CSA Boss Credits Boakai for Expanding Gov’t Services | News

Civil Service Agency (CSA) Director General Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr. has credited President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. with spearheading one of Liberia’s most ambitious decentralization and public sector reform initiatives, declaring that government services are increasingly reaching citizens across the country rather than remaining concentrated in Monrovia.

Speaking at the national commemoration of the 2026 Public Service Day in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, Dr. Joekai said the Boakai administration has transformed decentralization from a policy objective into a practical reality, bringing public institutions closer to ordinary Liberians and improving access to government services nationwide.

The celebration marked a historic first for Liberia, as the annual Public Service Day observance was held outside Montserrado County for the first time since its inception.

“Today marks a significant milestone in Liberia’s public service and governance reform journey, as this important national celebration is being observed outside Montserrado County for the first time,” Dr. Joekai declared. “The decision to bring this national event to Nimba County is not merely symbolic; it is a practical demonstration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s unwavering commitment to decentralization, inclusive governance, and bringing government closer to the people.”

Addressing President Boakai, Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, lawmakers, cabinet officials, diplomats, development partners, local government authorities, and hundreds of civil servants gathered in Sanniquellie, Dr. Joekai said the administration’s decentralization drive reflects a growing recognition that development must be experienced by citizens in every county and community.

“It reflects a growing recognition that national development must be experienced by citizens in every county, district, town, and community across Liberia,” he said.

Dr. Joekai described Nimba County as an appropriate host for the national event, citing its historic role in Liberia’s political, economic, and diplomatic development.

He noted that Nimba, established in 1964 during the administration of former President William V.S. Tubman, remains Liberia’s second most populous county, with more than 621,000 residents according to the 2022 National Population and Housing Census.

He also highlighted Nimba’s rich iron ore deposits and recalled the historic 1959 Sanniquellie Conference, which brought together former Liberian President William V.S. Tubman, Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah, and Guinea’s President Ahmed Sékou Touré in discussions that later contributed to the creation of the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union.

“It is therefore fitting that this historic county now hosts a celebration dedicated to honoring the men and women whose daily service sustains our nation,” he said.

Providing historical context, Dr. Joekai explained that Public Service Day originated during the First Pan-African Conference of Ministers Responsible for Public and Civil Service held in Tangier, Morocco, in June 1994.

According to him, African ministers adopted a resolution declaring June 23 as African Public Service Day to recognize the value of public service, promote professionalism, strengthen governance systems, and celebrate the contributions of public servants to national development.

He noted that the significance of the observance expanded globally in December 2002 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 57/277 officially proclaiming June 23 as United Nations Public Service Day.

“Liberia joined other nations in commemorating Public Service Day and has continued to observe the occasion annually to recognize the vital role public servants play in building and sustaining a prosperous, democratic, and accountable society,” he said.

A major focus of Dr. Joekai’s address was the progress being made under President Boakai’s decentralization agenda through the Civil Service Agency.

He revealed that the CSA has embarked upon a nationwide expansion strategy aimed at ensuring government services are accessible throughout Liberia.

“Under your leadership, the Civil Service Agency has embarked upon one of the most ambitious decentralization programs in its history, ensuring that civil service services and support systems are no longer concentrated in Monrovia but are progressively extended throughout the Republic,” he told President Boakai.

Among the achievements highlighted was the renovation and dedication of the CSA regional office in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, which now serves Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu counties.

Dr. Joekai also announced that land has been fully allocated and surveyed in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, for the construction of a regional office that will provide services to Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Grand Kru, Maryland, and Sinoe counties.

“We are particularly grateful that the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has committed the necessary resources for the construction of this important facility,” he said.

In Bong County, he disclosed that land has likewise been secured for the construction of the CSA’s first-ever Regional Headquarters in Gbarnga.

The facility, he said, will serve Bong, Nimba, and Lofa counties and significantly improve access to government services throughout central and northern Liberia.

“We are pleased to report that resources for this project have already been budgeted and made available,” he announced.

Additionally, Dr. Joekai revealed that authorities in Grand Bassa County have allocated two acres of land for another regional office that will serve both Grand Bassa and River Cess counties.

According to the CSA Director General, these developments demonstrate that President Boakai’s vision for decentralization is producing tangible results.

“These achievements are tangible evidence that your decentralization agenda is no longer a policy aspiration but a practical reality unfolding across Liberia,” he said.

“They represent a fundamental shift in how the government engages citizens and delivers public services. Through your leadership, Liberians are beginning to witness a new model of governance that prioritizes accessibility, efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness.”

Dr. Joekai further praised President Boakai for supporting reforms aimed at modernizing Liberia’s public sector and strengthening government institutions.

“The truth is simple: Liberia’s public service is no longer where it was two years ago,” he declared.

“Across government, significant progress has been achieved in workforce management, accountability systems, institutional modernization, human resource reforms, payroll integrity, professionalization, decentralization, and service delivery.”

While acknowledging that challenges remain, he maintained that the foundation for a stronger public service has been laid.

“While much work remains ahead of us, the direction is clear, the foundation is stronger, and the results are becoming increasingly visible,” he said.

Dr. Joekai used the occasion to recognize the contributions of public servants throughout Liberia, describing them as the backbone of national development.

“We celebrate the teachers educating our children, the healthcare workers saving lives, the security officers protecting our communities, the agricultural workers supporting food production, the engineers building infrastructure, the administrators managing government institutions, and every public servant whose daily contributions sustain the Republic,” he said.

He praised President Boakai for championing reforms aimed at building a professional, merit-based, and citizen-centered public service.

“We are confident because we have a President who understands public service,” Dr. Joekai stated.

“We are optimistic because we have an Administration committed to reform. And we are determined because we know that a modern, professional, merit-based, and citizen-centered public service remains one of the most powerful instruments for national transformation.”

Concluding his remarks, the CSA Director General pledged continued commitment to strengthening public institutions and expanding access to government services across the country.