The former Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture (NaFAA), Emma Glassco, has filed a lawsuit against the Government of Liberia (GoL) at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court for her suspension and illegal removal despite tenure position.
The former NaFAA boss is represented by Toun-Ya Legal Counsel Consultancy and Arbitration Chambers LLC of former Justice Cllr. Kabineh Janeh in association with Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus, Global Lead Counsel.
It can be recalled that President Joseph N. Boakai on February 12, 2025, suspended former NaFAA boss Glassco on the act that established the NAFAA and the Board of Directors submitted a formal Resolution recommending her suspension from the position of Director General and ordered the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the Ministry of Justice to conduct a comprehensive investigation into her stewardship of the agency.
Madam Glassco in the lawsuit said the law and statutes of NaFAA require that “good and sufficient cause” be established to warrant the removal of a Director General of NaFAA and to establish “good and sufficient cause” means that a properly constituted body be constituted to do a proper investigation and reach findings and recommendations.
The lawsuit said section 3.12 titled: ” Appointment, Membership and Tenure of the Board’ of the Na FAA statute enacted by the Respondent which recommends to the President the name of Applicant for nomination, confirmation and subsequent appointment, states: ” The President shall appoint nine (9) person as members of the Board of the Authority based on their integrity, gender, knowledge, expertise and experience. No statutory members of the Board shall hold office for four years.’’
The lawsuit said the incomplete Board could not make any valid decision and claimed to have acted pursuant to Section 3.9.2 of the NaFAA ACT to suspend her, but woefully failed to produce any minutes or resolution stating the full constitution of the Board.
The lawsuit said the GoL made Madam Glassco a subject of public humiliation harassment, and intimidation far beyond the pale of any treasonable offense by instructing almost all state institutions to conduct a form of criminal investigation simply to incriminate her and thereby justify the illegal suspension of applicant without any proven cause.
“Anxious to kick me out of office, as it did in the case of officials of similarly constituted public institutions, appears to have induced some staff members to file bogus and unfounded complaints against me to be investigated by an incomplete Board of NaFAAA as well as by the Office of the Ombudsman, which, as a quasi-judicial body, is yet to publish its Rules of Procedure for the conduct of investigation before the said Office,” Glassco said in the lawsuit.
Her lawsuit further said she has lived in fear because of constant harassment and intimidation initiated by the President mainly to deprive the applicant of the opportunity to assert legitimate contractual rights for the unexpired term of its four-year tenure which is protected under Article 25 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia which state obligation of contract shall be guaranteed by the Republic and no laws shall be passed which might impair this right.
The former NaFAA Boss lawsuit said she has a total of twelve (12) months remaining on her unexpired tenure with a monthly salary of around US$175.000.00 (annual gross) and the amount represents the salaries, allowances and benefits for the next expired period which she should have served.
The lawsuit at ECOWAS Court demands that the GoL pays special damages to the former NaFAA boss in the amount not less than US$175,000.00 for the unexpected termination of her four-year contract to address the unnecessary financial hardships imposed on the Applicant and family.
The lawsuit indicated that the former NaFAA DG’s removal was wrongful and constituted a gross violation of the tenure law by the government and that she has suffered immeasurable injuries, both in professional standing and psychological outlook; hence, she should be compensated with an amount not less than US$ 5, 000,000.00 and a monetary award in the amount of US$ 10,000,000.00 to adequately compensate for its restitute, reliance and expectation interests and for multiple injuries suffered, state-organized harassment, emotional and psychological trauma, public humiliation, false stigmatization, which applicant has suffered and continues to suffer, thus ruining her image, person and among others.
“An order as specifically provided for by law and other applicable international legal to compel Respondent to remove from circulation all printed materials, posters, newspaper publications containing such false allegations on its website about applicant being involved in financial improprieties without evidence and a public apology where applicable to her to be printed in all newspapers, aired on all radio and television stations and posted on government websites,” the lawsuit noted.
The lawsuit said the government should pay US$250,000 to Madam Glassco for expenses including attorney fees, travel, and others associated with the institution of this action.
By Tonita N. Copson
