President Boakai Launches Historic National Consultancy Policy Guidelines

His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., officially launched the National Consultancy Policy Guidelines on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, making it imperative that all spending entities under the umbrella of the CSA comply with these historic consultancy policy guidelines.

The launch of the National Policy Guidelines marks a significant step towards enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability in the provision of consultancy services across all 103 government spending entities. These guidelines will also be used for recruiting independent Liberian consultants and consultancy firms in the public sector, foster a more structured and accountable consulting framework within the public sector, and create national pride for the country.

Addressing the gathering, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai underscored the imperative of ensuring that consultancy services align with national priorities, uphold ethical standards, and deliver tangible results for the Liberian people. President Boakai stated that the newly introduced policy guidelines fall within his 100-day deliverable and aim to streamline the process of engaging consultants while promoting integrity and professionalism.

“I am pleased to announce the launch and implementation of the Consultancy Policy Guidelines, representing a significant stride in our ongoing efforts to enhance the efficient utilization of consultancy services across government agencies,” remarked President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the program guest of honor and Chief Launcher.

According to the Liberian Leader, the policy guidelines introduce a competitive framework that ensures equitable opportunities for entities seeking consultancy services and serves as a benchmark for consultancy implementation across the Central Government, with a primary focus on efficient management to maximize value for money.

During the event, President Boakai encouraged all ministries, commissions, and agencies under the guidelines of the Civil Service Agency to adhere to the framework documented for their respective human resource departments and project teams to facilitate a swift and comprehensive implementation of the guidelines. President Boakai later stated that it is time to make Liberia a place of integrity and accountability and for citizens to reflect on the result-oriented commitment towards his ARREST agenda.

Providing an overview of the event, the CSA Director-General, Hon. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., stated that the guidelines were formed by members of the CSA and that the critical aspect of the framework focuses on accountability and performance evaluation. Hon. Joekai mentioned that consultants or consultancy firms will now be required to meet key performance indicators established by contracting entities, which will be overseen by the agency.

“The new leadership of the CSA has embarked on this proactive course of action to address this systemic corruption issue and fortify the government’s institutional capacity, as evidenced by the crafting of comprehensive policy guidelines to manage consultancies across the Central Government effectively. These policy guidelines were meticulously developed to ensure value for money and stringent performance accountability for consultants hired.” Hon Joekai.

Hon. Joekai stated that as part of this reform initiative, the CSA has suggested placing a US $2 million cap on consultancy spending in the fiscal year 2024, resulting in a drastic cost savings unlike the previous administration. In his words, “This measure will lead to a cost-saving of US $4.1 million, thereby curbing excesses and rooting out corruption that plagued the consultancy landscape under the Weah administration. By instituting this fiscal discipline and accountability mechanism, the government will safeguard public resources and pave the way for genuine progress and development initiatives to flourish.”

Notable partners include the head of local commercial banks, Mr. Dixon Kollie, Representative Momo S. Kpoto from the Legislature, the President of the Civil Service Association, Mr. Mulbah Johnson, and the Representative of ECOWAS in Liberia, Her Excellency Madam Josephine Nkrumah, Deputy Minister for Budget and Development Planning at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Tanneh Brunson, Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cllr. Dweh Gray, Cabinet members, CSA partners, international organizations, and private sector representatives. Their attendance highlighted the coordinated efforts to strengthen Liberia’s governance structure and promote sustainable development.

The CSA, being the central government agency statutorily responsible for supervising and managing the civil service sector of Liberia, in collaboration with its partners, will now focus on the implementation and monitoring of the newly introduced guidelines as Liberia aims to leverage consultancy expertise as a catalyst for achieving its developmental aspirations.

As Liberia embarks on this transformative journey, the launch of Consultancy Policy Guidelines stands as a testament to the Civil Service Agency’s commitment to fostering inclusive growth, innovation, and good governance. With President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the CSA Director-General, Hon. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., leading the charge, the stage is set for a new era of efficiency and accountability within the Liberian public service.