Deputy Minister for Youth Development Alphonso Belleh has strongly denied allegations of political interference and financial obstruction surrounding the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY) ahead of its General Assembly and election. The accusations, raised by FLY leadership, suggest that Belleh intentionally withheld funds to influence the outcome of the elections. In response, Belleh described the claims as unfounded and clarified that the delay in disbursing FLY’s subsidy was due to a budgeting error at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), not any deliberate action by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
According to Belleh, he was not present at the Ministry when FLY submitted its subsidy request. When the request was eventually forwarded to Finance, only about USD $3,000 was mistakenly allocated instead of the full amount. To correct the error, Youth and Sports Minister Cllr. Jeror Cole Bangalu formally intervened on October 13, 2025, writing to Finance Minister Hon. Augustine K. Ngafua to request the full allotment of USD $23,700.00 needed to support FLY’s participation in the General Assembly. Belleh emphasized that once a funding request is submitted, it becomes the responsibility of the beneficiary organization to follow up with Finance, especially given the government’s broad financial obligations. He also clarified that the Ministry’s role is to provide oversight—not influence—over youth organizations.
He cited the proactive engagement of other youth groups such as the Muslim Youth, the Liberia National Student’s Union (LINSU), and the Mano River Union Youth Parliament (MRU-YP), all of which have actively followed up on their respective allocations with Finance. To reinforce his point, Belleh referenced three memos submitted by the Directorate of Youth Development. On August 14, 2025, a request for USD $23,700.00 was made for LINSU. On the same date, another memo requested USD $25,000.00 for MRU-YP. More recently, on October 16, 2025, a subsidy request for USD $29,220.00 was submitted for the Muslim Youth Organization of Liberia.
These precedents, Belleh noted, demonstrate the Ministry’s consistent approach to supporting youth organizations through formal channels. He dismissed the allegations as procedural misunderstandings and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to impartiality, transparency, and equitable support for all youth organizations. He stressed that the Ministry remains open to collaboration and has no personal stake in FLY’s elections. The statement aims to calm tensions, clarify the administrative process, and reinforce the Ministry’s stance on neutrality and fairness in youth sector governance.
