–Finance Minister Says Public Officials Must Not Steal to Fund Charity, Puts Ministers’ Net Salary Below US$5,000
MONROVIA, Liberia — Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has issued a blunt warning to government ministers and public officials against stealing public resources to finance personal acts of charity, coining the phrase “filthy generosity” to describe what he considers corruption disguised as benevolence.
Ngafuan said public officials should not compromise their integrity by taking government money simply to appear generous to citizens who may expect ministers and other senior officials to personally meet their financial needs.
His remarks came during an appearance on the state-run ELBC radio on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, during which he argued that the true measure of a minister’s generosity should not be the amount of money handed out to individuals, but the impact of the official’s work on the wider population.
“The charity of a minister is not just charity. It’s what you do to transform the life of people,” Ngafuan said.
‘I Will Not Encourage Any Minister to Steal’
Ngafuan acknowledged the importance of helping people in need and said he believes strongly in the principle of doing good. But he drew a sharp distinction between legitimate generosity and charity funded through corruption.
He said ministers and public officials face enormous demands from communities and individuals seeking financial assistance, making it impossible for their personal salaries to meet every request.
The Finance Minister said ministers earn less than US$5,000 in net salary, describing the figure during the interview as “4,000 something.”
“How big is your pocket? In fact, your pocket shouldn’t even be too big. Where do you take the money from to have a big pocket for people to line up to you and you act like the best person, the best donor?” he asked.
Ngafuan then delivered his strongest warning.
“I will not encourage any minister to go and steal or to engage in scoundrelry in order to fund charity. That’s what I call filthy generosity. And that is wrong.”
He added: “And we will not do so.”
The Minister’s Job Is the Real Charity
Ngafuan argued that public officials can have a far greater impact by faithfully performing the responsibilities assigned to them than by distributing money from their personal pockets.
According to him, when a minister performs his or her duties effectively, the benefits reach people the official may never personally meet.
“When a minister does his or her job well, people that the minister does not know will be empowered,” he said.
He therefore urged ministers to focus on policies and programs that create opportunities, improve public services and expand the economy rather than trying to satisfy individuals through direct handouts.
Ngafuan said the government’s approach is centered on creating the conditions for investment, employment and broader economic opportunity.
Development Over Handouts
The Finance Minister said the government is working to address some of the structural problems that continue to burden Liberians, including inadequate roads, limited electricity access, unemployment, health and education challenges, public-sector salaries and retirement concerns.
He also pointed to youth empowerment initiatives, the national cadet program, efforts to strengthen the fight against corruption and illicit drugs, and broader economic reforms as examples of government interventions intended to benefit larger segments of society.
Rather than allowing public officials to use questionable means to finance private charity, Ngafuan said government must use public resources to create sustainable opportunities.
“Ministers would have to do their job well,” he said. “When a minister does his or her job well, people that the minister does not know will be empowered.”
That, he maintained, is the proper form of generosity expected from those entrusted with public office.
‘It’s What You Do to Transform the Life of People’
Ngafuan’s comments come as the Boakai administration approaches the midpoint of its six-year mandate and seeks to demonstrate measurable improvements in infrastructure, electricity, public services, employment and economic management.
The Finance Minister said the government has already undertaken initiatives aimed at improving roads and electricity, strengthening education and healthcare delivery, improving civil servants’ compensation, rethinking the pension system and expanding opportunities for young people.
He acknowledged that much more remains to be done but said the government’s responsibility is to create systems that deliver benefits to citizens on a broader and more sustainable basis.
For Ngafuan, therefore, the issue is not whether public officials should be generous. Rather, it is how that generosity is financed and whether it produces lasting public benefit.
“The charity of a minister is not your charity. It’s what you do to transform the life of people,” he said.
His phrase—“filthy generosity”—now captures his warning that charity loses its moral value when it is financed through the theft or misuse of public resources.
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