WEAH: EARNING BELOW THE MINIMUM WAGE ‘’US$150 ’’ COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE
Liberia’s President, George Manneh Weah, during the deliberations of his Six State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, January 30th, 2023, accentuated some of his remarkable achievements.
Speaking at the National Legislature yesterday, President Weah, assured Liberians and the international community of his government’s recommitment to the improvement of the standard of living of Liberians.
Consequently, avouched that earning an income that is below the minimum wage benchmark is unacceptable.
The Liberian Leader let out that as domestic revenue increases, his Government will continue to ensure
that Civil Servants take home salaries commensurate with that of the prevailing circumstances of the economy.
In addition, President Weah has pointed out that there would be
several reforms through payroll and pension systems directed toward government employees, which will have a trigger-down impact on teachers, health workers, and those in the security sector.
“As domestic revenue improves, we remain committed to enhancing the welfare of Government workers. I have been informed that some 15,000 Government workers still make below the minimum wage of $150 US dollars, as mandated by the Decent Work Act.
This is completely unacceptable. No Government worker should make below the minimum wage mandated by public law. I have therefore directed that, as part of the 2023 budget, the wages for all such workers be raised at or above the minimum wage. I am informed that the cost to achieving this is estimated at $6 million US dollars annually.
And so Mr. Speaker, Mr. President Pro-Tempore, and Distinguished Members of the 54th National Legislature, as we accelerate the discussion for the 2023 National Budget, I urge you to make securing this amount of $6 million US dollars for these 15,000 workers one of your highest priorities. I look forward to engaging you further on this” promulgated President Weah.
President Weah also spoke on the significance of the Liberia, U.S. Friendship. He indicated that America is a very close ally of Liberia.
The Liberian leader, mentioned in his Six state of the Nation Address, the significance of maintaining the peace as Liberians approach the Elections in October this year.
“As we go to the polls in October this year, let us uphold and maintain our hard-won democracy. Let us conduct ourselves in a lawful and orderly way so that the voices of the people will be heard, and the will of the Liberian people will prevail; because, as is often said: the voice of the people, is the voice of God” averred President Weah.
Regardless of your political affiliations, your religious beliefs, or your ethnic origins, I urge you to join us as we together wrestle back the years lost to civil conflict and war, and restore our country to its rightful place in the comity of nations, to a higher place of peace and prosperity for all. We can do this, and we must all do it together.
We will be coming to meet you in your, towns, in your villages, in your districts, in your clans, and in your cities, so that together, we can build a strong partnership for Liberia’s progress.
But as you can see from all that has been said today, we have done our part in delivering most of the promises we made to you, while preserving the nation’s peace and nurturing its democratic values. We are on an irreversible trajectory of sustainable growth that will necessarily and inevitably lead us to progress as a Nation and prosperity as a People.
With just a couple of months, to the holding of General and Presidential Elections, President Weah is assuring Liberians that they can count on him.
“When we came before you to ask you for our first mandate, we promised to bring you Change for Hope. Now, after going with you on the journey thus far, you have seen the Change. We now want to assure you that this is the Change That You Can Count On!!
The challenge and legacy that I would like to leave for the younger generation, is that you should not just FEEL leadership, but that you should also CLAIM it.”
Meanwhile, President Weah is calling on all Liberians irrespective of political or religious affiliation, or ethnic background to join together and restore Liberia to its rightful place amongst the community of nations.
