In a bid to uphold the integrity and professionalism within the civil service, the Civil Service Agency (CSA) has announced plans to conduct an internal audit of the credentials of all its employees.
The initiative aims to ensure that all employees possess the necessary qualifications, skills, and expertise to perform their duties effectively.
During a press briefing on October 1, 2024 at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT), the Director General of the CSA, Hon. Josiah F. Joekai Jr., revealed that this exercise is a precursor to a broader national credential review and verification of employees across the 104 government spending entities.
“The purpose of this credential audit and verification exercise is to review the manpower strength of the CSA and to ensure that all documents submitted by employees are legitimate,” Hon. Joekai stated. “This will ensure that all employees possess the necessary qualifications, skills, and expertise to perform their duties effectively. In times where efficiency, competence, and accountability are crucial to government operations, verifying the credentials of public servants ensures that the right individuals are entrusted with responsibilities that directly impact the public” the CSA boss further stated.
Hon. Joekai emphasized that verifying credentials supports transparency and fairness in the public service recruitment and promotion process. “It eliminates favouritism, nepotism, and corruption by providing a standardized method to assess an employee’s eligibility for their position,” he asserted.
As part of this reform process, the CSA has established a Special Technical Credential Audit and Verification team. “It is said that whoever comes with equity must come with clean hands; therefore, the audit report will be published for easy access,” Hon. Joekai added.
In addition, the CSA is collaborating with the International Academic Management Association (IAMA), a non-profit organization based in India that focuses on the “Education Fundamental Right,” to support the credential verification process.
The Civil Service Agency (CSA) of Liberia was established in 1973 by an Act of the Legislature. Its primary goal is to enhance efficiency within the civil service and act as the central personnel agency for Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs), as well as ensuring a competent, professional, and well-motivated civil service that meets the workforce needs of the government.
The CSA operates independently from other government bodies and is responsible for managing the civil service and providing policy advice to the Government of Liberia on various aspects of the civil service, such as organization, staffing, pay and benefits, pensions, conditions of service, and human resources development.