Go-slow At BWI As Workers Alleged Salary Disparities, Financial Mismanagement, Other Issues

Ramsey N Singbeh Jr

director@news.throngtalk.com

+231772641146 / 880147358

Workers of the Booker T. Washington Institute in Kakata City, Margibi County are on a go-slow action bringing normal working activities at BWI at a standstil.

The workers are also calling for an urgent investigation into alleged ‘salary disparities, financial mismanagement, and institutional neglect’ at the institution.

The BWI workforce in a press statement on Monday said their statement was meant to bring to light the alarming ‘salary disparities, financial mismanagement, and administrative neglect’ that have significantly undermined employees’ welfare and institutional integrity.

According to the workers, these persistent challenges demand immediate intervention to restore accountability, transparency, and operational efficiency at BWI.

They said the absence of a structured salary system has led to arbitrary wage allocations resulting in unfair compensation and diminishing staff self-esteem.

The BWI workers complained about unresolved salary discrepancies at LBDI noting that since the implementation of the salary harmonization in 2019 under former president George Manneh Weah’s administration, staff salaries have been credited in an incomprehensible manner, reflecting for example, US$210 as two separate entries of US$105 each-one as a current balance and the other as an available balance.

However, they said one half of this amount is accessible, with no explanation for the withheld portion.

The workers also disclosed that the lack of necessary practical resources continues to impede effective teaching and learning delivery in the technical and vocational departments.

They also accused the principal ‘misallocation’ of TVETV funds accusing her of diverting TVET program development funds for master trainers toward unauthorized salary increments that deviated from the intended purpose which stifling institutional growth and long-term sustainability.

The disenchanted BWI workers also outlined employment irregularities alleging that the principal retired HR Department and Business and Finance Office (BFO) unilaterally determine salaries, fostering inequalities, exclusive recruitment beyond the approved BWI payroll ceiling with unjustifiably high salaries for selected individuals as well as retired HR manager over-hired personnel, placing existing employees at heightened risk of job insecurity.

They accused the principal of lacking concrete operational plan, restoring to a trial-and-error approach, which the workers claim is unfit for an institution as significant as BWI.

The worker continued that since the appointment of the principal in May 2024, she has resided outside the BWI campus, disregarding the necessity for effective institutional management.

In the press statement, they accused the principal of violating the school calendar pointing out that the academic year originally scheduled to commence in September, was arbitrarily delayed until October 21, 2024, in direct violation of the Ministry of Education’s calendar.

Going forward, the workers added that the principal and the Business Manager demonstrate minimal knowledge of the TVET project at BWI, causing it to deteriorate continually.

They said professionals who spoke up for their rights and benefits at BWI, are frequently threatened with dismissal to be replaced by inexperienced individuals, further undermining institutional competence.

On the issue of corruption and disruptive leadership, the workers said despite claiming “no business as usual,” rampant corruption is rotting” the institute maintaining that Dr. Freeman has presided over an administration marked by financial irregularities and operational chaos.

Therefore, the workforce is calling on the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and other relevant bodies to immediately conduct a full investigation into the salary discrepancies, as well as a thorough payroll, undertake banking audit to uncover and rectify any financial malpractices between BWI and LBDI.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday February 18, 2025, the Principal, Dr Nancy T Freeman said all the allegations are untrue unless for count number eight (8) which she said the requisite authorities were aware of.

“Yesterday, we experienced a go-slow on campus that we knew nothing about, we didn’t see it coming. We spoke with the workers’ union calling after their press conference which we were not given a copy and we talked to them to reason with us so that they can go to work and administer final test for the first semester. We were making headway and they said ok, let’s go and talk to the workers group because that were the executives that we worked with. We got there and explained to them what we discussed with their leaders and things didn’t go well and the workers walk away and left their leaders standing there with us.”

Due to the aggrieved workers’go-slow, she noted that the test was aborted but administration spoke with the students and told them to hold on till Wednesday February 19, 2025 at which time the way forward will be disclosed.

Following that, the BWI Principal noted that the Ministry of Education or MOE and BWI Board were notified by the administration about the prevailing situation on the campus.

The board promised to have shown up but did not do until later Mr Isaac Stevens told them that he was unable to go on the campus on that very day but assured them of being present on Feb 18.

According to her, the BWI Administration under her leadership developed a platform called ‘Let’s Talk’ that allows all workers to have a face to face with administration to discuss issues related to the institution.

Unless for count #:8 of the workers allegations which has to do with violation of the academic calendar which she admitted to, she denied all the other allegations. She also clarified that she informed the Ministry of Education and the board about the reason that caused the delay in commencement of the academic calendar.

She indicated that almost all of the issues being raised had been in existence at BWI but she is gradually working on them.

She noted that she is making frantic efforts regarding the salary issue. With the concen related to current and available balance, she maintained that the Liberia Bank For Development and Investment or LBDI which BWI makes business with has apologized and taken responsibility for the what they term as mistake and promised to fix the system.

She narrated that at no time had her administration threatened any of the workers for speaking or advocating for their rights.