Monrovia, Liberia – May 4, 2026 – Benedict Kolubah, former Assistant Minister for Development Planning, has called for the immediate arrest of Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Ngafuan, citing what he describes as serious violations of Liberia’s Public Financial Management (PFM) Law.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Kolubah alleged that the FY2025 Annual Consolidated Financial Report reveals “material breaches” of the Amended and Restated PFM Law of 2019, which he believes warrant criminal accountability under Section 60 of the Act.
According to Kolubah, one of the key concerns involves the unauthorized reallocation of domestic revenue. He referenced a report from the Comptroller and Accountant General indicating that domestic revenue exceeded projections by approximately US$42.43 million. However, he claimed that this surplus was used to offset a US$40 million shortfall in anticipated external financing from the World Bank, which was not disbursed due to unmet conditions.
Kolubah argued that this action effectively altered the structure of the national budget without legislative approval. He emphasized that Section 15 of the PFM Law requires all revenue and expenditure components to be explicitly reflected in the national budget, and that substituting domestic funds for external financing without a Supplementary Appropriation Act undermines the authority of the Legislature.
He further alleged unauthorized overspending, citing government financial statements that show total cash payments of US$882.77 million—exceeding the legislatively approved ceiling of US$880.66 million by more than US$2.1 million. Kolubah maintained that this constitutes a violation of Section 34(2) of the PFM Law, which prohibits expenditures beyond the approved budget.
“For these violations—unauthorized reallocation and overspending—the Minister must be arrested immediately,” Kolubah stated, adding that his review of the financial documents is ongoing.
As of press time, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has not issued an official response to the allegations. The claims are expected to heighten public scrutiny over fiscal management and may prompt further review by oversight institutions.
Kolubah’s statement adds to growing national debate over transparency and accountability in Liberia’s public financial governance, particularly following the release of recent fiscal reports.
