BudgIT Liberia Calls for Urgent Action -Wants Full Accountability in Lofa University Case

By Anthony Q. Jiffan, Jr.

MONROVIA – BudgIT Liberia, a youth-led civil society organization and member of the Government of Liberia’s Fiscal Transparency Advisory Group, has commended the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) for its diligent efforts in uncovering serious financial irregularities at Lofa County University (LCU), amounting to over USD $360,000, but calls for urgent accountability actions into the case.

The group which prides itself an organization committed to promoting transparency and accountability in public finance particularly in the education sector says it views the LCU case not just as a corruption scandal, but also a direct threat to national development and the future of Liberia’s youth.

The alleged misappropriation of critical education funds constitutes a severe breach of public trust and weakens the foundation of our country’s educational system, the youth group said.

“The LACC’s preliminary findings, which exposed schemes involving ghost employees, inflated payrolls, and unauthorized financial transactions, indicate a systemic failure in oversight,” said Mr. Abraham Varney, Team Lead at BudgIT Liberia.

He added: “When resources meant for classrooms and scholarships are misdirected, it is our students who ultimately suffer. This has long-term consequences for national development and the future prospects of an entire generation.”

Claiming dual roles as both civic advocates and advisory partners to the government, BudgIT Liberia urged President Joseph Nyumah Boakai to treat the ULC matter with the highest priority, calling for a swift, impartial, and comprehensive investigation, full legal accountability for all individuals involved regardless of position or political affiliation.

BudgIT Liberia advocates for structural reforms at Lofa County University and across the broader education sector to prevent future occurrences of this nature.

Key recommendations include: Strengthening internal audit mechanisms, enhancing transparency in procurement processes, making budget allocation and expenditure fully open to public scrutiny.

The group also called on all stakeholders including students, civil society organizations, development partners, and local communities to remain actively engaged and vigilant.

Only through collective action and an unwavering commitment to integrity can we fortify our public institutions and safeguard public resources for generations to come, it stated.