The Civil service Agency (CSA) has threatened administrative action against any faculty of public universities engaged in a planned go-slow action. In a memo issued to presidents of public universities on September 26, 2025, the CSA said its attention was drawn to information that some faculty members who are within the ambit of the Civil Service Agency of public universities and colleges are reportedly planning to stage a nationwide “go-slow,” stating that the reasons for the planned action remain unclear.
The CSA noted that it views such plans with grave concern and thereby strongly advised all faculty members against engaging in any counterproductive course of action, urging them to remain calm, exercise restraint, and continue their teaching and other academic responsibilities without interruption.
The memo went on to say that civil servants are bound by the CSA Human Resource Policy Manual and the Standing Orders for the Civil Service. Accordingly, all aggrieved individuals are encouraged to utilize the established grievance and redress mechanisms which are functionally operational within these instruments to address any concerns in a professional and lawful manner.
“Be reminded that any instructor or professor who deliberately abandons duty or fails to perform assigned responsibilities will be subject to administrative measures consistent with the Civil Service regulations. Your full cooperation in ensuring the continuity of academic activities across all public universities and colleges is both expected and appreciated,” the CSA said.
However, this information did not resonate well with the public, especially aggrieved university faculties, some of whom saw the CSA’s statement as a threat.
For instance, the Rural Universities Faculty Association said it stands firm in defense of its members, adding that they will not be deterred by comments or actions that seek to undermine the legitimacy of the association or the professional dignity of faculty members. Instead, they call for a collaborative and respectful approach that puts the future of Liberian education first.
Meanwhile, CSA Director-General Josiah Joekai has maintained that “there’s no threat here whatsoever, and fundamentally, we do not owe any faculty members and employees who are in our care.”
He said the University of Liberia’s payroll is independently managed by themselves, not the CSA. The CSA manages the county universities and colleges’ payrolls. Their salaries are current and they operate within the ambit of the Civil Service regulations which clearly established frameworks for employees’ remuneration and welfare.
“We’re cautioning them not leave the classrooms to join UL faculty because the cause is absolutely different and they have no reasons to do so. The new Civil Service is properly structured, professional, orderly, decent, reformed, and fast becoming productive. We have functional platforms and systems to address employees’ concerns of all sorts. All faculty members and employees concerned understand and will fully cooperate. Visit our website to learn more about our work and better understand the way we do it, www.csa.gov.lr or visit our Congo Town offices if you’re in country,” Joekai stated in a Facebook post.
