George Sahr Tengbeh, Labour and Environmental Justice Advocate, commends the Minister of Labour’s bold decision to increase fees and urges the empowerment of the Bureau of Employment for effective implementation.
He emphasized that the Ministry of Labour should empower the Bureau of Employment with full responsibilities to operationalize and monitor compliance. Specifically, the Bureau should establish a Task Force on Human Resource Development and Compliance to review, audit, and guide the human resource programs of private businesses.
Speaking to reporters, Tengbeh said that the decisions of the Minister of Labour are in the right direction, as they will help to increase revenues for the Government of Liberia and minimize the increasing number of foreign nationals. On September 4, the Ministry of Labor announced an increase in work permits from $1,000 to $3,000 annually. The release states that it aims to increase government income while promoting economic growth and local employment opportunities.
How Will This Affect Businesses and Experts? Businesses may face increased costs in hiring and retaining foreign talent. Experts may need to renegotiate salaries or consider alternative locations. The government expects increased revenue to support local development projects. Local employment opportunities may increase as businesses consider hiring Liberian nationals.
