Published: June 23, 2025
MONROVIA — The Ministry of Labour has ruled that the National Port Authority (NPA) wrongfully dismissed its former Comptroller Gabriel S. Bull and ordered his immediate reinstatement or compensation totaling more than $280,000 in unpaid entitlements.
In a decision issued Friday by Hearing Officer Boikai A. Sheriff, the ministry found that Bull, who had served at the NPA for more than 18 years, was terminated without due process in violation of Liberia’s Decent Work Act of 2015.
“The facts and surrounding circumstances…hold the conviction that the Complainant is being wrongfully discharged,” the ruling states. “Defendant/National Port Authority (NPA) [must] reinstate Complainant and pay him all of his entitlements and benefits as if he was not dismissed, or in lieu of reinstatement, pay him twenty-four (24) months of his salary” and other arrears.
Bull, who served as NPA Comptroller from December 2022 until his dismissal on March 11, 2024, was terminated amid allegations of financial improprieties. However, the Labour Ministry’s investigation found no evidence that he was formally investigated or audited prior to his removal.
Bull was represented by the Consortium of Legal Practitioners, including Counsellors Arthur T. Johnson and Edwin G. Barquoi. The NPA, meanwhile, was represented by its in-house legal team and Henries Law Firm.
Night Dismissal on WhatsApp
During testimony on May 6, Bull recounted receiving a WhatsApp message from the Deputy Comptroller late at night on March 10, 2024, notifying him that both had been dismissed. The message, he said, cited an announcement made on the Spoon Network by the NPA’s Managing Director — a move Bull called irregular and outside formal HR protocol.
“Spoon was not our employer,” he said.
Bull went to work the following day and performed his duties until 3:45 p.m. before receiving an official dismissal memo from the office of the Deputy Managing Director for Administration.
According to Bull, his dismissal was not only procedurally flawed but appeared designed to deny him benefits accumulated over nearly two decades of service. He accused the NPA of withholding payments for gasoline, scratch cards, and rice dating as far back as 2020.
Massive Payout Ordered
The Labour Ministry ordered the NPA to pay Bull a total of $280,945.60, broken down as follows:
- 24 months’ salary at $6,500/month: $156,000
- Gasoline arrears (13,620 gallons): $59,655.60
- Scratch card arrears (12,820 cards): $64,100
- Rice arrears (70 bags of 25kg): $1,190
Bull’s legal team hailed the decision as a victory for due process and a cautionary tale for public institutions.
Management Defends Dismissal
The NPA argued that Bull’s dismissal was justified due to financial mismanagement, including unauthorized payments of over $900,000 to various vendors and political entities. Testimony from the NPA’s internal audit team cited payments to the then ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Bashir Business Center, and Norfolk Marina as irregular.
A witness from the Internal Audit Agency alleged that Bull’s signature had been forged on a $447,800 payment to Delta Architectural and Construction Company, and that procurement rules were flagrantly ignored.
Still, the Labour Ministry held that no audit or internal investigation was conducted prior to Bull’s termination, violating Chapter 14, Section 14.10 of the Decent Work Act.
Legal Precedent
The ruling cited the landmark case Roberts International Airport v. Beyslow, which held that employee dismissal without due process is inherently wrongful. The Ministry concluded that even if financial improprieties occurred, Bull should have been investigated and given a chance to respond.
The Ministry’s order is binding unless overturned on appeal.
Discussion about this post