MCC, NPHIL, LCP Begin Payment Of COVID-19 Case Finders, Mobilizers

The Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) in collaboration with the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP) has begun the payment of contract tracers, communicators, mobilizers for the COVID-19 Response Team.

Recently aggrieved Liberians who worked for the Response Team became agitated in demand of what they called ‘their just benefits’ after ‘taking risks’ during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing the media Thursday, Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee said President George Weah has worked out modalities with the Ministry of Finance and secured US$1.2million dollars to pay the 8,500 Liberian volunteers.

“We have no issue with the payment. There has been lots of misinformation. But we are on course. Our people are receiving their compensation through the United Bank for Africa (UBA),” he said.

Mayor Koijee further said “We don’t want misinformation, but for us, we refer to those Liberians as patriots, for their call to duty, we appreciate them greatly because they took risks.”

For his part, Fidel Weah, Deputy Incident Management System –NPHIL for Finance and Administration said the ongoing payment is for two months is done various points of the bank.

Weah however said all beneficiaries must have either national ID card, Driver’s License or passport before receiving their money for transparency and accountability.

“We will not pay people if they don’t meet the requirement. The payment is in line with the Public Financial Management Law. Over 5,900 people have met the requirement because this is public money,” he added.

At the same time, the Executive Director of Crusaders for Peace, Madam Julie Endee has assured the 2500 Liberians recruited by her institution that they will receive their pay.

“Our people who were recruited didn’t demonstrate because they know our track record. The demonstration was political. We will pay them and we want the Liberian Government to audit us,” she said.