Labor Minister Cooper Kruah has called for immediate retirement packages to be provided to employees prior to their transition to the National Social Security & Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP).
During a recent visit to the Firestone Rubber Plantation, Minister Kruah condemned the prevailing practice among concession companies of retiring employees without offering any benefits, relegating their future support solely to NASSCORP.
He emphasized that such acts are unacceptable, stating, “You can’t have people work for you all those years and you just retire them without any benefits from you, the employer.”
The proposal aims to enhance retirement for workers by ensuring they receive a benefit package from their employers based on the years they served. This initiative would facilitate a smoother transition into retirement, allowing individuals to engage with NASSCORP for their pension processes without facing immediate financial hardship.
The news has been warmly received by employees of Firestone and other concession companies, many of whom view this shift as a long-overdue correction to years of inadequate retirement support.
Advocacy for reform has long echoed in the halls of legislation and among human rights defenders, yet this is the first instance where concrete action is being taken by the government through the Ministry of Labor.
Minister Kruah’s visit to Firestone is part of a broader tour of various concession companies and industrial sites, aligning with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s vision of stability and enhanced productivity under the ARREST agenda.
As the Ministry of Labor pushes for these changes, it marks a newfound commitment to safeguarding the welfare of Liberia’s workforce as they prepare for retirement.
