By: Julius Konton
In a landmark address on Wednesday, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. officially launched the Automated Legal Power of Attorney (LPA) System, signaling a new era of digital transformation and civil service reform in Liberia.
The initiative revives a once-vital welfare scheme for government employees, now modernized to reflect the administration’s vision for an inclusive, accountable, and people-centered public sector.
Speaking at a high-level ceremony in Oldest Congo Town, President Boakai declared the launch a “new day for all government workers,” emphasizing the significance of the LPA as a symbol of restored dignity and economic empowerment.
“Today, we gather not merely to launch a digital platform,” President Boakai stated, “but to rekindle a legacy of empowerment, trust, and dignity for every public servant in Liberia.”
The LPA scheme, once an integral support system for public workers before Liberia’s civil war, enabled government employees to access goods and services without upfront payments.
Workers repaid through monthly salary deductions, a process that promoted welfare and loyalty across the public sector.
After decades of dormancy, the Boakai administration has brought the program back to life, fully digitized and secured with biometric enrollment.
Government employees can now verify their identity using fingerprint technology at approved vendors equipped with LPA Point-of-Sale (POS) systems, collect goods on credit, and repay in six monthly installments.
“You take plenty things and pay small small,” Boakai quipped, drawing applause from attendees, many of whom represented Liberia’s core public institutions.
The revamped program applies to all government workers, including civil servants and appointed officials.
It is hailed as a model of financial inclusion that not only simplifies access to goods but does so with dignity and efficiency.
The digital LPA launch follows another major milestone, the Employee Status Regularization Project (ESRP), launched in July 2024, which sought to clean up the national payroll and integrate long-neglected volunteer workers into the system.
Boakai proudly announced that no civil servant currently earns less than US$150, with over 23,000 essential workers in education, health, agriculture, and security receiving salary top-ups.
“This is not just a policy,” Boakai said. “It is a moral commitment to fairness and equity for those who serve our nation.”
Alongside the LPA system, the President highlighted broader reforms in Liberia’s public service:
The Civil Service Board of Appeals has been reconstituted after 18 years, resolving 49 out of 214 cases and reinstating 71 wrongfully dismissed employees.
The National Civil Service Testing Center, inaugurated in 2024, has introduced a computerized, merit-based recruitment process, the first in Liberia’s history.
A new Civil Service Commission Act has been submitted to the Legislature to replace the outdated 1973 law, ensuring independent oversight and greater transparency in civil service operations.
These reforms, Boakai emphasized, reflect his administration’s commitment to competence, justice, and institutional trust.
The President acknowledged the contributions of key partners in the LPA system’s rollout, including:
Civil Service Agency (CSA) under Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., Mwetana Consulting and Technology Group, a Liberian tech firm credited for developing the automated system and Commercial banking partners like ECOBANK Liberia and International Bank Liberia Ltd.
“This transformation is proof that Liberian ingenuity can power national progress,” Boakai said.
“These programs exist to restore your pride, ease your burden, and reaffirm your importance in nation-building. Use them wisely. Serve with honesty, dedication, and excellence.”
He reaffirmed the administration’s support for a professional, motivated, and accountable civil service that mirrors the aspirations of a renewed Liberia.
“Together, let us build a workforce that sustains our hospitals, educates our children, and drives our development,” he concluded. “With faith in God and commitment to service, we can transform Liberia, one reform, one innovation, and one worker at a time”, he re-emphasized.
