Published: May 21, 2025
MONROVIA – Labor Minister Cllr. Cooper Kruah is facing intense backlash from the Liberian Senate for issuing more than 8,000 work permits to non-Liberians without disclosing job categories or descriptions—an omission lawmakers say undermines national labor laws and denies employment to qualified Liberians.
Minister Kruah appeared before the Senate on Tuesday, May 20, after repeated summons. His appearance was prompted by Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, who demanded answers regarding the Ministry’s continued authorization of foreign labor in positions Liberians are fully capable of filling.
“This practice contradicts both the letter and spirit of the Decent Work Act,” Dillon said. “Year after year, the Ministry renews work permits for non-Liberians—even for jobs legally reserved for Liberians.”
Senators cited Chapter 7, Section 7.1 and Chapter 45, Section 45.9 of the Decent Work Act, along with Revised Regulation No. 17 (2019), which places strict conditions on the employment of foreign nationals. Regulation Section 3 prohibits granting permits to non-African nationals seeking jobs in the informal sector, and Section 6 requires employers to advertise vacancies publicly for at least a month before the Ministry can issue a certificate of non-availability and approve a foreign hire.
Job Details Omitted, Minister Shifts Blame
When Senate President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence asked whether the submitted list of over 8,000 permits included job details, Kruah first said yes—then reversed his statement.
He attributed the lack of job information to a system inherited from the previous administration, claiming the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) processes work permit data but does not allow entry of job categories or descriptions.
“The current system only identifies whether an applicant is from ECOWAS or a non-African country,” Kruah said.
Grand Gedeh County Senator Thomas Yaya Nimely, who chairs the Senate Committee on Labor, confirmed that the permit list lacks any job-specific data.
“It doesn’t say if someone is a carpenter, mechanic, or electrician,” Nimely said.
River Gee County Senator Francis Dopoe pushed back, noting that the 2019 Regulation explicitly calls for an automated system capable of capturing comprehensive employment information.
“If the regulation mandates a digital system, how can such crucial data be excluded?” Dopoe asked.
Senate Signals Possible Contempt Charges
Senator Dillon went further, warning that Kruah’s actions may be in contempt of the Legislature under Article 44 of the Constitution.
“No system anywhere captures names and nationalities but omits job descriptions,” Dillon said. “This points to a lack of transparency and opens the door to abuse.”
He expressed concern that many of the positions being filled by foreigners pay salaries of US$3,000 or more—despite Liberians being qualified and trained for those roles.
“The government funds TVET and vocational programs, yet when the jobs come, they’re handed over to foreign nationals,” he said.
Dillon called on the Senate to consider invoking contempt proceedings if the Minister fails to provide the necessary information.
Minister Requests Two Weeks to Submit Data
Facing growing frustration from lawmakers, Kruah requested two weeks to collect the missing data and submit a full report.
“I will write to the employers, retrieve accurate job titles and descriptions, and organize the information into a typed report for this body,” Kruah said in response to a request from Grand Kru County Senator Albert T. Chie.
The Senate has not yet decided whether to formally hold the Minister in contempt, but several senators emphasized that the issue strikes at the heart of national employment priorities.
“This is about protecting Liberian jobs,” said Senator Karnga-Lawrence. “We cannot allow lax oversight or outdated systems to override the law.”
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