PHOTO: (L-R) CSAL Pres. Moibah Johnson and the VP for Administration Atrianna N. Sirleaf flanked by other CSAL officials
CSAL Urges Pres. Weah To Veto Senate Pension Bill
The leadership of the Civil Servants Association of Liberia (CSAL) is appealing to President George Manneh Weah not to sign into law the recent pension and benefit bill for former lawmakers passed recently by the Liberian senate.
Speaking March 20, 2023 to newsmen at its Sinkor head office, the President of the CSAL Mr. Moibah K. Johnson described the bill as selfish, devilish, egocentric solely intended to benefit the crafters and subject government to undue financial burden at the detriment of the state, public sector workers and derail meaningful development for the Liberian people.
Flanked by scores of his officials, Mr. Johnson noted that at this point in time when government is grappling with completing priorities to improve infrastructure, economic, educational and social wellbeing of the Liberian people.
He added that it was unthinkable for lawmakers who are living comfortable lives from ordinary taxpayers’ money to bury the interest of the public and forecast their desire to continue living on government’s meager revenues even after their exist from office.
Mr. Johnson, who is also the President-General of the Liberia Labor Congress (LLC) that is currently entangled in a legal battle at the Temple of Justice, stated that what is even observed as a mischief in the bill is that there is no clear explanation as to what the bill considered as retirement.
He raised two vexing questions: Does retirement means when a lawmaker is booted out of office through democratic election? Or, when lawmakers decide not to further contest legislative elections after serving their respective office terms can be considered as retirement?
The head of the CSAL urged President Weah to veto the bill saying: “How will you craft a bill that states that when you are out of the Capitol Building, while sitting home, government will be obliged to pay you fifty percent of the gross salary you were working for. So, are you telling us that when you are rejected by your own people from represent them thus resulting into your defeat and therefore given marching order to vacate the Capitol Building government should use its meager revenues intended to run government functionaries and execute national development to pay you (former lawmakers)?”
Referring to the bill just passed by Liberian Senate as awful, the President of the CSAL said that it is intended to strangulate current and incoming governments and kill every good developmental policies, including the Pro-Poor Agenda for Development and Prosperity (PAPD) as and when it is signed into law. It would hinder growth of the Economy and other areas in the society, Mr. Johnson emphasized.
The Civil Servants Association has announced that it will mount forces with other public sector institutions including the National Health Workers Union of Liberia, the National Teachers Association of Liberia among others to prevail on President Weah to veto the awful legislative instrument just passed by the Liberian senate.
Meanwhile, the CSAL is calling on all civil servants and other public sector workers in Montserrado, Bomi, Margibi, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa and Gbarpolu counties to troop to various National Elections Commission (NEC) biometric voter registration centers in the six counties from March 20-April 9, 2023 to get registered.
According to him, the process is necessary, as this is the surest way of obtaining their voter registration cards in preparedness for the upcoming October 10, 2023 presidential and legislative elections.