President Sirleaf Presents National Awards to Seven Outstanding Civil Servants
Friday, 29th January 2010
Monrovia, Liberia - At a ceremony on Thursday, January 28th, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf presented certificates to seven civil servants, selected by their peers for the qualities they exemplify. The honorees also received monetary awards ranging from US$500 to US$1,000.
Ms. Macaetoh P. Wreh, Inspector-General at the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, was selected as “Civil Servant of the Year” for 2009. Also honored for their performance were: James Y. Tolker, Deputy Comptroller at the Ministry of State; B. Wion Kanteah Sr., Procurement Director, Ministry of Public Works; F. Moses K. M’Bomah, Audit Technician, Ministry of Transport; Erastus S. Wieh, Planning Officer, Civil Service Agency; Charles B. Robinson, Generator Operator, Ministry of National Defense; and Harry Morris, Chief Janitor, who has served in the Ministry of Justice for 48 years.
In presenting the awards, President Sirleaf referred to the dedication and commitment exemplified by those being honored, saying that it showed that the nation was on the right track. The seven had excelled, the President said, and had been chosen from among 30,000 men and women in the Civil Service. The President also observed that those selected had to have been a civil servant for five years, and had to have a clean record, among other criteria.
The President said that, starting next year, under a new pay and grading scheme where promotion and salaries of civil servants will be tied to performance, “it will be people like you who will get the increases.” “We hope that you, and what you’ve done, are an inspiration and a motivation to many others,” President Sirleaf added.
“Your performance precedes you,” the President said to the honorees, noting that she had heard some of their names mentioned, e.g., James Tolker and Macaetoh Wreh, as people their respective ministries turned to when things needed to get done. Upon learning that the monetary awards to the honorees had come solely from the Civil Service Agency’s budget, the President called upon each of the ministries involved to add “something small” to it.
The President said the award should inspire the honorees to do more. “Nothing says you can’t win the award twice; if you continue to perform well, we’ll see you back here next year,” she told them.
Organized by the Civil Service Agency (CSA), the National Awards Ceremony was held in the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Director-General of the CSA, Dr. C. William Allen, made introductory remarks, and also gave special recognition to Vice President Joseph N. Boakai who, he said, has been a friend of, and pillar of strength to, the Civil Service, also citing the Vice President’s involvement in the reform process. Representing the Vice President at the ceremony was his Chief of Office Staff, Mr. Samuel Stevequoah. The President expressed thanks to the Director-General for honoring the Vice President, who she described as the epitome of a civil servant, and a model civil and public servant. She added her commendation to what was said about the Vice President.
Dr. Allen promised that, for 2011, all efforts would be made to identify candidates in the rural areas, to make the awards truly national. He also called upon all the ministries to participate by nominating candidates.
Speaking on behalf of all the honorees, Ms. Wreh, “Civil Servant of the Year,” said: If we can’t help our country, we will never move forward. She called upon all civil servants to do their part, as good citizens, to make the country the way they want it to be. Let us be examples to our brothers and sisters who will follow us, she advised. In thanking the President and the Director-General, she recommended that the Awards program should continue, to encourage civil servants to do more. Let us work to make Liberia a better place, Ms. Wreh concluded.
Mrs. Lovetta Bailey Sendolo, Recruitment Specialist, in recognizing the honorees, share information about their backgrounds and quoted from the letters nominating each to be honored as Civil Servant of the Year. Ms. Charlesetta Harris, Senior Clerk/CSA, sang a song. The invocation was presented by the Rev. Reginald Wade Sr., Personnel Director/CSA.
The Deputy Director-General/HRM/CSA, Dr. Puchu Leona Bernard, gave the vote of thanks, in which she said that a climate of peace and growing prosperity existed in the country, and she looked to the leadership of President Sirleaf over the next eight years. She echoed the sentiments expressed about Vice President Boakai, noting that he always responds to the CSA’s call, no matter where he is. She thanked the honorees for their hard work, and sense of duty to the welfare of their country. “You are models to all civil servants,” she said, and urged everyone to keep up the good work.
The program concluded with the singing of the National Anthem. Refreshments were then served.
Ms. Macaetoh P. Wreh, Inspector-General at the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, was selected as “Civil Servant of the Year” for 2009. Also honored for their performance were: James Y. Tolker, Deputy Comptroller at the Ministry of State; B. Wion Kanteah Sr., Procurement Director, Ministry of Public Works; F. Moses K. M’Bomah, Audit Technician, Ministry of Transport; Erastus S. Wieh, Planning Officer, Civil Service Agency; Charles B. Robinson, Generator Operator, Ministry of National Defense; and Harry Morris, Chief Janitor, who has served in the Ministry of Justice for 48 years.
In presenting the awards, President Sirleaf referred to the dedication and commitment exemplified by those being honored, saying that it showed that the nation was on the right track. The seven had excelled, the President said, and had been chosen from among 30,000 men and women in the Civil Service. The President also observed that those selected had to have been a civil servant for five years, and had to have a clean record, among other criteria.
The President said that, starting next year, under a new pay and grading scheme where promotion and salaries of civil servants will be tied to performance, “it will be people like you who will get the increases.” “We hope that you, and what you’ve done, are an inspiration and a motivation to many others,” President Sirleaf added.
“Your performance precedes you,” the President said to the honorees, noting that she had heard some of their names mentioned, e.g., James Tolker and Macaetoh Wreh, as people their respective ministries turned to when things needed to get done. Upon learning that the monetary awards to the honorees had come solely from the Civil Service Agency’s budget, the President called upon each of the ministries involved to add “something small” to it.
The President said the award should inspire the honorees to do more. “Nothing says you can’t win the award twice; if you continue to perform well, we’ll see you back here next year,” she told them.
Organized by the Civil Service Agency (CSA), the National Awards Ceremony was held in the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Director-General of the CSA, Dr. C. William Allen, made introductory remarks, and also gave special recognition to Vice President Joseph N. Boakai who, he said, has been a friend of, and pillar of strength to, the Civil Service, also citing the Vice President’s involvement in the reform process. Representing the Vice President at the ceremony was his Chief of Office Staff, Mr. Samuel Stevequoah. The President expressed thanks to the Director-General for honoring the Vice President, who she described as the epitome of a civil servant, and a model civil and public servant. She added her commendation to what was said about the Vice President.
Dr. Allen promised that, for 2011, all efforts would be made to identify candidates in the rural areas, to make the awards truly national. He also called upon all the ministries to participate by nominating candidates.
Speaking on behalf of all the honorees, Ms. Wreh, “Civil Servant of the Year,” said: If we can’t help our country, we will never move forward. She called upon all civil servants to do their part, as good citizens, to make the country the way they want it to be. Let us be examples to our brothers and sisters who will follow us, she advised. In thanking the President and the Director-General, she recommended that the Awards program should continue, to encourage civil servants to do more. Let us work to make Liberia a better place, Ms. Wreh concluded.
Mrs. Lovetta Bailey Sendolo, Recruitment Specialist, in recognizing the honorees, share information about their backgrounds and quoted from the letters nominating each to be honored as Civil Servant of the Year. Ms. Charlesetta Harris, Senior Clerk/CSA, sang a song. The invocation was presented by the Rev. Reginald Wade Sr., Personnel Director/CSA.
The Deputy Director-General/HRM/CSA, Dr. Puchu Leona Bernard, gave the vote of thanks, in which she said that a climate of peace and growing prosperity existed in the country, and she looked to the leadership of President Sirleaf over the next eight years. She echoed the sentiments expressed about Vice President Boakai, noting that he always responds to the CSA’s call, no matter where he is. She thanked the honorees for their hard work, and sense of duty to the welfare of their country. “You are models to all civil servants,” she said, and urged everyone to keep up the good work.
The program concluded with the singing of the National Anthem. Refreshments were then served.
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