By: Barclay Karnley
CAPITOL HILL: The Senate Joint committee on Public Corporation and Judiciary, Human Rights, claims and petitions have submitted its final report to the Plenary of the Liberian Senate on a Bill for “An Act to Create Liberia Sea Port Regulatory Authority and Liberia Sea Port Decentralization across the Country.
The Plenary of the Liberian Senate on Thursday, October 24, 2024 begin a debate in a senate committee report recommending the decentralization of the Ports across the Country. The Act, according to report does not conflict with the constitution and statutory laws of the Country. The Act amends the Maritime law restating an Act to create an Independence Sea Port regulatory Agency to provide for the regulation and port operation and services in the Country in order to ensure adherence to domestic and Maritime laws and regulation and the orderly and transparent operation of the sea port.
Reading the report at the Plenary of the Liberian Senate, Senate Secretary Nangbolor Singbeh said the Propose Sea Port and Decentralization Act is not in conflict with the constitution or statutory and common laws of the Country hut is intended to an Act adopting Chapter 6 of the Public Authority Law creating the National Port Authority and amend the Public Authority Law of 1973 that establish the Monrovia Port Authority, Buchannan Port Authority, Harper Port Authority and Greenville Port Authority. The Law further states that the Sea Ports shall exist independently of the others and shall be govern by the National Port Governing Board.
The 1973 law further states that a key characteristic is that each port shall have greater financial operational and administrative authority and operational autonomy, members of the Port Authority board shall include citizens of the host counties which is important for local content and to protect the interest of those Counties.
The Bill, when passed into law will ensure the independence of all ports across the Country, it will also ensure the collection of revenue and contribution of funds to the national envelop of the Country.
Scores of Senators at the Capitol Build during the Senate regular session have committed their unwavering support to Bill for “An Act to Create Liberia Sea Port Regulatory Authority and Liberia Sea Port Decentralization across the Country.
After an extensive debate by members of the Liberian senate on the bill, for an act to create Sea Port regulatory and decentralization it was been send back to the committee for further cleaning and additional inputs before votes are taken for passage by the Liberia Senate.
It can be recalled, the Board of Directors of the National Port Authority (NPA) in early August of this year, condemned the proposal by the Liberian Senate to grant autonomy to outstation ports in the country.
According to the NPA release dated August 1, 2024, the granting of outstation ports autonomy in Liberia has the propensity to undermine the act creating the National Port Authority of Liberia.
The Board of Directors disclosed that the NPA was established by an Act of the National Legislature in 1967 and amended in 1970 as a state-owned corporation to manage, plan and build all public ports in Liberia.
NPA Board said the Act creating the port gives it the authority to serve as a regulatory body overseeing the operations of the Freeport of Monrovia, the Ports of Buchanan, Greenville and Harper.
According to them, the Senate’s move to grant autonomy to outstation ports categorically undermines and disregards the distinct roles and responsibilities of the NPA to regulate and supervise all the ports.
However, they have called on the Legislature to rescind its proposal calling for the granting of autonomy to outstation ports on grounds that decentralization does not mean autonomy.
The Board said it strongly objects to the Senate’s assertion that the inefficiency of certain ports in Liberia is due to the centralization of their operations.
It termed as false and misleading, claims by the Legislature that the granting of port autonomy is gear toward providing jobs to locals in the outstation port areas.
According to the Board, over 95% of existing employees at these outstation ports are qualified residents of the counties who are currently employed by the NPA which challenged the Senate’s
proposal for increased autonomy to create local job opportunities, and the Senate Joint Committee’s recommendation to the President to issue an Executive Order to withdraw the NPA’s operational control over outstation ports contravenes the Act creating the National Port Authority.
The Board believes that the Management of the NPA headed by Sekou A. M. Dukuly has displayed unwavering dedication and commitment to the advancement of all ports under its authority.
Meanwhile, members of the Board want the Legislature to provide budgetary allocations that will help buttress the efforts of the NPA aimed at addressing some of the infrastructure and operational problems faced by outstation ports.
The Board pointed out that over the past six years, ports operations in the southeastern parts of Liberia were completely abandoned with infrastructures lying in ruins, and operational capabilities at its lowest in decades.
