Monrovia, Liberia – After conducting a first investigation of foreign employment records in Montserrado County and the surrounding areas, the Ministry of Labor terminated 19 foreign work licenses, claiming significant procedural irregularities and deception.
According to the Ministry’s report published Tuesday, just two permits out of the 21 foreign workers examined in this initial audit phase were determined to be in accordance with Liberia’s labor regulations. Labor Minister Cllr. Cooper Kruah said, the revocations are a part of a larger effort to streamline the work permit process and guarantee that foreign workers are hired legally and in accordance with their credentials.
The audit found instances in which foreign nationals were authorized to work in technical and management capacities but were discovered to be carrying out unrelated, frequently lower-level duties. Formal applications had not been filed at all in a number of cases.
The Vai Town-based Pee Cee & Sons Three licenses were revoked. Although they were all employed as salespeople, they were all granted authorization to serve as branch managers.
Six permits were canceled from Stop & Shop Supermarket on 24th Street. In reality, foreign workers posing as managers and technical experts were working as warehouse assistants, floor supervisors, human resource officials, and receptionists. Some had not applied for a work permit at all.
Avenue Palace, 12th Street One foreign employee was working as an assistant accountant while they were supposed to be a CEO assistant.
Three permits at ORCA, 14th Street, were revoked. Others worked as salespeople and warehouse assistants; one was identified as an export specialist but was actually a warehouse supervisor.
According to Cllr. Kruah, the exercise is the first step in a national compliance campaign to uphold current labor rules and guarantee that Liberians’ job prospects are protected. “This is just the beginning. We will make sure that our labor market functions in a fair, open, and law-abiding manner.”
Also on 5th Street, International Aluminum Factory GoL revoked four licenses. The individuals, who were authorized as engineers, branch managers, paint specialists, and financial analysts, were really performing non-specialized tasks like desk officers, warehouse laborers, and office staff.
False disclosures, incorrect job classifications, and noncompliance with formal application processes were among the offenses that led to the revocations, according to the Labor Ministry. The labor ministry force action comes to light after several criticism from the public including law makers. The ministry of labor was criticized for allowing foreign nationals to perform roles Liberians could perform perfectly.
