Montserrado County Sen. Abraham Darius Dillon has launched a blistering attack on Grand Bassa County Sen. Gbehzohngar M. Findley over his opposition to Liberia's newly enacted ports autonomy laws, accusing the former Senate president pro tempore of "selfishness," promoting tribal considerations in public employment and allowing local political rivalry to influence his position on the landmark reforms.
Dillon also questioned Findley's understanding of basic civic principles, arguing that his reported proposal for a Grand Bassa citizen to chair the board governing the Port of Buchanan under the new autonomous structure would run contrary to Article 18 of the Liberian Constitution.
The Montserrado County senator further alleged that Findley opposed the legislation largely because it was championed under the leadership of Senate President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, a fellow Grand Bassa politician.
President Joseph N. Boakai recently signed the two landmark ports autonomy bills into law, clearing the way for one of Liberia's most significant reforms of port governance in decades following months of legislative hearings, stakeholder consultations and debate.
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The presidential approval completed the constitutional process for Senate Engrossed Bills Nos. 3 and 4, which seek to decentralize the management of Liberia's seaports and inland ports while establishing an independent regulatory framework for the sector.
On July 14, the Liberian Senate received official communication from the House of Representatives confirming its concurrence with the two bills. The communication, delivered by the chief clerk of the House, marked the final legislative step before the measures were forwarded to Boakai for approval.
Bill No. 3 establishes autonomous authorities for Liberia's seaports, while Bill No. 4 provides similar autonomy for inland ports. Together, the measures establish the National Ports Regulatory Commission of Liberia, which will be responsible for setting standards, regulating the sector and promoting accountability and fair competition.
Under the reforms, individual port authorities are expected to have greater flexibility to make decisions on investments, maintenance, operations and service delivery without navigating multiple layers of centralized bureaucracy.
The National Ports Regulatory Commission will provide oversight, including regulation of tariffs, safety standards and competition, to ensure that greater operational independence is accompanied by accountability.
Speaking during an interactive engagement with citizens at the Wise People's Intellectual Center in Grand Bassa County, Dillon strongly defended the legislation and openly rebuked Findley and other lawmakers who opposed the measures, including Grand Bassa County Electoral District No. 5 Rep. Thomas A. Goshua.
"Let me tell y'all what Gbehzohngar said the first time he appeared on a radio in this county: he said he thanked the president for vetoing the bill but first, he said he didn't read the bill because Nyonblee didn't show it to him and he said the bill bad but if you didn't read something, how would know it is good or bad?" Dillon said.
"Gbehzohngar just did not want this bill because it was Nyonblee's leadership to shift the dynamics of this country and this county," he added.
Dillon said that after Findley's initial opposition failed, the Grand Bassa senator shifted to another argument -- proposing that a person from Grand Bassa County should chair the board governing the Port of Buchanan once it becomes autonomous.
The Montserrado senator characterized the proposal as tribal and argued that employment opportunities cannot constitutionally be restricted based on tribal identity.
Dillon cited Article 18 of the Liberian Constitution, which provides for equal opportunity for work and employment regardless of sex, creed, religion, ethnic background, place of origin or political affiliation.
He argued that legislation governing autonomous ports cannot reserve jobs for people solely because they originate from the county in which a port is located.
"No law in any country can reserve jobs by tribe," Dillon said, referencing Article 18.
He then turned his criticism directly toward Findley's experience as a longtime public official and former leader of the Senate.
"The thing that is more disappointing in this is, Gbehzohngar is not only a current senator; Gbehzohngar was senator before, Gbehzohngar was President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate even before all these senatorial functions, Gbehzohngar did civics in school, Gbehzohngar knows Article 18 of the Constitution," Dillon stressed. "No law in any country can reserve jobs by tribes."
Dillon further alleged that opposition from Findley and some other lawmakers was driven partly by political calculations, including concerns that decentralizing economic opportunities could empower individuals who might later challenge incumbent politicians.
He described that line of reasoning as "selfishness," arguing that lawmakers should prioritize empowering their constituents and developing their counties regardless of who might eventually benefit politically.
"Develop the people, develop the county," Dillon said. "Selfishness. Selfishness."
Beyond his political criticism of Findley, Dillon defended the economic rationale behind the reforms, saying they would shift Liberia away from a system in which ports are centrally managed from Monrovia.
Under the new arrangement, he said, individual ports would gain greater administrative and operational autonomy while remaining subject to national regulation and existing revenue laws.
Dillon said granting ports greater autonomy would allow their individual management teams to attract investment and negotiate arrangements specifically aimed at developing their facilities and creating employment.
"The new port and the new arrangement ... will be able to attract and contract their own investments to develop this port, to bring jobs," Dillon said.
He argued that ports outside Monrovia should be allowed to develop their economic potential instead of having major operational decisions determined almost entirely from the capital.
Dillon also indicated that the existing centralized port management structure would transition under the new system, with restrictions intended to prevent long-term contractual obligations from being imposed on individual ports immediately before autonomous management structures take effect.
Dillon stressed that decentralizing port management would not remove or weaken the Liberia Revenue Authority's power to collect customs duties and other national government revenues at the ports.
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"The revenue code of Liberia is not touched as a result of this new law," he said.
According to Dillon, the legislation neither repeals nor amends the LRA's statutory responsibility to collect government revenue.
He maintained that increased economic activity at decentralized ports could instead require additional customs officers if cargo traffic and business operations expand.
Dillon sought to distinguish between revenue collection, which would remain a national responsibility through the LRA, and the administrative and operational management of individual ports under the autonomous system.
While the individual ports would receive greater administrative autonomy, Dillon said they would remain subject to a national regulatory authority.
He explained that the new structure separates the management and operation of individual ports from national regulation of the sector.
Under the model, Dillon said, each port would have its own managing director, deputy, staff and board, while the national regulator would establish and enforce standards across the sector.
"So all the ports will have their own managing director and deputy and staff, and all the ports will have boards," Dillon said.
He maintained that the national regulatory body would regulate the autonomous ports rather than directly handle their day-to-day operations, including personnel and salary administration.
Dillon's criticism adds a sharper political dimension to the debate over the ports reforms, particularly in Grand Bassa County, where the Port of Buchanan is expected to be directly affected by the new autonomy framework.
