The All Retired Citizens Association of Liberia (ARCAL) has inducted its first-ever Board of Trustees since its establishment. The induction ceremony took place on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at St. Phillip’s Ecumenical High School located along the Japan Freeway in Gardnerville.
Leading the newly installed board of Trustees is Bishop Nimley J. Donyen of the Independent Catholic Church of Liberia. Donyen, who will serve as Chairman of the Advisory Board of Trustees, was inducted along with Taiwan Saye Gongloe as Legal Counsellor, Leymah Gbowee, First Vice Chair, and a representative from the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) as Second Vice Chair.
ARCAL is a home of all retirees with a current membership of 65,000 across the country. The Association aims to advocate for all retired citizens in Liberia relative to their benefits, negotiate with national Government and international organizations for decent and affordable medical benefit.
The group is also intended to lobby with national and international organizations to provide opportunities for members, Speaking at the program, Rev. Kafa B. Teah, ARCAL National Chairman, urged the Advisory Board to request President Joseph Boakai for a roundtable conference on the way forward to address their concerns.
Teah lamented that they have suffered for too long under bad government policy in seeking their interest. “Let it be understood that when people are treated right, the potential for such conflict is greatly reduced. Fellow citizens, we the membership of All Retired Citizens Association of Liberia are not satisfied because no attention by our national government over our plights but to deny us our full and equal retirement benefits least to mention salary increment especially in these times of our national economic space. Government is not willing to give us attention because we are of no value any more to be treated as human,” Rev. Teah claimed.
Teah reaffirmed the association’s commitment to peace building and national development. He encouraged members to remain law-abiding and continue advocating for their rights through legal and constructive means. In his acceptance speech, Bishop Donyen expressed his gratitude and pledged his unwavering commitment to restoring the dignity of retirees. He also donated $3,000 USD to ARCAL to help secure office space for the association’s operations and promised further support to help realize the group’s vision.
“I appeal to people of goodwill in order to help the needy. I am only a medium. I make requests on behalf of the needy. I receive and deliver what I receive,” he noted. Donyen praised the selection of his fellow board members, calling them “the right people to lead humanitarian efforts.” He highlighted Cllr. Gongloe’s long-standing reputation as a human rights advocate. He expressed confidence that the Board would bring meaningful change to the lives of retirees.
