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Claim: Abraham Darius Dillon, Montserrado County Senator and Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, has claimed that the 2025 national budgetary allocation for the University of Liberia is $35 million.
Verdict: False! DUBAWA’s investigations have revealed that the 2025 budgetary allocation for the University of Liberia is not $ 35 million, as claimed. The budget for the University of Liberia in 2025 is $33,981,284, as revealed by the approved 2025 national budget developed by the country’s Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Full Text
The Montserrado County Senator, Abraham Darius Dillon, has claimed that the budgetary allocation for the University of Liberia in 2025 is $35,000,000.
Participating in a radio discussion on Punch FM 106.7, the lawmaker said,
“You do not tell the people that the education sector has $100 million, and in that $100 million, the University of Liberia went from $24 million to $33 million last year. This year it is $35 million. The public does not understand these things, so when they see a lawmaker in a coat suit, that is the budget money right there.”
Senator Abraham Dillon made the statement between 31:19 and 31:46 minutes in the live video.
Data on Facebook shows that as of April 25, 2025, the video generated 344 reactions, 126 comments, 21 shares, and 22,000 views.
DUBAWA decided to probe the claim as part of its campaign against misinformation and disinformation in Liberia.
Verification
To verify the claim, DUBAWA first contacted the claimant to determine the source of his claim. However, as of April 27, 2025, the claimant has not yet responded to the inquiry.
DUBAWA then reviewed the approved national budget for 2025 as published on the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning website to determine the amount approved for the University of Liberia.
On page 299 of the approved national budget, specifically budget code 302, the total allotment for the University of Liberia is not $35,000,000, as alleged by the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Instead, $33,981,284 has been allocated for the state-run University of Liberia for the 2025 fiscal year.
A screenshot of page 299 of the approved national budget of Liberia for 2025.
DUBAWA later conducted a Google keyword search to determine whether data was online to support Mr. Dillon’s claim.
However, no credible evidence supports the lawmaker’s claim that the 2025 budget allocation for the University of Liberia is $35,000,000.
Conclusion
The claim by Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon that the University of Liberia received a budgetary allocation of $35 million in the 2025 national budget is false. The actual approved amount is $33,981,284, as recorded in the official budget document from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
