MONROVIA, Liberia — Liberia’s Ombudsman Chairperson, Cllr. Finley S. Karngar, has refunded US$419 to the Liberian Government’s Consolidated Account after returning from an official trip to South Africa, calling on public officials to “do the same” by retiring and refunding unused travel advances.
In an internal memo dated October 21, 2025, seen by The Liberian Post, Cllr. Karngar detailed that he received US$3,500 to cover travel, hotel, meals, ground transportation and incidentals for a conference in Sandton, South Africa, and expended US$3,081. He attached a travel liquidation and deposit slip reflecting the refund of the US$419 balance to the Government’s account.
“I expended US$3,081 out of the US$3,500,” the Ombudsman wrote, noting that the refund was made in line with public financial rules. He admonished fellow officials to emulate the practice by promptly accounting for travel advances and returning any unspent funds.
Breakdown and Compliance
According to the liquidation, the US$3,081 covered the round‑trip ticket, hotel accommodation, per diem, airport transfers, local transportation and other minor expenses over the travel days (October 19–23). The memo indicates the refund was deposited into the Consolidated Account following standard retirement procedures required under the Public Financial Management (PFM) law and travel policy.
The Ombudsman’s gesture comes at a time of heightened public scrutiny over official travel costs and accountability. Under Liberia’s PFM framework, officials are required to retire travel advances with receipts and refund any balances within stated timelines.
Echoes of an Early Sirleaf‑era Gesture
Cllr. Karngar’s move drew comparisons to an early gesture by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who publicly announced the return of unused travel funds after probably her first official foreign trip in 2006—an action that was widely praised at the time, though rarely repeated publicly over the remainder of her 12‑year tenure. Good‑governance advocates say such acts, while symbolic, help set a tone for tighter compliance with financial rules and more disciplined use of public resources.
Why it Matters
- Compliance signal: Returning unused funds demonstrates adherence to the PFM Act and strengthens a culture of accountability around per diems, tickets and hotel advances.
- Cost discipline: With the FY2026 draft budget under review—and line items for travel, goods and services drawing public attention—official examples of prudent spending and timely retirement can build trust.
- Replicable practice: The Ombudsman’s admonition to peers echoes longstanding recommendations from civil‑society groups and auditors for timely liquidation of advances and publication of travel retirements.
What’s Next
Cllr. Karngar said he has completed the retirement for the October travel days and attached supporting documents to his memo. He encouraged ministries and agencies to tighten their internal controls so that all advances are retired on time and refunds are made where due.
“Public office is a public trust,” a senior anti‑corruption advocate told The Liberian Post when asked about the refund. “Prompt travel retirements and refunds are low‑hanging fruit for transparency—and they set a standard others should meet.”
As the Government pushes fiscal discipline and open‑budget commitments, observers say consistent, documented compliance on travel advances across the public sector will matter as much as high‑level promises. For now, the Ombudsman’s US$419 refund offers a small, visible example of what that looks like in practice.
