Casual workers from the Temporary Employment for Community Youth (TECY) staged a protest outside the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning in Monrovia, Liberia, demanding unpaid salaries amounting to $250,000.
The workers, hired to clean the streets of Monrovia ahead of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr.’s inauguration in January 2024, claim they have not been paid for 13 months.
Although their contracts ended, the workers were instructed to continue working while their salaries were processed. They say they were included in the 2024 national budget after appealing to lawmakers and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Despite the government allegedly allocating the funds, they have not received payment.
According to the protesters, the Ministry of Youth and Sports submitted a payment plan to the Ministry of Finance after the budget was passed, but no action followed. Momo Brow, one of the protesters, told The NEW DAWN that they were promised payment in July, but the delay has persisted.
The group was shocked to learn from Finance Minister Augustin Ngafuan that only $150,000 is available, which is insufficient to cover the outstanding wages. Minister Ngafuan explained that the government’s minimum monthly salary is $80, and the TECY workers have not been paid since January 2024.
Frustrated by the situation, the group disrupted traffic during their protest. Their leader was called to meet with Finance Ministry officials, who promised to form a team to expedite the payment process.
