Claim: A student leader at the University of Liberia says the 2026 draft budget of the legislature has been “increased by over 40%.”
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s analysis of the budget shows that the legislature’s budget increased by 14%, not over 40%.
Full Text
The government of Liberia has announced the nation’s 2026 draft national budget, totalling approximately $1.2 billion.
The announcement has generated some controversy.
Providing his perspective on the budget, the secretary general of the Student Unification Party (SUP) stated that the budget is structured to cater to what he calls the elite class.
According to Odecious Mulbah, the government is risking the improvement of the people of Liberia and marginalising the country’s practical development.
Mulbah said, “You increased the budget of the legislature to up to 40 percent,” just so you can satisfy a few people.
He can be heard from 16:19 to 16:24 of the show.
To promote truth in the information ecosystem, DUBAWA verifies the Secretary General’s assertion of SUP.
Verification
DUBAWA analysed Liberia’s 2026 draft national budget, which the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning publishes.
To know if the legislature’s budget increased by 40%, as the secretary general of SUP claims it, DUBAWA checked the legislature’s approved 2025 budget.
As shown on page 3 of the budget, approximately $44,344,708 was budgeted for the national legislature in 2025.
In the 2026 draft national budget, $51,710,390 has been proposed, with an increment of $7,365,682.
This shows that the legislature’s budget is expected to increase by 14%, not by 40%, as Mulbah claimed.
Conclusion
Therefore, Odecious Mulbah’s assertion that the 2026 draft budget of the legislature increased by over 40% is false.