By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA – The House of Representatives has taken a critical step toward establishing a $25 million National Social Safety Net Fund, aimed at providing direct relief to vulnerable Liberians struggling with school fees and rent payments.
The move was triggered by a formal communication from Grand Kru County Electoral District #2 Representative, Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, who painted a picture of the economic hardship facing ordinary citizens. In response, the Plenary has mandated its Joint Committee on Education, Ways and Means, and Youth and Sports to conduct a thorough review of the proposal and report back with findings within two weeks.
In his letter to the House Speaker, Hon. Richard Nagbe Koon, Rep. Koffa argued that despite mixed macroeconomic indicators, the Liberian family is in a state of crisis. He described a nation where families become “migratory,” forced to move repeatedly when rent is due, and where heads of households avoid going home to evade landlords.
“The driver who drives our children to school has his own children sitting at home, forbidden to come outside because of the shame associated with inability to pay school fees,” Koffa wrote, highlighting the profound social impact of the economic strain.
He sharply contrasted this reality with what he termed “huge legislative and executive benefits, large and luxurious foreign travel, the purchase of new and more expensive vehicles, and wasteful government spending.” The lawmaker asserted that a “Government of humans must lift itself to a higher moral order” and act with urgency and compassion.
Proposed Funding Mechanisms
To fund the proposed $25 million relief fund without placing an undue burden on any single group, Rep. Koffa outlined a series of patriotic adjustments to government spending. The proposed funding streams include: Reducing Benefits: Cutting non-essential benefits and allowances across the three branches of government, Limiting Travel: Reducing foreign travel for all public officials, except for those on critical national missions.
Others ways include: Curbing Vehicle Purchases: Limiting the acquisition of new vehicles within government ministries and agencies, Utilizing Public Assets: Redirecting a portion of the operational surplus from the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) and Strategic Borrowing: Borrowing a portion of the required funds from the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), to be repaid over time.
“These are not extraordinary sacrifices,” Koffa stated. “They are reasonable and patriotic adjustments to ensure that our people can survive these difficult times.” With the House’s directive, the Joint Committee now carries the responsibility of scrutinizing the feasibility of the fund and its proposed financing. Their report, expected in a fortnight, will be crucial in determining the proposal’s fate as the legislature prepares to deliberate on the 2026 National Budget.
The call for a social safety net aligns Liberia with practices in advanced economies, which Rep. Koffa noted, such as the United States’ food stamps and rental assistance programs. The initiative comes as a significant legislative effort to translate fiscal discipline into direct, life-changing support for the nation’s most vulnerable.
