Monrovia – For the second time, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan has taken the baton to serve as Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), this time, he has promised to meet up with the huge expectations from the Liberians.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972)-[email protected]
Mr. Ngafuan first became Finance Minister in 2008 and departed the Ministry in 2012. After 12 years, Mr. Ngafuan is back after taking over from Acting Minister Anthony Myers, who is the current Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs.
Speaking Monday at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning conference hall, Minister Ngafuan said his coming back at the ministry is the fulfillment of God’s will.
According to Minister Ngafuan, the will of God is that Liberia should develop and that Liberians should smile and hope that tomorrow will be better than today.
“So, I am fully aware that the expectations of the Liberians are huge. And let me thank President Boakai for summoning me back to the battlefield,” Minister Ngafuan said.
According to him, every citizen, whether in faraway counties, has ambitions for the future, adding that it is their duty at the ministry to be the instruments that help the Liberian people realize their dreams.
He added: “The weight is on the President and the Vice President as elected officers and we are the appointees through whom the promises must be delivered and I have come committed and very passionate about the ambitions of the people.”
“Every six year we talk about the ambitions of politicians but my focus is more on the ambitions of the people,” Minister Ngafuan said.
Mr. Ngafuan further outlined his vision for fostering a performance-driven culture within the ministry.
“I will work with the Deputy Minister for Administration and others; we need to create a Performance-driven culture where employees do not worry too much during political transitions. By now, I should be looking in files saying who is this but I don’t have it,” he said.
He stressed the importance of integrity alongside competence and qualifications in government’s roles.
“In the Ministry of Finance, we are going to be looking at qualification, competence and integrity in our hiring of staff. But competence and qualification alone are not sufficient to do the job. What is critical in all of this is integrity,” he said.
Minister Ngafuan added: “Reason this is so important is if you are qualified and competent and you don’t have integrity, you are a danger to the state. We do not want danger to the state.”
Also, Minister Ngafuan called for a stronger collaboration with international partners and stakeholders, stressing the need for them to act with deliberate speed to achieve positive results.
“The time spent in developing concepts and executing tasks must not detract from the immediate needs of those who are affected,” he explained.
Still speaking, the minister underscores the need to enhance efficiency within the governance system. He emphasized the ministry’s role in expediting processes and eliminating unnecessary delays.
Minister Ngafuan outlined a commitment to improving operational efficiency at the Ministry, stressing that processes related to allotment and expenditure need significant reform.
“It may appear ambitious but the goal is that things must move without being pushed. It is a loaded commit, it should push itself. Do your part,” Ngafuan stated.
He acknowledged the ambitious nature of these goals but remained steadfast in his belief that processes should be self-sustaining and require minimal external pressure.
“It is an assembly line. If there is an issue, you raise it transparently. We review it but things must move without being pushed,” he added.
