GBARNGA — The Central Bank of Liberia has launched a county-level financial education campaign in Bong County, promoting both money management skills and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), a cross-border payment platform for African countries.
The three-day event, which ended Aug. 6 at the Administrative Building in Gbarnga, drew more than 400 participants, including county officials, students, business owners, youth leaders, religious figures and women's groups. Activities featured cultural performances, interactive lectures and speeches aimed at simplifying complex financial concepts into practical lessons. Thirteen participants completed an intensive training-of-trainers workshop and received certificates, marking the start of their work to take financial education into communities across the county.
The grassroots campaign will focus on helping people make informed financial decisions, including budgeting, saving, and investing. "Gbarnga is not Bong County," said Maraline Tokpa Jawo, human resource manager in the superintendent's office, as she launched the campaign. "Our people in the districts deserve the same information. Education is power, let's use it." Cllr. P. Alphonsus Zeon, the CBL's communications director and chair of the Financial Education Working Group, urged residents to support the trainers.
"These are your own children who have been trained to equip you with financial education," he said. "We want you to cooperate with them as they roll out Financial Education in your communities."
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Trainees pledged to start sessions in churches, on farms, in schools, and in marketplaces. Local leaders also endorsed the program. The head of the Village Saving and Loan Association promised to integrate financial lessons into its activities, while the county rural women's chair, Lydia Zeze, said the initiative would help women better manage household income.
The Bong County Motorcyclist Union called the program "a light" for its members, and youth representatives urged trainers to prioritize schools when classes resume. In addition to teaching personal finance skills, the CBL introduced PAPSS, which enables instant, secure payments between African countries in local currencies.
Officials said the platform will help rural entrepreneurs reach regional markets without high transfer costs or the need for foreign currency. The Bong County launch follows similar rollouts in Grand Gedeh, Lofa and Nimba counties. The CBL said the initiative is part of a nationwide effort to ensure all Liberians, regardless of location, are financially literate and connected to modern payment systems. By pairing community-based financial education with technology like PAPSS, the bank aims to prepare Liberians for broader participation in both the African and global economies.
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