[Monrovia, May 7, 2025]– To enhance budget performance and fast-track national development priorities, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) convened a high-level working session under the government’s Sectoral Deep Dives initiative.
Hosted at the MOA headquarters, the session brought together senior officials and technical teams from both ministries for a candid and results-driven dialogue to strengthen inter-ministerial coordination and improve service delivery, particularly in agriculture.
Leading the MFDP delegation, Finance Minister Hon. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan emphasized the government’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and timely action.
“The Sectoral Deep Dives are meant to foster honest conversations,” said Minister Ngafuan. “We are here with humility—to listen, assess, and act. Tell us where we’ve fallen short, how we can improve, and how our actions—or inactions—have affected your work. The Liberian people are impatient, and we cannot afford delays.”
While acknowledging fiscal challenges and the unpredictability of some external aid flows, Minister Ngafuan stressed the urgent need to optimize domestic resources and improve execution timelines.
“Our immediate focus must shift to maximizing available resources. We need to do more with what we have and deliver results that matter to ordinary Liberians,” he noted.
Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah welcomed the initiative, describing it as a “critical step toward aligning public finance with Liberia’s agricultural transformation agenda.”
Dr. Nuetah used the occasion to call for the urgent disbursement of funds already allocated for two flagship initiatives: the establishment of the Agriculture Enterprise Development Bank and the completion of eight mechanization centers across five counties.
“We are on the brink of launching a game-changing agriculture bank through a public-private partnership model,” said Dr. Nuetah. “With external investors already prepared to contribute 40% of the initial US$40 million capital, the release of the government’s committed US$4 million will set the wheels in motion. Our target is to launch by the end of June.”