Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai has announced that he will slash his salary by 40 percent to set a precedent for “responsible governance” and demonstrate “solidarity” with Liberians.
Mr Boakai revealed in February that his annual salary was $13,400, the reduction will bring it down to $8,000.
Boakai’s move echoes that of his predecessor, George Weah, who took a 25% salary cut.
According to BBC, government salaries have been under intense scrutiny recently as Liberians complain about the rising cost of living.
In Liberia, around one in five people live on less than $2 (£1.70) daily.
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Anderson D. Miamen, from the non-profit organization Centre of Transparency and Accountability in Liberia, said the president’s pay cut is “welcoming.”
“We just hope that the public will clearly see where the deductions will go and how they will be used to positively impact the lives of the people,” he said.
W Lawrence Yealue II, whose organization also campaigns for government transparency, described the president’s decision as “very commendable” and said that “leadership has to be provided from the top.”
Further, he hoped Mr Boakai’s benefits would be reviewed in the budget for the next financial year.
Mr Boakai has also pledged to “empower” Liberia’s Civil Service Agency to ensure public servants “receive fair compensation for their contributions to the country”.
Mr Boakai took office in January after defeating Mr Weah in a run-off election.
He vowed to tackle corruption and financial mismanagement.
