Liberia: Fmr. Speaker Koffa Joins Call for Social Safety Net

In a country where survival often depends on daily hustle and community goodwill, Liberia’s most vulnerable citizens, particularly people living with disabilities, continue to bear the brunt of a harsh economy.

From the streets of Monrovia to the back-roads of rural towns, their struggles are visible, their pleas for relief echoing louder each day.

Against this backdrop, former House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa added his voice to the growing calls for government intervention. In a post on Facebook that has since sparked national debate, Koffa announced plans to submit a formal proposal to the House of Representatives seeking the creation of a $25 million Social Safety Net Fund. The fund, he said, would help Liberia’s most vulnerable-including persons with disabilities, pay for essentials such as rent and school fees.

“When the town is hard, the government must intervene,” Koffa wrote. “Even the great United States provides relief through food stamps and other social programs. Our people are restless and crying for relief. The town is hard, and we must act now.”

The Lawmaker’s call came barely 24 hours following protest staged at the ground of the Executive Mansion by a group of disabled people-most being visually impaired calling on President Joseph Nyumah Boakai to dismiss Samuel Dean who is also a disabled person and serving as their leader. Dean is the director of the National Commission on Disability (NCD).

According to the disenchanted protesters, he is not working in their interest as nothing appears to change in their living conditions. They accused Dean of misappropriating over US$1 million to the disable community through his office but accountability on the money is yet to be made.

They lamented that they continue to find it difficult to pay their children’s school fees as well as pay rent for where they sleep, each-calling on the government to do something about their prevailing situations.

A Daily Battle for Survival

For people living with disabilities in Liberia, “the town is hard” is not just a figure of speech — it is a daily reality.

On any given day in central Monrovia, dozens of physically challenged men and women line the sidewalks near Broad Street and other parts of the city, begging for small amounts to buy food or medicine. Many are victims of childhood polio, road accidents, or the civil war that left thousands disabled.

Thirty-five-year-old Sarah Wleh, a single mother who lost her leg in an accident a decade ago, sells phone recharge cards on Randall Street. Her crutches are worn from years of use, and her small earnings barely cover rent.

“I want to send my daughter to school, but sometimes even food is a problem,” she said. “We hear government talking about development, but people like us are forgotten.”

Sarah’s story mirrors that of many others who feel left behind as the cost of living surges. Transportation, food, rent, and healthcare costs have all climbed sharply in recent months, stretching the already limited resources of people with disabilities.

Limited Opportunities, Endless Barriers

Despite efforts by the National Commission on Disabilities and a handful of advocacy groups, access to jobs, education, and healthcare for people with disabilities remains severely limited.

Public buildings, including most government offices, lack ramps and accessible restrooms. Job openings often exclude applicants with physical limitations. In many communities, stigma and discrimination continue to erode self-worth and limit participation in public life.

“There is no dignity in begging, but when you have no alternative, what can you do?” said Joseph Kollie, who moves around in a wheelchair he built himself from scrap metal. “We need empowerment, not sympathy.”

A Proposal With Promise — and Questions

Cllr. Koffa’s proposal for a Social Safety Net Fund has been widely welcomed as a potential game changer. He suggested financing it by cutting legislative benefits, reducing foreign travel, limiting vehicle purchases, redirecting resources from the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), and borrowing from NASSCORP, (the national social security institution.)

However, questions remain about the support from his colleagues at the House of Representatives and onward a concurrence from the House of senate as well as how such a fund would be managed and whether it could reach those most in need.

Liberia has a history of well-inattention initiatives being derailed by bureaucracy, poor targeting, or corruption. Still, Koffa’s proposal is a crucial step forward.

“If properly managed, this fund could provide real relief,” said Rebecca Gaye, head of the Disabled Women Empowerment Network. “We’ve been calling for inclusion in the national budget for years. What we need now is action, not just sympathy.”

A Call for National Compassion

Economists warn that Liberia’s fragile post-pandemic economy and heavy reliance on foreign aid could limit the feasibility of a $25 million fund. Yet, for many, Koffa’s call reflects a moral imperative rather than a fiscal debate.

Prince Kamara, a graduate of African Methodist Episcopal Zion University (AMEZU) in Economics said Liberia’s push for relief to crises such the widespread poor conditions of people living with disability requires practical steps, not politics. “Economic problems are not political issues. This is why government needs to use the right and expert opinions that can translate into tangible solutions,” Kamara told The Liberian Investigator.

“A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable,” said Rev. Samuel Johnson, a community advocate in Paynesville. “If people with disabilities continue to beg for survival, then we have failed as a nation,” Johnson averred.

As the House prepares to deliberate on Koffa’s proposal, expectations among Liberia’s most vulnerable remain cautious but hopeful.

For Sarah, Joseph, and thousands like them, the idea of a government-backed safety net represents more than policy — it is a glimmer of dignity and security in a country where both have long been elusive.

“If they can really do it, if they can really help us pay rent or send our children to school-that would change our lives,” Sarah said softly. “We just want to live like everyone else.”

Liberia’s last national census conducted in 2022 estimated that more than 150,000 citizens live with disabilities. Most rely on informal work or community aid to survive. The proposed Social Safety Net Fund, if put into action, could become the first large-scale government program aimed at providing direct relief to vulnerable groups.

By Liberian Investigator.