Liberia: Konneh Says Country's Growth Is Bypassing Citizens

Gbarpolu County Senator Amara M. Konneh has warned that Liberia's improving economic growth figures are failing to translate into meaningful improvements in citizens' living conditions, pointing to rising living costs, weak implementation of public investment projects, limited agricultural growth and gaps in petroleum-levy collections.

Reporting to the Liberian Senate on Tuesday following his constituency break, Konneh used his address to connect the challenges facing rural communities with broader concerns about public financial management, the national budget and the government's development priorities.

His central argument was that economic growth must be judged not only by gross domestic product (GDP), revenue collection or the size of the national budget, but also by whether citizens have access to roads, functioning schools, healthcare, security and employment opportunities.

"The government is right, and the numbers it has announced are true," Konneh said of the reported economic expansion. "But the people are right, too. They are not feeling it."

The senator cited reported real GDP growth of 4 percent in fiscal year 2024, 5.1 percent in FY2025 and 5.5 percent in FY2026. He argued, however, that inflation remained higher than growth during each of those periods, continuing to put pressure on household purchasing power.

His intervention comes as the government prepares the FY2027 national budget, with the senator cautioning lawmakers against building expenditure commitments around temporary revenue gains while longstanding infrastructure and social-service needs remain unresolved.

Konneh grounded his economic argument in two constituency visits to Nguowolala and Gbarma districts, where he said residents raised concerns about transportation, education, healthcare, security and drug abuse.

In Kpayekorlleh, Nguowolala District, the senator reported the dedication of a ferry capable of carrying up to 25 tons, financed through appropriations for legislative projects. He described communities separated from major economic corridors by rivers and the absence of adequate roads, leaving farmers dependent on footpaths and makeshift routes to move agricultural produce.

Residents welcomed the arrival of road-construction equipment but expressed concern about delays in government financing and whether the machines would translate into completed roads.

The community's concerns extended to school conditions and the absence of adequate police presence.

The experience, he argued, illustrates why economic growth must be accompanied by effective delivery of basic services and infrastructure that connect rural producers to markets.

In Gbarma District, Konneh met with parent-teacher associations, elders, students and teachers from Gbarma and Vaye Town High Schools. He described the schools as struggling with leaking roofs, inadequate facilities, the absence of laboratories and libraries, and shortages of classroom furniture.

He said he had committed to working with the district education authorities and the Ministry of Education to support rehabilitation efforts, while stressing that the schools also require instructional materials and qualified teachers.

"If we cannot keep our rural high schools and our county and regional universities ... open and functioning well, then we are exporting poverty to Monrovia," he told the Senate.

The constituency account presents a practical test for the government's development agenda: whether national spending priorities are reaching communities where poor roads, inadequate schools and limited public services constrain economic opportunity.

A major part of Konneh's report focused on the work of the Special Senate Committee reviewing petroleum levies intended to finance county equipment and community social development.

The senator said the committee had reconciled Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) product-lifting records against Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) collection data for October through December 2025 and January through June 2026.

According to his preliminary findings, 25 importers lifted approximately 107 million gallons of petroleum products during the period, with 21 allegedly underpaying the applicable levies.

Konneh identified Bea Mountain Mining Corporation as the largest reported discrepancy, saying the company lifted 16.4 million gallons of automotive gas oil but paid no levies against the amount in question, leaving an alleged liability of US$1.8 million. He said this represented 55 percent of the total gap identified by the committee.

The senator added that the company claimed a duty-free exemption and said the committee would ask the Minister of Finance to provide the legal basis for that exemption within 72 hours.

The figures and alleged liabilities were presented as preliminary committee findings.

The dispute nevertheless raises a significant public-finance question: whether petroleum levies intended to support county equipment and community development are being assessed and collected consistently, and whether any exemptions are properly authorized and documented.

Konneh said the committee would recommend a "No Pay, No Lift" policy, requiring the LPRC to withhold petroleum products until the LRA confirms payment in real time through a digital system supported by a commercial bank.

Konneh also reported continued work by the Joint Public Accounts Committee on the Roberts International Airport (RIA) highway project and government transitory accounts held in commercial banks.

On the highway, he cited concerns arising from the Auditor General's findings, including questions about whether construction is proceeding according to the approved design, why costs are increasing, and whether disbursements correspond to physical progress. The senator did not provide a complete breakdown of the alleged cost increases or the specific findings under review in his address. The committee's forthcoming report is expected to provide greater detail on the project's financial and implementation status.

On transitory accounts, Konneh said the General Auditing Commission had found that public revenues remained in commercial banks for days before being transferred to the Consolidated Account. He questioned why the government would allow public funds to remain in commercial banks while borrowing from those same institutions at high cost to finance operations.

"This is unacceptable," he said, adding that the committee would report on the matter shortly.

The concern touches on public cash management: delays in transferring government revenues can complicate oversight and potentially increase borrowing costs, although the full financial implications depend on the amounts involved, the duration of the delays, applicable banking arrangements and the government's cash-flow position.

Together, the two matters underscore Konneh's broader contention that budget allocations alone do not guarantee development. Project design, procurement, timely disbursement, implementation and transparent accounting determine whether approved resources produce tangible results.

In his economic assessment, Konneh argued that the composition of Liberia's growth is as important as its overall rate.

He cited mining and panning growth of 16.6 percent, with the sector accounting for 23.4 percent of GDP, while agriculture--the sector he said employs approximately 70 percent of Liberians--grew by only 1.3 percent.

The figures, as presented by the senator, illustrate a potential disconnect between the sectors generating economic output and those providing livelihoods for a large share of the population.

Mining can contribute substantially to GDP, government revenue and export earnings.

Agriculture, by contrast, supports rural livelihoods and food production but depends heavily on roads, storage facilities, affordable inputs, financing, extension services and reliable market access.

Konneh argued that stronger performance in extractive industries will not automatically create jobs in nearby towns or improve household incomes unless linkages with local businesses and communities are strengthened.

He also cited public investment execution in health and education at approximately 4 percent, which he presented as evidence that approved resources were not being translated into services quickly enough.

That figure requires clarification regarding the period and calculation used, but the underlying concern is significant: low execution of development spending can leave schools unrepaired, health facilities understaffed and infrastructure projects incomplete even when funding appears in the budget.

For Konneh, the challenge is therefore twofold--expanding productive activity while ensuring that public spending reaches the sectors and communities most likely to convert growth into jobs and better living conditions.

The senator identified fuel prices as another major factor affecting the cost of living, transport and business operations. The gasoline prices increased from L775toL985 between October 2024 and September 2026, while diesel rose from L840toL1,235--a 47 percent increase in diesel prices over the period.

Konneh acknowledged that international market conditions and external geopolitical developments can influence fuel prices beyond the government's direct control. His concern was that the impact is amplified in Liberia, where imported goods and road transportation play major roles in the domestic economy.

Fuel costs affect the movement of agricultural produce, the price of food in local markets, public transportation and the operating expenses of small businesses that rely on generators or fuel-powered equipment.

The senator said a previous Senate investigation he co-chaired with Senator Nuquay found that consumers had been overcharged by L$131 million because of the use of an incorrect exchange rate in petroleum pricing calculations. That finding, as described in his statement, points to the importance of transparent pricing and effective regulatory oversight.

Read the original article on Liberian Observer.