MONROVIA – Former Minister of Finance and Development Planning Samuel D. Tweah has launched a strong Christmas Day broadside against the ruling Unity Party (UP) administration, accusing it of deceiving Liberians with promises of a “golden age” while presiding over deepening hardship, institutional neglect, and what he describes as political doublespeak.
In a statement released on Thursday, December 25, 2025, Tweah said Liberians were “copiously hoodwinked” into believing that removing the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) from power would “rescue Liberia,” only to find themselves worse off two years later. According to Tweah, the reality of the so-called Rescue Mission has been marked by unpaid salaries, broken promises, and a reversal of gains made under the CDC-led government.
Citing conditions at the University of Liberia (UL), Tweah referenced a message attributed to UL instructor Eric Patten, who lamented that for the second consecutive December, university staff have gone unpaid for Christmas. Tweah described the situation as a stark indictment of the UP government, noting that UL families have been forced to “beg for Xmas for two straight years” while their salaries remain withheld.
Tweah contrasted this with what he called tangible interventions under former President George Manneh Weah, asking pointedly whether this is “the same UL” whose instructors’ salaries were raised by more than 60 percent under the CDC, and where free tuition was introduced, enabling over 10,000 Liberians nationwide to access higher education annually. He suggested that many who voted against the CDC in anticipation of better conditions are now confronting regret.
Expanding his criticism beyond the university, Tweah pointed to public school teachers reportedly owed three months’ salary, describing their silence as a mixture of shame and suffering. He recalled how teachers once protested against President Weah in 2019, blocking his vehicle in Monrovia, and implied that while similar protests have not been directed at President Joseph Boakai, the level of disappointment is no less severe.
Tweah took aim at explanations offered by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, dismissing claims that salary delays are due to “technical or systems issues.” He accused the UP administration of hypocrisy, noting that such explanations were fiercely rejected by the same political actors when similar justifications were offered during the CDC era.
Invoking George Orwell’s 1984, Tweah characterized the current political climate as one of deliberate doublespeak. “LIE IS TRUTH. WAR IS PEACE! FREEDOM IS SLAVERY!” he wrote, suggesting that the government has normalized contradictions and is attempting to mask failure through rhetoric and intimidation.
Rejecting the notion that the CDC was voted out due to poor governance, Tweah argued that Liberia’s current economic framework still rests on foundations laid during the CDC years. He cited the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact as evidence of international confidence and described the CDC’s economic stewardship, despite global shocks and the onset of COVID-19, as a “macroeconomic miracle” now being squandered.
Two years into the UP administration, Tweah said Liberia is witnessing “retrogression,” not reform. He accused the government of weaponizing the justice system against political opponents, describing the national security case against him as “bogus” and part of a broader pattern of political manipulation. While pledging continued respect for the courts, he declared an end to his silence on national issues.
Tweah announced that he will appear on December 30, 2025, on SPOONTALK in a one-on-one interview with Stanton Witherspoon, saying he intends to “correct the lies and set the record straight” about the CDC’s record in governance and development. He accused the Rescue Mission of operating “in the shadows” of former President Weah’s policies while denying their origin.
Concluding on a defiant note, Tweah said Liberians are now “reeling” from what he described as a historic political mistake and warned that the CDC is preparing for a fierce political comeback. “We are ready for battle in 2026,” he declared, framing the next electoral contest as a reckoning for what he sees as a failed rescue and a betrayed electorate.
