Liberia: Youth Minister Says Employed Workers Took Cadet Stipends, Promises to Name Them and Recover the Money

What the report says

Liberia’s Youth and Sports Minister Cornelia W. Kruah said that some civil servants and private-sector employees enrolled in the government’s National Cadet Program and collected a monthly US$150 stipend meant for students and recent graduates. Her remarks were published in a Facebook post on Tuesday and reported by The Liberian Investigator in Monrovia on 2 September 2026.

Kruah said the ministry intends to identify anyone found to be ineligible, publicly name them, and require repayment of all funds received. She did not provide a number of suspected cases, individual names, or a total amount involved. According to the report, the ministry says it has a monitoring team that can detect misuse of the program.

The accusation also raises questions about the screening process for the cadet scheme, which the ministry had announced in late March with document verification requirements and eligibility rules limited to final-year students and people who had graduated within the previous two years. The 2026 program was designed to place more than 1,000 young Liberians in public and private institutions from May 11 through Oct. 31.

The issue matters because the stipend program is intended to support young people entering the workforce, while ineligible participation could reduce opportunities for qualified applicants. The Liberian Investigator said it sought further comment from Kruah but had not received a response by publication.