Author: Julius Konton

By: Julius Konton Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, has formally commended staff of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) following what he described as a historic and rewarding fiscal year, marked by the timely passage of the country’s US$1.249 billion National Budget for Fiscal Year 2026. In an appreciation note circulated to ministry staff, Minister Ngafuan praised the collective effort that led to the budget’s approval on Thursday, December 18, 2025, after concurrence by the Liberian Senate, following earlier passage by the House of Representatives. The budget,…

By Julius Konton The Executive Director of InfoQuest Liberia, Matthias Yeanay, has renewed calls for deeper and more structured engagement of Liberians in the diaspora as a critical pillar in rebuilding the country’s health system, stressing that remittances alone are no longer sufficient to meet Liberia’s development challenges. Mr. Yeanay made the remarks while serving as a panelist at the Diaspora Annual Return Dialogue 2025, held as part of month-long activities commemorating Liberia’s flagship diaspora engagement initiative. The panel focused on the theme: “Leveraging Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) to Improve Liberia’s Health Sector.” “I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute…

By: Julius Konton Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. on Sunday, December 21, held a cordial telephone conversation with United States President Donald J. Trump, underscoring renewed diplomatic engagement between the two longtime partners at a pivotal moment in Liberia’s national and international trajectory. According to the Executive Mansion, the high-level discussion focused on mutual strategic interests, including regional peace and stability in West Africa, democratic governance, economic development, and security cooperation. The exchange comes as Liberia consolidates recent governance reforms and assumes a more prominent role on the global stage. President Trump conveyed warm greetings to President Boakai and…

By: Julius Konton In a rare convergence of scholarship and statecraft, Liberia’s Director-General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Dr. Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., on Saturday officially launched his doctoral dissertation as a published book, placing workplace gender inequality at the center of national and international policy discourse. The high-profile event, held at Monrovia City Hall, drew senior government officials, academics, civil servants, development partners, and members of the diplomatic community, underscoring the growing urgency of gender equity in Liberia’s public and private sectors. Dr. Joekai, who also serves as Chair of the Board of the President’s Young Professionals Program…

By: Julius Konton Since the end of Liberia’s civil war in 2003, the country has received more than US$10 billion in foreign aid, according to estimates from the World Bank, OECD donors, and bilateral partners. Yet nearly two decades later, Liberia remains among the 10 poorest countries in the world, with over 50 percent of its population living below the poverty line, youth unemployment exceeding 70 percent, and basic infrastructure still fragile. US-based Liberian activist and development critic Tennie Jallah says this outcome is not accidental, It is structural. In a controversial intervention that is reigniting debate among economists, policymakers,…

By: Julius Konton Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. on Friday commissioned the newly constructed headquarters of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), marking what the government describes as a strategic step toward revitalizing the country’s petroleum sector and strengthening national energy governance. Speaking at the ceremony held near the Executive Mansion in Monrovia, President Boakai said the new facility represents more than an administrative upgrade, describing it as a “critical institutional investment” aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and coordination within Liberia’s oil and gas industry. “This headquarters must serve as a center of accountability, innovation, and results,” President…

By: Julius Konton US-based Liberian activist Tennie Jallah has issued a stark warning on Liberia’s development trajectory, arguing that the country’s chronic underdevelopment is not driven by a lack of ideas, resources, or international support, but by a persistent failure of leadership priorities, fiscal discipline, and political courage. According to Jallah, decades of lofty promises on poverty reduction, youth empowerment, and inclusive growth have failed to translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of ordinary Liberians. Instead, he says, the country remains trapped in a paradox where the cost of governance continues to rise while opportunity for the majority continues…

By: Julius Konton Liberia has entered the Compact Development Phase of its second Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact after the U.S. government reaffirmed the country’s eligibility, a milestone widely viewed as a strong vote of confidence in Liberia’s governance reforms, anti-corruption efforts, and democratic credentials. Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan said the new phase typically lasting 12 to 24 months marks the most critical stage of the MCC process, during which priority sectors are finalized, projects are fully designed, and funding ceilings are determined based on U.S. Congressional appropriations. “We are not going to snail-pace this process,”…

By: Julius Konton The Liberia Football Referee Association (LIFRA) has commended the leadership of the Liberia Football Association (LFA), under President Mustapha I. Raji, following the approval of an increase in referees’ indemnity, a move widely viewed as a major boost to the welfare and professionalism of match officials across the country. The decision was reached during the final Executive Committee meeting of the LFA for the 2025 football year, held on Thursday, December 18, where a series of resolutions aimed at strengthening football development at all levels were adopted. A Strategic Investment in Match OfficialsIn an official statement, LIFRA…

By: Julius Konton Liberia is intensifying efforts to address the hidden psychological scars left by decades of civil conflict, as civil society organizations, academic institutions, and international partners expand trauma-informed peacebuilding initiatives across the country. On Wednesday, December 17, 2025 , the Foundation for Research, Education & Empowerment (FREE Liberia), in partnership with the Liberia Institute for “Growing” Patriotism (LIGP), the Angie Brooks International Centre for Women’s Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace & Security (ABIC), and Cuttington University, convened a one-day Trauma Relief Cluster Training at the Liberia Learning Center in Paynesville. Held under the theme “Healthy People Build a…