The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has expressed grave concern over the findings of the latest General Auditing Commission (GAC) report on the Consolidated Funds Account of the Government of Liberia, describing the revelations as clear evidence of persistent mismanagement of public resources.
The GAC audit, covering the period January 1 to December 31, 2024, highlighted serious lapses in public financial management, including unlawful overspending, underfunding of key public services, and revenue shortfalls due to inefficiencies in tax collection.
According to the report, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) disbursed over US$2.8 million more than the amount approved through the national budget—a violation of the Public Financial Management (PFM) Law. At the same time, the audit found that US$78,289,600 of approved budgetary allocations was not disbursed to 106 ministries and agencies, severely undermining critical sectors such as health and education.
In addition, the audit revealed major gaps in revenue mobilization. The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has yet to expand its revenue reporting software (ASYCUDA and LITAS) to rural collectorates, leaving large segments of the tax system vulnerable to leakages and corruption. The Authority also faces severe staffing shortages in rural tax collection centers, an issue CENTAL noted had been validated during its own stakeholder engagement in Bong County.
Perhaps most troubling, the audit disclosed that eleven State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) collectively underpaid taxes by more than US$4.5 million. While they were assessed at US$10.1 million, only US$5.6 million was actually paid, depriving the government of much-needed resources for development.
“These findings are deeply troubling and point to a clear failure of the government to break away from the ugly past of financial indiscipline and corruption,” CENTAL stated. “It is unacceptable that while citizens continue to endure poor public services, millions of dollars meant for health, education, and other essential sectors are either mismanaged, under-collected, or left undistributed.”
CENTAL has urged the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to immediately investigate the audit findings, particularly the unlawful overspending, massive under-disbursements, and violations of the PFM Law. The group also called on the Joint Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Legislature to conduct inclusive public hearings on the audit, stressing that findings must not be shelved but acted upon to ensure accountability.
In its statement, CENTAL further appealed to citizens to hold the Ministry of Finance and other government spending entities accountable by demanding strict compliance with the PFM Act and related regulations.
The organization emphasized that the mismanagement of public funds undermines national development, erodes public trust, and deepens poverty. Those responsible for these actions, CENTAL said, must be identified and held fully accountable.
To strengthen financial discipline and enhance domestic revenue mobilization, CENTAL recommended timely investigation of off-budget spending, under-disbursements, and other violations flagged by the audit, with findings published and sanctions enforced. It also urged the Legislature to ensure that the outcomes of its public hearings are fully implemented by the Presidency. Furthermore, CENTAL stressed the need for all government entities to adhere strictly to the PFM Law and called on the LRA to decentralize its revenue collection systems, deploy trained staff nationwide, and close loopholes that enable revenue loss.
CENTAL concluded its statement with a stern reminder that the fight against corruption must be prioritized: “Liberia cannot achieve sustainable growth and development if public funds are continuously mismanaged. Full accountability is non-negotiable.”
