The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has sharply reacted to a recent allegation by individuals claiming to be Foreign Service personnel that Government is insensitive to their plight.

 In a text message read on Truth FM Breakfast Show on Wednesday, October 15, the purported Foreign Service personnel claimed that the Government owes them salary arrears, but was paying lip-service to their plight after they were allegedly recalled for reassignment.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to clarify that the claim made through the text message that Government is ignoring the plight of former personnel in the Foreign Service is far from the truth.

A Foreign Ministry release says the Johnson-Sirleaf Administration is committed to meeting arrears of government officials from the administration of former interim Chairman Gyude Bryant to present.

 According to the release, work is underway at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ascertain the amount due those former or recalled Foreign Service officers as well as working out pension and retirement benefits with the Civil Service Agency for officers who may not be reassigned. It further said plans are underway for submission in mid-year budget review to initiate settlement of those arrears in accordance with government commitment.

Meanwhile, the Ministry is cautioning those unidentified Foreign Service personnel engage in such claim to avoid addressing their grievances through the media and instead engage the appropriate authority constructively. The release said in an effort to rationalize and revitalize the Liberian Foreign Service, Government has embarked on a program to train Foreign Service personnel serving in Missions abroad as part of on-going restructuring program of the Ministry.