GoL Confirms Receiving Balance of COVID-19 Funds -Calls for Audit of Fund, Alluding to Numerous Challenges

MONROVIA – The government of Liberia has admitted receipt of balance of fund used to fight the deadly COVID-19 pandemic – fund that has been subject of heated controversy in the country. The monies were managed by the World Food Program but accusing fingers have been pointed at the erstwhile Coalition for Democratic Change government, specifically its Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, Jr., as mismanaging them; allegations Tweah loudly denied during a conference last weekend. But as The Analyst reports, the current administration says it is concerned about the scrupulous expended, as there were “numerous implementation challenges”, and it is thus calling for an audit by the General Auditing Commission.

The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), has issued a press statement, confirming receipt of US$937,000) from the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

It is not known whether the government’s timely release is a result of the press conference held during the weekend by former Finance and Development Planning Minister Tweah where he not only refuted allegations from other quarters that he had embezzled COVID-19 monies but decried official silence over the controversial.

The GoL release however indicated that the funds represented the unutilized balance from the 2020 COVID-19 Emergency Food Assistance Program and were officially remitted to the Government’s Consolidated Account at the Central Bank of Liberia on July 3, 2025.

The reallocation of these funds to support the national Home-Grown School Feeding Program was not a recent decision, nor was it initiated by Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan as some speculations suggest. Instead, the National COVID-19 Food Assistance Steering Committee—established under the administration of former President George Weah—made the recommendation in late 2022 following an internal review of the remaining resources from the program.

Chaired by the then Minister of Commerce, the Steering Committee comprised Ministers State, Finance and Development Planning, Justice, Agriculture, Education, civil society organizations, and other development partners. Their final report concluded that the unspent funds—part of the over US$25 million allocated for emergency food response—should be redirected to strengthen food security for schoolchildren.  

According to a source familiar with the arrangement, approximately 20 percent of the total remaining funds—about US$234,000—was earmarked for direct implementation by WFP, which had been overseeing school feeding efforts in Liberia until recently. The remaining US$937,000 has now been transferred to the Liberian government’s coffers, completing WFP’s financial obligation under the previous agreement.

“The funds are now available at the Central Bank of Liberia,” the source confirmed, noting that the government intends to “ring-fence” the amount to safeguard its use. The Ministries of Agriculture and Education are expected to jointly manage the initiative, with a strong emphasis on procuring locally produced rice and other staples. This approach aims to feed school-aged children while simultaneously stimulating the domestic agricultural sector.

Sources say officials in the current administration are keen about the WFP’s recent disbursement merely operationalizing a decision made under the previous government and endorsed by key stakeholders. “This is a continuation of a policy direction that they fully support,” Our source remarked. The delay in implementing the Steering Committee’s recommendation was partly attributed to the 2023 general elections and the subsequent transition of government.

The timing of this intervention is crucial. Liberia, like many developing countries, has been affected by recent cuts in international aid for school feeding programs—most notably by USAID. The redirected COVID-19 balance is therefore expected to play a vital role in maintaining nutritional support for school children amid shrinking donor contributions.

Renewed Calls for Transparency and Audit

While the refund and repurposing of the funds have been widely welcomed, civil society groups and governance watchdogs are renewing calls for an independent audit of the entire COVID-19 food aid operation. WFP previously disclosed that it spent US$23.838 million of the original emergency allocation, leaving an unspent balance of US$1.17 million, of which US$937,000 has now been returned.

In June 2021, the Liberian Senate instructed the General Auditing Commission (GAC) to conduct a comprehensive audit of the WFP-managed program. This followed widespread allegations of mismanagement, irregular procurement practices, and incomplete financial documentation. At the time, then-Deputy Information Minister Eugene L. Fahngon—now serving as Director General of the Liberia Broadcasting System—emphatically stated, “It is the people’s money,” arguing that WFP must be held to account.

However, four years on, no audit findings have been published, raising concerns over transparency and the credibility of emergency fund management in Liberia.

Background: The Home Food Support Program

The Home Food Support Program (HFSP), launched in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, was designed to provide direct food assistance to vulnerable households during lockdowns. The initiative was financed through US$25 million from the Government of Liberia, supplemented by US$10 million in donor support.

Despite its noble intentions, the program was marred by numerous implementation challenges. Key issues flagged during preliminary reviews include:

• Discrepancies in laborer payments and overcompensation

• Missing bank statements and incomplete reconciliations

• Irregular procurement processes and opaque contractual arrangements

To date, the public remains uninformed about the results of the mandated audit, and there has been no official timeline provided for its release.

As the government moves forward with the Home-Grown School Feeding Program, public trust will likely hinge on greater accountability, proper fund utilization, and sustained efforts to ensure that vulnerable children continue to receive the nutritional support they need—while local farmers are empowered through market access.