The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), Madam Anyaa Vohiri, has declared that the EPA will not be able to effectively carry out its statutory mandate without the necessary institutional and human capacity. According to her, EPA has limited trained technical professional to perform required tasks in key areas such as environmental monitoring and inspection, legal functions, environmental research etc.

She made these comments on Friday, January 11, 2013 when she delivered an official statement at the opening of a one-day interactive workshop for technicians of line ministries and agencies involved with development and fiscal management. The workshop, which was held under the theme: "The Role Of The EPA In National Development Agenda", brought together forty (40) persons from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs. The technicians from the EPA facilitated the session.

Among topics discussed were : Environmental Governance and Economic Development, Climate Change and Development-Liberia situation, the Environmental instrumentals of the Republic of Liberia. The workshop is the beginning of series for line ministries and agencies involved with development and fiscal management

The National Environmental Policy of Liberia approved November 26, 2002 calls for the promotion of environmental education and public awareness in order to change people's attitudes and perception about the environment and ensure massive dissemination of information concerning environmental management at all levels. The aim is to foster practices and values for sustainable development.

Speaking further, the EPA boss recalled that since she took over the EPA two years ago, the agency has developed a five-year strategic plan designed, which cost is put at US$16.4 million. This, she stated, is to guide the agency activities and identify areas of intervention for improved quality results.

Madam Vohiri pointed that the EPA is one of the few government ministries/agencies to have developed a strategic plan.

Madam Vohiri explained that the EPA, as a regulatory body, is a necessary and important function of government. Said the EPB boss: "The need for increase in budgetary support is very important for the EPA to fulfill its statutory mandate.

The EPA will be effective and efficient in fulfilling our mandate and by so doing the resources will be harvested in a sustainable manner and the enhancement of economic development. The EPA will be effective and efficient in fulfilling its mandate and by so doing Liberia 's resources will be harvested in a sustainable manner and our economic will be enhanced."

Meanwhile, Madam Vohiri added that there is a need to mainstream environmental issues in the country's national development agenda so as to avoid these environmental problems now and successive generation.