Senators Saah Joseph and Nathaniel McGill claimed that diplomats assigned to Liberian embassies in some African countries and elsewhere are encountering numerous challenges that need to be addressed by the government. The duo represents the people of Montserrado and Margibi counties, respectively. Senator Joseph is also the Co-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Their concerns were outlined in a communication addressed to the Senate Plenary on Tuesday, July 9. Plenary is the highest decision-making body of the Liberian Senate.
The two lawmakers claimed that the payment of remunerations and Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSAs) to Liberians at foreign missions, including embassies, has been “deliberately ignored for reasons best known to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.” Sara Beysolow Nyanti is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs. They noted that as a result, Liberian diplomats and others at various foreign missions and embassies are encountering “unbearable circumstances just to survive in foreign lands.”
“We are writing to bring to the attention of the Plenary of the Liberian Senate the condition of our citizens working in the Foreign Service at various foreign missions. As Senators representing Montserrado and Margibi counties respectively, we seek the indulgence of the Plenary to intervene in the challenges our citizens face, particularly in Senegal, Nigeria, and a few other countries.”
Justifying the significance of the communication, Senator McGill disclosed that citizens serving at foreign missions were appointed by the government and, as such, their well-being should not be downplayed by the government. He claimed that these foreign diplomats are being allegedly denied their just benefits, a situation compelling them to reside in countries where they cannot “even afford to buy food.”
“Some of them cannot even afford to pay their rent. Their rent should be the responsibility of the Republic of Liberia. So, we are asking this Senate to kindly intervene on behalf of these Liberian citizens so that they can receive their just benefits.”
Senator McGill emphasized that these Liberian diplomats are left to survive at the mercy of foreigners in their various countries of assignment due to the government’s failure to pay their remunerations and just benefits. He stressed that the Senate should investigate and compel the government, through the Ministries of Finance and Development Planning and Foreign Affairs, to intervene to ensure that these Liberian citizens appointed to serve at these foreign missions receive their just benefits.
The communication from the two CDC lawmakers has been sent to the Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs, Ways and Means, and Finance and Development Planning to launch a probe and report to the Plenary for possible action.
