— Activist Martin K. N. Kollie Demands Radical Reform, Salary Cap for Top Officials
MONROVIA – Martin K. N. Kollie, a Liberian activist popularly known as “Rescue Rambo” for his vigorous campaigning during President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s 2023 presidential bid, has launched a scathing attack on the administration, accusing it of perpetuating inequality by keeping civil servants on “slave wages.”
In an open letter from exile in The Hague, Netherlands, Kollie said newly leaked government payrolls reveal that thousands of Liberian civil servants still earn as little as US$86.99 per month, while senior officials take home thousands of dollars in salary and benefits.
“This is evil. The society is still unequal and unjust. The system was designed by a few to suppress the majority. Mr. President, it’s time for radical reform,” Kollie declared.
Civil Servants Still “Catching Hell”
Kollie noted that Liberia’s public workforce comprises 67,746 employees across 104 spending entities, including 42,076 civil servants (CSA Annual Report, 2024). He argued that this group formed the backbone of support for Boakai during the 2023 elections but continues to be “marginalized and suppressed.”
According to payroll records he cited, many civil servants earn between US$86.99 and US$150 net monthly, amounts he described as “non-living wages” that cannot cover basic expenses such as food, rent, transportation, medical care, or school fees.
Meanwhile, lawmakers earn US$7,900 per month—a figure Kollie said equals more than seven years of a low-level civil servant’s salary.
“Some lawmakers, ministers, and managing directors even use what a civil servant earns monthly for their lunch every day,” he charged.
Disparity on Display
Kollie shared details of payroll records from the judiciary showing civil servants earning between US$86.99 and US$125.47 net monthly, contrasting this with what he called “outrageous” pay packages for top government officials, some of whom make over US$11,000 per month, excluding benefits and perks.
“How can US$86.99 transport a civil servant to work and back, let alone feed a family, pay rent, and cover school fees?” he asked.
“If the big shots think civil servants can survive on US$86.99 to US$150 in Liberia, why can’t they also survive on US$1,000 to US$5,000 in the same country with the same prices?”
Call for Salary Reform and Anti-Waste Measures
Kollie urged President Boakai to take bold action in the upcoming fiscal year (FY2026), including:
- Capping all top government salaries and benefits at US$5,000 per month.
- Redirecting resources to increase civil servants’ pay.
- Cutting “wasteful spending” across government.
He stressed that failure to address the disparity would betray the hopes of civil servants who rallied behind Boakai’s campaign.
“Civil servants must be treated with dignity and respect. They and their families deserve better. This is not what they voted for. It’s time to put the people’s interest first. Liberia first, Liberia forever,” Kollie concluded.
