Monrovia — Multiple sources have confirmed to FrontPageAfrica that President Joseph Boakai has asked the Director General of the National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority, Emma Metieh Glassco, to resign amid disagreement over her exit package arrangement.
Director Glassco, a staunch member of the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), has reportedly been under intense pressure to vacate her post in favor of a regime-favored candidate. However, she has been holding onto her role because she has two more years left in her tenure.
Glassco's 'top marks'
Despite leading the fisheries authority with a remarkable track record, it is reported that she is not favored by President Boakai's inner circle due to her affiliation with the opposition CDC. She is accused of breaching tenured law by campaigning for the CDC during the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.
Top officials in Boakai's administration have reportedly threatened Madam Glasco with prosecution if she does not step down, citing documents in their possession.
The Executive Mansion and Madam Glassco have remained tight-lipped on the issue, not responding to FrontPageAfrica's inquiries.
Glassco was appointed by former President George Manneh Weah in 2018 to serve as Director General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA). She was reappointed and confirmed by the Liberian Senate for a second term.
As Director General and CEO of NaFAA, she is mandated by the act establishing the Authority to regulate all fisheries and fisheries-related activities, including aquaculture within Liberia. Her responsibilities also include maximizing revenue generation to contribute to the national budget and establishing and strengthening international relations to attract potential investments for the fisheries sector.
Observers note that under her leadership, NaFAA has undergone significant institutional reforms, transforming it from an underperforming entity to a vibrant and high-performing one. She has ensured Liberia's full compliance with international fisheries-related protocols and maintained Liberia's membership in international and regional fisheries management organizations.
For instance, in 2019, she facilitated Liberia's accession to and ratification of the Port State Measures Agreement, a legal instrument of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, which has since been deposited at their office in Rome. She also championed the passage of a stronger Fisheries Management and Development law in 2019, leading to the establishment of new fisheries regulations and policies for Liberia.
To improve the livelihoods of coastal dwellers, Glasco has established several innovative programs with international partners such as the World Bank, the European Union, the Japanese Government, and the FAO, attracting over $88 million to the sector. These programs have provided both environmental and economic benefits, including a net exchange program, a paddle-to-engine program, a transition from wooden canoes to fiberglass boats, the provision of storage equipment such as solar freezers and fish handling equipment for women in fisheries, and the construction of fish markets for fishmongers.
Recently, NaFAA and its partners unveiled a modern fish processing facility in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. The facility, known as the Fanti Town-FIT fish processing facility, was funded by the Japanese Government and handed over to the Government of Liberia through NaFAA by the FAO. This facility is one of three fisheries facilities completed and handed over under Glasco's leadership.
Internationally, she has signed multiple bilateral agreements with countries such as Japan, Senegal, Ghana, and Iceland, as well as multilateral agreements such as the International Whaling Convention and the Cape Town Agreement. These agreements have established confidence in the investment potential of Liberia's fisheries sector.
Analysts suggest that this latest development is part of the Boakai-Koung administration's ongoing efforts to replace officials appointed by the previous regime who occupy tenured positions. The current leadership has openly expressed its desire to replace such officials.
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In April this year, the Supreme Court blocked the administration's attempt to replace officials in tenured positions, ruling that their rights to due process had been violated. However, within 48 hours, President Boakai suspended the same officials for malpractice and replaced them with those he had nominated earlier, sparking backlash.
Among the affected officials were Garrison Yealue, Chairperson, and Elizabeth Dorkin, Commissioner of the Governance Commission. The President also suspended Edwina Zackpah, Israel Akinsanya, Zotawon Titus, James Gbarwea, and Osborne Diggs, Chairperson and Commissioners of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), for alleged questionable financial transactions and other malpractices, and mandated the General Auditing Commission to investigate them.
Civil society organizations and former presidential candidate Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe have condemned the administration's actions.
