Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan says the Government of Liberia has increased the Judiciary's national budget by 80% over the past three years, describing the investment as critical to strengthening judicial independence, expanding access to justice and driving the country's economic transformation.
Delivering the keynote address Friday at the graduation ceremony of Cycle Five of the Professional Magistrate Training Program (PMTP) at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia, Ngafuan said the Judiciary's allocation rose from US$18.5 million in 2023 to US$33.3 million in 2026, reflecting the Boakai administration's commitment to modernizing the justice system.
"We have increased the Judiciary's budget from US$18.5 million in 2023 to US$33.3 million in 2026," Ngafuan said. "This represents a massive 80 percent increase over a three-year period."
He described the Judiciary as the "final anchor of public trust," warning that no country can achieve sustainable economic growth without a credible, independent and efficient justice system.
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"We can design the most brilliant economic frameworks and draft ambitious development agendas at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, and we can invite premium global capital to our shores, but if the rule of law is weak, if property rights are insecure, and if an ordinary citizen or investor cannot count on swift, impartial justice, our entire economic baseline rests on sinking sand," he said.
According to the Finance Minister, government support extends beyond increased budgetary allocations to include the construction and rehabilitation of circuit court facilities, support for magisterial courts across the country, digitization of court records and proceedings, and the provision of logistics for judges, magistrates, public defenders and other judicial personnel.
He said the investments align with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, particularly its Rule of Law pillar, which seeks to strengthen public institutions and improve access to justice.
Ngafuan also pledged continued financial backing for the Judiciary's Strategic Plan (2026-2030), saying the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning will continue mobilizing domestic and donor resources to expand access to justice in all 15 counties, reduce case backlogs through an Electronic Case Management System, strengthen judicial ethics, modernize court operations through electronic filing and virtual hearings, and enhance public confidence in the justice system.
Highlighting the significance of the Professional Magistrate Training Program, Ngafuan noted that the initiative has produced qualified magistrates for more than 16 years and described the fifth cycle as a historic milestone because it was financed predominantly by the Government of Liberia.
"For over a decade and a half, previous cycles of this program relied heavily on the generous interventions of our valued international partners," he said. "But today, Cycle Five stands as a monumental milestone of sovereign ownership."
According to Ngafuan, more than 90% of the program's funding came directly from the Government of Liberia through the Judiciary's national budget, demonstrating the country's growing commitment to financing its own institutional development.
The minister also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve salaries and working conditions for judicial officers, noting that Supreme Court and subordinate court judges were among the first beneficiaries of the government's multi-year salary reform initiative launched in 2025.
He said magistrates and other judicial employees have also benefited from salary adjustments, although additional improvements remain necessary.
Turning to the graduates, Ngafuan cautioned that their greatest challenge would come after graduation, when they face pressure from politicians, business interests, relatives and other influential individuals seeking to influence judicial decisions.
"You will be offered financial inducements to look away," he warned. "You will face immense pressure from individuals who appear more powerful than you. In those dark hours of isolation, remember that the magisterial authority you wield is not your personal property; it is a sacred trust belonging to the Liberian people."
He urged the newly trained magistrates to build careers anchored in integrity rather than personal gain.
"A sharp lawyer or judge with integrity is a blessing to society," Ngafuan said. "A sharp lawyer or judge with no integrity is a menace to society."
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He further reminded the graduates that the Judiciary exists to serve the people.
"Do not punish the weak because they have no protector, and do not excuse the powerful because they have a name," he said. "The black robe, the seal, the title and the gavel mean nothing if the person wearing or holding them has no integrity."
Reflecting on reforms under the Boakai administration, Ngafuan maintained that the Judiciary has made measurable progress despite continuing challenges.
"The Judiciary President Boakai met on January 22, 2024, is not the same Judiciary that we see today," he said. "Today is better than yesterday, tomorrow will be better than today, and the day after tomorrow will be better than tomorrow."
He congratulated the graduates of Cycle Five of the Professional Magistrate Training Program and urged them to uphold the Constitution, dispense justice without fear or favor, and serve with discipline, humility and unwavering integrity.
