By: Melvin Flomo
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Nimba County Senator Samuel G. Kogar has called for an immediate Senate investigation into what he says is a blatant violation of the 2021 Natural Resource Revenue Sharing Law by the Ministry of Finance in the drafting of the FY2026 National Budget.
In a communication to the Senate plenary, Senator Kogar described as “unacceptable” the government’s failure to allocate the legally required 10 percent of natural resource revenues to mineral-producing counties—particularly Nimba, which he says will contribute an estimated US$200 million to the national budget through iron ore operations. Despite that projection, only US$3 million has reportedly been allotted to Nimba in the proposed FY2026 budget.
The Senator emphasized that Chapter 6 of the Revenue Sharing Law mandates that 10 percent of resource revenues “shall be transferred directly to the county of origin,” meaning Nimba should receive at least US$20 million. He said the current allocation contradicts the law and mirrors Liberia’s historical pattern of “growth without development,” especially during the 1960s when mining operations increased national income but left host communities impoverished and abandoned.
Kogar warned that Liberia risks repeating past mistakes if the law continues to be ignored, adding that unchecked extraction could again leave “pigpens of mining sites” with no meaningful development. He also highlighted ongoing negotiations for the extension of ArcelorMittal’s concession agreement, which he says could tie Liberia to more than 50 years of iron ore extraction—making fair revenue distribution even more urgent.
The Nimba lawmaker noted that a fully implemented 10 percent allocation would enable counties like Nimba to invest in long-term development projects that could outlive the depletion of natural resources. He referenced global examples such as the United Arab Emirates, which used resource revenues to diversify their economies and secure sustainable futures.
Beyond revenue sharing, Senator Kogar drew attention to challenges facing key public institutions in Nimba, particularly the G.W. Harley Memorial Hospital. The hospital, he said, is seeking to expand its services with new dental, ocular, autism, and emergency departments but lacks the resources to operationalize them. He is requesting that at least US$150,000 be added to the national budget to support the hospital’s expansion.
Responding to concerns about the county’s access to its Social Development Fund (SDF), Kogar clarified that the SDF is reserved for community-level development and cannot be used to finance government-owned institutions such as hospitals or schools unless in cases of emergency. He stressed that the central government remains responsible for funding and maintaining public infrastructure.
Senator Kogar added that he is working closely with other Nimba lawmakers—including Representative Samuel G. Wamah, who serves on the Ways, Means, and Finance Committee—to ensure the proper corrections are made to the budget. According to him, the communication submitted to the Senate strengthens the team’s collective push for full compliance with the law.
He concluded by insisting that the Ministry of Finance has no authority to overlook statutory mandates and urged the Senate Committees on Judiciary, Ways, Means, and Finance to investigate and ensure that every provision of the 2021 Revenue Sharing Law is reflected in the national budget. Enforcing the 10 percent allocation, he said, is not only a legal obligation but a moral duty to ensure fairness and development for Liberia’s resource-bearing communities.
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