distinguished honor to officially commission this Project,” Weah stated.

Meanwhile, Pres. Weah has hailed the CETIS Graphics and Documentation Services, the Ministry of Labor, and the PPCC for this milestone achievement, and committed his government’s fullest support to the project.