MONROVIA – The Liberian Senate has announced that its Committee on Ways, Means, Finance, and Budget will on Monday, December 8, 2025, begin public hearings on the expenditure component of the Draft National Budget for Fiscal Year 2026.
The upcoming review follows the conclusion of revenue discussions last week, after President Joseph N. Boakai submitted a US$1.2 billion draft budget to the National Legislature for scrutiny and approval.
According to Senator Prince K. Moye, Chairman of the Senate’s Budget Committee, the hearings are intended to strengthen transparency and ensure a comprehensive evaluation of how the proposed funds will be allocated.
The FY2026 draft budget proposes US$929.6 million in recurrent expenditure — covering compensation for employees, goods, and services — and US$281.5 million for the Public Sector Investment Plan (PSIP), which includes infrastructure, energy, roads, and community development projects.
However, the spending plan has already drawn criticism from some civil society groups and analysts who argue that certain allocations reflect “elite-centered budgeting.” They point specifically to the Legislature’s proposed US$51.7 million appropriation — nearly four times the allocation for agriculture and nearly half of the national health budget. Critics say these disparities raise concerns about whether the spending priorities reflect the country’s most urgent needs.
Senator Moye said the committee is encouraging broad public participation in the expenditure hearings, stressing that the budget cannot be effective without citizen engagement.
“We want citizens to take part in these hearings,” he said. “This is an important opportunity for Liberians to voice their concerns and help shape a budget that truly reflects national priorities.”
The hearings are expected to give stakeholders, ministries, agencies, and ordinary Liberians the platform to question spending lines, defend programs, and ensure accountability before the Senate forwards its final recommendations to the joint legislative conference committee.
With the Boakai administration emphasizing fiscal discipline and development-oriented governance, Monday’s scrutiny of the expenditure side of the budget will be closely watched by economists, development partners, and the public alike.
