MONROVIA – Grand Kru County Representative and former House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa has announced plans to introduce a proposal calling for the establishment of a US$25 million Social Safety Net Fund aimed at assisting vulnerable Liberians with essential needs such as school fees and rent.
In a Facebook post published on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Cllr. Koffa said he intends to present a formal letter before the House of Representatives on Thursday, urging his colleagues to back the initiative. He emphasized that the measure is intended to cushion ordinary citizens against the harsh economic realities currently affecting the country.
“When the town is hard, the government must intervene,” Koffa wrote. “Even the great United States provides relief through food stamps and other social programs.”
The former Speaker argued that the government has both the moral and financial capacity to create such a fund, proposing several cost-cutting and reallocation measures to make it possible. According to him, the Social Safety Net Fund could be financed by reducing lawmakers’ benefits, cutting back on foreign travels, limiting government vehicle purchases, redirecting resources from the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), and borrowing from NASSCORP.
“Our people are restless and crying for relief,” Koffa stressed. “The town is hard, and we must act now.”
His proposal comes amid growing public frustration over rising living costs, limited job opportunities, and the perceived lack of government intervention in social welfare. Many Liberians have taken to social media in recent months to express disappointment over economic hardship, prompting renewed debate over the role of government in providing direct assistance to struggling households.
If adopted, Koffa’s initiative could represent one of the most significant legislative moves toward creating a structured welfare program in Liberia, a country where social safety nets remain largely absent and poverty continues to affect a large portion of the population.
