MONROVIA – Contrary to her recent public claims of abandonment by the Boakai administration, official documents from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) indicate that former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has been receiving her full constitutionally mandated benefits since leaving office in January 2024.
The revelation sharply contrasts with statements made by Madam Howard-Taylor during a live appearance on the widely followed “Spoon Talk” show on Sunday, April 6, where she claimed the Unity Party-led government had refused to provide her with any of her post-service entitlements. She described her condition as dire, alleging she had not received a single official vehicle and was forced to use private means of transport. “I was left stranded at the Executive Mansion during the inauguration and had to wait under a tree for a ride,” she told viewers.
However, financial records reviewed by Smart News Liberia show a different reality. According to internal MFDP documents, the former Vice President has been receiving her retirement package in accordance with existing policies that apply to former officials. The records confirm that for the month of March 2025, Madam Howard-Taylor received a U.S. dollar payment of $782.52, representing 70% of her monthly entitlement. In addition, she was paid LRD $66,311.52, equivalent to the remaining 30% of her benefit in Liberian dollars.
Overall, the total gross benefit for the month amounted to USD $11,643.83 and LRD $986,714.62. These figures fall in line with the standard benefits disbursement model used by successive administrations, including the Weah administration under which Howard-Taylor served as Vice President.
The system allocates 70% of the benefit package in U.S. dollars, while the remaining 30%, referred to as the Local Dollar Residual, is paid in local currency. This practice is consistent across the board for all former high-ranking officials entitled to post-service compensation.
