Govt. Assigns Financial Comptroller to UL -Ahead of Payroll Verification

MONROVIA – The Government of Liberia has deployed a financial comptroller to the University of Liberia (UL) as part of efforts to enhance fiscal accountability and streamline spending at the public institution.

According to officials familiar with the decision, the move follows approval by the University of Liberia’s Board of Trustees to proceed with a comprehensive verification of the university’s payroll. The process is expected to begin with the September 2025 salary cycle.

Sources confirm that the university’s leadership, including department chairpersons, college deans, vice presidents, and the university president, will be required to endorse the salary roster as part of the verification protocol. This step is intended to validate staffing levels and identify any irregularities in salary disbursements.

Government insiders say the deployment of the comptroller forms part of a broader initiative to tighten financial oversight within state-run institutions, particularly those receiving significant public funding.

Concerns about the university’s financial management have been longstanding. According to internal data shared by university officials, approximately US $32,000 of UL’s monthly US $33,000 budget is allocated to salaries, leaving minimal resources for essential operations and academic programming.

By scrutinizing the payroll and placing a dedicated financial officer on-site, authorities hope to recoup misallocated funds and rechannel them toward critical academic and infrastructural needs.

Established in 1862, the University of Liberia is the country’s oldest and most prominent public university. It has faced recurring financial hurdles, including inconsistent payroll records and limited operational funding, prompting repeated calls for reform and greater transparency.