National News
MONROVIA – The Ministry of Labour has officially launched a nationwide labour statistics survey aimed at determining Liberia’s employment levels and addressing longstanding gaps in the collection of reliable labour data.
By: Trokon Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
Speaking at the opening of a technical session and training for statisticians at the E.J.S. Ministerial Complex in Congo Town on Thursday, Labour Minister Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah described the initiative as both timely and critical, noting that the Ministry has lacked a structured mechanism for compiling quarterly and annual employment statistics since the current administration assumed office in 2023.
“The Ministry has lacked a systematic approach to collect quarterly and yearly employment statistics since the government took office in 2023,” Minister Kruah said, underscoring the urgency of the survey.
The exercise is being conducted in collaboration with the Liberia Institute for Geo-Information Services (LIGIS) and will cover more than 300 private-sector employment institutions across the country.
According to the Ministry, the survey is intended to respond to growing public concerns about job creation and to provide accurate, up-to-date data on employment trends nationwide.
Minister Kruah explained that the survey will help establish the country’s precise employment status between 2023 and 2025, while generating informed labour statistics for the period January 2024 to December 2025.
He disclosed that preliminary sampling carried out by the Ministry had already revealed that more than 5,000 jobs were created last year by just five institutions, a finding he said demonstrates the need for a broader and more comprehensive data-gathering exercise.
He urged statisticians and technical staff participating in the training to prioritize accuracy and credibility in their data collection, stressing that reliable labour statistics are essential for effective policymaking. Employment, he noted, remains a key priority of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration.
“We need accurate data to clearly understand how many jobs are being created for Liberians and in which sectors,” Minister Kruah said, acknowledging that the absence of consistent data has posed a major challenge for the Ministry in the past.
Also speaking at the event, Assistant Labour Minister for Research and Statistics, Hon. Jackson F. Wolobah, commended Minister Kruah for facilitating the long-awaited survey, which he said had previously faced several delays.
Wolobah emphasized the importance of dependable labour statistics in shaping employment policies and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to expanding job opportunities for Liberians.
“The Ministry is committed to providing employment opportunities for Liberians,” Wolobah stated.
He further referenced the recent increase in alien work permit fees from US$1,000 to US$3,000, describing the measure as a progressive policy shift intended to prioritize Liberians for available job positions.
According to him, the adjustment is designed to discourage excessive foreign competition for local employment and strengthen workforce localization efforts.
The Ministry of Labour expressed optimism that the nationwide survey will produce valuable insights into job creation by sector, equipping policymakers with the data needed to design effective employment strategies as Liberia works to strengthen and sustain its workforce.
