Senate to Review Weah-Era Salary Harmonization Policy
By Laymah Kollie
January 14, 2026
Monrovia: The Liberian Senate has announced plans to review the controversial salary harmonization policy implemented during the administration of former President George Manneh Weah, a move that could reopen debate over public sector pay cuts that affected thousands of civil servants.
The salary harmonization exercise, carried out in August 2019 under the Weah-led government, impacted an estimated 10,000 civil servants across various ministries, agencies, and commissions.
The policy was introduced as part of broader public financial management reforms aimed at addressing wage disparities within government. At the time, former Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel D. Tweah Jr., explained that the initiative sought to reduce the salaries of employees deemed to be overpaid while increasing the wages of approximately 15,000 underpaid civil servants.
According to the ministry, the goal was to promote fairness, transparency, and fiscal sustainability in the public sector wage bill. However, the implementation of the policy triggered widespread public outcry, particularly from low-income civil servants who reported significant salary reductions.
Labor groups and civil society organizations criticized the process, arguing that it disproportionately affected junior staff and was carried out without adequate consultation or safeguards for vulnerable workers.
Addressing lawmakers during the opening of the Legislature on Monday, January 12, 2026, Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence announced that the Senate would take a fresh look at the harmonization process. She mandated the Senate Committees on Ways, Means and Finance, along with the Committee on Public Accounts, to conduct a comprehensive review and report their findings to plenary within two weeks.
According to Pro Tempore Karnga-Lawrence, the review will cover all sectors affected by the harmonization policy, with the aim of ensuring equity and fairness in public sector compensation. “The Senate is also considering a review of the harmonization process that affected civil servants across all sectors to ensure just compensation based on qualifications and the nature of work performed,” she stated. “We hereby mandate the Ways, Means and Finance Committee and the Public Accounts Committee to begin this process immediately and brief plenary within two weeks.”
The Senate’s decision has been welcomed by some public sector workers, who see the move as an opportunity to address longstanding grievances related to salary cuts and alleged inconsistencies in the harmonization exercise.
It remains unclear whether the review will lead to policy reversal, compensation adjustments, or recommendations for future reforms. Nonetheless, the Senate’s action signals renewed legislative scrutiny of one of the most contentious public sector reforms of the Weah administration.
