Liberia's Finance and Development Planning Minister recently hit the nail directly on the head when addressing mounting public concerns about the wobbling state of the Liberian economy amid the President Donald Trump decision to place temporary freeze on foreign aid through the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Sharing his candid perspectives and views on the state of the Liberian economy during a public forum recently, Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngarfuan minced no words in urging Liberians to make all necessary adjustments in relation to the country's current economic reality.
Addressing himself to multiple inquiries relative to government's strategy to weather the economic storm unmasked by the Trump administration's decision to halt foreign aid which Liberia greatly benefited from, Minister warned there would be tough economic times in the near future as a result of US Government's decision to stop its aid program through USAID.
In the very early days of his administration, President Trump signed an Executive Order that places freeze on foreign aid for ninety days (three months) pending review of all projects funded by USAID, an independent agency of the US government responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance.
According to Minister Ngarfuan, anything can happen due to present global reality, while strictly emphasizing that Liberians should prepare to expect the worst economic conditions.
"In this day and age anything can happen, we are expecting the worst," the Finance Minister noted.
Ngarfuan, who is in the role for the second time, the first being the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, further urged Liberians to prepare for the worst economic conditions, but hope such conditions do not happen.
He stressed: "Preparing for the worst, hoping that doesn't happen."
Minister Ngarfuan is known for telling the economic reality and constraints that the Liberian government is confronted with the public without fear of public condemnation.
He told the public that the government was going to focus on budgetary allocation that will help impact the transformation of the country, including its citizenry.
Minister Ngarfuan was responding to the country enveloping the national budget and the mounting challenges that the government is to address including domestic and foreign debts, youth unemployment, national security, education health, agriculture, lack of road connectivity, sanitation, and salaries among others.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The Finance Minister most often encouraged Liberians to be aware of the constraints that both they and the government encounter without politicizing that reality.
Minister Ngarfuan however assured Liberians that the government is working to address the factors responsible for the economic constraints, namely, electricity, road connectivity, agriculture, unemployment, heath, and education among others.
The Finance Minister's comments are seen as extension of similar comments made by then Senator-elect Amara Konnehprior to the inauguration of the Boakai-led administration that Liberians needed to manage or lower their expectations because there would be no quick fix to the country's biting economic realities, one of the reasons the government was voted to power.
Share this:
X
Continue Reading
Share
