MONROVIA – P. Garswa Jackson has disclosed that the General Auditing Commission (GAC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, has begun enforcing punitive measures against heads and comptrollers of government institutions that fail to submit financial statements on time for audits.

Speaking Monday, May 11, 2026, on the state broadcaster ELBC, Jackson said the move is aimed at compelling compliance with Liberia’s Public Financial Management (PFM) Law, which requires every government ministry and agency to prepare and submit financial statements to the offices of the Auditor General and Comptroller General within two months after the close of each fiscal year.

According to Jackson, the law was repeatedly ignored by many public institutions before he assumed leadership of the GAC, undermining efforts to strengthen accountability and transparency in government spending. He stressed that timely submission of financial statements remains a key requirement for ensuring that public officials account for resources entrusted to them.

Jackson revealed that before his administration took over the GAC, only about 40 percent of ministries and agencies regularly submitted their financial statements within the required timeframe. He described the situation as a major obstacle to the effective conduct of audits across government institutions.

To address the persistent delays, Jackson said the GAC established stronger cooperation with the Ministry of Finance to impose sanctions on non-compliant officials. “We built a relationship with the Ministry of Finance to ensure that salaries of heads and comptrollers of government ministries and agencies are withheld for delaying the submission of financial statements,” he explained.

The Auditor General noted that after ministries and agencies submit their reports, the offices of the Auditor General and Comptroller General consolidate the documents into national financial statements for comprehensive audits of the Government of Liberia.

Although the GAC has not yet completed all of the nearly 300 audits under its mandate, Jackson emphasized that his administration has succeeded in regularizing audits of the government’s consolidated financial statements annually. He described this as one of the commission’s most significant achievements in recent years.

“Before I became Auditor General, the consolidated financial statements were unaudited for two years. This was not the fault of the GAC because the Ministry of Finance was not preparing and submitting those statements to the office of the Auditor General,” Jackson stated during the interview.

Jackson further highlighted what he described as unprecedented audits carried out under the current administration, including audits of the Office of the President through the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, the National Legislature, the Judiciary, the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), the Civil Service payroll, domestic debts, and revenue reconciliation systems.

He said the audit of the Office of the President marked a historic milestone for the commission. “This is the first time the GAC has been able to perform this audit on the office of the President at the Ministry of State. This sets a precedent that absolutely no office or public official in the country is exempt from accounting for what they used from public resources,” Jackson asserted.

Responding to criticisms that audit reports often fail to result in action, Jackson clarified that the GAC’s responsibility is limited to conducting audits and submitting findings. He explained that audit reports are forwarded to the National Legislature through its Public Accounts Committee for hearings and recommendations to the President, while the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) also has the authority to investigate and prosecute cases arising from the reports.

Jackson maintained that audits are critical to ensuring public funds intended for services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure are properly managed. While acknowledging that some government institutions continue to ignore recommendations from audit reports, he said many others have shown increasing cooperation with the commission.

He warned, however, that institutions refusing to act on audit findings will eventually face public exposure. “We will name and shame those institutions that are failing to implement audit recommendations at the appropriate time,” Jackson vowed.

The post Gac Cracks Down On Officials Delaying Financial Reports As Auditor General Warns Of Salary Withholding appeared first on Liberia News Network.

MONROVIA – Former Chairman of the Coalition for Democratic Change Mulbah K. Morlu Jr. has officially launched what he described as the “Save Liberia Protest Coalition,” setting the stage for a massive July 17, 2026 protest aimed at challenging the leadership of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai amid worsening economic hardship, allegations of corruption, and growing concerns over democratic governance.

Speaking Friday, May 8, 2026, during the official launch of the coalition, Morlu delivered a fiery and emotionally charged address in which he accused the Boakai administration of betraying the hopes of ordinary Liberians while allowing suffering, intimidation, and inequality to deepen across the country.

Addressing supporters and sympathizers, Morlu declared that the movement was not being organized for violence or political revenge, but rather to demand “truth, justice, dignity, and Liberia.” He described the coalition as a people-centered movement intended to amplify the frustrations of struggling Liberians, including market women, unemployed youth, civil servants, and vulnerable families.

“We were promised rescue, but we received betrayal,” Morlu declared. “We were promised leadership, but we received excuses. We were promised hope, but today hopelessness is spreading from community to community.”

The former CDC chairman painted a bleak picture of the country’s economic conditions, arguing that the rising cost of rice, transportation, and basic living conditions is crushing ordinary citizens while salaries stagnate and job opportunities disappear. According to him, graduates are sitting at home without opportunities, parents are struggling to feed their children, and small businesses are collapsing under economic pressure.

Morlu further accused the government of allowing corruption and luxury to flourish among officials while the masses continue to suffer. “The poor are tightening their belts, but the corrupt are loosening theirs,” he said, adding that Liberia’s governance system increasingly appears divided between the privileged political class and struggling ordinary citizens.

Throughout his speech, Morlu repeatedly emphasized that the planned protest would remain peaceful, insisting that the movement does not seek chaos or destruction. However, he warned that Liberians are exhausted and no longer willing to remain silent in the face of hardship and what he termed “fake rescue.”

“We are a peaceful people, but we are also a tired people,” Morlu stated. “We are patient people, but patience has limits.”

The protest organizer also revisited previous demonstrations organized by the Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) movement and its collaborators, claiming that peaceful protesters demanding accountability were met with intimidation, police aggression, and brutality. Referencing the controversial Kinjor incident, Morlu said Liberians must never forget “the blood, the pain, and the brutality” suffered by citizens.

In one of the strongest portions of his address, Morlu accused the Boakai administration of presiding over selective justice and weakening democratic institutions. He argued that ordinary Liberians face swift punishment while politically connected individuals evade accountability. According to him, Liberia is now experiencing “two Liberias,” one for the powerful and another for the suffering masses.

Morlu also sharply criticized recent political and institutional developments under the Unity Party-led government. He accused the administration of undermining democratic neutrality by appointing Jonathan Weedor to head the National Elections Commission, alleging that the appointment reflects partisan political influence rather than neutrality.

The former CDC official additionally targeted Gregory Coleman, accusing the Liberia National Police leadership of brutality and intimidation against peaceful citizens. Morlu questioned why the government continues to maintain officials he accused of presiding over aggressive actions against protesters and political opponents.

He further criticized President Boakai’s international engagements, claiming the administration is focusing more on public relations and foreign recognition while ordinary Liberians continue to struggle economically at home. “Liberia does not need public relations. Liberia needs genuine rescue,” Morlu asserted.

The speech also touched on national security and governance concerns, with Morlu warning that Liberia’s border challenges and the growing threat of terrorism across West Africa require stronger and more serious leadership. He accused the administration of appearing weak in confronting external threats while allegedly becoming aggressive toward peaceful citizens inside Liberia.

As part of the coalition’s broader political message, Morlu accused the government of suppressing dissent, intimidating critics, and weakening democratic freedoms. He referenced the removal of a sitting Speaker of the House, the expulsion of a lawmaker over free speech issues, and the imprisonment of a citizen accused of insulting a Supreme Court justice as examples of what he called democratic backsliding.

Closing his remarks, Morlu formally announced that the “Lead or Leave Now The 2nd Coming” protest will take place on July 17, 2026, at the Executive Mansion. He described the planned gathering as a defining moment in Liberia’s modern political history, where citizens from across the country will unite peacefully to demand change.

“This time, the people will not back down,” Morlu declared before supporters. “Liberia belongs to the people, and when the people rise together peacefully, no intimidation can stop them.”

The post “lead Or Leave Now” Protest Coalition Launched As Morlu Rallies Liberians Against Boakai Government appeared first on Liberia News Network.

MONROVIA – The Liberian Legislature has released a conference committee report on President Joseph N. Boakai’s request to de-ratify the controversial Telecommunications International Alliance (TIA) and Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) concession agreement, ultimately recommending renegotiation rather than cancellation of the contract.

The report, adopted after extensive joint deliberations between the House of Representatives and the Senate, represents one of the most significant legislative interventions in a high-stakes infrastructure and telecommunications governance dispute in recent years.

The Executive Branch, through President Boakai’s November 13, 2025 communication to the Legislature, had called for the de-ratification of the agreement, citing serious procurement irregularities, alleged fraud, and violations of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) Act of 2010.

According to the President’s concerns, the contract process bypassed mandatory procurement procedures, raising immediate red flags about transparency and compliance with Liberian law.

The Executive further argued that Telecom International Alliance was incorporated in Delaware just days after receiving bid documents and only registered in Liberia nearly a year after the contract award, deepening concerns about its legal and operational legitimacy at the time of bidding.

The report also highlighted that the revenue share arrangement was significantly altered after initial bidding, increasing TIA’s share to 49 percent, while early proposals had indicated 35 percent, a change lawmakers described as requiring stronger justification.

Another major concern raised by the Executive was the extension of the concession agreement by an additional 20 years, which officials claimed was done without clear evidence of value for money to the Liberian government.

Based on these allegations, the President described the agreement as potentially “void ab initio,” arguing that fraud in the procurement process invalidated the contract from its inception.

Following receipt of the communication, both the House and Senate referred the matter to their respective committees, triggering months of public hearings and institutional consultations involving key government agencies and stakeholders.

The House of Representatives conducted its hearings in December 2025 under the Joint Committee on Post and Telecommunications, Investment and Concessions, and Judiciary, while the Senate held its sessions in January 2026 under a joint committee structure.

During the hearings, multiple state institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, General Auditing Commission, Liberia Anti Corruption Commission, Liberia Revenue Authority, and the LTA itself, presented conflicting positions on whether the agreement should be cancelled or preserved.

The LTA maintained that the contract was fraudulently awarded and cited alleged violations of procurement laws, while the Anti Corruption Commission clarified that although procurement fraud had occurred, the contracting company itself was not implicated, and prosecutions were already underway against former officials.

The General Auditing Commission presented findings indicating irregular revenue allocations, including an unauthorized nine percent regulatory share awarded to TIA, alongside a reported four million United States dollar shortfall in remittances to the national consolidated account.

However, the Liberia Revenue Authority strongly cautioned against de-ratification, warning that such a move could undermine contract sanctity, trigger international arbitration, and expose the country to severe financial and reputational risks.

Telecom International Alliance, for its part, defended the legality of the original procurement process, insisting that it complied with all statutory requirements and emphasized its willingness to renegotiate contentious provisions within the existing legal framework.

A critical dimension of the Senate findings was the confirmation that the TIA concession agreement, originally signed in 2018 and later amended and ratified in 2022, remains legally binding under Liberian law and has been operational for more than three years.

The Senate committee further referenced constitutional protections under Article 25, which prohibits impairment of contractual obligations, and cited Supreme Court precedent affirming that ratified concessions acquire the force of law and cannot be altered without due process.

Lawmakers also underscored that procurement fraud allegations fall under judicial jurisdiction or the Complaints, Appeals and Review Panel, not the Legislature, emphasizing that Parliament is not an adjudicatory body except in impeachment cases.

In its final position, the Senate recommended against de-ratification, urging instead that the government pursue either structured renegotiation or arbitration under the agreement’s dispute resolution clause, which provides for international arbitration in London under the International Chamber of Commerce rules.

The House of Representatives, while initially highlighting serious irregularities including missing contract documentation and questionable revenue allocations, ultimately joined the Senate in calling for a conference committee to harmonize both positions.

That joint conference committee, constituted in March 2026, reviewed all submissions and ultimately issued a compromise report rejecting cancellation of the agreement in favor of maintaining its legal validity while addressing disputes through lawful mechanisms.

The committee stressed that suspending the agreement had already resulted in revenue losses and potential national security risks due to disruptions in telecommunications traffic monitoring systems.

It also warned that introducing a parallel contract while a valid ratified agreement exists would violate constitutional protections, undermine legislative authority, and expose Liberia to international legal claims.

A key recommendation from the committee was that the government must immediately lift the suspension of the TIA LTA agreement and restore operational monitoring services to safeguard national security and revenue collection.

Lawmakers further emphasized that Liberia’s legal framework provides clear remedies for disputes, including renegotiation or arbitration, and that these mechanisms must be exhausted before any attempt to terminate or replace a ratified concession.

The committee also referenced Liberia’s historical precedent of renegotiating major concession agreements, including Firestone and Mittal Steel, as evidence that renegotiation rather than cancellation has been the country’s consistent policy approach.

At the center of the committee’s concern was a reported attempt by the LTA to explore a new single source arrangement for similar services while the TIA agreement remains legally binding, a move lawmakers described as inconsistent with procurement law and constitutional protections.

The report concluded that such parallel contracting undermines the rule of law and risks eroding investor confidence at a time when Liberia is seeking to strengthen its economic credibility.

The Legislature reaffirmed support for the President’s stated objectives of safeguarding national financial interests, restoring procurement integrity, and upholding the rule of law, but urged that these goals be pursued within constitutional and legal boundaries.

The post Liberia: Legislature Blocks Tia/lta Contract Cancellation, Warns Of Legal And Investment Risks appeared first on Liberia News Network.

MONROVIA – The debate over Liberia’s public financial management has taken a sharper political and technical turn following fresh allegations by former Assistant Minister for Development Planning at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Benedict Kolubah, who insists that Finance Minister Augustine Ngafuan must be held criminally accountable over what he describes as unconstitutional budget practices.

Kolubah, writing in a strongly worded public statement, accused critics of his earlier position of misinterpreting fiscal data and defending what he calls serious breaches of Liberia’s Public Financial Management (PFM) framework.

“Fellow Liberians, I called for Minister Ngafuan’s arrest for unconstitutionally re-appropriating US$40 million and overspending US$2.11 million above the approved 2025 budget,” Kolubah stated, reigniting a debate that has already stirred political tension and public interest.

He further argued that attempts by government supporters to justify the figures were based on what he described as “flawed interpretations” of budget documents and accounting entries.

According to Kolubah, some defenders of the Ministry’s position have claimed that reported overspending was not actual overspending, citing the use of US$75.1 million to settle outstanding commitments from the 2024 fiscal year.

He specifically referenced comments attributed to individuals identified as Buku Wolobah and Carolyn Myers, whom he accused of attempting to rationalize the fiscal reporting.

“Some ‘Rescue missionaries’ attacked me with derogatory remarks,” Kolubah wrote, adding that their arguments were not supported by a proper understanding of the budget framework.

Kolubah maintained that if the government’s justification is accepted at face value, it creates what he describes as a deeper contradiction within Liberia’s financial records.

He explained that the fiscal adjustments being defended would, in effect, distort the actual revenue and expenditure structure of the 2024 and 2025 budgets.

“If we accept their argument and move all FY2024 window transactions back into the FY2024 budget, the numbers collapse,” he asserted.

Kolubah claimed that the 2024 fiscal report already recorded US$748.16 million in revenue and US$735.65 million in expenditure, meaning that reassigning additional “window” transactions would significantly alter the official financial balance.

He argued that adding the US$50 million revenue window back into FY2024 would raise revenue figures to US$798.16 million, while also pushing expenditures to US$810 million when the US$75 million is included.

According to him, this adjustment would create what he described as an impossible fiscal outcome, including a deficit situation that contradicts the principles of lawful budget execution.

Kolubah insisted that such inconsistencies amount to double counting and double reporting of public funds across fiscal years.

He further alleged that the same transactions were recorded twice, referencing what he described as consolidated entries in both the FY2024 and FY2025 financial reports.

Kolubah pointed to what he claims are overlapping figures in official documents, arguing that US$50.10 million in revenue and US$75.09 million in expenditure were recorded in both fiscal cycles, resulting in what he estimates as US$125 million in duplicated reporting.

“This is not a minor error but a breach of accounting principles and an admission of US$125 million in double reporting,” he stated.

He warned that such practices, if left unaddressed, could distort Liberia’s fiscal credibility, inflate performance indicators, and misrepresent the actual financial position of the state.

Kolubah went further to argue that the situation may constitute a violation of Section 64 of Liberia’s Public Financial Management Law, which he believes provides grounds for legal accountability.

He called on government officials and critics, including those he named in his statement, to publicly review the relevant sections of the FY2024 and FY2025 financial reports.

“I will encourage Buku, Carolyn, Daniel, and all in the debate to please go read the FY2024 financial statement pages 1-2 alongside the FY 2025 financial statement pages 12-16 and engage me in a public debate,” he wrote.

Kolubah concluded his remarks by maintaining that the inconsistencies he identified amount to what he considers an admission of wrongdoing.

He insisted that, based on his interpretation of the fiscal data, the matter is not merely political but legal, adding that accountability must follow if the allegations are proven accurate.

His comments are expected to further intensify public debate over Liberia’s budget transparency, fiscal discipline, and the broader integrity of government financial reporting under the current administration.

The post Ngafuan Faces Alleged Us$125m Double Counting Scandal And Calls For Arrest appeared first on Liberia News Network.

MONROVIA – A fresh wave of controversy has come to light over Liberia’s public financial management, with former Assistant Minister for Development Planning Benedict Kolubah accusing Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan of serious legal violations and calling for his immediate arrest.

Kolubah, in a series of public statements, alleged that Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan unlawfully reallocated approximately US$40 million in domestic revenue and overspent the 2025 national budget, actions he says contravene the Amended and Restated Public Financial Management (PFM) Law of 2019.

“Fellow Liberians, the Minister must be arrested,” Kolubah declared, insisting that the financial figures contained in recent government reports expose what he described as unconstitutional fiscal practices.

At the center of his argument is the claim that domestic revenue, which exceeded projections, was redirected to cover a shortfall in external financing, particularly funding expected from the World Bank.

According to Kolubah, such a move effectively altered the structure of the approved budget without legislative authorization. “Substituting domestic revenue for external financing without a Supplementary Appropriation Act undermines the Legislature’s authority,” he argued.

He further cited official financial records indicating that total government spending for 2025 reached over US$882 million, surpassing the legislatively approved ceiling of approximately US$880.6 million.

“This represents an unauthorized over-expenditure of more than US$2.1 million,” Kolubah stated, adding that the PFM Law prohibits such excess spending without proper approval.

Beyond these claims, Kolubah also challenged public defenses mounted by some commentators who have sought to justify the figures, dismissing their arguments as flawed and misleading.

“I have seen these narratives trending on social media by people who may not even have read their own report,” he said, vowing to counter their claims “mathematically.”

He alleged that financial reports for 2024 and 2025 contain instances of double counting, particularly involving transactions from a 90-day financial window that he claims were recorded in both fiscal years.

“The same transactions are counted twice across two fiscal years,” Kolubah asserted. “This is not a minor error but a breach of accounting principles.”

According to him, the duplication involves approximately US$125 million in revenue and expenditure figures, which he argues distorts the country’s fiscal position and creates inconsistencies in reported surpluses and deficits.

“If we adjust the figures as suggested by some defenders, the numbers collapse into contradictions, including spending more than was actually collected,” he said.

Kolubah maintains that such discrepancies point to deeper systemic issues within Liberia’s financial reporting framework and raise questions about transparency and accountability.

He also referenced what he described as a two-year pattern of fiscal irregularities, combining data from 2024 and 2025 to argue that the government exceeded approved budgets and failed to properly account for surplus revenues.

“Records show a budget overrun and cash overspending across the two fiscal years,” he claimed, warning that these actions fall within the definition of “excess expenditure” under the law.

Citing provisions of the PFM Law, Kolubah insisted that any surplus revenue must be subjected to legislative approval, while expenditures must remain within approved limits.

“These breaches constitute violations that demand accountability,” he said, adding that the law prescribes penalties, including imprisonment, for such offenses.

Kolubah went further to suggest that the alleged violations could warrant up to five years imprisonment under Section 64 of the PFM Law, a position that has intensified public debate around the issue.

Despite criticism from some quarters, he has challenged his detractors to engage in an open review of the financial statements, pointing specifically to detailed pages in both the 2024 and 2025 reports.

“I encourage those in the debate to read the reports and engage me publicly,” he said, expressing confidence in his analysis.

The allegations have sparked renewed scrutiny of Liberia’s fiscal governance, with observers noting that the claims, if substantiated, could have significant political and legal implications for the Boakai administration.

As of now, there has been no official response from Minister Ngafuan or the Ministry of Finance regarding the specific allegations raised by Kolubah.

The post Ngafuan Accused Of Budget Violations As Calls Grow For Arrest Over Alleged Us$40m Reallocation appeared first on Liberia News Network.

Liberia’s already fragile investment climate is facing renewed scrutiny as fresh disputes over concession agreements expose deeper concerns about the country’s commitment to the rule of law. What is unfolding is not just another policy disagreement but a defining test of whether Liberia can uphold contractual obligations in a predictable and lawful manner.

At the heart of the issue lies a growing contradiction between stated national priorities and emerging government actions. The administration’s development blueprint, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, places “Rule of Law” at its core. Yet recent developments suggest a troubling gap between policy rhetoric and actual governance practice.

Historically, Liberia has struggled with consistency in honoring concession agreements, a weakness that has repeatedly been flagged by international observers. Reports, including those from the United States, have long warned that while legal frameworks exist on paper, enforcement remains weak and investors often face uncertainty when disputes arise.

The controversy surrounding the Liberia Traffic Management Incorporated (LTMI) agreement offers a telling example. Despite initial disputes and competing claims, the government ultimately upheld the concession after legislative ratification, reinforcing the legal principle that ratified agreements carry the force of law. That decision, at the time, signaled a willingness to respect contractual continuity.

However, the unfolding situation involving the TIA/LTA concession threatens to reverse those gains. Originally signed as a contract in 2018 and later transformed into a ratified concession in 2022, the agreement carries full legal backing, having passed through legislative approval and presidential assent.

Even the Ministry of Justice, in its legal interpretation, affirmed the legitimacy of the agreement, noting that in the absence of a court ruling to the contrary, the concession remains valid and enforceable. This position should, in principle, have settled the matter within the bounds of law.

Instead, the situation has grown more complex. An Executive Order issued in late 2025 suspended the concession’s operations, while the Legislature became divided over the path forward, with one chamber favoring cancellation and the other advocating renegotiation.

A Joint Conference Committee, convened to resolve the impasse, ultimately recommended renegotiation rather than outright termination. Its position was grounded in constitutional safeguards, particularly the protection against impairing contractual obligations.

Crucially, the committee also warned against entering into new agreements for the same services while the existing concession remains legally binding. Such actions, it cautioned, could undermine legislative authority and expose Liberia to international legal disputes and reputational damage.

Despite these warnings, reports indicating that the Liberia Telecommunications Authority may be pursuing a parallel agreement with another entity have raised alarm among lawmakers and policy observers. If verified, this would represent a direct challenge to both legal norms and institutional processes.

Prominent legislators, including Amara Konneh, have reportedly argued that renegotiation remains the most balanced and lawful solution. Their position reflects a broader concern that abandoning a valid concession in favor of a new arrangement risks eroding trust in Liberia’s legal system.

The inconsistency becomes even more glaring when compared to how similar agreements have been handled. In cases involving major investors such as ArcelorMittal and Firestone Liberia, the government has traditionally opted for renegotiation rather than cancellation, preserving both investor confidence and legal continuity.

This raises a fundamental question: why should the TIA concession be treated differently? Selective enforcement of agreements not only weakens governance but also sends a dangerous signal to current and potential investors about the reliability of Liberia’s business environment.

The path forward requires discipline, consistency, and respect for the law. Liberia cannot afford to undermine its own legal frameworks at a time when it seeks to attract foreign investment and rebuild economic credibility. Upholding the sanctity of contracts is not optional, it is essential to national progress and international trust.

The post Liberia’s Rule Of Law Tested Again As Concession Disputes Threaten Investor Confidence appeared first on Liberia News Network.