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In a bid to set a precedent for “responsible governance” and demonstrate “solidarity” with Liberians, the President of the country, Joseph Boakai, has announced his willingness to slash his salary by 40%.
BBC reports that government salaries have been under intense scrutiny recently. The generality of Liberians are complaining about the rising cost of living. About 20 percent of the people live on less than $2 a day in the country.
In February, Mr Boakai said his annual salary was $13,400. The cut will bring it down to $8,000. His predecessor had taken a 25% cut in his salary.
The announcement has come with mixed feelings for Liberians. While some have praised him for the decision, others wonder whether it is truly a sacrifice considering that he also receives benefits like a daily allowance and medical care.
The presidential office’s budget is almost $3m this year.
Anderson D Miamen from the Centre of Transparency and Accountability in Liberia, a non-profit organization said the president’s pay cut is “welcoming”. “We just hope that the public will clearly see where the deductions will go and how they will be used to positively impact the lives of the people.”
A campaigner for government transparency, W Lawrence Yealue II said the president’s decision is “very commendable”.
Apart from reducing his salary, Boakai has pledged to “empower” Liberia’s Civil Service Agency to make sure public servants “receive fair compensation for their contributions to the country”. However, last week, a group of law makers complained they had not received their official cars which they needed to perform their duties. As a form of protest, they turned up in parliament in tuk-tuks, a common mode of transport for ordinary Liberians.
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