Liberia News: Recalled Foreign Service Officers Speak Of Bad Treatment

By Mark N. Mengonfia

Some Foreign Service Officers recalled from various embassies around the world have spoken of bad treatment since returning home, claiming, amongst other things, that they are yet to receive their benefits.

Not wanting to be named, the concerned Foreign Service Officers were recalled from various missions from the Middle-East, East Africa, and West Africa with a promise that they would have received their legal and just benefits including salaries, moving cost, rental fees, and tickets, but they told this paper that the situation is not as expected.

“My son, I have children I left here for months with the thinking that I would have gotten by pay as a foreign service worker to cater to my kids, but since they played politics with our deployment, things are not easy on us,” one of them who bagged not to be named mournfully remarked.

The recalled foreign officers informed this paper that they were recall nearly a month ago but are yet to receive their legal and just benefits from the government of Liberia.

“How do they want us to make life? We are qualified people who were trained by at the very Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We were sent to serve our country but since the current government did not see it wise for us to serve, the time we were deployed for, let them pay our just benefits,” another one said.

They insisted that the Ministry promised them full payment of their benefits upon their return to the Country, saying that this is not the case as they are yet to receive what was promised to them.

According to information gathered, some of them perceived to be partisans of ruling Unity Party are receiving their benefits, but those believed to be from opposition parties are being treated with less interest.

“My son, I also heard that some of our friends who got assigned the same time we were assigned are still on assignment but because they think that we are opposition party members, they have decided to treat us like this,” one of them said.

The concerned Foreign Service officers are pleading with the Liberians legislature to intervene in their case.

“We are calling on Senate Pro Tempore, Nyonblee Kangar-Lawrence, Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, who chairs the committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Saah H. Joseph, Senator Gbehzohngar Milton Findley, Amara Konneh and all the members of both the Liberian Senate and the House of Representatives to come to our aid. We, too, are Liberians are deserve to get our benefits.” One of the anonymous sources pleaded.

Recall that the new administration recalled some 50 plus Foreign Service Officers who reportedly met all qualifications were deployed by the then government of George Weah.

The deployment of officers at various embassies, according to report, did not meet the standard set forth to have them represent Liberia at those Foreign Service thus causing the government to recall them.

During the time they were at those various missions, it is reported that they did not get paid, though they had to rent at their own expense and take care of their own living expenses.

“It is not easy living outside of Liberia when you are not getting paid or doing anything to live. Many days we had to call friends back home to help with our upkeeps. Some of our friends had to be helping with our families back home. Now that they have forced us back, I think it will be best for them to settle us so that we can meet up with some obligations,” another anonymous source said in an angry tone.