African President Voluntarily Cuts His Salary by 40%

Hibapress

Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, elected last November, has announced a voluntary 40% pay cut.

In line with his commitment to fiscal integrity and national financial security, Joseph Nyuma Boakai announced a voluntary 40% reduction in his salary and directed the Public Service Agency to ensure that civil servants’ salaries are in line with the state of the country.

He said the announcement reflects his determination to lead by example in strengthening government accountability and showing solidarity with the people of his nation.

The Liberian head of state stressed that this measure aimed to set a precedent for responsible governance and nation building.

Apart from his own salary cut, President Boakai pledged to empower the Civil Service Agency (CSA) to ensure that civil servants’ salaries are in line with the current state of the nation and that workers receive fair compensation for their contributions to the country’s development.

He also committed to fiscal responsibility and fair remuneration for civil servants across different sectors of society, which will be a positive step towards promoting a culture of accountability and fairness in government.

Last June, Joseph Boakai made public his mandatory asset declaration, which shows that he owns just under $1 million.

Mr Boakai, who won the second round of the presidential election in November against the incumbent George Weah, had submitted this declaration to the Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) in February, two weeks after his inauguration.

The statement said he had $970,419 (€907,318) in net worth after debt, mostly in real estate.