- The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) is urging the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to investigate alleged off-budget spending after a General Auditing Commission (GAC) report exposed major gaps in revenue collection and disbursements, including funds meant for health and education.
The audit of the government's Consolidated Funds Account for Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2024, found systemic weaknesses that CENTAL described as alarming and reflective of a troubling pattern of financial mismanagement.
"This revelation by the audit is very concerning, especially so that this administration has been previously accused of disregarding the budget and the Public Financial Management Laws by spending off-budget with zero approval from the national legislature," CENTAL Executive Director Anderson D. Miamen told reporters Wednesday in Monrovia.
Audit Exposes Gaps in Revenue and Spending
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The audit found that the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has yet to expand its reporting systems--ASYCUDA and LITAS--to rural areas, leaving tax collection vulnerable to corruption. Staffing shortages at rural tax centers, including in Bong County, compounded inefficiencies.
At the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, auditors discovered more than US$2.8 million disbursed above the approved national budget. At the same time, there was an under-disbursement of US$78.2 million, which deprived 106 ministries and agencies, including health and education, of approved funding.
The report also revealed that 11 state-owned enterprises (SOEs) were assessed to pay more than US$10.1 million in income taxes but remitted only US$5.6 million, causing significant revenue losses.
"These audit findings show continuous gross weakness in government's revenue collection and financial management systems," Miamen said. "This needs urgent attention."
Call for Legislative Action
CENTAL urged the Legislature's Joint Public Accounts Committee to hold timely public hearings and ensure recommendations are implemented by the Presidency.
"We urge the Joint Public Accounts Committee of the Legislature to timely review and conduct inclusive public hearings on the findings of the audit report," Miamen said. "The outcomes must be documented and implemented to hold wrongdoers accountable."
He added that the LACC must guarantee transparency in any investigation and deliver real consequences for violators of the Public Financial Management Act.
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Push for Reforms
CENTAL also alled for reforms to strengthen systems. The group urged the LRA to decentralize its revenue platforms to rural tax points and ports, and to recruit, train, and deploy staff to maximize collections.
It also urged the GAC and the Civil Service Agency to conduct financial and credential audits within the Judiciary, which has long faced allegations of corruption.
"Citizens must demand the Ministry of Finance and other government spending entities fully comply with the PFM law and other regulations to safeguard public resources and ensure they benefit ordinary Liberians," Miamen said.
A Troubling Pattern
Miamen noted that previous audits uncovered similar lapses, underscoring what he described as the government's failure to take corrective measures.
"These worrying trends show that the national government is not doing enough to break away from the ugly past," he said. "Liberia cannot continue business as usual."
CENTAL reaffirmed its commitment to working with civil society, lawmakers, and the media to push for stronger accountability in how public funds are managed.
