The House of Representatives' Ways, Means and Finance Committee is set to begin public hearings on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. 's proposed US$45 million supplementary budget, a plan aimed at boosting key sectors including health, education, infrastructure, and national security.
According to the House Press and Public Affairs Bureau, the hearings will commence on today, Friday, April 17, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in the First Floor Conference Room of the Capitol Building, as lawmakers move to scrutinize the fiscal proposal during the ongoing Extraordinary Session. The supplementary budget seeks to expand Liberia's 2026 national budget by approximately 3.6 percent, bringing the total to about US$1.29 billion.
The committee described the hearings as "a critical step in promoting transparency, accountability, and inclusive national dialogue" around the proposed fiscal adjustments. Lawmakers say the process is intended not only to review the figures but also to build public confidence in the national budgeting framework by allowing stakeholders to interrogate assumptions, allocations, and expected outcomes.
"The hearings go beyond procedural requirements and are essential to reinforcing public confidence in the national budget process," the committee stated, assuring that deliberations will be conducted "with openness, professionalism, and a firm commitment to the national interest."
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Acting Finance Minister Anthony G. Myers disclosed that the funding for the supplementary budget will come from a combination of external and domestic sources, including US$40 million in delayed budget support from the World Bank for Fiscal Year 2025 and US$5 million generated from stronger-than-expected domestic revenue performance. Officials say the additional funding is intended to address emerging national priorities while strengthening economic governance and service delivery.
Key government institutions, including the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Liberia Revenue Authority, are expected to appear before the committee to provide clarifications, defend projections, and respond to lawmakers on issues of revenue mobilization, expenditure priorities, and implementation strategies.
A significant portion of the proposed budget--more than 40 percent--is directed toward social sectors. The health sector is expected to receive US$10.9 million to support drug supply needs and land acquisition for a proposed National Children's Hospital. The education sector is allocated US$7.3 million, including funding for school feeding programs and payments to the West African Examinations Council. Infrastructure development will receive US$7.2 million under the government's "yellow machines" road rehabilitation program, while US$5.1 million is earmarked for the security sector, including operations along the Liberia-Guinea border and recruitment for the National Security Agency, Armed Forces of Liberia, and the Liberia National Police.
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The Legislative Budget Office will provide technical support throughout the hearings to ensure evidence-based analysis and informed decision-making. Lawmakers say the process underscores the Legislature's commitment to fiscal discipline, transparency, and inclusive development, as Liberia seeks to align budgetary priorities with national development goals.
The Legislature is currently in Extraordinary Session, and the outcome of the hearings is expected to influence the final decision on the supplementary budget as the government moves to implement its development agenda for 2026.
