The Federation of People with Disabilities Organizations of Liberia (FPDOL) has expressed outrage over what it describes as the exclusion of persons with disabilities from the Government’s proposed 2027 National Budget, warning that the failure to adequately address their needs further deepens the hardship and marginalization facing thousands of vulnerable Liberians.
“We are one million plus vulnerable, disadvantaged, and marginalized Liberians living with physical disabilities. There is nothing in the 2027 budget for us, the Federation of People with Disabilities Organizations of Liberia (FPDOL). Our lives are appalling and dehumanizing,” FPDOL President Amb. S. Lionel Johnson told Verity News through an official communication.
The federation’s concerns have raised questions about the extent to which persons with disabilities have been considered in the Government’s national development and resource allocation priorities for the 2027 fiscal year.
Johnson described the situation facing persons with disabilities as appalling, arguing that the proposed budget does not adequately recognize their needs or provide the necessary financial support to improve their living conditions.
The concerns come as the Government seeks legislative approval for its proposed US$1.539 billion FY2027 National Budget, which is intended to finance public services, infrastructure and other national development priorities.
For persons with disabilities, however, the federation’s position suggests that increased national spending may not necessarily translate into improved living conditions if their specific needs are not reflected in budgetary allocations.
The absence of identifiable funding for disability-related interventions, as alleged by FPDOL, raises concerns about access to essential services, economic opportunities, social protection and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in national development programmes.
The federation’s statement also places renewed attention on the need for government institutions to demonstrate how public resources will address the challenges confronting marginalized populations.
As the 55th Legislature considers the FY2027 budget, the concerns from FPDOL present lawmakers with questions about disability inclusion and whether the proposed spending priorities adequately respond to the needs of one of Liberia’s most vulnerable populations.
FPDOL is calling attention to what it considers a serious gap in the national budget, insisting that persons with disabilities should not remain invisible in government spending priorities.
