Published: September 22, 2025
MONROVIA — Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan and Internal Affairs Minister Francis Saah Nyumalin have urged fiscal responsibility, strategic budgeting, and greater empowerment of local governments as the administration prepares the 2026 national budget.
Speaking Friday at the Executive Budget Hearing in Monrovia, Ngafuan praised local government officials for managing scarce resources and said the new budget must reflect priorities under the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), the administration’s central development strategy.
“You’re the closest link to our citizens,” Ngafuan told local officials. “When we see you, we see Liberia. This budget must empower you to meet your objectives in line with the ARREST Agenda.”
Ngafuan highlighted the sharp rise in the national budget, from $788 million in 2024 to about $880 million in 2025, but cautioned that requests from government entities still exceed $2 billion.
“We’re facing a situation where demands far outpace available resources,” he said. “So the challenge is clear: we must prioritize our priorities. It’s not just about spending more, it’s about spending wisely.”
He also noted disparities in agency performance, saying institutions that achieve strong results with modest budgets deserve consideration for more, while underperforming agencies must improve accountability.
Ngafuan urged earlier coordination in the budget cycle to prevent delays, reaffirming the administration’s goal of submitting the 2026 draft budget to the Legislature before October 31.
Internal Affairs Minister Nyumalin praised the Finance Ministry’s collaborative approach, contrasting it with what he described as less transparent practices under past administrations.
“In my seven years in the Legislature, I can’t recall this level of open and transparent engagement with spending entities,” he said. “It’s a step in the right direction.”
Nyumalin said his ministry had to make internal reallocations to fund critical initiatives such as the Land Governance Support Program, which had no dedicated budget line. He stressed, however, that serious gaps remain in support for traditional and local leaders, including more than 200,000 chiefs, about 500 statutory district chiefs, and as many as 1,500 general town chiefs.
“These leaders are essential to local governance,” Nyumalin said. “We can’t afford to pretend they’re working while we pretend to pay them.”
He also called for timely and consistent disbursement of county development funds, arguing that empowering local authorities directly is key to genuine decentralization and reducing overreliance on central government.
Both ministers closed by reaffirming their commitment to strengthening budget performance and service delivery.
“We haven’t solved every issue,” Ngafuan said. “But compared to where we began, the progress is real. Let’s make next year better—through your plans, your honesty, and your cooperation.”
The Executive Budget Hearings will continue as the Finance Ministry finalizes the 2026 draft budget for legislative consideration.
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