Joint Legislative Committee on Ways, Means & Budget Committee Commences Hearings on the Draft Supplementary Budget

Monrovia, Liberia - The Joint Legislative Committee on Ways, Means, Finance & Budget has begun reviewing the proposed 2026 Supplementary Budget of U$45 million, with government lawmakers urging ministers to focus less on the size of the increase and more on how responsibly it will be managed.

Hon. Myers emphasized that the supplementary budget representing roughly 3 percent of the country’s $1.2 billion approved national budget should not be judged by its size but by its adherence to public financial management laws.

 

“In the interest of accountability, it is required that we report to the people that we have received resources above what was approved by their representatives,” Minister Myers indicated.

According to the Minister, the additional $45 million comes from two main sources: $40 million in delayed budget support from the World Bank originally approved in 2024 but released after previously unmet benchmarks were addressed and $5 million generated from stronger-than-expected domestic revenue in the last fiscal year.

 

A significant portion of Minister Myers’ presentation addressed public debate over the high share of recurrent expenditures in the supplementary budget. He rejected claims that recurrent spending is inherently non-essential, arguing that critical services like healthcare, education, and public sector wages fall under this category.

 

“We should not allow a simplistic definition of fiscal issues to dominate decision-making,” he maintained, noting that ongoing challenges such as volunteer staffing in schools and hospitals require sustained funding.

 

The adjustment would increase Liberia’s total national budget from approximately $1.24 billion to $1.29 billion.

 

For his part, the Deputy Commissioner General for Technical Affairs at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Gabriel Y. Montgomery confirmed strong revenue performance in 2026.

 

On the expenditure side, the government is prioritizing social services, allocating about $19.3 million -roughly 43 percent of the supplementary budget—to health, education, and social development. Key initiatives include placing thousands of volunteer teachers and health workers on the payroll, supporting plans for a national children’s hospital, expanding school feeding programs, boosting youth employment through empowerment funding, and subsidizing the National Transit Authority to prevent fare increases.

The budget also proposes $5.1 million for border security and emergency response, reflecting growing national and regional concerns.

 

Opening the hearing, P. Mike Jury, Chairman of the House Committee on Ways, Means and Finance, described the process as a “vital exercise in our democratic process,” stressing the Legislature’s duty to ensure every dollar is directed toward urgent national needs.

 

“This supplementary budget is not merely a technical adjustment,” Rep. Jury insisted. “It reflects our evolving national priorities and responsiveness to economic realities.