It is often said that education is the key to success, but in Liberia, the reality tells a different story. Here, it seems the guiding principle is more accurately, “Connection is the key to success.” Without the right connections, you are on your own.
A glaring example of this troubling trend is the recent recruitment and vetting process for the Executive Director of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Commission, a critical Civil Service position.
When the Civil Service Agency (CSA) advertised the vacancy for Executive Director of the WASH Commission in The Analyst newspaper on September 11, 2024, one of the main academic requirements was clear: applicants were expected to possess a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Environmental Science, or Sociology.
Contrary to this requirement, reliable sources indicate that the CSA accepted, vetted, and selected Alex J. Modubue, a candidate with only a Bachelor’s Degree, as the preferred choice for this top role.
Documents obtained from within the entity reveal that Alex J. Modubue holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the United Methodist University, obtained in 2015. His CV further states that he is currently pursuing an Executive Master of Business Administration at the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU) Graduate School and studying law at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia. Nowhere in his CV does he claim to have already earned a Master’s Degree.
How then did Modubue become a candidate, now on the brink of being officially named the Executive Director of the WASH Commission? The answer, it seems, lies in connections.
As previously reported, Alex J. Modubue is the son-in-law of the Chairman/CEO of the WASH Commission, while his foster father is the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs.
Sources claim that Mr. George K.W. Yarngo and Sylvester Grigsby are allegedly the driving forces behind this blatant disregard for meritocracy.
If this is not a case of “Connection is the key to success,” then what is? According to insider accounts, many of the candidates who applied for the position were significantly more qualified, including individuals with multiple Master’s degrees, but they were overlooked because they lacked the necessary connections.
We at DN News Liberia urge the Civil Service Agency to reconsider its decision and uphold the values of transparency, accountability, and meritocracy.
As an institution that advocates for good governance, the CSA should not allow itself to be swayed by personal interests at the expense of national integrity.
A word to the wise should be sufficient.
