MONROVIA, Liberia — A viral Facebook post alleging a bitter feud between Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung and Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan over “control of the nation’s finances” and a supposed US$200 million demand has been flatly denied by aides to both officials, who called the story “fabricated, politically motivated”, and “a lie from the belly of hell.”
Senior staff close to the Vice President and the Finance Minister told The Liberian Post the two officials “are cool buddies” and have been working hand‑in‑hand on the FY2026 draft national budget. “There is no rift. The VP has not requested a cent from the PSIP or any slush for ‘special projects,’” one aide said, adding that the pair “are often seen chatting and sharing light moments” at national functions. Another official described the post as “an opposition hoax that collapses on basic facts about the budget process.”
Budget Facts: US$200 Million Already Apportioned
The Facebook page “Liberia’s Action TV” — operated by opposition figures aligned with the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) — claimed the Vice President was demanding US$200 million from the ArcelorMittal signature bonus and that the two officials were “at loggerheads,” even hinting at a physical confrontation. No evidence accompanied the post.
In reality:
- The draft FY2026 budget totals US$1.211 billion, with a Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP) of roughly US$281.5 million, including a conditional US$200 million ArcelorMittal signature bonus.
- The US$200 million has already been programmed in the draft, including US$50 million for roads and US$50 million for energy, with the balance spread across priority capital projects, according to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning’s public briefing.
- The Executive proposes; the Legislature appropriates. The Vice President cannot unilaterally “demand” or “draw down” PSIP funds. Any changes require legislative action.
“There is no letter, no memo, no meeting record, because nothing of the sort happened,” a Finance Ministry source said. “The numbers are in the draft and publicly posted.”
No “Power Struggle” — Just a Budget Process
Aides to both men emphasized that the Vice President, as President of the Senate, has helped shepherd budget hearings and consultations, while the Finance Minister leads the Executive’s fiscal team. “That’s collaboration, not confrontation,” a Senate staffer added. “Anyone who follows the budget knows the claims are unserious.”
The post also alleged an “ongoing and pending media war” between camps. Staff for both officials dismissed that too. “We’re busy doing the work,” a Koung aide said. “There is no media war, just a disinformation attempt.”
Disinformation Context
The timing of the post, officials noted, comes as the Boakai administration touts recent governance and diplomatic gains — including Liberia’s pass on the MCC scorecard and high‑level engagements with partners in Paris — and as lawmakers begin scrutiny of the draft budget. “When the facts are not on your side, you resort to rumor,” a senior official quipped.
Call for Responsible Reporting
Government communicators urged citizens and the media to verify claims about the budget against official documents and briefings. “The draft is online. The PSIP is itemized. Assertions about personal slush funds or fistfights are designed to inflame, not inform,” one spokesperson said.
Bottom line
- There is no feud between VP Koung and Minister Ngafuan, according to multiple aides.
- The Vice President did not request US$200 million — the bonus is already apportioned in the draft PSIP.
- The claims originated from a partisan page and are unsupported by documents or process.
- The two officials continue to work together on budget engagements, and were seen in cordial exchanges at recent state events.
As budget hearings begin, officials say the focus should remain on revenue realism, project readiness, and turning capital allocations into visible service delivery — not “invented palace intrigue.”
The story will be updated when the doomsday’s folks provide documentary pieces of evidence to substantiate their allegations against VP Koung and MFDP Ngafuan.
