MONROVIA — Liberia’s Finance Minister, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, says economic policy should not be measured by abstract figures alone, but by how it improves the daily survival of ordinary citizens — what he calls “bread and butter economics.”
Speaking on The Class Reloaded, Ngafuan embraced the label of “Bread and Butter Minister,” arguing that roads, electricity, jobs, and wages are the real indicators of whether governance is working.
“Bread and butter is not about the government distributing bread,” he said. “It’s about whether policies make bread affordable and butter accessible.”
Ngafuan explained that infrastructure development remains central to lowering the cost of living. Poor roads, he noted, increase transportation costs, which in turn raise food prices in markets across the country.
“When roads are bad, rice becomes expensive in Monrovia and vegetables rot in the counties,” he said. “Fixing roads is fixing food prices.”
On electricity, Ngafuan linked power expansion directly to employment and income generation. Businesses with reliable electricity can operate longer hours, hire more workers, and reduce operational costs.
“No power means no productivity,” he said. “And no productivity means no jobs.”
The Minister also pushed back against claims that the government has failed to create employment, explaining that job creation is not limited to civil service hiring. According to him, more than 8,000 new businesses have been registered, alongside jobs created through contractors, NGOs, agriculture, and private sector activity.
“Every registered business is a potential employer,” Ngafuan said. “Government is not the only employer in a functioning economy.”
Addressing concerns over salaries and pay disparities, Ngafuan acknowledged long-standing inequities within the public sector. He outlined efforts to harmonize wages for health workers, security personnel, judges, magistrates, prosecutors, and engineers, while cautioning that fiscal constraints limit how quickly adjustments can be made.
“We inherited arrears, debt obligations, and wage distortions,” he said. “You don’t correct that overnight without crashing the system.”
Ngafuan also highlighted youth-focused initiatives aimed at addressing unemployment, including the National Service Program and youth entrepreneurship financing supported by development partners. He said these programs are designed to equip young people with skills and capital rather than dependency.
“Our young people don’t want sympathy,” he said. “They want opportunity.”
On food security, Ngafuan stressed the importance of domestic agriculture, rural connectivity, and market access. He said policies supporting farmers, transporters, and traders ultimately determine whether families can afford meals.
“If people are hungry, it is not because they don’t love Liberia,” he said. “It is because the system has not worked well enough yet.”
The Finance Minister concluded by urging patience, realism, and civic engagement, noting that sustainable economic improvement requires time, discipline, and shared responsibility.
“Bread and butter issues are real,” Ngafuan said. “And we are addressing them — not with slogans, but with policy.”
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