By: Julius Konton
In a significant move aimed at strengthening public sector communication and improving citizen engagement, the Civil Service Agency (CSA) of Liberia has appointed veteran Liberian journalist Varflay Kamara as its new Director of Communications and Public Relations.
The appointment forms part of the Agency’s broader institutional reform agenda under the Boakai administration, as Liberia intensifies efforts to modernize governance systems, improve transparency, and strengthen public trust in state institutions.
The CSA, established in 1973, remains Liberia’s central human resource management institution, overseeing more than 63,130 government employees across ministries, agencies, and commissions as of 2025 up from approximately 60,900 in 2024, according to internal civil service workforce reports.
The increase reflects the government’s ongoing restructuring and workforce expansion under its ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
Officials say Kamara’s appointment is expected to reposition the Agency’s communications arm at a time when public sector institutions are under growing pressure to improve information dissemination, public accountability, and policy visibility.
Kamara, who joined the CSA in early 2026 as Senior Communications Consultant, brings over a decade of extensive experience in journalism, public affairs, and strategic communication.
Before his elevation, he built a distinguished career at the Liberia Broadcasting System(LBS) Liberia’s state-owned national broadcaster founded in 1960, where he served in several senior editorial and leadership capacities, including Director of News, Director of Public Affairs, Executive Mansion Reporter, Legislative Reporter, and Senior Newscaster.
His career has been largely defined by coverage of governance, diplomacy, national development, and political affairs areas that have shaped public discourse in Liberia’s post-war democratic era.
As Lead Talk Show Host at ELBC, one of Liberia’s most influential public radio platforms, Kamara played a critical role in advancing policy conversations, hosting debates on governance reforms, democratic accountability, and socio-economic development.
His programs regularly featured government officials, opposition leaders, diplomats, civil society actors, and international development partners.
Media analysts credit his work with helping strengthen Liberia’s democratic media landscape, particularly during key electoral and governance periods.
Over the years, Kamara has received professional training in strategic communication, diplomacy, governance reporting, and crisis communication among others.
His technical competencies span strategic messaging, media relations, news writing and editing, crisis management, multimedia production, advocacy, institutional branding, and policy communication skills increasingly seen as vital for government institutions navigating the digital age.
Kamara is also one of Liberia’s most decorated broadcasters, earning several national accolades, including National Broadcast Journalist of the Year (2025/2026) by the Liberia Broadcasters Association, Employee of the Year (2023/2024 and 2021/2022) at LBS, and Executive Mansion Reporter of the Year (2019/2020) among others.
The CSA described his appointment as a strategic decision aligned with management’s vision to build a “robust, effective, and efficient Communications and Public Relations Division” capable of strengthening stakeholder engagement and projecting the Agency’s reform agenda.
Governance experts note that effective communication remains central to Liberia’s public sector reform efforts, particularly as the government pushes for digitization, payroll integrity, human resource modernization, and improved public service delivery.
With Liberia’s public sector facing increasing demand for transparency and accountability, Kamara’s transition from the newsroom to public administration marks a significant intersection between journalism and governance one many believe could redefine institutional communication standards in the country.
His appointment signals not just a career milestone, but a broader shift in Liberia’s governance architecture where strategic communication is becoming increasingly indispensable to national development.
