The Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA) has begun the process of formulating a multi-year strategic plan that will guide the institution’s operations over five years, 2024-2029.
The process got underway on April 4, 2024, with a two-day strategic working retreat in Ganta, Nimba County, under the theme: “Rethinking and Setting the Agenda for a Vibrant Maritime Sector.”
Commissioner/CEO of LiMA, Cllr. Neto Zarzar Lighe, Sr., during his special remarks said, he envisions that the new strategy would seek to dedicate tasks to specific people and departments with fixed timelines and not a loose venture.
“We will be more specific on how we dedicate tasks. For example, we will know who to check on regarding a particularly targeted goal and monitor the activities. It is not just going to be open. As we complete this strategy, we will be assigning tasks from time to time and do regular follow-ups.
So, for the next two days, let’s pay attention and take this retreat as a normal working time that must be taken seriously,” Lighe said.
He also indicated that the services and expertise of consultants who have vast knowledge in maritime and strategic planning were hired to work along with LiMA’s in-house technical team with the intention that there would be independent critiques of what needs to be done.
“We did not think that it would be wise for us to do it ourselves because it would mean we were evaluating ourselves. We want to get the best out of this working retreat and eventually we will have a working document that will be able to run with and put hands on as a major milestone during our time at the Liberia Maritime Authority,” he told the gathering.
Commissioner Lighe pointed out that the strategic planning session is meant to build on the gains the institution has made and improve in areas where challenges still exist and not to cast aspersion on the previous leadership. “The Liberia Maritime Authority is an enviable institution and we must continue to bring value to it,” the LiMA boss emphasized.
For the lead strategist on the multi-year document and Director of Corporate Strategy, John Cuffey, the process was necessary to ensure that the new leadership had a tailored roadmap that would guide the institution’s operations with the input of every member of the senior staff.
He emphasized further that the working session demonstrates the new Commissioner is a hands-on person who is eager to get the institution running without procrastination.
“We want the full participation of everyone so that the outcome of this retreat represents the entire workforce of the Liberia Maritime Authority,” Mr. Cuffey indicated.
According to him, the two-day retreat will provide an opportunity for the technicians to assess where the institution is at the moment and where the new leadership wants it to be in the next five years and beyond.
He also disclosed that several analyses would be done to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, resource mobilization, opportunities, threats, resource mobilization as well as set vision and mission on how they will achieve the actual intent of the strategy plan.
