IPNEWS: Former Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel D. Tweah Jr., has strongly defended the economic record and key policy decisions of the former Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government, while criticizing what he described as Liberia’s departure from a “positive national trajectory” following the 2023 general elections.
Speaking on Spoon Talk, Tweah addressed issues ranging from poverty statistics and salary harmonization to the ongoing legal proceedings involving former government officials.
According to Tweah, prior to the CDC’s ascension to power in 2018, an estimated 2.2 million Liberians were living below the poverty line. He said that during the CDC’s six years in office, the country faced unprecedented global shocks, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed an additional 600,000 Liberians into poverty.
“As it stands now, about 3.2 million Liberians are living in poverty,” Tweah stated, attributing much of the increase to external factors beyond the government’s control rather than policy failure.
On the controversial currency “mop-up” exercise, Tweah distanced the Ministry of Finance from the operation, clarifying that it was conducted by the Central Bank of Liberia.
“The mop-up exercise was carried out by the Central Bank, not the Minister of Finance,” he emphasized, dismissing claims that the Ministry unilaterally managed the process.
Tweah also mounted a strong defense of the harmonization policy, which standardized salaries across government institutions. He argued that the policy was not only necessary but stabilizing.
“No government will undo the harmonization policy in the next 50 years because it was a good policy,” Tweah asserted, adding that without harmonization, the CDC government “would have collapsed in 2020.”
He further noted that the current Unity Party-led government has no intention of reversing either the harmonization policy or the free tuition initiative introduced under the CDC administration.
“The Unity Party Government will not reverse the harmonization policy, and it will not reverse the free tuition policy, because these are standard policies,” Tweah said.
Addressing the legal case involving himself and other former officials, Tweah revealed that his actions were sanctioned at the highest level of government. He disclosed that as a member of the National Security Council, former President George Manneh Weah authorized him to approve and disburse funds to the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) for security-related operations.
“This is a major reason why I and others are currently in court,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Tweah predicted a political resurgence for the CDC, stating that the party is preparing to return to power with what he described as a “radical plan” for national transformation.
“CDC is coming back on a radical plan,” he declared.
He concluded by expressing concern over Liberia’s current direction, insisting that the 2023 elections marked a setback.
“The 2023 election took the country from the positive trajectory it was on under the CDC,” Tweah said.
The former finance minister’s remarks have reignited national debate over the CDC’s legacy, the sustainability of key public sector reforms, and the broader direction of Liberia’s economic and political future.By: Andrew B Weah, 0770637216/0886429103, andr,ewbweah@gmail.com
