By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
Senator Amara M. Konneh of Gbarpolu County has raised concerns over what he described as a growing disconnect between Liberia’s improving macroeconomic indicators and the harsh realities confronting ordinary citizens, urging lawmakers to address poor infrastructure, rising living costs, weak public service delivery and an escalating drug crisis.
Speaking Tuesday on the floor of the Liberian Senate following the Legislature’s constituency break, Konneh said his engagements with residents across Gbarpolu revealed widespread frustration over the lack of tangible benefits from reported economic growth and increasing government revenues.
The senator’s remarks combined a constituency report, updates from key Senate investigations and a policy warning as the government prepares the Fiscal Year 2027 national budget.
Konneh told fellow senators that his recent visits to Nguowolala and Gbarma districts highlighted longstanding development challenges facing rural communities.
In Kpayekorlleh Town, Nguowolala District, he held a town hall meeting and participated in the dedication of a ferry financed through legislative appropriations. The ferry, capable of transporting up to 25 tons of goods, is expected to improve movement across riverine communities largely isolated from major economic corridors.
Despite expressing appreciation for government efforts, residents raised concerns about inadequate road infrastructure, poor healthcare services, weak educational facilities and the absence of law enforcement personnel.
According to Konneh, community members questioned when the government would deploy police officers to help maintain law and order, while healthcare workers appealed for volunteer medical personnel to be placed on the government payroll.
“They asked for roads, security, schools and healthcare,” the senator said, noting that citizens were seeking opportunities rather than handouts.
During a separate visit to Gbarma District, Konneh met with students, teachers, parent-teacher associations and local leaders from Gbarma and Vaye Town High Schools.
He described conditions at both schools as alarming, citing leaking roofs, overcrowded classrooms, lack of libraries and science laboratories, and shortages of qualified teachers and instructional materials.
The senator warned that failure to sustain rural schools and higher-learning institutions would accelerate migration to Monrovia and deepen poverty in the countryside.
“If we cannot keep our rural high schools and our county and regional universities functioning effectively, then we are exporting poverty to Monrovia,” he cautioned.
Konneh also provided an update on the work of the Special Senate Committee investigating petroleum levies intended to support county development equipment and community social programs.
The committee, which he chairs, reviewed records from the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), and petroleum importers covering October 2025 through June 2026.
According to preliminary findings, approximately 107 million gallons of petroleum products were imported during the period under review.
The investigation found that 21 of 25 importers allegedly underpaid required levies.
Konneh said the largest discrepancy involved Bea Mountain Mining Corporation, which reportedly lifted about 16.4 million gallons of automotive gas oil but made no levy payments. The committee estimates that approximately US$1.8 million remains outstanding.
While the company has reportedly claimed duty-free status, Konneh said the committee would request legal documentation from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to justify any exemption.
“No company is above the law,” he declared.
The committee is expected to recommend stricter enforcement measures, including a “No Pay, No Lift” policy that would prevent petroleum products from being released without real-time verification of levy payments.
As Co-Chair of the Joint Public Accounts Committee, Konneh also highlighted ongoing investigations into the Roberts International Airport (RIA) Highway project and the management of government transitory accounts.
He said auditors’ findings raised concerns about the highway’s construction, claiming that implementation appears inconsistent with approved engineering designs while overall project costs continue to increase.
The committee is reviewing expenditures against actual work completed.
In addition, lawmakers are examining government revenue held temporarily in commercial bank accounts before being transferred into the Consolidated Account.
Konneh argued that allowing public funds to remain in commercial banks while government simultaneously borrows from those institutions at significant cost represents poor fiscal management.
“This is unacceptable,” he told the Senate.
Central to Konneh’s address was his effort to explain why many Liberians say national economic growth has not translated into improved living conditions.
He acknowledged government reports showing economic expansion, noting that real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth reportedly increased from 4 percent in Fiscal Year 2024 to 5.5 percent in Fiscal Year 2026.
However, he argued that several structural factors continue to limit the benefits reaching ordinary households.
First, he pointed to inflation, which has remained higher than GDP growth despite gradually declining. As a result, he said, household purchasing power continues to erode because prices are still rising faster than incomes.
Second, Konneh argued that growth has largely been concentrated within the mining sector, which contributes significantly to GDP but creates relatively few jobs.
While mining expanded by approximately 16.6 percent, he noted that agriculture, which provides livelihoods for most Liberians, grew by only about 1.3 percent.
“GDP grows, but jobs do not necessarily grow where people live,” he said.
Third, the senator criticized low execution rates for public investment projects in education and health, arguing that budgeted programs often fail to materialize on the ground.
As a result, communities continue to face deteriorating schools, understaffed health facilities and poor roads despite national budget increases.
Konneh devoted considerable attention to rising fuel prices, describing petroleum costs as a hidden tax affecting nearly every aspect of daily life.
He noted that Liberia’s heavily import-dependent economy relies extensively on road transportation for commerce and distribution.
According to the senator, increases in gasoline and diesel prices over the past two years have contributed to higher transportation costs, increased food prices and growing pressure on small businesses.
He also referenced findings from a previous Senate investigation that allegedly identified more than L$131 million in overcharges linked to foreign exchange rate calculations used in fuel pricing.
Improving transparency, strengthening collection systems and enforcing petroleum regulations, he argued, could provide immediate consumer relief.
Looking ahead, Konneh urged caution as government begins preparing the FY2027 national budget.
He warned that Fiscal Year 2026 revenues were boosted by a one-time concession bonus estimated at US$200 million and should not be treated as a permanent source of funding.
According to him, maintaining expenditures at current levels could create a structural budget deficit ranging between US$100 million and US$150 million.
The senator proposed six reforms, including aligning spending with sustainable revenue projections, streamlining procurement processes, strengthening support for agriculture, improving petroleum pricing transparency and reviewing fuel levy structures to lower transportation costs.
Perhaps the most urgent issue raised by Konneh was what he described as a growing drug epidemic among Liberia’s youth.
He said that during community meetings throughout Gbarpolu, concerns about kush, tramadol and marijuana frequently overshadowed discussions about roads and infrastructure.
The senator warned that economic growth would mean little if young people continued falling victim to addiction, unemployment and crime.
“We are growing a generation of addicted young people,” he said.
Konneh called for greater funding for the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, establishment of rehabilitation centers outside Monrovia, compulsory drug education in schools, stronger community reporting mechanisms and expanded agricultural employment opportunities for at-risk youth.
He further urged the Senate to convene a joint hearing involving the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Youth and Sports before finalizing discussions on the 2027 budget.
Concluding his address, Konneh said his return from Gbarpolu delivered two clear messages from his constituents: ensure that county development levies are properly collected and used, and make economic growth more inclusive.
“A road without youth to use it is empty,” he said. “A school without students with clear minds is wasted.”
The senator’s remarks underscored mounting concerns that while Liberia’s economic indicators may be improving, citizens continue to demand evidence that growth is translating into better roads, functioning schools, quality healthcare, jobs and safer communities. As debate over the FY2027 budget approaches, those issues are likely to dominate legislative discussions in the months ahead.
