Rep: “If the Liberian People Want Us to Work for Free, Let Them Say So”

Published: November 11, 2026

CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia — A River Gee lawmaker who says he takes home US$5,000 a month is pushing back against calls to cut legislators’ pay, arguing that constituents expect their representatives to cover hospital bills, school fees, funerals and even road projects, and challenging Liberians to say plainly whether they want lawmakers to work for free.

“If the Liberian people want us to work for free, let them say so,” Rep. Alexander S. Poure of River Gee County District 1 said.

Poure said his pay is enough for him but not for the demands that come with the office.

“I am not complaining that the money is too little. I am satisfied with it. But if people continue to argue that US$5,000 is too much for us, how do they expect us to survive while meeting all these demands?” he said.

Poure said he received a net monthly salary of US$8,000 when he entered the Legislature during his first term under former President George Weah, and that the amount was cut to US$5,000 after the government’s salary harmonization exercise.

He said people regularly come to lawmakers’ offices seeking help with hospital bills, school fees, graduation expenses, funeral arrangements and transportation, while communities ask for contributions toward projects such as road construction.

“When you go to the office, you meet people with different problems. Someone needs help burying a deceased parent, another has a sick father in the hospital, while others need assistance paying school fees or returning home,” he said.

Lawmakers frequently channel their earnings back into their constituencies through such assistance, Poure said, describing the requests as part of the daily reality of representation.

His remarks come amid renewed public scrutiny of lawmakers’ salaries, allowances, benefits and performance. In October, more than 40 members of the House were reported to have skipped the chamber’s reopening amid a dispute over unpaid benefits and other entitlements. Anderson D. Miamen of the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia challenged lawmakers at the time to show that their performance justified the public resources they receive.

Rep. Musa Hassan Bility of Nimba County District 7 has separately proposed a review of lawmakers’ salaries and the pay of some senior government officials, arguing that cuts could free money for national development and essential social services.