By: Anthony Q. Jiffan, Jr.
MONROVIA – Margibi County District #5 Representative Clarence Gahr has warned that he and several lawmakers will refuse to sign or vote on the national budget if the government fails to grant full financial independence to Liberia’s anti-graft institutions.
Speaking at the National Anti-Corruption Financing Policy Dialogue organized by the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), Gahr said Liberia’s fight against corruption will remain “political theatre” unless bodies such as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) receive guaranteed funding free from executive manipulation.
Gahr, who chairs the House Public Accounts and Expenditures Committee, stressed that financial independence must not depend on “the pleasure or convenience” of the Executive or the Ministry of Finance but should be safeguarded by law. He cited countries such as Antigua, where anti-graft institutions operate with strong autonomy and protection from political interference.
He added that operational autonomy—including the ability to hire staff based on merit without influence from the President, Legislature, or any agency—must align with predictable, uninterrupted financial flows.
Gahr insisted that anti-corruption institutions should receive their annual budget in two installments: 50 percent in January and 50 percent in July, a system he said would prevent funding delays that cripple investigations. Politically motivated interference, he warned, can derail prosecutions, especially when suspects have allies in government.
“If these reforms are not honored, I will not sign the budget report, I will not vote on the budget, and I will challenge the leadership to show moral courage,” he declared.
He noted that the Public Accounts Committee supports ongoing policy dialogues and called for mid-year spending reviews between June and August to assess institutional challenges. Such reviews, he said, should include top national leaders, including the Speaker, Pro-Tempore, and the Office of the Vice President.
Gahr also criticized officials who deliver bold anti-corruption speeches but fail to act when accountability is required. “Committing to what you speak in public is what truly matters,” he said.
He thanked CENTAL for convening the dialogue and reaffirmed the Legislature’s willingness to ens
ure “additional, timely, and protected” funding for Liberia’s anti-graft institutions.