“a big difference” in Liberia’s civil service that has been influenced by political rewards over many decades.

The Liberian leader indicated that the transition has been good with over 100 PYPPs placed in the civil service with huge cost efficiency.

According to a dispatch from New York, President Sirleaf made the statement when she held a breakfast event for PYPP professionals headed by the program’s International Board Chair, Miss Betsy Williams on the sidelines of the 71st Session of the U.N General Assembly in New York Thursday.

“They are now in the position to serve as institutional memory and institutional contents, taking a greater responsibility and benefiting from mentorship; the program has helped change the nature of the civil service and promoted meritocracy,” President Sirleaf noted.

She said the introduction of several capacity development programs by her government such as the Senior Executive Service, TOKTEN, Scout Fellows and the PYPP, among others, was a result of a broken country she inherited in 2006.

“There were many without proper skills, particularly young people and so the PYPP Program was initiated to target young Liberians at home and develop their talents for placement in the civil service to enhance and improve performance and eventually replace the older ones as they retired,” she added.

President Sirleaf congratulated the two PYPPs who were selected for President Obama’s YALI Program, including J. Alben Greaves, Director of the Child Justice Section at the Ministry of Justice, who was present at the breakfast event in New York.

“Mr. Greaves has grown through the ranks and files of the MOJ as a PYPP and risen to the rank of Director with impressive performance record, leading to huge donor assistance to the division he manages,” she added.

President Sirleaf disclosed plans to expand the PYP Program to the ECOWAS region and have more integration at the national and sub-regional levels, because the program represents a pipeline of young people to replace people at all levels where the real work is done.

In remarks, Miss Williams reflected on the history and journey of the PYPP and recalled the contributions of many to the success of the program, including Education Minister George Werner and Youth and Sports Minister Saah N’tow who served as the first Coordinator of the PYP Program.

She also acknowledged the contributions of the Government of Liberia and international friends who have immensely helped to ensure the success of the PYP program.
LINA PR/PSN/TSS/PTK