MONROVIA – As The Analyst reports, the Government of Liberia has launched its 2025 National Budget Outreach and FY2026 Pre-Budget Consultation in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, marking a significant step towards fiscal decentralization and citizen inclusion in the national budget process.
The Government of Liberia has officially launched its 2025 National Budget Outreach and FY2026 Pre-Budget Consultation in Sanniquellie, marking a significant step in its Open Budget Initiative (OBI) to decentralize development and incorporate citizen feedback directly into the national budget.
The launch, led by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) on Saturday, is designed to demystify the national budget and strengthen fiscal transparency. The event provided citizens with updates on the current FY2025 budget while soliciting their views and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.
Deputy Finance Minister for Fiscal Affairs, Hon. Anthony G. Myers, who formally launched the program, underscored the symbolic importance of holding the event outside the capital. “The choice of this location is very significant,” he stated. “It is a signal of our commitment to decentralization, which is an underlying principle for all the legal and policy frameworks that guide the OBI.”
He emphasized that the national budget is the primary tool for turning policy into action. “The budget is the tool for decentralization,” Deputy Minister Myers said. “It provides resources for County Development Agendas, builds schools, improves healthcare, supports farmers, creates jobs, maintains roads, and delivers essential services.”
To illustrate this commitment, Myers announced a major initiative to distribute 85 road-building equipment across the country. “Each county will have a set of five road building equipment,” he said, addressing past maintenance challenges by confirming that dedicated funding for their operation and upkeep has been captured in the budget and will be managed through county development agencies.
Echoing the theme of transparency, Deputy Finance Minister for Administration, Hon. Bill McGill Jones, stressed that the OBI demonstrates the government’s concrete dedication to openness and accountability. “The National Budget may seem technical, but it reflects our collective priorities and aspirations,” Hon. Jones stated. “It is about the quality of education our children receive, the strength of our healthcare system, the roads that connect our communities, and the opportunities that improve our daily lives.”
The government presented its mid-year fiscal report during the launch, an action framed as a duty and a means of building public trust. Officials from the MFDP, including Assistant Budget Director Carolyn Myers, outlined the consultation agenda, which educates citizens on how public funds are raised and spent.
The event drew participants from diverse groups, including students, people with disabilities, civil society organizations, and the business community. Discussions centered on government allocations to counties, transparency in budget implementation, and how citizens can track local spending.
Representing the local administration, Prince Nyae, proxy for the Superintendent of Nimba County, welcomed the initiative as a critical opportunity for residents to present their challenges. He emphasized the need for improved road networks, stronger healthcare and education systems, and better support for agriculture.
The launch in Nimba positions the national budget not as a distant technical document, but as a participatory process.
As Deputy Minister Anthony Myers told the audience, “Your voices will guide how we plan our spending and ensure that national development is driven by the needs of the people.”