Monrovia, Liberia – September 19, 2025 — The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), has confirmed that outstanding payments totaling US$7 million owed to timber workers will be disbursed directly to individual workers, rather than through any group or union claiming representation.
In recent weeks, two rival factions, both asserting authority over the Timber Workers Union, have laid claim to these funds, which the government has set aside to settle arrears for services rendered in the timber sector. Authorities have made it clear that no lump-sum payment will be made to any union or leadership structure.
On Friday, a small group of workers gathered at the MFDP demanding immediate payment. Deputy Minister for Economic Management, Hon. Dephue Y. Zuo, addressed the protesters, assuring them that the government remains committed to fulfilling its obligations. He emphasized that all payments will be made only to verified individual timber workers, adding that an MFDP team will conduct a verification exercise to ensure legitimacy. “No representation or union will receive the funds on behalf of the workers,” Minister Zuo affirmed.
The clarification follows a recent stop-payment order on a US$200,000 cheque issued to the Liberty Law Firm, amid disputes over union representation. A faction of the union contested the law firm’s authority to collect the funds, prompting the MFDP to suspend the payment. Daniel Nyakonah, Jr., Communications Consultant at MFDP, stated that all claims will undergo thorough vetting before disbursement, stressing that strict measures are being implemented to protect government funds.
Earlier payments totaling US$120,000 and LD14 million to Attorney Tupee A. Taylor of the Liberty Law Firm were halted after other union members claimed entitlement. A stop-payment order was promptly issued by the Central Bank of Liberia. Currently, US$500,000 has been budgeted for timber worker arrears, and due diligence will now be strictly enforced. Moving forward, the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) will submit vouchers to the MFDP, which will be reviewed by the Legal Office and Debt Management Unit before final approval by the Comptroller General.
These protests trace back to 2006, after the departure of 27 logging companies following sector reforms, leaving many Liberians unpaid for work performed between 1989 and 2003. The government reiterates that all claims will be verified individually to ensure rightful beneficiaries receive their payments.
