By Trokon Gbah
Introduction
When the Liberian government released the 2026 draft national budget, many civil servants across the country found themselves asking the same question: Is our labour still valued? For years, public‑service workers in Liberia have borne the brunt of heavy workloads, limited resources, and modest compensation, yet the 2026 draft budget sends a message that many regard as deeply disappointing and demoralising.
What the Draft Budget Says
According to the MFDP, the draft national budget for fiscal year 2026 has been set at approximately US$1,211,085,227.
Of that amount:
Domestic revenue is projected at US$1.13 billion (roughly 94%).
External resources are estimated at US$72 million (about 6 %).
The document also indicates large allocations to the Public Sector Investment Plan (PSIP) and infrastructure projects aligned with the government’s “ARREST Agenda” for inclusive development.
In contrast with previous years, the size of the budget marks a substantial increase: one editorial notes the jump from the 2025 budget of just over US$880 million to this new figure.
The Civil Service Perspective: Disappointment and Disillusionment
From a civil servant’s point of view, the budget communicates several disheartening signals:
Recognition without – or with inadequate – reward. Despite the increased budget size and grand rhetoric about “inclusive development,” there appears to be no corresponding major adjustment to salaries, benefits, or other tangible improvements for everyday civil‑service workers. If the workforce of the state is central to delivery of services, then the budget fails to reflect that centrality in meaningful compensation or support.
Focus on capital/investment, not human capital. The allocations put heavy emphasis on infrastructure, roads, development projects, and other PSIP‑type investments. While such investments are important, they overshadow the pressing needs of civil servants: better remuneration, improved working conditions, professional development, and job security. When human capital is neglected in favour of “bricks and mortar,” the message to the rank‑and‑file is that they are secondary.
Unrealistic revenue projections and fiscal sustainability risks. The House Speaker of the Legislator cautioned that the revenue estimations in the budget may be “unrealistic,” warning of potential shortfalls. When civil servants see budget documents relying on optimistic projections rather than concrete guarantees, it increases anxiety: will the promises be fulfilled? Will wages, allowances, and benefits be reliably funded? The ambiguity undermines trust.
Disconnect between government rhetoric and lived reality. Public servants hear pronouncements about “inclusive development,” “shared prosperity,” and “national transformation,” yet the budget suggests that their welfare remains peripheral. Many feel that their sacrifices, day‑in and day‑out, are taken for granted, while governmental ambition flows into visible projects. Such disconnect breeds disillusionment and dampens morale.
Impacts on Morale, Efficiency and Public Service Delivery
When civil servants feel undervalued, the implications are serious:
Morale drops — Committed personnel may feel less motivated; the sense of “we are making a difference” can be replaced by “we are unappreciated.”
Productivity may suffer — Over time, low morale and inadequate support can reduce efficiency, increase absenteeism or burnout, and hamper service delivery.
Retention becomes difficult — Talented workers may seek other opportunities if they believe the public service does not recognise or reward their contributions.
Institutional credibility weakens — If civil servants feel neglected, the broader public may perceive that the state does not value its own workforce, which undermines trust and service continuity.
For a country like Liberia, which works every day to consolidate peace, strengthen governance, and rebuild institutions, the public service is not a luxury—it is foundational. The budget’s apparent neglect of that foundational element signals risk.
What Civil Servants Want to See
Given their feelings of disappointment, many civil servants would welcome the following changes:
A clear salary review: adjustments that reflect inflation, cost‑of‑living pressures, and the
comparative value of the work done by civil service staff.
Enhanced benefits and support: medical insurance, housing allowances, transport support, professional training and development budgets.
Work‑condition improvements: safe and effective workplaces, sufficient tools and resources, timely remunerations and allowances.
Transparency and dialogue in budgeting: inclusion of civil‑service representatives in the budget‑making process so that their lived realities inform allocations; clarity on how much of the budget is allocated to them directly.
Accountability and implementation assurance: concrete commitments, executed on schedule, not just aspirational rhetoric.
Conclusion
The 2026 draft budget of Liberia, with its ambitious figure in excess of US$1.2 billion and its focus on infrastructure and development projects, should have been a moment for uplifting the civil service. Instead, from the viewpoint of many civil servants, it marks a betrayal of trust. The very workforce that keeps government operations alive appears to have been sidelined in the fiscal plan.
For the government, the message is clear: if civil servants feel undervalued, the ripple effects will extend from morale to institutional performance and, ultimately, service to citizens. For the workforce, the message they feel they are receiving is: your labour is assumed, your sacrifice is accepted, but your welfare is optional.
In a society that recently emerged from conflict and is on a fragile peace footing, such neglect is more than discouraging—it is strategic folly. If Liberia’s public service is to remain resilient, efficient and citizen‑centred, then the human backbone of that service must be invested in—not overlooked.
