The latest adjustment raises the budget from US$1.249 billion to US$1.294 billion, which the Executive has defended it as a “necessity to close financing gaps and strengthen public service delivery.”
Government has pushed the 2026 national budget to US$1.294 billion.
The upward trend of the budget follows the submission of an additional US$45 million supplementary budget to members of the 55th Legislature.
The happening has intensified public scrutiny, and raised questions about fiscal priorities, transparency and national security allocations.
The latest adjustment raises the budget from US$1.249 billion to US$1.294 billion, making it the largest proposed national budget in the county’s history.
The Executive Branch has defended the increase as “necessary to close financing gaps, and strengthen public service delivery.”
Critics argue that the spending pattern reveals deep structural imbalances and questionable policy choices at a time of mounting economic pressure.
The supplementary request, submitted on behalf of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, is reportedly supported by US$40 million in delayed World Bank budget support, and an additional US$5 million generated from improved domestic revenue collection.
The proposal was formally presented to the members of the Legislature through Acting Finance and Development Planning Minister, Anthony G. Myers, during a special sitting.
It has since been referred to the Joint Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Public Accounts for detailed scrutiny.
According to government sources, the additional funding is intended to reinforce health, education, infrastructure, and selected security institutions under the administration of ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
Officials insist the budget expansion reflects efforts to address emerging fiscal pressures and sustain ongoing development programs.
Despite the justifications, the supplementary budget has triggered widespread criticism from civil society actors, and segments of the public, who argue that the allocation framework is both “uneven and politically questionable.”
As members of the Legislature begin the review of the supplementary budget, pressure is said to have mounted on the Executive to defend its spending choices and justify misaligned priorities in a period of economic strain and heightened public expectations.