Monrovia – The General Auditing Commission’s (GAC) audit of the Consolidated Fund, which revealed persistent lapses in public financial management, has ignited a heated exchange between supporters of the ruling Unity Party (UP) and the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). Both sides are trading accusations over who better managed state resources.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
The controversy deepened after Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan appeared on state radio to respond to the audit, which flagged US$2.8 million in undocumented expenditures. Ngafuan dismissed allegations of fraud, calling the discrepancies “documentation issues.”
Comparing the 2024 audit (under UP) with the 2023 audit (under CDC), Ngafuan argued that the current government performed better. “Besides documentation issues and payments without legislative approval, last year’s report was qualified, meaning it was generally sound with minor exceptions,” he said. “2023’s audit, however, was adverse—the Auditor General found major gaps. The $2.8 million cited this year pales in comparison to $4.27 million flagged in 2023.”
Ngafuan noted that over-expenditures in 2024 amounted to US$2.8 million compared to US$96 million in 2023, which he said showed improvements. He emphasized that audit findings point to administrative errors, not theft, and urged the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to investigate both years.
“Fraud requires intent and action. Someone could mismanage funds without intending theft. It is the LACC’s role to investigate and clarify these issues,” he said.
Broader Economic Pressures
Despite his defense, Ngafuan faces mounting criticism amid a worsening economy. Analysts argue the minister appears rattled that he is under immense pressure for the current bad state of the economy. Liberians are generally complaining about the bad state of the economy and that the minister of finance does not appear to be in charge in a way that assures confidence of an economic turnaround.
According to analysts Mr. Ngafuan does not appear focused on the bread and butter issues, issues of job creation and private sector led growth. Almost two years since the Rescue mission has assumed office, Liberians have seen that the Government is still in the shadows of the CDC administration. Prices of basic commodities continue to rise between January 2024 and July 2025. According to numbers from LISGIS’ Consumer price report, inflation since the CDC left power has risen by 15.75 percent. Between July and June 2025, inflation has increased by about 3 percent according to the LISGIS figures. The factors for these increases continue to dumbfound and challenge.
The Government has not been able to overturn harmonization which was an election promise. Former Minister Samuel Tweah challenge has challenged the government that “ harmonization cannot be undone.” To date the minister’s Tweah’s challenge remains. The General Allowance and Basic salaries systems that were combined by the CDC administration has not been undone, and the extravagant salaries of some 5,000 to 7000 Government workers which was reduced to make room for around 15,000 government workers have also not been reversed.
Critics also note the government’s failure to undo the controversial “harmonization” policy, despite campaign promises. Former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah had argued that harmonization “cannot be undone,” and two years into the UP-led “Rescue Mission,” his challenge still stands.
Meanwhile, flagship CDC-era programs such as free tuition at public universities and free WASSCE fees remain intact, but the government is struggling to sustain them. UL’s budget rose from US$18 million in 2017 to US$30 million in 2023 under CDC, with teachers’ salaries increasing by more than 60 percent. The Rescue Mission has yet to match this record and now faces open confrontation with UL administration.
Last week, the UL president had to engage the Senate Committee on education to provide some support for the UL, drumming public pressures on the government and the finance minister for seemingly abandoning the UL. In reaction, Minister Ngafuan said on ELBC morning show that the UL request is an off budget request that should be considered carefully because of the way off budget issues are generally treated in the country. But experts opine that the Minister may be wrong since the allocation in question was approved in the 2025 national budget but was singularly used by the minister to pay UL adjoint professor for the 2024 fiscal year. Legal experts question the authority the finance minister to transfer appropriation from one fiscal year for use in a previous fiscal year without legislative backing.
The Government and the minister have also come under pressure for the recent audit of the consolidated account. While FrontPage Africa has reported on $2.8 million that cannot be account for, a deeper dive into the GAC audit reveals that the questionable and possibly illegal expenditures could rise to more than $100 million, ranging from.
The GAC Audit Beyond $2.8 Million
While much attention has centered on the missing US$2.8 million, a closer look at the GAC report reveals deeper structural concerns:
- Eleven state-owned enterprises (SOEs) owed US$10.16 million in income taxes but paid only US$5.6 million.
- Ten of the 11 SOEs were not assessed for corporate taxes. Only LPRC paid partially (US$246,983 of US$575,047 due).
- Only LEC and LWSC were assessed for Goods and Services Tax (US$1.8 million), but LWSC paid just US$14,707.
The shortfall raises questions over several million dollars in uncollected revenues.
CDC supporters have seized on these gaps. Former Weah administration official Isaac Doe cited other red flags in the audit, including:
- US$2.97 million in unexplained prior period adjustments;
- US$12.5 million in “vendor shares” with no supporting schedules;
- US$10.3 million variances between Consolidated Fund and agency reports;
- US$2.8 million spent without legislative approval;
- US$78.2 million under-disbursed to 106 ministries and agencies;
- US$6.1 million discrepancies between IFMIS ledgers and reported figures.
According to Doe, these issues point to as much as US$115 million in questionable spending.
Ngafuan’s Response
Ngafuan insisted most of the flagged transactions predated his tenure and were largely payments to settle arrears for health teams and universities. “The auditor did not allege fraud or misappropriation. Had there been fraud, we would not have received a qualified opinion,” he said.
Of more than US$735 million in transactions, he added, only US$2.8 million were flagged for inadequate documentation. He highlighted reforms underway, including an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) expected by December 2025 to address record-keeping weaknesses.
“Imagine restarting a system that was practically solved in 2011,” Ngafuan said. “We are now expediting an electronic system to permanently close these gaps.”
The UL Funding Standoff
The audit controversy overlaps with a simmering standoff between the government and the University of Liberia (UL). UL President Dr. Layli Maparyan recently appealed to the Senate for US$500,000 in emergency relief to cover urgent repairs and contractor payments, warning of delays in reopening the semester.
She noted that UL requested US$41 million during the budget process but was allotted US$34 million—of which 90 percent goes to salaries.
Comptroller Togar Gibson further revealed that US$1 million earmarked for campus renovations was never received, prompting lawmakers to question whether the funds were diverted.
Ngafuan countered that the government has fully released UL’s approved US$34 million budget, insisting the institution is not underfunded. “It is one thing to ask for more; it is another to use what you have,” he said, arguing that any additional request would be “off-budget.”
Lawmakers are expected to debate UL’s appeal and probe the fate of the missing US$1 million this week, as public pressure mounts on both the university and the Finance Ministry.
