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President Sirleaf wants ministries create employment for UP partisans |
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Written by Robert Clarke, Moses Wenyu
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Monday, 08 February 2010 |
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has urged the heads of government ministries and agencies to consider employing at least two members of the ruling Unity Party.
Presidential Press Secretary Cyrus Wleh Badio told reporters the mandate is in response to concerns raised by UP partisans over the years.
According to the Executive Mansion the UP partisans complained that most of them are not given the opportunity to serve in government despite being qualified.
Mr. Badio clarified the President’s mandate would in no way violate civil service rules and regulations governing employment in the public sector.
The Presidential Press Secretary assured the exercise does not call for the dismissal of Liberians already working in the government.
He told reporters the exercise is intended to give what he called an opportunity to other Liberians who equally deserve employment in government.
Our Executive Mansion Reporter says the president’s mandate comes amidst protest from UP youth that they are being marginalized by the party’s hierarchy.
Critics believe the heads of ministries and agencies may now be under pressure to downsize ineffective workers or create extra space to accommodate the UP partisans.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Civil Servants Association has described as a return to the spoiled system, President Sirleaf’s call for Unity Partisans to be given jobs.
The President of the Association said the President’s statement is an attempt to politicize the civil service and to give it what he called a partisan picture.
According to Mr. Jefferson Elliot, employing at least two Unity Partisans in government functionaries contradicts government’s downsizing policy.
Mr. Elliot said such massive employment also violates section three of the Civil Service Standing order.
He said section three of the standing order calls for redundant employees to be given preference in the case where government chose to reemploy people.
Mr. Elliot observed if Unity Partisans were to enter the civil service on the basis of the President’s pronouncement, downsized civil servants would not have the opportunity to serve in government again.
The Civil Servants Association President called on President Sirleaf to immediately retract the statement if she actually intends to depart from the past.
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