By: Gegee Brima
MONROVIA, Liberia — The Government of Liberia has identified 2,718 public sector employees expected to retire on December 31, 2026, as part of efforts to improve retirement administration and address longstanding delays in pension payments.
Civil Service Agency (CSA) Director General Dr. Josiah F. Joekai disclosed the figures on Tuesday while presenting the outcome of a nationwide retirement data collection and pre-retirement counseling exercise conducted in collaboration with the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP).
According to Joekai, the exercise covered all 15 counties and 67 government spending entities, recording a total of 2,835 individuals. Of that number, 2,718 are employees due for retirement this year, while the remaining 117 are former civil servants whose pension benefits have remained unresolved following their retirement in previous years.
The CSA chief said employees included in the 2026 retirement category are expected to start receiving monthly pension benefits in January 2027, provided their records are successfully verified and they complete the necessary enrollment procedures with NASSCORP.
The figures indicate that men constitute the majority of the prospective retirees, accounting for 2,125 employees, representing 78.2 percent. Women account for 593, or 21.8 percent.
The Ministry of Education has the highest number of employees scheduled for retirement, with 1,493. The Ministry of Health follows with 300, while the Ministry of Local Government accounts for 297. Combined, the three institutions represent approximately 76.9 percent of the total retirement group.
Joekai explained that the 117 outstanding pension cases involve individuals who left government service between 2020 and 2024 but have yet to receive their monthly retirement benefits. The cases comprise 92 men and 25 women spread across 19 government institutions.
The Ministry of Education accounts for 42 of the unresolved cases, followed by the Ministry of Local Government with 33 and the Ministry of Health with 19.
He said the CSA has started forwarding the relevant personnel records and supporting documents to NASSCORP to facilitate verification and subsequent pension processing.
Joekai pointed to an earlier joint intervention in 2024 as evidence of progress, recalling that the exercise identified 294 former government employees who had retired between 2018 and 2023 without receiving their pensions. He said all 294 cases were subsequently processed, with the affected retirees now receiving their monthly benefits.
Beyond monthly pensions, Joekai disclosed that qualified retirees will also receive a one-time retirement handshake payment from the government. However, he did not announce the amount allocated for the payment.
Meanwhile, the CSA has extended its retirement registration and documentation exercise through November 30, 2026, to accommodate eligible civil servants who were not included during the initial nationwide process.
Employees captured during the extended registration period are expected to begin receiving their pension benefits in February 2027. Their January entitlement will also be paid retroactively, subject to successful verification and completion of the required enrollment procedures.
The CSA Director General called on eligible employees who have not yet registered to take advantage of the extended deadline, urging government human resource officers to assist affected workers in preparing and submitting the necessary documentation.
He attributed the renewed efforts to broader administrative reforms initiated under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration since taking office in January 2024. The reforms, he said, are intended to address weaknesses in personnel records, reduce delays in retirement processing and strengthen coordination between the CSA, NASSCORP and government institutions.
Joekai emphasized that retirement planning should begin before employees reach the end of their service years, noting that early identification and counseling would help prevent administrative complications and ensure a smoother transition from active government service.
“Retirement should be a period of dignity and reasonable financial security,” he said, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to working with relevant institutions to improve pension administration and resolve outstanding cases.
He further stressed the importance of succession planning, particularly in ministries and agencies facing significant numbers of retirements, warning that proper arrangements must be made to preserve institutional experience and prevent disruptions in public service delivery.
While describing the latest nationwide exercise as an important step toward improving retirement management, Joekai acknowledged that the commencement of pension payments remains dependent on NASSCORP’s verification and enrollment procedures.
