By Julius Konton
Counselor K. Jlayteh Sayor, has escalated his advocacy campaign, by calling on the government, and the National Port Authority (NPA) to strictly adhere to the constitution and labor laws.
Sayor warned that continued disregard could undermine youth employment and public trust in governance. In a strongly worded statement issued recently, Cllr. Sayor also called for the law to prevail over political convenience, arguing that Liberia’s future cannot be secured if positions legally designated for civil servants are routinely rebranded as “consultancy” roles to benefit a small circle of politically connected individuals. “The law is the law. Liberia cannot build a future for its young people if public offices meant for civil servants are quietly converted into consultancy jobs for the same few individuals over and over again.”
Controversy Surrounding Greenville Port Appointment
At the center of the controversy is information, according to Sayor, indicating that former deputy minister, former superintendent, and former Senator J. Milton Teahjay, has allegedly been engaged by the NPA as a “consultant,” while reportedly performing the full operational functions of port director at the Greenville Port. Cllr. Sayor contends that the role of a port director is unequivocally a civil service position, not a consultancy engagement, and that labeling it otherwise does not alter its legal status.
“That is employment, a civil servant position and the law recognizes reality not titles.”
Legal Framework: The Decent Work Act of 2015
To substantiate his claims, Sayor cited Section 1.5(d) of Liberia’s Decent Work Act of 2015, a landmark labor law enacted to address employment exploitation, and protect workers’ rights across both public and private sectors. Under the Act, any person who renders services to another is legally presumed to be an employee, regardless of contractual title, if any one of the following conditions applies: The individual works under the control or direction of another, the individual’s working hours are controlled; the individual is integrated into the organization; works continuously (40+ hours per month); the individual is economically dependent on the entity; uses tools or equipment provided, and the individual works exclusively for one entity. Only one of these conditions is sufficient under the law to establish employment status.
Application of the Law to Greenville Port
Applying the Decent Work Act to the Greenville Port situation, Sayor argued that a port director operates under the NPA’s hierarchical structure, “because it is an integral part of public service system.”