Accuses Gov’t Of Poor Deceit, Poor Fical Priorities
Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph N. Boakai’s proposed US$1.2 billion national budget has drawn harsh criticism from Musa Hassan Bility, the political leader of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), who calls it “a budget of lies” that doesn’t accurately reflect the health of the Liberian economy.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, November 11, 2024, at his party headquarters in Congo Town, Bility charged that the Boakai administration had misled the public with inflated numbers and unrealistic projections. He also warned that if the budget was approved without careful consideration, it could worsen economic instability and public mistrust.
He claims that the budget shows a government that has mastered the skill of taxing and spending but has neglected its fundamental obligation to construct and serve. “This is an eating show budget, crafted for spectacle, not for substance, deception, not for development. It is a budget of illusion, built on fantasies and inflated by lies,” he added.
“The government-proposed 2026 fiscal year budget proudly declared over US$1.2 billion in expected revenue,” the CMC political leader said. However, Asela Mittal’s one-time payment in 2026 accounts for approximately 17% of that total, or US$200 million. Can a country be founded on the promise of corporate benevolence and a single windfall? We don’t think so.
He claimed that while the administration refers to the fiscal expansion as growth, CMC members refer to it as irresponsible excess. Even though fundamental services are still underfunded, the Nimba County district #7 representative claimed that the legislative budget has grown by 25%, from US$41 million to about US$52 million.
Additionally, he maintained that the national security budget has increased by 45% to US$151 million, an increase of more than US$15 million, with little to no increase in police, the first line of defense for people’s safety and security; he claims that no report or achievement mark has been made, despite the fact that violent crimes and domestic insecurity are still widespread.
“Over 27% of the overall budget is spent on bureaucratic pay, which has now climbed from US$315 million to over $227 million, a US$14 million difference. However, consistent revenue streams are produced by the industry that employs more than 60% of Liberians and has the greatest capacity to feed our people. Less than $14 million, or less than 1% of the national budget, is allocated to agriculture under the presidential advisors. This means that all of the presidential advisers earn more money than the Liberian government does for agriculture,” he pointed out.
Representative Bility narrated that 1% for farmers and 27% for bureaucracy. 17 out of 18 state-owned enterprises listed in the budget annex fail to submit financial plans for review. This undermines the integrity of the national budget process. According to the CMC head, it clearly violates the public financial management law and results in a lack of transparency about the financial status of these businesses.
He argued that as a result, the government is unable to properly and accurately evaluate or plan for the required fiscal report, which makes the total budget less trustworthy and raises the fiscal rate because of unidentified obligations and exposure. He further states that these are not indicators of growth.
Speaking about the Citizens Movement for Change, Bility clarified that the party’s budget calls for CMC to enhance financing for education, among other things. “The CMC will significantly increase allocation for education by up to 15% in our first national budget, and 20% in our second budget, with the goal of meeting the minimum required by international best practices,” he stated.
He declared that as President of Liberia, he will guarantee that all children had access to high-quality public education, state-of-the-art facilities, and qualified educators. Bility said, “We shall implement entrepreneurship programs and vocational training that link education directly to jobs. This contract with the current government’s limited investment in education.”
The CMC political leader explained that the proposed budget, which provides US$133 million for infrastructure, is terribly insufficient to meet the nation’s pressing infrastructure needs.
“Today, only 15% of rural roads are passable year-round. We will increase the expenditure to $220 million, which will be used to develop and extend rural and feeder roads networks and build bridges that connect our economy and our people. We will also make technological investments to improve government efficiency, monitoring, and assessment, as well as to establish public-private partnerships for the construction and upkeep of vital infrastructure, such as rural roads, schools, and research facilities, investment in small and medium-sized businesses.”
Reported by: Prince Saah
