MONROVIA, Liberia – August 3, 2026 – Former Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. has called on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. to order an independent investigation into Liberia’s ongoing drug trafficking cases, arguing that such a move would strengthen public confidence in the process.
In a public letter addressed to President Boakai and posted on his official Facebook page, Tweah urged the President to follow what he described as the example set by former President George Manneh Weah during the 2018 controversy surrounding allegations that L$16 billion in newly printed banknotes had gone missing.
According to Tweah, former President Weah responded to those allegations by directing an independent investigation and requesting support from Liberia’s international partners to ensure the credibility of the process.
Tweah quoted Weah’s 2018 statement, in which the former President said: “I have instructed that an independent investigation be conducted into these allegations… I have also requested the support of our international partners to ensure the credibility of the process.”
Drawing a comparison between the two situations, Tweah argued that while the missing L$16 billion allegations were ultimately disproved, the current narcotics crisis presents what he described as a real threat to Liberia.
“Unlike the L$16 billion lie, the existence of a drug cartel in Liberia is real,” Tweah wrote, adding that he believes elements of the country’s national security architecture are implicated and therefore should not lead the investigation.
The former finance minister called on President Boakai to establish an independent investigative process that would guarantee what he termed “honesty, credibility and transparency.”
He also suggested that the President address the nation on the issue, similar to the approach taken by former President Weah during the 2018 currency controversy.
Tweah concluded his message by thanking President Boakai for his “kind understanding and consideration” while expressing hope that the country would continue working toward building “a new Liberia.”
The statement comes amid heightened public debate over a series of major narcotics seizures and the Boakai administration’s recent dismissal, suspension, and prosecution of several government officials and security personnel allegedly linked to ongoing drug trafficking investigations.
The Executive Mansion has maintained that the government remains committed to enforcing the law without fear or favor and ensuring that all individuals implicated in the investigations are held accountable through due process.
