Legal Storm Brews Over
By: Julius Konton
A prominent Liberian legal practitioner, Cllr. K. Jlayteh Sayor, has escalated his advocacy campaign, calling on the Government of Liberia and the National Port Authority (NPA) to strictly adhere to the Constitution and labor laws of the Republic, warning that continued disregard could undermine youth employment and public trust in governance.
In a strongly worded statement issued this week, Cllr. Sayor stressed that the rule of law must prevail over political convenience, arguing that Liberia’s future cannot be secured if positions legally designated for civil servants are routinely rebranded as “consultancy” roles to benefit a small circle of politically connected individuals.
“The law is the law,” Sayor declared. “Liberia cannot build a future for its young people if public offices meant for civil servants are quietly converted into consultancy jobs for the same few individuals, over and over again.”
Controversy Surrounding Greenville Port Appointment
At the center of the controversy is information, according to Sayor, indicating that former Deputy Minister, former County Superintendent, and former Senator J. Milton Teahjay has allegedly been engaged by the National Port Authority as a “consultant” while reportedly performing the full operational functions of Port Director at the Greenville Port in Sinoe County.
Cllr. Sayor contends that the role of Port Director is unequivocally a civil service position, not a consultancy engagement, and that labeling it otherwise does not alter its legal status.
“Calling it consultancy does not change the law,” he emphasized. “That is employment, a civil servant position and the law recognizes reality, not titles”, he re-emphasized.
Legal Framework: The Decent Work Act of 2015
To substantiate his claims, Sayor cited Section 1.5(d) of Liberia’s Decent Work Act of 2015, a landmark labor law enacted to address employment exploitation and protect workers’ rights across both public and private sectors.
Under the Act, any person who renders services to another is legally presumed to be an employee, regardless of contractual title, if any one of the following conditions applies:
The individual works under the control or direction of another
The individual’s working hours are controlled
The individual is integrated into the organization
The individual works continuously (40+ hours per month)
The individual is economically dependent on the entity
The individual uses tools or equipment provided
The individual works exclusively for one entity
Only one of these conditions is sufficient under the law to establish employment status.
Application of the Law to Greenville Port
Applying the Decent Work Act to the Greenville Port situation, Sayor argued that a Port Director:
Operates under the National Port Authority’s hierarchical structure
Is an integral part of Liberia’s public service system
Exercises managerial authority over public employees
Performs full-time, continuous operational duties
Cannot legally serve multiple clients, as required of consultants
“These characteristics meet multiple legal thresholds for employment,” Sayor said.
“This is not consultancy by any legal definition.”
Youth Employment and National Implications
Liberia has one of the youngest populations in Africa, with over 60 percent of citizens under the age of 25, according to national demographic data.
However, youth unemployment remains alarmingly high, estimated by labor analysts to exceed 70 percent in some urban and semi-urban areas.
Sayor warned that circumventing civil service recruitment processes deprives qualified young Liberians of employment opportunities and undermines merit-based public administration.
“Public service rules, including retirement age limits, competitive recruitment, and appointment procedures cannot be avoided by re-labeling a civil servant’s job as consultancy,” he cautioned.
A Broader Governance Debate
Liberia’s public sector has long struggled with issues of contractual irregularities, political appointments, and weak enforcement of labor laws, challenges that successive governments have pledged to reform.
Transparency advocates argue that failure to address such practices risks eroding investor confidence and donor trust, particularly in strategic sectors such as ports and infrastructure.
Cllr. Sayor concluded his advocacy by reaffirming that the Decent Work Act rejects cosmetic labels and focuses on the substance of work performed, urging authorities to correct what he described as a dangerous precedent.
“The law is clear. The reality is clear. And the law must be respected,” he said.
This developing story is expected to intensify public debate over governance, labor rights, and youth employment in Liberia, as legal experts and civil society organizations weigh in on the implications for public sector reform.
