Monrovia – The Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, has reaffirmed the Government of Liberia’s commitment to settling outstanding debts owed to media institutions and all other entities with legitimate claims.
Minister Ngafuan made the assurance on Tuesday when the President and Vice President of the Publishers Association of Liberia (PAL) paid him a follow-up visit to inquire about the status of long-outstanding media payments.
“Thank you for coming to do a follow-up. We have received your debt report from the General Auditing Commission and will work on its payment,” Ngafuan said. “We are under obligation to pay all debts owed by the government—not only to the media, but to other institutions as well.”
PAL President Alphonso Toweh and Vice President Bai Best said the visit was intended to obtain clarity from the minister on when payments would resume.
The Finance Minister stressed that the government places high value on the role of the media in society and has no intention of undermining it.
“The media is very pivotal in every society, and we as government will not do anything to undermine it,” he said. “Once we owe you, we will pay you. You worked for it, and we are under obligation to pay—not only the media, but all entities and individuals the government is indebted to.”
Ngafuan recalled that he made similar assurances earlier this year in the United States during the annual convention of the Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas, where he pledged that the government would clear media debts. Upon his return, he said, the first batch of payments was made, with a second tranche now due.
He added that servicing debt enhances the government’s credibility and encourages business confidence. “Under the Public Financial Management Law, the first obligation is to pay debt—not any other payment,” he noted.
For his part, PAL President Toweh urged the minister to honor his commitment, stressing that prolonged delays are crippling media institutions.
“The media is struggling. How do you expect us to survive when payments take so long?” Toweh asked. “We commend you for making efforts to pay debts inherited from previous administrations. We urge you to clear everything before the end of this year so we can move ahead with our professional work.”
Responding, Minister Ngafuan said the government intends to make further payments before year’s end, though he stopped short of guaranteeing a zero balance.
“We will pay before the end of this year,” he said. “We are like a mother of twins—we give some here and there—but let us see.”
Vice President Bai Best also called for faster settlement, noting that the media remains financially vulnerable. “We are a small body. When debts remain unpaid for long periods, it affects our ability to operate. We look forward to a complete settlement,” he said.
Minister Ngafuan concluded by emphasizing the importance of an independent media.
“We want the media to remain independent,” he said. “If we are wrong, write it. If we are right, say it. Your reporting helps us navigate our way forward.”
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