Labour Minister Warns ‘Labour Clinic’: Stop Handling Labour Cases or Face Legal Action.

Monrovia, Liberia: The Minister of Labour, Cllr. Cooper Kruah, has issued a strong warning to a group operating under the name “Labour Clinic,” ordering its members to immediately desist from interfering in labour-related matters or face legal consequences.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Minister Kruah emphasized that labour disputes and related matters fall solely under the authority of the Ministry of Labour, stressing that no private group or institution has the legal mandate to hear or settle labour cases.

“Labour issues are addressed exclusively by the Ministry of Labour, and no other group or institution is clothed with the authority to hear labour cases,” Minister Kruah declared.

According to the Labour Minister, the group recently visited his office claiming that it intended to assist the Ministry by identifying labour issues in concession areas and reporting them to the Ministry for redress. However, he disclosed that the group was later heard during an interview on a local radio station allegedly claiming to be hearing labour cases an action he described as unlawful and misleading.

Minister Kruah warned that the government would not tolerate unauthorized individuals or groups engaging in activities reserved for the Ministry of Labour.

“We are prepared to take legal action against anyone found executing labour matters without authorization,” he cautioned, adding that violators would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Meanwhile, the Labour Minister announced that several labour inspectors have been dispatched across the country to conduct nationwide inspections aimed at strengthening compliance with labour regulations.

The inspection exercise, he said, is being led by the Inspector General of the Ministry of Labour, John Kangbah, and will focus on reviewing work permits and other labour-related issues in various institutions and concession areas.

Minister Kruah clarified that labour inspectors assigned to the exercise are not authorized to arrest investors or demand payments for work permits. Instead, he said inspectors will work in collaboration with relevant government institutions, including the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the Liberia Immigration Service, to ensure proper implementation of labour policies.

He urged investors and business operators to cooperate with inspectors but also encouraged them to report any inspector found engaging in unauthorized actions.

Minister Kruah expressed confidence that the Ministry of Labour, under the leadership of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, remains committed to protecting the rights of Liberians and ensuring that employment opportunities are fairly distributed across the country.

He reaffirmed that the Ministry would remain vigilant in safeguarding labour practices and warned that any attempt to undermine the authority of the Ministry would be met with decisive legal action.

The Minister’s warning comes amid growing concerns about unauthorized individuals and groups attempting to involve themselves in labour dispute resolution, a responsibility that remains legally vested in the Ministry of Labour.