The Board of Directors of the National Port Authority (NPA) has condemned the proposal by the Liberian Senate to grant autonomy to outstation ports in the country.
According to an NPA release dated August 1, 2024, the granting of outstation ports autonomy in Liberia has the propensity to undermine the act creating the National Port Authority of Liberia.
The Board of Directors disclosed that the NPA was established by an Act of the National Legislature in 1967 and amended in 1970 as a state-owned corporation to manage, plan and build all public ports in Liberia.
NPA Board said the Act creating the port gives it the authority to serve as a regulatory body overseeing the operations of the Freeport of Monrovia, the Ports of Buchanan, Greenville and Harper.
According to them, the Senate’s move to grant autonomy to outstation ports categorically undermines and disregards the distinct roles and responsibilities of the NPA to regulate and supervise all the ports.
However, they have called on the Legislature to rescind its proposal calling for the granting of autonomy to outstation ports on grounds that decentralization does not mean autonomy.
The Board said it strongly objects to the Senate’s assertion that the inefficiency of certain ports in Liberia is due to the centralization of their operations.
It termed as false and misleading, claims by the Legislature that the granting of port autonomy is gear toward providing jobs to locals in the outstation port areas.
According to the Board, over 95% of existing employees at these outstation ports are qualified residents of the counties who are currently employed by the NPA which challenged the Senate’s
proposal for increased autonomy to create local job opportunities, and the Senate Joint Committee’s recommendation to the President to issue an Executive Order to withdraw the NPA’s operational control over outstation ports contravenes the Act creating the National Port Authority.
The Board believes that the Management of the NPA headed by Sekou A. M. Dukuly has displayed unwavering dedication and commitment to the advancement of all ports under its authority.
Meanwhile, members of the Board want the Legislature to provide budgetary allocations that will help buttress the efforts of the NPA aimed at addressing some of the infrastructure and operational problems faced by outstation ports.
The Board pointed out that over the past six years, ports operations in the southeastern parts of Liberia were completely abandoned with infrastructures lying in ruins, and operational capabilities at its lowest in decades.
