By Alfred Kollie
MONROVIA, Liberia – The Governance Commission (GC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Insurance Company of Liberia (NICOL) to provide health insurance coverage for its employees and their families, in a move intended to strengthen staff welfare and improve productivity.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony held at the Governance Commission’s conference room in Sinkor, bringing together officials of both institutions to formalize a health insurance scheme that will benefit employees, their spouses or significant others, and dependents.
Speaking at the signing ceremony this week, Governance Commission Executive Director Jallah Kesselly described the agreement as a historic milestone for the institution.
“For those of you who have been with the Governance Commission over a long period, I think we can all agree that the opportunity to provide health benefits to our staff is something we should all be proud of and celebrate,” Kesselly said.
He praised the Board of Commissioners for approving the initiative, noting that employee welfare extends beyond salaries and plays a critical role in motivating staff.
Kesselly also highlighted the importance of collaboration between public institutions, urging other government agencies and private organizations to establish similar partnerships with NICOL.
“We are proud that this initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with another state institution, the National Insurance Company of Liberia. We encourage our colleagues in both the public and private sectors to follow this example,” he stated.
Reflecting on the unpredictability of life’s challenges, the GC Executive Director emphasized that health insurance provides essential protection for employees and their families during medical emergencies.
Acting Managing Director of NICOL, Abdullah S. Swaray, said the state-owned insurance company considers government employees to be the country’s most valuable asset.
He explained that while NICOL’s mandate is to insure government assets, protecting the health of public servants remains equally important.
“We believe the greatest asset government has is its human resource. This medical insurance policy will ensure that staff and their dependents can access healthcare without waiting until the end of the month to pay medical bills,” Swaray said.
He noted that timely access to healthcare would enable employees to recover quickly and return to work, thereby improving efficiency in public service delivery.
Swaray further encouraged other government institutions to partner with NICOL, describing government-to-government collaboration as an effective way to strengthen service delivery and institutional cooperation.
Both the Governance Commission and NICOL said the agreement represents a significant investment in the well-being of public servants and aligns with efforts to improve productivity and promote good governance.
Officials said the health insurance scheme is expected to reduce the financial burden of medical emergencies on employees, while ensuring quicker access to quality healthcare, allowing staff to continue delivering on the Commission’s mandate.