—As House Terms CSA Boss’ Action to Stop July Payment of Staff as ‘Political’ 

By Taisiah Merfee

IPNEWS: The Chairman of the House’s Committee on Rules, Order and Administration, has termed the action of the Director of the Civil Service Agency, Mr. Josiah Joekai, as political and disrespectful.

Bong County Representative Melvin Cole told a press conference Tuesday afternoon that the posture by Mr. Joekai needed to stop if he wants President Joseph Boakai’s ARREST agenda achieved.

Responding to a leaked purported statement by CSA Boss Josiah Joekai statement carried Tuesday morning on several Radio morning program, which reveals how the House leadership had refused to honor a head-cut of its employees by the Civil Service Agency in the wake of calls of non-payments and disproportionate salaries disparities, the tough taking Bong County District No. 3 lawmaker said people who are working in Central Administration argue that were never haired  by the CSA, even though the Leadership of the House of Representatives invited the CSA to assist in its structuring drive for a harmonized salary payment which had skyrocketed during the regime of past Legislature.

According to Cole, the number of staff at both the Central Administration and the personnel staff of Lawmakers, had risen to seven hundred with huge salary disparities prompting the new leadership of House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa to institute an audit of the House payroll.

He said about US$800,000 was needed to take care of staffers at Central Administration alone which prompted the House’s leadership to call in the Civil Service, but the posture of the Director of the CSA to allegedly leak a frank communication to the media was unacceptable and unprofessional.

According to Representatives Joshua Marvin Cole the House of Representatives under the 55th Legislature had established three departments that are working in bringing modernization including the departments of fleet, Health  and Legislative Projects that will work in consultation with LACE to ensure appropriations for county and Districts development are not misapplied.

Furthermore, Representatives Cole stated that upon his take over as head of the House standing committee on Rules, Order and Administration, he in consultation with the office of the Speaker invited an Auditing  firm to carry out a payroll audit for which the entire payroll of the Central Administration were review and audited by APEX properly.

He said the actions of the CSA Boss to begin allegedly leaking conversations within House Executive sessions of the House violate the sacredness of the House and He will ensure the matter is properly investigated.

Cole narrated that the CSA Boss Joshua Joekai have had several meetings with him but he had refused to honor the request of the leadership of the legislature which surprises him when he began to listen to a purported letter he had written.

Representative Cole said the Legislature is willing to work with  the President, however, the CSA Director needed to be brought to book and refuted rumors of impeachment against the president.

“We are not children here. The Liberian people have given President Boakai a mandate and we as members of the first breach of government are under obligation to upholding the values of the country and its governance system.”

“Let it be known that House of Representative under the leadership of an outstanding  Lawyer Hon. J. Fonati Koffa does not managed its affairs on Parties sentiments but for the good of the country. And we remain supportive of the President’s agenda but for the CSA Boss to use the payment of staff at the Legislature as political cover-up is unacceptable,” Cole stated.

Hon Cole admitted sending a SMS message to CSA Boss Joekai but expressed outrage that his private conversation was leaked.

He said at no point  in time the House of Representative had rejected such need for head-cut or audit of that body

“In both invitations, we requested that “the Director-General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA) address the delay in salary disbursements to the Central Administration Staff of the House of Representatives, and in a communication to us Hon Joekai clarified that while the CSA processes salaries, it does not disburse them, making reference to Chapter 5, Section 2.1 of the Standing Orders of the Civil Service,”

“The payment of salaries and wages throughout the Civil Service Agency shall be determined by the Civil Service Agency and disbursed by the Ministry of Finance. Accordingly, the salaries for July 2024 for the Central Administration Staff of the House of Representatives were processed and approved by the CSA.” CSA Boss assure members of that August body.

But a purported leaked statement quotes the CSA Boss that salary payment were disbursed by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) alongside those of other Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs. However, according to MFDP, the delay in processing the salaries arises from two main reasons.

The letter also notes that the MFD attempted to disburse the salaries via direct deposit using the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) platform, however, they encountered several technical issues. According to the MFDP, utilizing the EFT platform minimizes issues such as changes in salaries and unauthorized replacements of employees on the final payroll before submission to the Bank for payment.

“Despite this, the CSA continues to receive complaints from employees who did not receive their salaries, even though their information on the CA’s approved payroll is accurate. Using EFT will significantly address these issues, ensuring legitimate employees receive their salaries without delay.”

“The MFD identified two payrolls for the House of Representatives Central Administration. The original payroll has a monthly dollar value of US$284,401.05, while the new payroll submitted to the CSA to alter the original one for approval amounts to USD 327,643 monthly. There’s a monthly variance of US$43,241.05, which annualizes to US$518,892.06, indicating the addition of many new employees to the Central Administration of the House”

The stamen has now sparked a controversy. IPNEWS could not reach the CSA boss up to press time for his response on the purported letter and the reaction by Rep. Melvin Cole.