Liberia's Civil Service Agency (CSA) on Tuesday froze the salaries of 216 civil servants out of the 457 who were suspended by President Joseph Boakai last week for failing to declare their assets.

Their salaries and benefits have been suspended for one month or until they regularize their declaration with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Agency (LACC).

This action by the CSA only affects civil servants whose salary payment falls within its jurisdiction.

Last week, 457 government-appointed officials were fined by the anti-graft agency for failing to declare their assets by November as required by the country's code of conduct for civil servants.

The Liberian presidency said it had "suspended them for a period of one month without pay or until they submit their declaration."

It is the first time since the end of the country's civil war that a government has taken steps to implement the law that requires all government-appointed officials to declare their assets when they take up their post and when they leave their position.

CSA CEO Josiah Joekai told AFP that $204,000 (€195,000) had been saved by the wage freeze.

The CSA further requested the Ministry of Finance to establish a fund to allocate this sum to development projects in the country.

Mr Joekai told AFP that he had made an official request to the Bureau of Public Enterprises to freeze the salaries of other civil servants whose salaries do not depend on the CSA.

Mr Boakai, elected in November 2023, had pledged to fight corruption, which is said to be endemic in the country.

This West African country of five million people, seeking stability after years of civil wars and an Ebola epidemic, is confronted in particular with corruption and a high level of poverty.

According to the NGO Transparency International, Liberia ranks 135th out of 180 countries in the corruption perception index.

Earlier this month, the chairwoman of the National Oil Corporation of Liberia (NOCAL), Rostalyn Suakoko Dennis, was suspended by Mr Boakai over suspicion of corruption. An investigation has been opened.