Monrovia – The Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr., is facing mounting public criticism and growing calls for his dismissal following his appearance at a political rally organized by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah in support of President Joseph Boakai’s anticipated 2029 re-election bid.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com
The political gathering, held Sunday in Monrovia under the banner of the National Independent Movement for Boakai (NIMBO), drew a huge crowd and featured President Boakai alongside several government officials, including Dr. Joekai. Videos and photos circulating on social media showed the CSA boss wearing NIMBO-branded attire and dancing during the rally.
The appearance has sparked controversy, with critics accusing Dr. Joekai of violating the political neutrality expected of civil servants under Liberia’s Code of Conduct and CSA regulations.
Opponents argue that Joekai’s participation in the political event undermines the integrity and independence of the civil service, particularly because he heads the institution responsible for enforcing discipline and neutrality within the public sector.
Among the strongest critics was Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh, who condemned what he described as a dangerous trend of civil servants openly engaging in partisan politics.
Senator Konneh recalled similar incidents under previous administrations in which public officials were dismissed for allegedly violating the Code of Conduct through partisan activities.
Konneh said Liberia’s political history continues to reflect a troubling cycle in which public servants lose their jobs whenever political power changes hands.
Konneh recalled that in 2018, several current Unity Party (UP) officials allegedly lost their positions after the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) came to power because of their perceived loyalty to the former ruling establishment.
He also pointed to recent dismissals carried out under the current UP-led administration, noting that several CDC officials, civil servants, and security personnel were removed from their positions for participating in political rallies while wearing party regalia.
According to him, those dismissals affected employees of the Executive Protection Service (EPS) and the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC), with the government justifying the actions as necessary to prevent civil servants from violating public service conduct policies.
Konneh further disclosed that a communication sent to the Liberian Senate seeking the reinstatement of dismissed MCC employees remains stalled before the Senate Labor Committee.
The senator warned that unless Liberia breaks the cycle of politically motivated dismissals, public servants will continue to face uncertainty and victimization whenever administrations change.
“Today, we notice some Unity Party government officials and civil servants, including the Director-General of the CSA, wearing regalia in support of President Boakai,” Senator Konneh stated. “I wonder what will happen to their jobs and livelihoods when power changes again.”
Konneh warned that such actions risk deepening political divisions and fueling a culture of political victimization in government institutions.
“Power will eventually end,” he said. “The real question is, what do you do with it while you have it? When do we put an end to targeting each other because of their political affiliations and begin to see the Liberian in each of us?”
The criticism intensified after Bong County District #3 Representative Marvin Cole publicly called for Dr. Joekai’s immediate dismissal.
“At that rally, there was a startling revelation,” Rep. Cole said. “The Director General of the Civil Service Agency attended the event wearing the uniform and emblem of the National Independent Movement to Support Boakai.”
Cole described Joekai’s conduct as incompatible with the standards expected of the head of Liberia’s civil service.
“Today I am calling on the President to immediately dismiss Josiah Joekai and for him to resign from the Liberia civil service,” Cole declared. “He has breached the criteria. He has desecrated the civil service. He has repeatedly warned others against wearing party materials while serving in government.”
The lawmaker further accused Joekai of previously dismissing public employees for alleged partisan involvement.
“For months and weeks, Josiah Joekai removed thousands of Liberians from the civil service payroll,” Cole alleged. “Some were accused of participating in political activities or being politically affiliated.”
Cole also called on President Boakai to take action.
“Mr. President, if you did not see it, may God open your eyes,” he said. “You and Josiah Joekai sat on the same platform while he violated the Code of Conduct that prohibits government officials from participating in political rallies or using party materials.”
Bishop Kortu Brown, former Liberia Council of Churches President, also joined the growing chorus demanding accountability.
“Josiah Joekai has to go,” Brown asserted.
“If he enforced CSA guidelines against other civil servants for participating in political activities, he cannot do the same thing and remain in office. He needs to explain himself.”
Brown emphasized that Liberia’s civil service must remain politically neutral if democratic institutions are to maintain public confidence.
“The Civil Service Agency must be above politics, as the Director General himself has repeatedly advocated. Tell Josiah that Bishop Brown says he should pack his bags and leave if he has violated the regulation,” Brown said.
He urged President Boakai to order an investigation into the matter and review previous dismissals linked to political activities.
“If the President investigates and acts accordingly, it would restore ordinary Liberians’ confidence in the CSA, especially if the same standards applied to others are applied to Joekai,” Brown added.
The controversy has triggered broader national debate over whether the Boakai administration is consistently enforcing rules governing political conduct by public officials.
Part Five of Liberia’s Code of Conduct for public officials states that officials appointed by the President “shall not engage in political activities, canvass, or contest for elected offices,” nor use government resources to support partisan activities or serve on campaign teams.
As of press time, Dr. Joekai had not publicly responded to the criticism or the growing calls for his resignation.
