Two months after the passage of the 2025 National Budget, the Liberian Senate has expressed growing frustration over the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning’s (MFDP) failure to publish and distribute the financial document. This delay has raised concerns regarding transparency, accountability, and the potential for budget manipulation.
In response, the Senate has instructed its secretary to formally summon Finance Minister Augustine K. Ngafuan to appear before plenary. Lawmakers demand an explanation for the failure to publish the budget, which is already used for government operations. The minister is also expected to address the delay in printing and distributing copies to members of the 55th Legislature.
Senators argue that the Ministry’s failure to make the budget publicly accessible undermines their ability to oversee government spending effectively. They warn that withholding such a critical document breaches financial transparency and prevents the public from scrutinizing how national resources are allocated and spent.
Minister Ngafuan is scheduled to appear before the Senate on Tuesday, February 25, to explain.
The delay in publishing and distributing the 2025 National Budget has sparked fears of possible alterations, reminiscent of the controversy surrounding the 2024 budget. Last year, allegations emerged that the approved budget had been tampered with before it reached implementation. An investigation by a special 55th National Legislature committee led by then-Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, confirmed the allegations. However, the committee refrained from naming those responsible for the alterations.
The findings revealed that certain high-ranking officials from both the Executive and Legislative branches were involved in manipulating the 2024 National Budget. Despite confirming the alterations, the committee withheld the identities of the individuals implicated, leading to concerns about accountability and impunity within the government.
With these past irregularities still fresh in the minds of lawmakers and the public, the delay in releasing the 2025 National Budget has fueled speculation that a similar scheme could be underway.
