The Civil Service Agency has requested the General Auditing Commission to conduct a thorough audit of payroll compliance across all 103 spending entities in Liberia. This audit, covering the period from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023, aims to uncover financial mismanagement and irregularities within the system, as highlighted by CSA Director General Josiah Joekai at a recent press briefing in Monrovia.
Concerns have surfaced regarding discrepancies, inefficiencies, and potential irregularities in the government’s payroll system, with an excessive monthly wage expenditure of US$23,543,874.64 for 67,746 personnel.
An employee headcount exercise conducted in certain entities revealed discrepancies, including individuals unaccounted for and suspicions of ghost employees, the CSA boss revealed at the MICAT’s press conference.
Citing an example was the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, the Office of the President, where 69 individuals could not be properly accounted for, signifying the presence of ghost employees. At the Liberia National Police, 98 employees remain untraceable, raising suspicions of fictitious personnel on the payroll.
Internal audits by the…