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Monrovia, Liberia – The Faith and Justice Network (FJN) has expressed deep alarm and outrage over what it describes as gross fiscal irresponsibility and economic mismanagement within Liberia’s National Legislature, as revealed in recent financial reports.
Speaking at a press conference in Monrovia on Tuesday, the network’s Executive Director, Reverend Dr. Tolbert Jallah, condemned the legislature for prioritizing self-enrichment over the welfare of ordinary Liberians, who continue to grapple with abject poverty.
“We are raising our voices to expose the irresponsible misuse of public funds and the absolute insensitivity displayed by the very people entrusted with the responsibility to improve the lives of Liberia’s citizens,” Reverend Dr. Jallah declared.
According to him, legislators must recognize that the FJN strongly opposes any laws or policies that criminalize, dehumanize, or punish civil servants through unjust budgetary allocations. He revealed shocking increases in legislative spending, including:
• An increase in the constituency visit budget from US$330,000 to over US$2 million within a year.
• A surge in funding for “Legislative Committee Hearings” and “In-house Meetings” from US$3.6 million to over US$13.9 million, representing a more than 300% increase.
“These outrageous increases raise serious concerns about the priorities of our lawmakers, who have clearly chosen to divert resources meant to improve the lives of the poor into their own pockets,” Jallah said.
He further disclosed that the legislature has consumed an astounding US$53.2 million in less than a year—a figure he described as both a misuse of public funds and an indictment of a system that prioritizes the luxury of a few over the urgent needs of the many.
“At a time when Liberia ranks as the 8th poorest country in the world, it is deeply troubling that the legislature has chosen fiscal profligacy while the majority of our citizens struggle to survive,” he lamented.
Reverend Dr. Jallah emphasized that public funds are not the private wealth of any legislator but are
