Othello Weh

Deputy Director General
Civil Service Agency
Focus Area(s)
Civil Service
Critical Tasks
Extending services to insecure or remote areas
Computerization of records
Interviewers
Graeme Blair
Country of Reform
Liberia
Town/City
Monrovia
Country
Liberia
Date of Interview
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Abstract
In this interview, Othello Weh describes the push for the reform of the Liberian Civil Service, drawing upon his experience as the deputy director general of administration. Weh elaborates on the specific reform programs that were instituted, detailing the introduction of an employee biometric record system that helped remove ghost names from the government payroll as well as describing the measures taken to remove redundancy within the government administration. Weh also delves into the challenges faced in introducing reform while dealing with capacity constraints, acknowledging the support provided by the international community in assisting to overcome skilled labor shortages. He further outlines the steps involved in launching the reforms, describing how the collaboration and coordination necessary for the successful execution of reform was created. Moreover, Weh suggests that capacity-building efforts are vital for ensuring the sustainability of reform. Reiterating the importance of collaborative work and thorough planning, Weh ultimately concludes by remarking that unique domestic conditions within different nations mean that different strategies work with varying degrees of success. 

Full Interview

54 MB
Othello Weh - Full Interview
Profile

At the time of this interview, Othello Koibia Weh was the deputy director-general for the administration of the Liberian Civil Service Agency. A graduate of the William V. S. Tubman Teachers College, University of Liberia, Weh went on to acquire a master’s degree in educational administration at the university in April 2009. He served as the vice president of the Cavalry Baptist Church High School in Sinkor, Monrovia from 1984 to 1986, and was later promoted to principal in 1987. He held this position until 1997, at which point he joined the agency as the principal director of the division of selection and classification. In 2006, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appointed Weh to serve as the deputy director general for administration of the division. Weh is also a member of the Liberia Association of Writers. 

Keywords
patronage
ranks and promotion
training
performance management
inter-ministerial coordination
Consensus Building
public relations
merit pay
capacity building
recruitment
Donor Relations
incentive systems
institutional restructuring
payroll ghost name removal
Not specified