Tweah; A silent performer in President Weah’s administration

by King Richard

Samuel Tweah, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning of Liberia, has been recognized as one of Africa’s top 25 finance leaders for his remarkable efforts in improving Liberia’s economic conditions under President George Weah’s leadership. His continuous hard work in preventing the loss of government resources to ghost workers and saving over $3 million USD, generating employment across various ministries and agencies, and adding over two thousand health workers to the payroll to earn over $11 million USD in salary and emoluments earned him this recognition.

Mr. Tweah’s active participation in fulfilling President

Weah’s promise to improve the economic lives of people has led to loaning over $3 million USD to small and medium-scale business owners, enabling them to become active participants in advancing the nation’s economy and improving the living standards of their households. The top 25 African finance leaders list includes renowned personalities such as Mrs. Rindra Rabarinirinarison, Minister of Economic and Finance, Madagascar; Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank; Hajia Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Nigeria; Hon. Renganaden Padayachy, Minister of

Finance, Economic Planning, and Development, Mauritius; Lesetja Kganyago, Governor, South African Reserve Bank (SARB); and others. Before becoming the Minister of Finance in 2016, Mr. Tweah worked as a senior advisor at the African Development Bank and served as the Chief Economist of the National Millennium Compact Development Project of Liberia. He has been known for being banker-friendly, working closely with the President’s plan to ensure that bankers have enough funds to loan out to the business public in the interest of the national economy. The listing is a special recognition of Africa’s topmost finance leaders’ outstanding contributions to stabilizing many challenged national economies in Africa while driving recovery and stimulating growth, even amidst global economic shocks. The list showcases finance leaders who have enhanced the national economic outlook through strong fiscal and macroeconomic policies, and supported small businesses’ growth despite the current global economic climate. The Top 25 African Finance Leaders list was compiled following a merit-based selection and rigorous review process of a 2-step points-based selection process that included nominations by a global pool of writers as well as experts in the African banking and finance industry, leading to the ALM Editorial Board’s final review of the nominations and submissions. The complete list was unveiled during the African Finance Leaders’ Networking Cocktail on April 13th, 2023, at the National Press Club, Washington, DC, USA, on the margins of the annual World Bank Group and IMF 2023 Spring meetings. The recognition of Mr. Samuel Tweah as one of Africa’s Top 25 Finance Leaders is a testament to his dedication and commitment to improving Liberia’s economic situation. Under President Weah’s leadership, he has implemented policies and programs that have led to significant progress in various sectors, including finance, healthcare, and employment. One of Mr. Tweah’s notable achievements is the successful implementation of measures to curb the loss of government resources to ghost workers. By saving over $3 million USD, the Liberian government can now redirect these funds to other crucial areas, such as infrastructure development and social welfare programs. Moreover, Mr. Tweah has also been instrumental in creating employment opportunities across several ministries and agencies. Through his efforts, over 2,000 health workers have been added to the payroll, earning over $11 million USD in salary and emoluments. This not only improves the livelihood of the health workers but also enhances the quality of healthcare services in Liberia. In addition to these achievements, Mr. Tweah has also played a crucial role in President Weah’s promise to assist in improving the economic life of the people and their households. To this end, over $3 million USD has been loaned out to small and medium-scale business owners, allowing them to improve their living standards and become active participants in advancing the nation’s economy. The recognition of Mr. Tweah as one of Africa’s Top 25 Finance Leaders is a significant honor that highlights his contributions to Liberia’s economic growth. Other notable leaders on the list include Mrs. Rindra Rabarinirinarison, Minister of Economic and Finance, Madagascar; Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank; Hajia Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Nigeria; Hon. Renganaden Padayachy, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning, and Development, Mauritius; and Lesetja Kganyago, Governor, South African Reserve Bank (SARB). The Top 25 African Finance Leaders list is a showcase of finance leaders who have contributed significantly to the development of Africa through innovative policies, programs, and actions. They have helped stabilize many challenged national economies in Africa while driving recovery and stimulating growth, even amidst global economic shocks. According to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Minister’s inclusion in the Top 25 African Finance Leaders list yet again reaffirms Dr Tweah’s as a leading light in the continent’s finance sector. The list draws from finance ministers, central bank governors, and chief executives of leading banking, finance, and development institutions from across Africa. The nominations were reviewed and evaluated by a global pool of writers and experts in the African banking and finance industry before the ALM Editorial Board made the final decisions.