By Selma Lomax, [email protected]
MONROVIA — A Finances Advisor on the Ministry of Finance and Improvement Planning, S. Emmanuel Lloyd Sr, has defended the integrity of budgetary transfers contained within the FY26 Nationwide Finances, whereas pushing again towards feedback made by Senator Amara Konneh, which he says misrepresent lawful fiscal practices and danger deceptive the general public on how authorities funds are managed.
Lloyd’s response follows a wave of public dialogue sparked by Senator Konneh’s remarks on the Home passage of the FY26 price range, a growth that has drawn consideration because of the senator’s former position as Minister of Finance and Improvement Planning and his present place as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts. Lloyd mentioned the feedback, coming from somebody with such intensive expertise in public finance, carry weight and subsequently demand factual accuracy and context.
In accordance with Lloyd, the senator’s statements painting routine and legally permissible budgetary transfers as indicators of fiscal indiscipline, a characterization he described as each inaccurate and dangerous to public confidence within the nationwide price range course of.
He mentioned the narrative being superior fails to differentiate between illegal spending and changes which are explicitly allowed below Liberia’s Public Monetary Administration Act.
Lloyd defined that whereas he’s usually cautious about responding to political {and professional} commentaries, particularly these launched on the shut of the workweek, he felt compelled to talk out on this case. He mentioned remaining silent would quantity to permitting misinformation to take root, significantly when the claims originate from a senior lawmaker entrusted with public accounts oversight.
He emphasised that budgetary transfers are a longtime characteristic of public monetary administration and are designed to assist authorities reply to unexpected circumstances, emergencies, and shifting nationwide priorities throughout the fiscal 12 months. Lloyd famous that these changes are solely made inside authorized appropriations and authorized thresholds and should not proof of indiscipline, as has been recommended.
He additional warned that nationwide conversations about fiscal coverage should be grounded in accuracy, duty, and proof, particularly when carried out by senior public officers. Lloyd mentioned alarmist interpretations of price range information weaken knowledgeable debate and distract from the true structural challenges confronting Liberia’s financial system and public funds.
To supply context, Lloyd pointed to budgetary practices throughout Senator Konneh’s tenure as finance minister. He recalled that in fiscal 12 months 2012 and 2013, transfers and reallocations from the Public Sector Funding Program reached 192.5 million United States {dollars} out of a complete authorized price range of 672.1 million {dollars}, representing 28.6 % of the nationwide price range. Lloyd mentioned such a stage of reallocation would ordinarily appeal to intense scrutiny below the legislation.
He contrasted that interval with fiscal 12 months 2013 and 2014, when transfers totaled 74.7 million {dollars} from a price range of 582.9 million {dollars}, amounting to 12.8 %, which he described as vital however nonetheless inside authorized boundaries. Lloyd then turned to fiscal 12 months 2025, which he mentioned has been unfairly portrayed as fiscally unstable, regardless of transfers standing at 33 million {dollars} by the tip of October and projected to achieve about 40 million {dollars} by the tip of December towards an authorized price range of 880.66 million {dollars}. He famous that this represents roughly 4.5 %, effectively inside statutory limits.
Primarily based on these figures, Lloyd argued that FY2025 doesn’t represent a fiscal emergency and shouldn’t be framed as such. He mentioned price range professionals should not capable of predict each occasion which will come up throughout a fiscal 12 months and that the legislation permits for discretionary reallocations to fulfill pressing nationwide wants when circumstances change.
Lloyd challenged Senator Konneh’s criticism of reallocations from the Public Sector Funding Program to assist the varsity feeding program following reductions in USAID assist. He famous that comparable reallocations had been praised below earlier administrations, together with the redirection of 13 million {dollars} in European Union funding initially earmarked for maternal well being packages to different authorities priorities.
He additionally questioned why reallocations made throughout Senator Konneh’s time as finance minister, together with funds related to the renovation of the Govt Mansion, should not subjected to comparable public criticism. Lloyd mentioned fiscal accountability requires consistency and that previous and current choices ought to be evaluated utilizing the identical requirements.
Outlining the usage of reallocations throughout fiscal 12 months 2025, Lloyd cited funding for by elections in District 5 of Nimba County, the reburial of former presidents and nationwide statesmen, settlement of presidency arrears owed to LIBTELCO, fee of Liberia’s dues to the African Peer Assessment Mechanism, acquisition and transportation of navy gear, medical help to former youth and pupil leaders, and expanded medical providers for kids below 5 on the John F Kennedy Maternity Middle. He careworn that none of those reallocations had been used to assist operational bills on the Ministry of Finance and Improvement Planning.
On the difficulty of Normal Claims, Lloyd rejected criticism of that price range class, explaining that it’s a clear mechanism for capturing expenditures that aren’t attributable to a single spending entity. He cited obligations reminiscent of debt compensation, curiosity funds, ECOWAS commerce levies, social advantages, and financial institution costs, that are nationwide in nature fairly than institutional. Lloyd recalled that in fiscal 12 months 2014 and 2015, Normal Claims totaled 60.4 million {dollars} and rose to 102.8 million {dollars} in fiscal 12 months 2015 and 2016, demonstrating that the follow is longstanding.
He additional pointed to the FY26 price range preface, which explains that some appropriations beforehand positioned below sure establishments have been reassigned to a brand new class referred to as Normal Authorities Expenditure. In accordance with Lloyd, this restructuring is meant to boost transparency, accountability, and the clear separation of institutional operational prices from normal authorities obligations, whereas preserving supervisory tasks.
Lloyd referred to as for a extra accountable and proof primarily based nationwide dialog on budgetary transfers. He urged lawmakers and public officers to floor their critiques in legislation and factual evaluation fairly than rhetoric. Whereas acknowledging the seriousness of Liberia’s fiscal challenges, he mentioned they’ll solely be addressed by way of disciplined price range execution, constructive legislative oversight, and sincere engagement with the general public.
Lloyd maintained that correctly regulated and transparently reported budgetary transfers stay official instruments of sound monetary administration. He warned that portraying them as illegal or sinister with out proof misleads the general public and weakens nationwide fiscal discourse, including that Liberia’s focus ought to stay on the accountable and efficient administration of scarce public assets within the nationwide curiosity.
