A Liberian scientist has presented the amount of L$25,000 to a retired government teacher. Teacher James Singbe recently craved death due to an unpaid benefit from his former employer.
Dr. Jallah Kennedy, a Liberian based in the USA, reached out to Singbe (retired) over the weekend through his representative in the country, Wilfred O. Tailweryah.
Tailweryah is an employee of the National Public Health Institute. Kennedy is one of the senior research fellows at the US government’s clinical research program on infectious diseases. His help to Singbe followed a reading of the publication of a story in the May 30th edition of the Daily Observer newspaper, under the heading: “Gov’t Teacher Craves Death for Unpaid Benefit.”
Aside from the cash, Kennedy has promised to underwrite Singbe’s medical expenses, “to ensure that this unbearable situation does not take the life of this family man.”
Singbe has meanwhile expressed gratitude to Kennedy and his proxied for their gesture, which would enable him to receive treatment at a local medical facility in Johnsonville, outside Monrovia.
He had earlier expressed frustration, and therefore wanted to die to end his nightmare due to an unpaid pension benefit.
Singbe said since he retired in 2017, he has not received a dam from the government, thereby indebting him to so many people.
“I am now tired of walking up and down between the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the National Social Security Corporation (NASSCORP) without results,” Singbe said earlier.
Singbe lives with some non-related “goodwill” Liberians in the New Life Community of Johnsonville, Montserrado County.
He was previously assigned to the Gblarlay Public School; later transferred to Nyor-Butuo Public School in Nimba County electoral district #5 in 2012 prior to his retirement in 2017. He was a science teacher.
On August 22, 2017, MoE wrote Singbe’s letter of retirement with a payroll number, xx-xx-xxx-x097, commended him for “dedicated and invaluable services to the education sector for seven unbroken years.”
Paragraph two of his letter said his name was forwarded to the Civil Service Agency (CSA) for retirement due to old age in accordance with the Standing Orders of the Civil Service Chapter 3, Section 5.1
On February 4, 2020, authorities at the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), acknowledged receipt of Mr. Singbe’s claim for retirement and assigned him with social security number: xxxxxxx30.
NASSCORP wrote: “We wish to inform you that after scrutinizing all relevant documents submitted by your former employer(s), your claim has been accepted and processed as a Retirement Pension. This is because the total monthly contribution at the time of retirement is 128 contributions, which exceeded 100 contributions as required by NASSCORP General Regulations for regular pension.”
“This retirement Pension,” according to NASSCORP, “represents 27 percent of your average monthly earnings of the best five years from the years before your retirement as provided by the Social Security Act.”
“Based on your contribution records, the retirement pension benefit awarded to you is L$2,480.49, which you will receive monthly for life,” NASSCORP wrote Singbe.
But with all these communications, Singbe said he’s highly frustrated and wants to give up the ghost, “because I have walked ups and downs between the MoE and NASSCORP without any tangibles.”
