By By: Alphanso G. Kalama
Monrovia, Liberia — Samuel D. Tweah Jr., the former Finance Minister, has launched a scathing critique of the Unity Party (UP) government following its recent agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which appears to validate the previous administration’s harmonization policy. Tweah is calling for the UP to publicly apologize for misleading voters during the 2023 elections regarding their intentions on wage reform.
In its Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP), the UP announced plans to “slightly reduce” the nominal wage bill from US$305 million in 2023 to approximately US$270 million in 2024. Tweah contends that this cut of US$34 million contradicts the government’s claims of reversing previous wage harmonization efforts.
“Current trends indicate that the wage bill will exceed US$300 million in 2024,” Tweah stated, suggesting that the new Finance Minister may need to request a revision of the MEFP. He labeled the government’s statements as misleading and indicative of a deeper misunderstanding of fiscal realities.
Tweah emphasized that reducing the wage bill further entrenches the harmonization policy that began under the previous administration, which successfully lowered the wage bill from 10 percent of GDP to 7.1 percent over four years. He argues that to truly reverse harmonization, the UP would need to restore higher salary levels that had previously been targeted for cuts, not further reduce the wage bill.
“The UP deceived the Liberian people about its true intentions regarding harmonization,” Tweah charged. “They are building on a structure we established, not dismantling it as they promised.”
He also criticized the government for failing to provide promised salary increases to health workers and university instructors. The former minister pointed out that significant portions of the budget for these increases, promised by the prior administration, remain unfulfilled.
Furthermore, Tweah raised concerns about the ongoing verification of civil servants, which has been problematic, and cautioned the current administration against politicizing financial data. He urged the government to be transparent and accountable to the public.
“The UP must come clean with the Liberian people about its plans and commitments,” he stated. “We need honesty and factual discourse in our public discussions.”
As scrutiny of the UP government intensifies, many citizens await clarity on wage reforms and the fulfillment of past promises as the political landscape continues to evolve.
