Ngafuan Emphasizes Efficiency, Transparency -Says Liberia Aims High with New Development Framework

MONROVIA – Liberia’s Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan must be a happy man as key partners open arms to embrace his government’s flagship program, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID). Yesterday, he heaped praises on the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework, describing it as a crucial roadmap for the country’s development, but his remarks also underscore the significant challenges that lie ahead. The framework’s ambitious goals, aligned with President Boakai’s ARREST Agenda, face hurdles including Liberia’s limited institutional capacity, infrastructure gaps, and the need for improved transparency and accountability in project implementation. Thus, he emphasized mutual accountability and speedy project delivery, and highlights the government’s awareness of these challenges and its commitment to results-driven governance. The Analyst reports.

Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has hailed the World Bank’s new Country Partnership Framework as a “five-year plan for Liberia,” declaring that the Bank’s alignment with President Boakai’s ARREST Agenda must translate into jobs, energy access, and real accountability for citizens.

Speaking before development partners, cabinet colleagues, private-sector representatives, and World Bank Country Manager Georgia Wallen, Minister Ngafuan described the CPF as a “five-year plan for Liberia” and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the framework delivers measurable impact for citizens.

Minister Ngafuan stressed that the CPF’s overarching goal, expanding “embellished jobs”—cannot be achieved without strengthening basic competencies across the population.

He emphasized that Liberia’s long-term stability since 2003 should serve as a foundation for building strong human capital.

“Many of us are here today because of strong foundations,” he said. “As we focus on jobs, we cannot forget to build people’s competencies. If people don’t have the knowledge and skills, the job will be tantalizing.”

The minister highlighted the link between reducing learning poverty and increasing employability, calling education “the solid foundation upon which we will build the superstructure.”

Agriculture as the Engine of Transformation

Ngafuan pointed to agriculture—where most Liberians are “vulnerably employed”—as the sector with the greatest potential to generate jobs.

“How do we transition from informality to formality?” he asked. “It cannot just be rudimentary. How do we go up the value chain?”

He said the CPF anticipates support for agro-industrial development that can help move the sector into higher-value, formalized employment.

Energy Access as a Catalyst for Growth

Energy, he noted, remains a critical constraint on private-sector expansion.

“At one point I said energy access is the engine of the private sector,” Minister Ngafuan averred, adding that Liberia aims to raise national energy access from around 10 percent in January to at least 75 percent within five years.

He credited the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and other partners for backing the ambitious “Mission 300” effort, including the Liberia Energy Compact.

Debt, Accountability, and Fast-Tracking Project Delivery

The minister delivered some of his bluntest remarks on the need for efficiency, transparency, and fiscal discipline in the implementation of donor-funded projects. He warned that Liberia cannot afford to be “the defaulter-in-chief,” stressing that sovereign debt performance has direct implications for private-sector confidence and access to finance.

“We are paying the debt… because we are tackling constraints,” he asserted. Improved government payment discipline, he argued, will help commercial banks trust the state, increase liquidity, and ultimately make capital more accessible for entrepreneurs.

The Finance Minister also criticized slow project execution both within government and among development partners and urged mutual accountability.

“One thing is to sign an agreement, but we need to move at deliberate speeds on both sides,” he said. He encouraged partners to tell the government “where we’re delaying you,” while noting that delays also occur within development institutions. He praised the World Bank Country Manager for being open to honest dialogue.

Turning Big Numbers into Real Impact

The minister cautioned that although upcoming project announcements under the CPF may include “big numbers,” citizens expect tangible results.

“When we put out big numbers, the people want big impact,” he said. “How do we transition from signing agreements to putting smiles on the faces of ordinary Liberians across the 15 counties?”

He said the government will prioritize energy and infrastructure“, the enablers of growth”, as it channels resources toward sectors with the highest potential for job creation.

Framework That Must Deliver

While applauding the launch of the five-year partnership, Minister Ngafuan stressed that the CPF “should not be a framework” in name only, but a vehicle for real change.

“At the end of the day, it should lead to positive changes in the communities,” he said. “That’s how we brighten the lives of our people.”

He underscored with a quote often used by President Boakai: “His task is not to spend all his time cursing the darkness. His task is to use his time lighting the candle.”

Also speaking at the event, World Bank Country Manager, Georgia Wallen reaffirmed the Bank’s long-standing partnership with Liberia, noting the country’s natural strengths in agriculture, forestry, and sustainable resource management.

Ms. Wallen emphasized that the CPF is built on deep national consultation and will focus on creating jobs, empowering women, supporting SMEs, and strengthening essential services.

For his part, UNDP Resident Representative Aliou Dia, indicated that the UN system, pledged full support through the upcoming UN Cooperation Framework 2026–2030, highlighting a shared commitment to delivering tangible results.

The launch marks the beginning of a new phase of cooperation between the Government of Liberia and the World Bank Group, with high expectations that the CPF will accelerate economic transformation, strengthen institutions, and improve livelihoods nationwide