Published: June 15, 2026
BUCHANAN, Grand Bassa County — House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon and Senate President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence used a government town hall Thursday to lay out what they called the Legislature’s strongest first-quarter record under the Boakai administration, pointing to tax reform, a new agriculture bank, an amended mining deal with ArcelorMittal and budget increases that have pushed education spending from US$95 million in 2024 to US$143 million this year.
The two presiding officers appeared together at the third edition of the Ministry of Information’s “Kapa Kulono” (Come, Let’s Talk It) program, held at the Fairground in Buchanan under the theme “Bridging the Gap: Legislative Oversight, Citizens’ Engagement, and National Development under the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.”
Koon said the first quarter of the Third Session of the 55th Legislature concentrated on job creation, investment, infrastructure, agriculture and public services, and he walked the audience through a series of measures he said would have a direct effect on Grand Bassa and neighboring counties.
Among the actions he highlighted was the passage of tax reform and revenue modernization legislation meant to tighten the framework for tax incentives and public revenue management. He also pointed to the Legislature’s approval of Amendment No. 3 to the ArcelorMittal Mineral Development Agreement, which he said is expected to draw additional investment, expand economic opportunity and support infrastructure and employment.
On agriculture, Koon said the Legislature had established the Agriculture Enterprise Development Bank to give farmers access to loans and grants, and had expanded the mandate of the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority to strengthen commodity regulation, encourage private sector participation and widen market access. He called the sector central to Liberia’s economic future and food security.
The House also approved supplementary financing for the Southeastern Corridor Road Access Management Project, a move aimed at improving road connectivity and stimulating economic activity in Liberia’s southeast.
Koon said legislative oversight of natural resources remained essential to making sure their benefits reach ordinary Liberians. “The Legislature remains committed to ensuring that our natural resources are managed responsibly and that the benefits reach the people they are intended to serve,” he said.
Karnga-Lawrence used her turn to put numbers behind the government’s claims. She said education funding had risen from US$95 million in 2024 to US$143 million in 2026, health spending had climbed from US$75 million in 2023 to US$112 million in 2026, and the security sector budget had grown from US$101 million in 2023 to US$167 million in 2026. She described the increases as evidence of the government’s commitment to improving service delivery across the country.
The Grand Bassa senator also pressed the case for decentralization, saying the government had allocated a minimum of US$500,000 in the last supplementary budget for salaries for traditional chiefs. “We want to see transformation,” she said. “We have been advocating for our chiefs and local governments to benefit even more.”
Karnga-Lawrence said the passage of the Banking and Financial Institutions Reform Act, which seeks to strengthen the financial sector, protect depositors and encourage investment, was another marker of the Legislature’s productivity.
“Development must be inclusive and felt in every county across Liberia,” she said. “We must continue to strengthen transparency and accountability to ensure that public resources translate into meaningful improvements in people’s lives.”
The forum brought together citizens, students, community leaders, civil society actors and government officials in Buchanan for direct discussion of governance and development priorities. Organizers said the Kapa Kulono series continues to serve as a platform for bridging the gap between policymakers and ordinary Liberians.
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