-Min designate Samuel Tweh says US650m budget targeted
Incoming Finance Minister Samuel Tweh has disclosed that the new government of President George Weah has inherited the amount of US$250 Million from former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration that had a revenue base of US530 Million plus.
Tweh told the Senate that the CDC-led government of President George Weah was prepared to increase the annual national budget to US$650 million in order to meet up with its development agenda.
In his first policy statement, the new President Weah has said his government will pursue a “pro-poor” agenda to improve the lives of the Liberian people.
Addressing a Senate committee during his confirmation hearing at the Capitol Building this week, Minister designate Tweh said the government will need US650 Million to carry out rapid development in every parts of the country.
In previous years, the annual budget of the former Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration had gone up to US$550 million.
The Finance Minister designate told the Liberian Senate that the government through President Weah is committed to meeting the expectations of the people of Liberia.
He said it government will ensure that it work tirelessly to raise the needed revenues to address those developmental concerns in Liberia.
Finance Minister designate Tweh noted that the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning is going work with authorities at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to ensure that the government succeeds in its plans to collect the needed revenues, so as to meet the expectations of the people.
He said the President Weah’s vision for national inclusive development is very high and plain as it has been measured in the Coalition for Democratic Change CDC manifesto revealed to the Liberian people in the 2017 elections.
As such, he said this will not change the government’s vision to addressing those major challenges of the country including roads, agriculture in the country.
Tweh said the government of President Weah has targeted the construction of roads throughout the 15 counties of Liberia and he will not relent in exploring those opportunities to mee the people’s expectations for development in the projection of revenue collection.
He said the new government is confident in exploring ever avenues to increase the next budget revenue baser to US$ 650 Million.
According to him, the government is committed to constricting roads in every county so as provide opportunities for a strong agricultural sector so as to boost local revenue income base support to the US650 Million.
He said the government is going to recast the budget in the tone of US650m in a pro-poor governance structure to meet the expectations of the people of Liberia in areas of national development.
Minister designate Tweah noted that the government is going to explore every opportunity to look for the targeted amount when the budget is recast for government to meet the expectations of the people.
Besides, Finance Minister designate Tweh concluded that the government through the Finance Ministry and that of the Liberia Revenue Authority will explore opportunities through the revenue collection base to support the national budget that is also committed to addressing the salaries of civil servants.
He said this will increase efficiency and minimizes corruptions at various places of work in government. Report by Edwood N. Dennis