BudgIT Liberia, a non-governmental organization, has expressed disappointment in the Government of Liberia (GOL) for its alleged refusal to address the protestation and agitation of workers of the Reclaiming Liberia Beaches and Waterways project for owed salary arrears.
The Reclaiming Liberia Beaches and Waterways Program, which the Ministry of Youth and Sports spearheads, was established during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to give a facelift to waterways and beaches in Liberia, and to help provide employment opportunities for scores of slum dwellers. The project has employed about 3,950 slum dwellers living in Monrovia and its environs over the past years.
Initially, the government owed workers under this project for 21 months, but went into an agreement to pay six months to authorized workers and three months to unauthorized workers, due to the global economic crisis encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We recognize and acknowledge the present economic hardship in the country and urge the government to honor the existing agreement between both parties—to pay the agreed sum of US$2 million as a considerable amount to settle all arrears for the beaches and waterways project’s authorized and unauthorized workers. Both parties agreed that the government should pay the amount to the service providers within sixty days of signing the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for beaches and waterways project termination and settlements of all salary arrears.
The MOU came into full effect on March 16, 2021, and the sixty-day payment timeline has elapsed. The government of Liberia has made an initial payment of US$565,000 toward the US$2 million commitment, and owes a balance of US$1,435,000.
“We call on the government to handle this issue with integrity, and honor its agreement to the Reclaiming Liberia Beaches and Waterway project and pay the outstanding salary of US$1,435,000, as part of the revised six- and three-month payments to authorized and unauthorized workers. We condemn the use of teargas on peaceful citizens under this project who assembled on May 25, 2021 at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to seek redress for the due and just benefits owed them. The act of the national police violated peaceful citizens’ Constitutional right under article 17 of the Liberian Constitution, which states, ‘All persons, at all times, in an orderly and peaceable manner, shall have the right to assemble and consult upon the common good, to instruct their representatives, to petition the Government or other functionaries for the redress of grievances and to associate fully with others or refuse to associate in political parties, trade unions, and other organizations.’
“We are also aware that the current budget, 2020/2021, has a US$1 million allocation under the Public Sector Investment Plan, precisely under the Youth Development and Social Protection Services for the Beach & Waterways project. However, it is noted that the government reserved the amount to restart the terminated beaches and waterways project in the nearest future, a project whose current workers haven’t been paid their entire salary arrears. We call on the honorable ministers, Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. and Minister D. Zoegar Wilson of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and Ministry of Youth and Sport, respectively, to act effectively and timely manner to address the plight of the aggrieved workers,” BudgIT Liberia’s Country Representative, Abraham Varney, stated in a press release.
BudgIT Liberia said it looks forward to an expedited resolution of this matter. “We call on the government of Liberia to redirect the US$1 million allocation in the current budget to settle salary arrears owed to current workers under the project, keeping in line with Part E section E8 of the Public Finance Management Regulation and seek additional funding to reopen the project in steadying of owing current workers; to exercise count 8 of the MOU signed by the Government of Liberia (GOL) and the workers of the beach and waterways leadership that states, ‘Any issue or dispute that may erupt during the payment process, and payment period shall be amicably resolved by both parties through a mutual agreement’; and to seek funding to keep the project running and other sustainable actions to protect over 5,000 Liberians directly employed by the Reclaiming Liberia Beaches and Waterway project.”
According to the release, the beaches have increased tourism in the country, and will continue to contribute to Liberia’s economic growth and development.