CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia — Lofa County Electoral District #2 Consultant Momo Siafa Kpoto got here underneath sharp criticism from his colleagues on Thursday after overtly defending Well being Minister Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto throughout a legislative probe into delays in inserting volunteer lecturers and healthcare staff on the federal government payroll.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway, [email protected]
The Well being Minister had been invited, together with different Government Department officers, to look earlier than the Home of Representatives to clarify persistent delays within the payroll placement of volunteer lecturers, nurses, and medical doctors. Officers from the Ministry of Finance and Growth Planning (MFDP) and the Civil Service Company (CSA) have been additionally summoned to look.
The inquiry stems from a communication submitted by Maryland County District #2 Consultant Anthony F. Williams, who raised issues over unpaid lecturers, significantly the U.S. greenback part of salaries reportedly owed since October 2025. The communication additional requested an in depth breakdown of volunteer lecturers and healthcare staff added to the payroll for 2025 and 2026, together with names, work assignments, and dates of inclusion.
Minister Absent, Lawmakers Upset
On the day of the scheduled look, Minister Kpoto didn’t attend, citing sickness. As a substitute, she delegated senior officers, together with Deputy Minister for Planning Malayah Tamba Cheiyo, Deputy Minister for Administration Martha C. Morris, HR Supervisor James Beyan, and Comptroller Patrick M. Guzeh.
Her absence, which a number of lawmakers described as a recurring sample, triggered heated reactions throughout plenary on the 6th Day sitting of the threerd Session of the 55th Legislature. Members expressed frustration, insisting that the Minister herself seem earlier than the Home quite than repeatedly sending proxies.
Rep. Kpoto’s Protection Sparks Outcry
Amid the rising rigidity, Rep. Kpoto rose from his seat to vigorously defend the Well being Minister, who lawmakers famous is said to him.
In a heated change, Rep. Kpoto informed plenary, “She won’t seem earlier than this Home as a result of she is sick. The knowledge that you just want will likely be supplied by the Ministry. We should respect folks’s well being points and well-being.”
His remarks have been instantly met with sturdy backlash, with lawmakers accusing him of crossing the road by shielding a public official who’s accountable to the Legislature and the Liberian folks.
A number of members described each the Minister’s repeated absence and Rep. Kpoto’s protection as a gross disrespect to the authority of the Home, vowing to reject future appearances by ministry representatives except the Minister seems in individual.
“It’s not that we don’t respect folks’s well-being, however this has develop into a standard behavior of the Minister,” mentioned Bong County District #5 Consultant Eugene Kollie.
“Each time we summon her, she is sick. This isn’t honest to us as representatives of the folks, and it’s not honest to those that despatched us right here.”
Rep. Kollie added, “It is a matter of public well being and accountability. The Minister should reply questions concerning healthcare supply and the welfare of well being staff. The folks deserve transparency.”
Different lawmakers, together with Nimba County District #8 Consultant Saye Sylvester Mianah, echoed comparable issues, stressing the necessity for accountability and the Minister’s direct engagement with the Legislature on crucial well being sector points.
Following a number of minutes of disorderly exchanges, Home Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon intervened, calling for calm and urging lawmakers to handle the matter constructively. He particularly invited Rep. Kpoto to strategy the presiding desk in an effort to defuse tensions.
Payroll Replace from CSA, Well being Ministry
In the meantime, representatives from the Ministry of Well being and CSA Director-Common Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr. supplied updates on payroll placement. They reported that 1,879 Personnel Motion Notices (PANs) have been submitted.
Of that quantity, 1,050 well being staff have been initially positioned on the payroll, with a further 450 added in December, bringing the full to 1,500.
Dr. Joekai knowledgeable the Home that the remaining 329 well being staff are anticipated to be built-in into the nationwide payroll system in February.
Subsequent Steps
After greater than an hour of testimony and deliberations, the Home resolved to ahead the matter to its joint committees on well being and training, which is anticipated to report again to plenary inside two weeks.
