IWL trains lawmakers on budget oversight as they review record US$1.2b draft budget

Published: November 17, 2025

MONROVIA — Integrity Watch Liberia (IWL), with support from the Government of Ireland, on Friday held a one-day orientation for lawmakers and legislative staff to strengthen budget scrutiny and legislative oversight as Liberia enters debate on a record US$1.2 billion draft national budget.

IWL Executive Director Harold Aidoo said the training grew out of years of collaboration with the Legislature and a formal request from the House Committees on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget for a refresher on budget procedures.

“This budget year marks a very important milestone. For the first time, we have hit the one-billion-dollar mark,” Aidoo said. He warned, however, that while revenue is climbing, questions remain about the sustainability of the investments driving the surge, noting that recurrent spending is also rising sharply.

He urged lawmakers to lean heavily on the Public Financial Management Law and other oversight tools as they review the 2026 draft budget, stressing that increased revenue must translate into long-term development rather than short-term consumption. “These new revenues must not only be used for salaries and current expenditures but for sustainable activities,” he said.

Representative P. Mark Jury, speaking on behalf of the Legislature, said the training revisited essential areas such as budget hearings, review procedures, reconciliation processes and oversight responsibilities. He called the refresher necessary to ensure lawmakers remain “sharp and confident” as they confront the largest budget proposal in Liberia’s history.

“All of us on the Ways, Means, Finance and Budget Committees have been called back here to remind ourselves of the biggest task placed before us,” Jury said. “We must scrutinize the US$1.2 billion budget and determine where our focus should be to impact the lives of the people.”

He assured the public that lawmakers would consider suggestions from civil society and citizens throughout the budget process and encouraged continued public engagement.

Friday’s session covered revenue frameworks, legal and policy provisions, budget negotiation and execution, and oversight mechanisms. Both IWL and lawmakers emphasized that informed, accountable decision-making will be essential as the Legislature shapes Liberia’s 2026 national priorities.