Author: Julius Konton

By: Julius Konton Liberia has formally stepped up its transition toward a cashless economy, with Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan declaring that digital finance is now central to the government’s economic transformation agenda. Speaking at the official launch of Liberia’s Inclusive Instant Payment System (IIPS), Minister Ngafuan said the move marks a “giant step” toward modernizing the economy, widening financial inclusion, improving tax compliance, and reducing risks associated with cash-based transactions. “We are moving to a cashless society,” Ngafuan said. “Transformation does not happen by waving a magic wand. It takes deliberate planning, sustained effort, and coordinated…

By: Julius Konton Liberia has taken a major step toward modernizing its financial architecture with the launch of the Instant Inclusive Payment System (IIPS), a nationwide digital platform designed to enable real-time, secure, and low-cost electronic transactions across the country. The system was officially unveiled Tuesday at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Oldest Congo Town by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., under the auspices of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), marking what government officials described as a watershed moment in Liberia’s digital transformation agenda. “This is not merely a technological upgrade,” President Boakai said during the launch. “It is…

By: Julius Konton The Supreme Subordinate Council of the Knights of St. John International (KSJI) – Liberia has elected Nobel Sister, Cllr. Philomena Tugbe Williams, a prominent legal practitioner and President of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFLIL), as Supreme Subordinate President of the Supreme Ladies’ Auxiliary, marking a pivotal moment in the organization’s leadership and renewal agenda. Her election followed the Knights’ biennial national convention, held from December 10 to 14, 2025, in Harper City, Maryland County, under the theme:“Faith, Hope, and Charity: Our Journey with Christ, Guiding Our Legacy.” The convention drew delegates from across Liberia’s…

By: Julius Konton Liberia’s Finance and Development Planning Minister, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, has described the partnership between the Government of Liberia and the United Nations system as “strong, resilient, and tested,” particularly during a year marked by global economic uncertainty and major shifts in international development financing. Speaking at the signing ceremony of the United Nations Cooperation Framework, Minister Ngafuan said Liberia’s relationship with the UN had been reinforced not in moments of ease, but during what he called one of the country’s most challenging periods in recent years. “Partnerships and friendships are tested not in good times, but in…

By: Julius Konton Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. on Monday launched the Excellence in Learning in Liberia (EXCEL) Project, a nationwide education reform initiative expected to benefit more than 350,000 schoolchildren and strengthen the country’s fragile learning system through infrastructure development, teacher support, and systemic reforms. Speaking at the official launch at Monrovia City Hall, President Boakai described the initiative as a defining moment in Liberia’s long-running struggle to improve education outcomes after years of conflict, underinvestment, and institutional weakness. “This is more than the unveiling of a program,” Boakai said. “It is a statement of who we are…

By: Julius Konton Liberia’s Finance and Development Planning Minister, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, says President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration has already begun delivering what he described as an “early Christmas” for the Liberian people, pointing to a wave of positive developments across education, infrastructure, fiscal management and financial inclusion. Speaking on Monday at the launch of the Excellence in Learning Liberia (EXCEL) project in Monrovia, Ngafuan outlined a series of government interventions and donor-supported initiatives that he said demonstrate renewed momentum under the Boakai-led government. “Mr. President said his duty was not to curse the darkness, but to light a candle…

By: Julius Konton Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has established a Special Presidential Committee to review and recommend a final resolution to the long-standing dispute surrounding the Buchanan iron ore tailings stockpile in Grand Bassa County, a move government officials say could unlock one of the country’s most valuable dormant mineral assets. The Buchanan tailings estimated at approximately 11.6 million metric tons are widely regarded as having significant commercial and strategic value. Despite this potential, the stockpile has remained largely inactive for more than 20 years, stalled by licensing conflicts, unresolved legal claims, and regulatory uncertainty following the departure…

By: Julius Konton Liberia’s premier state-owned financial institution, the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI), on Saturday marked its 60th anniversary, a milestone celebration that doubled as a moment of candid reflection on the country’s banking challenges and a renewed commitment by government to restore financial sector confidence. Speaking at the commemorative ceremony, Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan congratulated LBDI on six decades of operation but openly acknowledged that the broader banking sector has not yet reached its full potential. “We are grateful for this milestone,” Ngafuan said, “but we are not entirely pleased with where…

By: Julius Konton Liberia’s long-running debate over agricultural financing has resurfaced following fresh claims by Senator Amara Konneh that the national budget continues to underfund the agriculture sector, potentially undermining economic growth and food security. But Budget Consultant S. Emmanuel Lloyd Sr. has pushed back strongly, arguing that the narrative of systemic underfunding ignores execution failures, donor financing realities, and the broader structure of agricultural development in a modern economy. In a detailed public response, Lloyd described the Senator’s claims as “misleading and incomplete,” asserting that headline budget figures alone do not accurately reflect the government’s real investment in agriculture.…

By: Julius Konton and Joseph Kerkula Royal Air Maroc has announced plans to commence air services linking Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, to major destinations in the People’s Republic of China beginning in 2026, marking a significant step in expanding Liberia’s international air connectivity and deepening economic engagement with Asia. The announcement was made by Royal Air Maroc’s Country Manager in Liberia, Bencharki Omar, during a high-level technical meeting held on Saturday, December 12, 2025, at the Boulevard Palace in Monrovia. According to Mr. Omar, the decision follows extensive market assessments conducted across Africa, with Liberia emerging as a strategic hub due…