Finance Minister Ngafuan to Face Senate Scrutiny as Snowe Challenges Reported Salary Harmonization
Abraham Sylvester Panto 
CAPITOL BUILDING, MONROVIA: The Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, is to face formal scrutiny before the plenary of the Liberian Senate following a written communication from Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe, who has challenged reports that the national salary harmonisation policy has been unilaterally reversed at key public institutions, including the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the General Auditing Commission (GAC), and the Judiciary, without the involvement of the Legislature.
In his communication dated February 4, 2026, Senator Snowe characterized the matter as one of substantial public importance, asserting that statements attributed to the Finance Minister suggest a possible rollback of the National Remuneration Standardisation regime at selected government institutions, a development that, if verified, would have serious implications for governance, fiscal accountability, and constitutional propriety.
The Bomi County lawmaker maintained that the reported reversals raise profound legal and constitutional concerns, particularly in relation to legislative authorisation, adherence to the approved national budget, and compliance with existing statutes governing public sector remuneration, emphasising that any deviation from established frameworks without parliamentary consent would contravene constitutional principles.
It can be recalled earlier February, Minister Ngafuan, speaking during a public discourse on the Closing Argument, acknowledged that the government had formally adjusted harmonisation under both the FY2025 and proposed FY2026 budgets, stating unequivocally, “We have reversed harmonisation at LACC, GAC, and the Supreme Court bench,” while maintaining that the policy shift was targeted rather than indiscriminate.
Maintaining his stance, Senator Snowe further underscored that the National Remuneration and Standardisation Act of 2019, which provides the statutory foundation for salary harmonisation across the public sector, does not confer upon the Executive Branch unilateral authority to suspend or reverse its implementation, insisting that any modification must be undertaken through proper legislative procedures.
In his formal submission, the Senator requested that the Senate exercise its oversight mandate by inviting Minister Ngafuan to appear before the Plenary to clarify the accuracy of the reported reversals and to present any legal or statutory justification upon which such actions, if any, were predicated.
Beyond compensation, Minister Ngafuan framed the changes within a broader economic restructuring agenda, declaring that Liberia was transitioning from a “12-hour economy” to an “over 18-hour economy,” with energy sector investments absorbing the full allocation of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) funding for the year as part of efforts to expand productivity and industrial activity.
The development arises amidst ongoing Senate deliberations on the US$1.2 billion 2026 National Budget, within which Senator Snowe has previously advocated for a full restoration of pre-harmonisation salary levels for civil servants, contending that the current fiscal framework is sufficient to accommodate such an adjustment.
In response, the Senate Plenary resolved to refer Senator Snowe’s communication to the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims, and Petition, as well as Public Accounts and Audit, mandating them to conduct a thorough examination of the issue and report their findings to the full Senate within a two-week period.
