The Political Leader of the Liberian National Union (LINU), Dr. Clarence K. Moniba, has warned that Liberia risks long-term economic stagnation and social decline if the government fails to fundamentally shift its spending priorities toward human capital development, arguing that the much-touted 2026 National Budget reflects comfort and consumption rather than productivity and capacity-building.
Responding to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's State of the Nation Address (SONA), Dr. Moniba said while the address may sound encouraging, it does not reflect the deeper reality confronting ordinary Liberians, insisting that the national budget--not speeches--is the true measure of government intent and performance.
"The State of the Nation Address will always sound good, because it is someone grading themselves," Dr. Moniba said. "But the real grade should be found in the 2026 budget, and that is where our government is failing."
According to him, budgets are not neutral financial tools but moral statements that expose a government's true beliefs and priorities.
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"Budgets are moral documents. They reveal who a government truly serves, not in speeches, but in priorities," he said. "The SONA tells us what the government claims it did. The budget tells us what the government actually believes in."
Dr. Moniba challenged claims of economic progress highlighted in the SONA, arguing that progress cannot be measured through rhetoric alone. "Progress is measured in budgets, in action, and in the lived realities of ordinary Liberians," he stressed.
He questioned the government's assertion that nearly 70,000 short-term jobs were created, saying the figure lacks transparency and sustainability.
"Without proof, transparency, or a clear path to permanent employment, this claim rings hollow," he said. "Most of the so-called jobs were created by the government itself, not by a thriving private sector. That is a recipe for disaster."
On inflation, Dr. Moniba dismissed macroeconomic indicators that suggest improvement, arguing that such data mean little to citizens struggling with daily expenses.
"Liberians do not eat statistics. They buy food, they pay rent, they pay transportation costs--and life remains expensive," he said.
While acknowledging that some support has reached farmers and schools, Dr. Moniba said the scale of intervention remains far below what is needed to transform the economy.
"With over 2,000 schools across Liberia, 156 computer labs is not transformation; it is tokenism," he said, adding that mechanized farming, storage, and agro-processing--key drivers of productivity--remain largely absent.
He argued that such limited investments cannot generate the skilled workforce needed to compete in a modern economy.
'Liberia Is Too Rich for Liberians to Be This Poor'
Central to Dr. Moniba's critique is the US$1.2 billion 2026 National Budget, which he described as a missed opportunity to invest in people and production.
He noted that nearly US$400 million was added to the budget compared to previous years, yet little of it was directed toward industrialization or private sector stimulation.
"This money should have been used to build factories, stimulate production, and revive the private sector," he said. "Liberia is too rich for Liberians to be this poor."
He cited what he called stark contradictions in spending priorities, pointing out that less than US$10 million was allocated collectively to more than ten public colleges and teacher-training institutions, while US$11 million went to just six political offices--the Office of the President, Vice President, Pro Tempore, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Chief Justice.
Dr. Moniba also criticized the allocation of US$500,000 for scratch cards, compared to US$200,000 for the Maryland Vocational Training Institute, describing the decision as "malpractice."
According to Dr. Moniba, Liberia's greatest risk lies in its long-standing neglect of human capital development. He cited spending trends since 2006 showing that nearly 90 percent of government expenditure has gone to recurrent costs, with only about 10 percent devoted to capital investment.
"In simple terms, for every dollar spent on roads, schools, and hospitals, nine dollars go to salaries, travel, fuel, and operational costs," he explained. "If this continues, Liberia will remain trapped with a 19th-century workforce trying to survive in a 21st-century economy."
He warned that prioritizing government comfort over education and health would perpetuate poverty and inequality, especially given Liberia's high child malnutrition levels.
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"A malnourished child cannot learn. A child who cannot learn cannot lead, or even contribute meaningfully to society," he said.
Dr. Moniba further cautioned that Liberia's youthful population--nearly 75 percent under the age of 35--could either become a powerful engine for growth or a source of instability if investment in skills and opportunities remains inadequate.
"This can be our greatest demographic dividend, or it can become a ticking time bomb of frustration and instability," he warned.
He argued that Liberia does not need better speeches but a new budget philosophy that prioritizes human capital, productivity, and private sector growth over political perks.
"Until that changes, no SONA, no matter how polished, will translate into real progress for ordinary Liberians," Dr. Moniba said. "Liberians deserve a government that invests in their future, not just in its own comfort."
Dr. Moniba said patience among citizens should not be mistaken for ignorance. "Liberians are patient, but we are not blind," he said. "History is unforgiving to governments that confuse rhetoric with progress. Liberia is too rich for Liberians to be this poor."
