Abuja — The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice is poised to hear a landmark human rights case filed by Madam Emma Matieh Glassco, the suspended Director General of Liberia's National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), against the Republic of Liberia. The case, which could have far-reaching implications for the protection of tenure-based officials, centers on allegations of wrongful dismissal, denial of due process, and systemic abuse of executive power.
Glassco, who was appointed by former President George M. Weah on February 15, 2022, filed the application before the regional court on the grounds that her suspension was illegal, arbitrary, and in violation of both Liberian and international law.
According to the complaint, the Liberian government, through President Joseph N. Boakai, issued a suspension letter on February 12, 2025, citing a resolution from the NaFAA Board of Directors. The letter, which has been marked as Annexure A-3 in the filing, stated: "I hereby suspend you from your office as Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority... I am also instructing the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and the Ministry of Justice to conduct comprehensive investigations into your stewardship of the agency."
However, Glassco contends that this action violates Article 20(a) of the Liberian Constitution, which guarantees that "no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, security of the person, property, privilege or any other right except as the outcome of a hearing judgment consistent with the provisions laid down in this Constitution and in accordance with due process of law."
In the 36-page suit, filed by Toun-Ya Legal Consultancy and Arbitration Chambers in association with Global Lead Counsel, Glassco further argues that her position as Director General is protected under Section 3.4.2 of the NaFAA Act, which provides for a fixed four-year tenure. Her removal, she asserts, required a "good and sufficient cause" established through a properly constituted Board of Directors, which she claims did not exist at the time of her suspension.
"The Respondent although fully aware that incomplete Board cannot make any valid decision, claimed to have acted pursuant to Section 3.9.2 of the NaFAA Act to suspend Applicant but woefully failed to produce any minutes or resolution stating the full constitution of the Board," the application states.
Moreover, Glassco alleges she has been subjected to "state-organized harassment, emotional and psychological trauma, public humiliation, and false stigmatization" without any formal findings of wrongdoing. Her legal team claims that staff members were allegedly induced to file "bogus and unfounded complaints," and that multiple institutions, including the Office of the Ombudsman, were mobilized to investigate her without clear procedural rules.
"Applicant says it lives in fear because of constant harassment and intimidation initiated by the Respondent's President mainly to deprive Applicant of the opportunity of asserting legitimate contractual rights," the suit claims.
Citing Articles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the ECOWAS Protocols, the suit calls on the regional court to declare the Government of Liberia in violation of Glassco's rights. It further urges the court to award her full compensation for the remaining year of her tenure--estimated at $175,000--as well as general damages of no less than $10 million for reputational harm and emotional distress.
In addition to financial compensation, the applicant is requesting:
- A public apology from the Liberian government.
- An order to retract all publications and statements portraying her as corrupt.
- A ruling declaring her removal as a breach of the NaFAA tenure law.
- Reimbursement of legal and associated costs totaling $250,000.
Glassco's legal team invoked Article 9(4) and 10(d) of the ECOWAS Protocol, which gives the Court the power to hear human rights complaints from individuals when no domestic remedies are available or when the state itself is allegedly complicit in the rights violation.
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The case could test the ECOWAS Court's willingness to uphold protections for political appointees with statutory tenure, especially in a region where executive overreach is a persistent concern.
Madam Glassco's legal filings make a pointed reference to her achievements in office, including hosting a major international fisheries conference that earned global acclaim and drew the participation of President Boakai himself. "It is public record that Applicant a few months back organized a recent international conference... During the conference, the fishing industry in Liberia gained global recognition with corresponding benefits to the Republic of Liberia," her petition notes.
Glassco also argues that the government's actions have impaired her contractual rights, in violation of Article 25 of Liberia's Constitution, which states: "Obligation of contract shall be guaranteed by the Republic and no laws shall be passed which might impair this right."
