The Political Leader of LINU, Dr. Clarence Moniba, has called on lawmakers of the 55th Legislature to reduce spending on committee operations, entertainment, and gifts in order to invest in science laboratories at secondary schools.
The proposed budget earmarks more than US$6.8 million for Legislative Committees and an additional US$748,000 for Entertainment, Representation, and Gifts. These sums, he argued, are unjustifiable in a country where public schools lack basic science laboratories and hospitals struggle with inadequate equipment.
Moniba, who has long advocated for reforms in public spending, proposed reducing committee expenditures to US$3 million and scrapping the entertainment and gifts budget altogether. According to his calculations, these cuts would free up roughly US$4.6 million ~ funds he believes could immediately transform the nation’s educational landscape.
“With that amount alone, Liberia could construct and equip at least 23 new science laboratories within a year,” he said. “Over four years, we could build up to 90. That is the level of ambition we need if we are serious about empowering our young people.”
He stressed that Liberia’s chronic shortage of functional science labs leaves most secondary school students learning chemistry, biology, and physics only from textbooks, depriving them of hands-on skills essential for national development. Hospitals, he added, face similar challenges as they operate with outdated facilities and limited medical resources.
Moniba criticized what he called “wasteful spending” by lawmakers who already earn monthly salaries of US$8,000. He argued that redirecting even a fraction of legislative overhead would amount to a “bold investment in human capital and a stronger economy.”
His remarks come amid broader concerns about Liberia’s struggling education system, low literacy rates, and the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades to support a modern workforce. Observers of the interaction say Moniba’s proposal adds momentum to a growing public demand for more responsible budgeting and long-term development planning.
Whether lawmakers will embrace the suggested cuts remains uncertain, but the debate has opened a new front in ongoing discussions about national priorities and the future of Liberia’s youth.
