Monrovia – President Joseph Boakai has suspended the Director-General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Emma Metieh Glassco, over allegations of financial and administrative inefficiencies. The decision, announced Thursday by Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah during the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, follows recommendations from NaFAA’s Board and concerns raised by the Office of the Ombudsman over Glassco’s leadership style.
Minister Piah disclosed that Glassco is accused of violating the legal framework governing NaFAA, prompting the President to act in the interest of accountability and institutional integrity. He further cited complaints regarding her “insultive” approach to leadership, which reportedly influenced the President’s decision. Glassco has been asked to cooperate fully with an ongoing investigation into the allegations.
Allegations of Corruption and Misuse of Project Funds
The suspension comes against the backdrop of allegations of financial mismanagement linked to the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP), a World Bank-funded initiative aimed at enhancing the country’s fisheries sector. Recent media reports alleged that NaFAA officials, under Glassco’s leadership, misapplied US$831,000 from the LSMFP budget, which had been earmarked for constructing NaFAA’s national headquarters. Instead, the funds were purportedly diverted to finance former President George Weah’s re-election campaign under the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
Glassco has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated. In a statement issued on June 24, she emphasized that all disbursements from the LSMFP were made with the explicit approval of the World Bank and followed rigorous financial oversight mechanisms. She insisted that the funds in question were allocated for essential project items such as vehicles, motorbikes, billboards, and generators, all of which were necessary for the effective implementation of the project.
“There was no disbursement done without the explicit ‘no objection’ from the World Bank. Each transaction has been executed through the Ministry of Finance with the World Bank project office’s oversight, ensuring transparency and accountability,” she asserted.
Glassco further clarified that the procurement of six vehicles, two motorbikes, and other logistical materials received prior approval from the World Bank, with two of the vehicles actively used by NaFAA’s Project Implementation Unit (PIU) for official activities. She dismissed accusations that these resources were misused for political campaigns, describing them as attempts by her detractors to undermine her leadership and push for her removal from office.
A Leadership Under Scrutiny
Beyond the financial allegations, Glassco’s tenure at NaFAA has been marred by internal disputes, with reports of strained relationships between her and some senior officials. While Glassco has portrayed herself as a reformer committed to transparency, some employees and stakeholders argue that her management approach has been divisive and counterproductive.
This news article has been updated to reflect background details that were not published in the earlier version.
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