As public outrage heightens due to public waste and extravagance, the 55th National Legislature has consumed over US$159 million in budgetary allotment from fiscal year 2024 to 2026 while allotting a little over US$5.2 million for fourteen (14) major referral hospitals across Liberia.
A review of the national budget over the three-year period shows large and growing allocations for the leadership bodies of the Legislature, even as public hospitals, clinics, and schools continue to grapple with severe shortages of medicines, equipment, and trained personnel.
Legislative Spending Soars
Budget records reveal that the Offices of the Pro Tempore, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, the Houses of Senate and Representatives collectively consumed more than US$159 million between FY2024 and FY2026.
- FY2024: US$63,652,102
- FY2025: US$44,344,708
- FY2026: US$51,710,390
- FY2024-2026: US$159,707,200
Hospitals Barely Survive on US$5.2M
While lawmakers continue to enjoy premium budgetary privileges and exorbitant benefits, fourteen major public referral hospitals serving a national population of 3.33 million people were allotted only US$5.2 million from 2024 to 2026.
These facilities—responsible for emergency care, surgeries, maternal health, infectious disease response, and diagnostics—operate chronically underfunded and understaffed.
Health workers in several counties have repeatedly complained of:
Shortages of essential drugs
Non-functional diagnostic equipment
Irregular salaries
Lack of fuel for generators
Overcrowded wards
Despite these realities, hospital administrators say they are expected to deliver the same quality of care as better-funded institutions in the capital.
Analysis of the budgets shows that all fourteen referral hospitals combined received only 16.3% of what the six highest public officials’ offices consumed over the same three-year period (over US$32 million).
Civil society organizations argue that this contrast reflects distorted national priorities and a widening disconnect between elected officials and the citizens they serve.
“Legislators cannot continue to justify these levels of spending while rural hospitals are dying,” said one governance advocate. “This is not just waste—it’s a direct threat to public welfare.”
Public Anger Rising
As economic conditions worsen and basic services deteriorate, citizens are increasingly vocal about perceived government extravagance. Protests, radio discussions, and community forums have amplified calls for rebalancing national spending toward health, education, and agriculture.
Meanwhile, lawmakers have not signaled any intention to reduce their own budgetary allocations.
For many Liberians, the numbers tell a painful story: while a handful of political leaders consume tens of millions, the country’s primary healthcare lifelines are left fighting for survival.
