MONROVIA — The crisis at the National Elections Commission (NEC) shows no signs of resolution as the Commission has refused to honor the Civil Service Agency’s (CSA) intervention in its dispute with dismissed staff.
Recently, the CSA invited NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lansanah and representatives of the “Aggrieved Workforce” to mediate the dispute. The complaint, filed by a group of NEC employees calling themselves the “Aggrieved Workforce,” alleges that nearly 30 staff members were summarily dismissed for protesting to demand “just benefits.”
However, the NEC, through its senior legal counsel, Cllr. A. Teage Jalloh, has rejected the CSA’s involvement, arguing that the agency lacks legal authority to intervene in the matter.
Cllr. Jalloh asserted, “The Civil Service Agency (CSA) lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the complaint. The 1973 Act establishing the CSA does not grant it authority over employment-related matters concerning the NEC, which is an independent commission under Article 89(b) of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia. Therefore, the CSA cannot assume such authority through a Standing Order.”
Jalloh further argued that the complainant, Rennie Gleegbar, who represents the aggrieved employees, is still an NEC employee and lacks the legal capacity to file a wrongful dismissal complaint.
“The CSA is prohibited from reviewing, modifying, or reversing dismissals. The authority to do so rests solely with the President of Liberia,” Jalloh emphasized.
He also addressed allegations against the protesters, claiming their actions disrupted NEC operations. According to him, protesters blocked entrances, padlocked the main building, and intimidated other staff with threatening messages such as “HR we coming for you” and “ED the greedy hunter, you will die.”
The NEC attributed its dismissal of the employees to violations of its policy manual, specifically Section 3.5, which supports summary dismissal for actions deemed disruptive or threatening.
CSA Director General Josiah Jokai disagrees with NEC’s stance, asserting that his agency has the legal mandate to intervene in such cases.
“The NEC’s argument that the CSA has no authority to mediate this issue is erroneous. Our role is to ensure fairness for all civil servants, regardless of the institution,” Jokai said.
He added that the CSA will continue its efforts to mediate the conflict, emphasizing the importance of finding an amicable resolution.
For his part, Rennie Gleegbar rejected NEC’s claims, stating, “I am the spokesperson for the aggrieved staff. Like those dismissed, I have not received my four months of hazard benefits from the 2023 elections. How can the NEC say I don’t have the right to speak on behalf of my colleagues?”
Gleegbar confirmed that his team is preparing an official response to NEC’s position and is prepared to escalate the matter if necessary.
“We are trying to avoid litigation, but if the NEC continues to dismiss our rights, we will pursue legal action. We deserve our just benefits,” he said.
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