Africa-Press – Liberia. By Lincoln G. Peters
Liberian Senate, Capitol Hill, April 24, 2026: The Plenary of the Liberian Senate on Thursday, April 23, 2026, concurred with the House of Representatives in passing a supplementary budget of US$53 million for the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), following a joint budget hearing and scrutiny.
This budget passage concludes President Joseph N. Boakai’s ten-day special session, which was convened to address two critical issues: the printing of additional banknotes amounting to L$79 billion and the approval of the supplementary budget.
The supplementary budget aims to provide additional funding to key sectors of the Liberian economy, including health, agriculture, education, social development, and national security. These allocations are intended to strengthen service delivery, address urgent funding gaps, and enhance the government’s ability to respond to emerging national needs.
During the session, the Secretary of the Liberian Senate reported that the House of Representatives had passed the bill into law during an extraordinary session on Thursday, April 23, 2026. The official communication requested the Senate’s timely concurrence.
However, Senators Abraham Darius Dillon, Edwin Melvin Snowe, and Amarah Konneh raised objections during the motion to adopt the report and proceed to a vote. They demanded that the full budget document, not just a communication, be presented and read on the Senate floor to avoid allegations of budget manipulation.
“If they send a letter, let us know the figures. Let them read the budget instead of just the communication,” the senators said.
Citing procedural neglect, Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon walked out of the debate. He argued that the Senate Pro Tempore, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, was undermining her integrity by proceeding without the actual budget document from the House.
In response, Pro Tempore Karnga-Lawrence stated that the budget had been jointly prepared by both the House and Senate, suggesting there was no need for further presentation. Nevertheless, she assured compliance and indicated that the budget would be made available.
Surprisingly, instead of reading the budget, only the Joint Committee report was presented, recommending passage on the grounds that it reinforces the government’s commitment to national development.
The FY2026 Draft Supplementary Budget, initially presented to Pro Tempore Karnga-Lawrence by Acting Finance Minister Anthony G. Myers on behalf of Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, totaled US$45 million. The submission fulfilled Section 23.1 of the Amended Public Financial Management Law of 2009.
The Senate Committee on Ways, Means, Finance, and Budget was tasked with reviewing the draft to ensure alignment with national priorities and fiscal discipline. The Committee later submitted its report with recommendations for debate and legislative action.
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