MONROVIA – Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, Chairman of Liberia’s Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT), has raised concerns over the FY2026 draft national budget, describing it as incomplete and insufficient to meet the operational needs of his unit. Speaking on the OK FM Morning Rush program on Monday, November 10, 2025, Martin said the draft budget appeared to lack critical support for the taskforce’s ongoing activities.
“Somebody sent me the draft budget and nothing is in it, and I think it is an oversight,” Martin told host Clarence Jackson. “The guys need to revisit it to ensure we are adequately supported.” He highlighted the operational constraints that continue to hamper AREPT, noting that the taskforce faces logistical challenges and expenses for intelligence gathering that strain its limited resources.
Martin also revealed that Liberia is pursuing a major asset recovery case in the British High Court, which could see approximately eight million dollars returned to the country. “We are currently making our case at the British High Court that could see eight million brought back to the country. I should be going there to make the case,” he told listeners.
Established to trace and reclaim funds and properties believed to have been wrongfully taken from the Liberian state, AREPT relies heavily on adequate budgetary support to fulfill its mandate. Martin stressed that without proper funding, the taskforce risks being unable to operate effectively or achieve its recovery goals.
The FY2026 draft budget, delivered to House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon on Friday, November 7, 2025, by Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, totals US$1.2 billion and assigns significant new resources to agencies responsible for governance reforms and public accountability. Among these institutions, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) emerges as one of the largest beneficiaries, with its budget rising from USD 2,990,962 in 2025 to USD 4,396,037 in 2026.
The General Auditing Commission (GAC), long regarded as the backbone of public financial scrutiny, also sees a substantial increase in its allocation, moving from USD 5,610,053 in 2025 to USD 6,355,053 in 2026. The additional funding is expected to strengthen audits, enhance investigative reviews, and ensure more timely assessments of government spending across ministries and agencies.
Integrity-focused institutions across the public sector have also benefited from increases in the proposed draft. The Office of the Ombudsman’s budget jumps from USD 451,378 in 2025 to USD 758,169 in 2026, while the Liberia Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (LEITI) sees its allocation rise to USD 686,485 from USD 585,894. These adjustments are aimed at strengthening compliance, transparency, and oversight in critical sectors.
The Internal Audit Agency (IAA) receives an increase from USD 3,338,272 in 2025 to USD 4,051,792 in 2026 to enhance internal controls and prevent financial mismanagement within government institutions. The Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), which combats money laundering and financial crimes, experiences one of the most significant jumps, from USD 1,820,980 in 2025 to USD 4,713,567 in 2026, signaling Liberia’s effort to align with international anti-money laundering standards.
Other governance institutions also see budget growth, including the Governance Commission, whose allocation rises from USD 1,907,898 to USD 2,311,324, and the Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC), which grows from USD 1,364,664 to USD 1,671,957. These increases are intended to support policy reforms, improve procurement oversight, and strengthen institutional modernization initiatives.
While the Boakai administration has emphasized a renewed focus on anti-corruption, governance reforms, and public accountability, Cllr. Martin’s comments underscore the need to ensure that operational units like AREPT receive adequate funding to carry out their mandates effectively. As the Legislature begins its scrutiny of the draft, civil society and integrity institutions will be closely monitoring how these allocations translate into functional support for Liberia’s fight against corruption and financial malpractice.
