The Civil Society Network of Liberia (CSNL) has its attention has critically been drawn to the ongoing investigation of Labor Minister, Cllr. Cooper Kruah, by the Liberian Senate for the issuance of more than 8,000 work permits to non-Liberians without disclosing job categories or descriptions. The CSNL has also described the Liberian Senate’s investigation of Labor Minister, Cllr. Kruah’s issuance of work permit to foreigners as legislative overreach and intimidation. The CSNL said it wants to fundamentally establish that as the institution of government clothed with the statutory authority to give work permits to non-Liberians, the Ministry of Labor issuance of 8,000 work permits does not violate any law of Liberia. “Our investigation reveals that Cllr. Kruah’s administration at the Ministry of Labor inherited a work permit data collection system that does not capture the specific job description of non-Liberians seeking work permit. The Ministry’s work permits records show that the Kruah’s Administration renewed the work permits of 7,633 and provided new work permits to 2,884 non-Liberians, and not the entire 8,000 work permits as being wrongly insinuated. In fact, as Minister of Labor, Hon. Cllr. Cooper Kruah denied 857 non-Liberians work permits, which is unprecedented. Minister Kruah courageously denied these illegal migrants for violating Section 4b of the Ministry’s 2019 Revised Regulations#17, which speaks to the Liberianization Policy,” the CSNL has accused. It continued: “We wish to also make it unequivocally clear that the Decent Work Act of 2015 does not specifically provide for the request of specific job descriptions before the issuance of work permit to non-Liberians. There is no clearly laid down mandate to the Ministry of Labor on what should be done or not relating to specific job categories of non-Liberians seeking work permits. We call on the Legislature, especially the Liberian Senate to take the lead to amend the labor law of Liberia and clearly define jobs that are exclusively for Liberians to avoid the ambiguity in the law. In the meantime, we urge the Liberian Senate to give Labor Minister, Cllr. Cooper Kruah and his team at the Labor Ministry the chance to implement the reforms being instituted at the Ministry.” The Civil Society Network of Liberia considered as disingenuous and unfair, that despite the gains Cllr. Kruah is making at the Ministry of Labor, the Liberian Senate could choose to intimidate him in carrying out the functionality of the ministry. The group said the Ministry of Labor raised over nine millions as support to the 2024 National Budget and is currently expected to contribute 10.5 million to the 2025 National government, as allocated in the 2025 budget. “It is unfortunate that the Liberian Senate would be questioning Cllr. Kruah of selling 8,000 work permits, which is false, and at the same time charge the Ministry with such huge budgetary support,” the group also noted in a statement. As a watchdog that believes in the stability of the governance of the state, the Civil Society Network of Liberia called for constructive dialogues between the Ministry of Labor and the Liberian Senate in designing or improving the policies and regulations governing the issuance of work permits to non-Liberians. “Instead of unnecessarily exercising legislative power, it is wise and timely that collaboration, coordination and consultation be the yardstick to ensuring that the interest of the Liberian People is protected,” the group indicated.