Civil Service Agency Launches Intensive Capacity-Building Program to Advance Merit-Based Governance
By: Julius Konton
Liberia’s Civil Service Agency (CSA) has launched a two-day Performance Management System (PMS) Orientation Training for employees recruited between February and July 2026, marking another step in the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen public sector efficiency, accountability, and merit-based service delivery.
The training, held at the Dr. C. William Allen Conference Room at the CSA Headquarters in the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Monrovia, is designed to provide newly hired personnel with the knowledge and practical skills needed to effectively implement Liberia’s Performance Management System while reinforcing professional standards within the country’s Civil Service.
The program is being jointly facilitated by the Human Resource Management Division, Management Services Division, and the Career Management and Training Division of the Agency.
The orientation forms part of Liberia’s broader civil service reform agenda, which seeks to improve government performance by strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing employee accountability, and ensuring that public servants deliver quality services to citizens.
According to the World Bank and other international governance assessments, strong performance management systems are critical for improving public sector productivity, reducing inefficiencies, and enhancing citizens’ confidence in government institutions.
Across Africa, governments continue to invest heavily in performance-based management systems as part of wider public administration reforms.
Throughout the two-day exercise, participants are receiving comprehensive instruction on the evolution of Liberia’s Public Sector Performance Management System, the legal and ethical responsibilities of civil servants, the Civil Service Standing Orders, performance planning methodologies, performance management cycles and timelines, employee performance planning tools, and procedures for completing Mid-Year Progress Review assessments.
Opening the training on Tuesday, Deputy Director-General for Administration and Finance, Atty. Dahnu Mianyen, urged participants to embrace the opportunity with seriousness and professionalism.
He emphasized that meritocracy remains the cornerstone of Liberia’s Civil Service and reminded the newly recruited employees that their future careers would largely depend on their conduct, commitment, and work ethic.
“Your stay here will depend on how you conduct yourself,” Atty. Mianyen told participants.
“When you are new in an institution, there is a universal tendency for people to label you as someone who works diligently, someone who complains, or someone who gossips. Whatever your aspirations may be, I am confident that with dedication and commitment, you will accomplish your goals at the Civil Service Agency.”
He described the orientation as a strategic investment in human capital and reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to building a professional, ethical, and performance-driven Civil Service.
Also addressing the opening session, Deputy Director-General for Human Resource Management and Policy, Edwin K. Jallah, challenged participants to ensure that the lessons learned during the training translate into measurable improvements in workplace performance.
He reiterated the Agency’s commitment to continuous staff development through regular capacity-building initiatives aimed at improving productivity, efficiency, and service delivery across all departments and units.
Established by an Act of the Liberian Legislature in 1973, the Civil Service Agency serves as the Government of Liberia’s central human resource management institution. The Agency is responsible for recruiting, developing, regulating, and managing the country’s Civil Service while promoting professionalism, integrity, transparency, and merit-based employment practices throughout government.
Recent government data indicate that Liberia’s Civil Service workforce has grown to more than 63,000 employees, reflecting ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional capacity while implementing reforms under the government’s public sector modernization agenda.
Performance management has become one of the Agency’s key tools for measuring employee productivity, aligning institutional objectives with national development priorities, and improving service delivery across ministries, agencies, and commissions.
The latest orientation underscores the Civil Service Agency’s determination to cultivate a highly skilled, accountable, and results-oriented workforce capable of supporting Liberia’s long-term governance reforms and national development ambitions.
