By Jamesetta D. Williams
MONROVIA–Minister of Labor Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah has disclosed that the Ministry of Labor collected more than US$16 million in revenue from January to August 2026, with a significant portion generated from the issuance of work permits.
Minister Kruah said the ministry is making stringent efforts to further increase the revenue before the end of the year, as it continues to strengthen its work permit monitoring and compliance measures.
He made the disclosure Thursday at the Ministry of Information’s regular press conference in Monrovia.
According to Cllr. Kruah, the Legislature set the Ministry of Labor’s work permit revenue target at approximately US$11.45 million for 2026.
He said the ministry collected approximately US$5.7 million during the same period in 2025, but revenue increased substantially in 2026.
For January to August 2026, Kruah said the ministry collected approximately US$16.208 million, representing an increase of about US$10.5 million compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
The minister said the latest collection has already placed the ministry above its annual target, with several months remaining in the year.
He called on institutions and companies processing work permit renewals to ensure that they pay the required fees to the government.
Cllr. Kruah attributed the improvement in revenue to efforts by the ministry’s inspectors, officers, and other personnel to strengthen compliance with labor regulations.
Meanwhile, the Labor Minister disclosed that an assessment conducted on 1,552 entities across Liberia shows that 54,682 Liberians are currently employed within those entities.
He said the latest assessment demonstrates what he described as growing improvement in employment opportunities for Liberians.
Kruah explained that the assessment focused on the same group of entities over several years, allowing the ministry to track changes in the number of Liberian employees.
According to the figures presented by the minister, the entities had 38,893 Liberian employees in 2023.
The number increased to 48,829 in 2024 and further rose to 52,191 in 2025.
As of July 2026, the number had reached 54,682 Liberian employees among the assessed entities.
Kruah noted that the 1,552 entities do not represent all businesses operating in Liberia, but said the figures demonstrate a clear trend in the employment of Liberians.
He said a broader assessment covering the totality of entities employing people in Liberia would produce an even larger figure.
The Minister also disclosed that the Ministry of Labor has been reviewing applications from foreign nationals seeking employment in Liberia as part of efforts to ensure that jobs that can be performed by Liberians are not given to foreign workers.
He recalled the government’s decision to increase the work permit fee from US$1,000 to US$3,000, explaining that the measure was intended to discourage the importation of foreign workers for positions that qualified Liberians can perform.
Kruah said the ministry received about 7,012 work permit applications between January and July 2026.
Of that number, 1,373 applications were denied, while some applicants voluntarily canceled their applications after the ministry reviewed their requests.
He said a total of 2,643 applications were denied or canceled.According to the minister, the action is intended to ensure that more employment opportunities are made available to Liberians.
He said the ministry will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure that the interests of Liberian workers are protected.
Cllr. Kruah also raised concerns about the payment of private security guards in Liberia, saying some workers are reportedly being paid below the legal minimum wage.
He said Liberia’s minimum wage currently stands at US$143 per month, but the Ministry of Labor continues to receive reports that some private security companies pay guards as little as US$50.
The minister said the ministry recently met with the Association of Security Guard Services in Liberia to discuss the issue and emphasized the need for security companies to respect the minimum wage requirement.
According to Kruah, the association recommended further engagement with the Ministry of Justice, particularly the Public Safety Deputy Minister, because private security companies are licensed by the Ministry of Justice.
He said the government is considering measures to ensure that companies applying to establish security guard services clearly indicate the salaries their guards will receive.
Kruah explained that differences in the rates charged by security companies can make it difficult for workers to receive the legally required minimum wage.
He said the ministry will continue engaging the operators and will follow up on the discussions.
The minister further disclosed that labor inspectors will be deployed to examine the payrolls of private security companies and determine whether they are complying with the minimum wage law.
He urged operators of private security companies to take the ministry’s concerns seriously, warning that inspectors will follow up on the commitments made during the engagement.
Kruah also called on businesses that hire private security services to ensure that the guards assigned to protect their facilities are adequately compensated.
He argued that businesses that operate valuable facilities and equipment should be able to pay security workers fairly.
The Labor Minister reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to protecting Liberian workers, promoting employment opportunities for Liberians, and ensuring compliance with the country’s labor laws.
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