The Liberian Government, through the Minister of Labour, Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah, Sr, has with immediate effect, ordered the full employment of 59 casual daily hired workers at two major investment companies, the Supreme Liberia, Inc. and the Menzeh Zinc Factory on Bushrod Island.
Supreme Liberia is a mattress manufacturing company while Menzeh Zinc produces aluminum and zinc products, respectively.
A Labour Ministry press release issued in Monrovia on Thursday, February 20, 2025, quotes Minister Kruah as further directing that all casual daily hired workers are to receive a monthly payment of not less than $150.00 (One Hundred Fifty United States Dollars), while contracted professionals are to be immediately transitioned to full time employment status with minimum wage of $175.00 (One Hundred Seventy Five United States Dollars), respectively.
The release further quotes Minister Kruah as directing the Management of the Menzeh Zinc Factory to immediately replace all Pakistani Nationals currently operating the company’s forklifts with Liberian employees, equally qualified with commensurate benefits.
“Never again will we allow jobs solely allotted for Liberians to be performed by foreigners under this Rescue Mission Government of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, because our citizens need and deserve to work and improve their economic standards”, the release quotes Minister Kruah as saying.
Minister Kruah gave the directive when he conducted an on-the-spot inspection tour at the two investment conglomerates as part of his ongoing acquaintances with workers, management and workplace conditions across the country.
The Labour Minister, however, cautioned workers at the two companies, including others at major investment conglomerates to refrain from violence as the means to resolve grievances, urging them to instead engage in social dialogue as the best way in resolving grievances, and also called on the management of the two entities to consider providing advance monthly payment on requests of their workers, provide needed factory protective gadgets and create smooth personal working relationships.
He promised to ensure regular follow-up visits by Labour Inspectors to ensure that these directives are enforced. In a separate response of appreciation to their engagements with the Labour Minister, The Chairman of Supreme Liberia, Inc. Mr. Jaspal Singh and The General Manager of Menzeh Zinc Factory Mohamed Asif, both lauded Minister Kruah for the tour and assured him of their full compliance with all standing labour regulations, including the Minister’s directive.
For their part, workers of the two companies praised Minister Kruah for the visit, first by any senior government official, since the commencement of operations over two years ago.
