The Civil Society Network of Liberia (CSNL) says its attention is critically drawn to the on-going investigation of Labor Minister, Cllr. Cooper Kruah, by the Liberian Senate for the issuance of more than 8,000 work permits to non-Liberians without disclosing job categories or descriptions, rendering the Senate’s investigation as legislative overreach and intimidation.
In a release issued over the weekend, the CSNL observed that, as the institution of government clothed with the statutory authority to give work permits to non-Liberians, the Ministry of Labor’s issuance of 8,000 work permits does not violate any law of Liberia. “Our investigation reveals that Cllr. Kruah’s administration at the Ministry of Labor inherited a work permit data collection system that does not capture the specific job description of non-Liberians seeking work permit,” CSNL said in the press release.
According to the release, “The Ministry’s work permit records show that the Kruah administration renewed the work permits of 7,633 and provided new work permits to 2,884 non-Liberians, and not the entire 8,000 work permits as is being wrongly insinuated. In fact, as Minister of Labor, Hon. Cllr. Cooper Kruah denied 857 non-Liberians work permits, which is unprecedented. Minister Kruah courageously denied these illegal migrants for violating Section 4b of the Ministry’s 2019 Revised Regulations #17, which speaks to the Liberianization Policy.
“We wish to also make it unequivocally clear that the Decent Work Act of 2015 does not specifically provide for the request of specific job descriptions before the issuance of work permit to non-Liberians. There is no clearly laid down mandate to the Ministry of Labor on what should be done or not relating to specific job categories of non-Liberians seeking work permits. We call on the Legislature, especially the Liberian Senate, to take the lead to amend the Labor Law of Liberia and clearly define jobs that are exclusively for Liberians to avoid the ambiguity in the law. In the meantime, we urge the Liberian Senate to give Labor Minister, Cllr. Cooper Kruah, and his team at the Labor Ministry the chance to implement the reforms being instituted at the Ministry.”
The release continued, “The Civil Society Network of Liberia considers it as disingenuous and unfair that, despite the gains Cllr. Kruah is making at the Ministry of Labor, the Liberian Senate could choose to intimidate him in carrying out the functionality of the ministry. The Ministry of Labor raised over US$9 million as support to the 2024 National Budget, and is currently expected to contribute US$10.5 million to the 2025 National Budget, as allocated in the 2025 budget. It is unfortunate that the Liberian Senate would be questioning Cllr. Kruah about selling 8,000 work permits, which is false, and at the same time charging the ministry with such a huge budgetary support.
“As a watchdog that believes in the stability of the governance of the state, the Civil Society Network of Liberia calls for constructive dialogue between the Ministry of Labor and the Liberian Senate in designing or improving the policies and regulations governing the issuance of work permits to non-Liberians. Instead of unnecessarily exercising legislative power, it is wise and timely that collaboration, coordination and consultation be the yardstick to ensuring that the interest of the Liberian people is protected.”
