Sept. 29, 2020: The Senior Management Team at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has admonished its retirees not to get discouraged about their departure from service as life is still possible after retirement.

The words of encouragement were given recently during what was considered as a farewell meeting with 36 personnel of the Commerce Ministry, who have satisfied age and years of service requirements under the regulations of the Civil Service Agency-CSA.

During the well-attended meeting, held at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Commerce and Industry Minister, Wilson K. Tarpeh, hailed the retirees for their respective contributions to the Ministry and by extension, Liberia.

He told them that the Commerce Ministry has been working along with National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASCORP), to ensure that every body that has been retired is covered by social security.

Minister Tarpeh described the meeting with the group as   an- house thing while a formal recognition is being planned by CSA.

He also said the Senior Management Team at Commerce Ministry would work along with authorities at the Civil Service Agency (CSA), in ensuring that modalities leading to the processing of their retirement benefits are finalized.

“All of you have played your respective roles to the Commerce Ministry and your country and the time has come for you to leave, but do not forget that we are still one family,” Prof. Tarpeh told the retirees.

Responding to concerns from the retirees that they were not given the 90-day prior notice as  required  under   the Civil Service Agency regulations, Minister Tarpeh, admonished them not to allow the situation  pin them down as they were leaving the Ministry after many years of active service to the country.

He assured the 36 retirees that efforts are being exerted for their August 2020 salaries to be paid to them since they were not initially informed by the CSA that their retirement was taking effect as of August.

“I got a commitment from CSA that they are putting the names of those who were not paid in August on a separate payroll,” but they did not give a definite date,” he indicated.

 “Yes, what  I can also say is that the procedure  leading to your retirement, relative to being given the required notice was  inappropriate, but again I want us realize that  the lockdown period brought about by the COVID-19 situation also affected a lot of things,” Prof. Tarpeh, observed.

Meanwhile the 36 people are expected to be shortly be retired along others, by the Civil Service Agency at a formal program, where the retirees will receive their package.

Among the retirees are William Kolliebeyo and Nathan Mason, both of who are 68 years old.

The well-executed meeting with the 36 people, intended for psychologically prepare them for official retirement was graced by Deputy Commerce Minster for Administration, Wilfred N. Bangura, Deputy Commerce Minister for Commerce and Trade Services, A.E. Nyema Wisner and Deputy Commerce Minister for Industry, George Wolo, etc.

Jacob N.B. Parley

Communications Director

Emails: jacobtheancestor@yahoo.com/jparley@staff.moci.gov.lr

Contacts: 0777604576/0886560455

WhatsApp: 0881336137