By Amos Harris
MONROVIA – The House of Representatives on Wednesday opened an intensive review of the Draft National Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, a record US$1.211 billion, marking the largest budget proposal in Liberia’s history.
While the milestone has drawn significant public attention, lawmakers signaled deep skepticism about the revenue assumptions underpinning the document, warning that several projections appear inflated, uncertain, and politically motivated.
The Joint Committee on Ways, Means, Finance, and Public Accounts began its scrutiny by focusing intently on the budget’s revenue component. Committee Chair Rep. P. Mike Jurry stated the Legislature would not be swayed by the symbolism of a billion-dollar budget, insisting that the Executive must provide credible, transparent, and verifiable figures before approval.
Rep. Jurry specifically questioned the proposed US$200 million “signature bonus” from ArcelorMittal, cautioning that such a projection must withstand rigorous technical and legal verification. He pointed out that previous administrations repeatedly used optimistic revenue estimates only to return mid-year seeking emergency borrowing to close deficits.
Appearing before the committee, Anthony Myers, Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), acknowledged that several key revenue streams remain classified as contingency revenues, pending legal processes and the completion of negotiations. Critics argue that this practice artificially inflates projected income while deferring accountability.
Lawmakers further raised concerns about Liberia’s rising debt servicing obligations, warning that domestic revenue may be insufficient to meet repayment demands without severely squeezing allocations for essential services like health and education.
Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah defended the administration’s forecast. He announced that domestic revenue for FY2025 reached US$715.3 million, surpassing the previous year’s performance.
Jallah stated that the FY2026 target of US$1.14 billion in domestic revenue and US$72 million in external resources is achievable through reforms such as:
- Expanded mobile money tax payments.
- Nationwide Starlink-enabled connectivity to reduce leakages.
- Enhanced digital monitoring systems.
However, several lawmakers privately expressed doubts that these reforms could generate the steep revenue surge projected by the Executive Branch.
The committee demanded granular details, including county-by-county revenue breakdowns, updates on stalled agreements, and improved public digital tracking tools to ensure clarity on government cash flows and prevent unauthorized fund movements.
Rep. Jurry emphasized that the budget belongs to the Liberian people and urged greater involvement from civil society, the media, and accountability organizations throughout the review process.
With the revenue debate still unresolved, lawmakers are expected to intensify scrutiny as they shift next to the expenditure component, where contentious issues remain over allocations to infrastructure, security, education, and the health sector.