Liberia: Witherspoon’s Attack On Finance Minister Sparks Allegations of Proxy War for VP Koung
Spoon Talk host Stanton Witherspoon called Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan a “bold face liar” over the government’s $150 minimum wage claim — an attack that some political figures now say could be part of a proxy war on behalf of Vice President Jeremiah Koung.
Witherspoon confirmed to The Liberian Investigator that he texted the minister after a press briefing last week: “You are a bloody liar menh… are you living in reality???” His outburst came after Ngafuan declared that “no one on the central government payroll makes less than $150,” a statement that drew both scrutiny and skepticism.
Gray and Doe Point to Political Motives
The clash over wages has spilled into politics, with Montserrado County lawmaker Acarous Moses Gray and Spoon Talk panelist Isaac Doe arguing that Witherspoon’s aggressive stance is not just about salaries but about shielding Koung and undermining his rivals.
“Stanton will soon start going against Kogar, because the truth is he is trying to rebuild the MDR,” Doe said during a recent broadcast, referencing the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction, the party founded by Koung’s political godfather, the late Senator Prince Johnson.
Gray suggested that Witherspoon’s editorial line is tilting toward boosting Koung’s 2029 ambitions. “This man has the greatest soft spot for Jeremiah Koung,” he remarked. He added, “They say after Boakai Ngafuan wants to run to be President, this man is Koung’s man, so he deals with Ngafuan to give Koung added advantage.”
Both men contend that Spoon Talk, one of Liberia’s most listened-to shows, has become a platform for clearing the path for Koung by targeting officials seen as obstacles.
Witherspoon Rejects Allegations
Witherspoon, however, dismissed suggestions that he is running interference for the vice president. He told The Liberian Investigator that his criticisms are aimed squarely at Liberia’s governance failures.
“What I care to do with Koung? Koung also has his own issues,” he said. “It’s all about Liberia and the folks that are suffering every day.”
The talk show host maintained that his sharp rebuke of Ngafuan reflects the frustrations of ordinary Liberians who, despite official figures, continue to complain about low take-home pay and rising costs of living.
Ngafuan Defends Wage Policy
The controversy started with Ngafuan’s assertion that the government is in compliance with the Decent Work Act, which mandates a minimum wage of $150 for formal workers.
“We can categorically say that no one on the central government payroll is making less than $150 gross,” Ngafuan said at his press conference. He explained that deductions — such as taxes, social security, and insurance — reduce net salaries but do not change the gross wage level.
“It is misleading to say otherwise,” he added. “That’s not how salary structures work anywhere, not in Liberia, not in the U.S.”
Policy and Diplomacy Overshadowed
The finance minister used the same press briefing to outline the Boakai administration’s recent diplomatic and economic gains, but his clash with Witherspoon has overshadowed much of that message.
Ngafuan said President Joseph Boakai’s recent visit to Japan produced firm commitments: an extension of the Somalia Drive to the Gabriel Tucker Bridge, expanded support for JFK Medical Center, and new investments in housing, agriculture, and renewable energy through the Japanese development agency, JICA.
He also announced that the World Bank’s new Country Partnership Framework will channel $500 million into Liberia over the next five years, focusing on agribusiness, tourism, and energy. The International Finance Corporation, he said, is backing a 20-megawatt renewable energy project with private investor SCARTEC and weighing additional investments in Liberian businesses.
Ngafuan further disclosed that AfriExim Bank is exploring restructuring Liberia’s ELWA-RIA Highway loan and financing climate-related infrastructure, while the country remains eligible for a second Millennium Challenge Corporation compact.
By Liberian Investigator.
