By Bill W. Cooper
The Director of Communication at the National Port Authority (NPA) has issued a strong condemnation of the recently passed legislation by the Liberian Senate that grants independent management and regulatory oversight to three seaports across the country.
Pewee Baysah described the senators’ decision as a “signing of a death warrant” for the nation’s maritime sector, alleging that the move is primarily designed to benefit Senate Pro-Tempore, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence and her political allies.
On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, members of the Senate voted and passed two groundbreaking bills that effectively strip the NPA of its centralized control over the country’s ports, paving the way for independent management and regulatory oversight.
The Senate, during its Tuesday sitting, passed the bills establishing an Independent Seaport and Inland Ports Regulatory Authority and another decentralizing port management.
The bill proposing the creation of an Independent Seaport and Inland Ports Regulatory Authority is aimed at streamlining oversight and ensuring equitable development across Liberia’s seaport and inland port operations.
If endorsed by the House of Representatives, the new regulatory authority will assume key functions, overseeing port operations nationwide while fostering transparency, orderliness, and economic growth.
The Liberia Sea Ports Decentralization and Modernization Bill seeks to end the centralized control of the NPA by granting autonomy to the nation’s seaports, including the Freeport of Monrovia, the Port of Buchanan, the Port of Greenville, and the Port of Harper.
This move, according to the Senate, responds to long-standing concerns that the NPA has disproportionately focused its resources and attention on the Freeport of Monrovia, leaving other ports underdeveloped and marginalized.
Under the proposed framework, each seaport will independently manage its operations, attract investments, and make financial decisions aimed at enhancing revenue and contributing to local and national economic development.
The NPA was established by an Act of the Legislature in 1967 and amended in 1990, making it a state-owned corporation responsible for managing and developing all public ports in Liberia.
Mr. Baysah disclosed that by granting autonomy to the NPA would have severe negative impacts on the already struggling economy, particularly regarding the sustainability of the outstation ports.
According to him, by fragmenting this centralized management through autonomy, the government would also effectively dismantle a system designed to ensure cohesive port development across the country.
Baysah maintained that such a move would further undermine the very law that gave rise to the NPA, leading to legal uncertainties and a breakdown in coordinated port governance.
Decentralizing the NPA in Liberia, where resources are already strained, would cripple the ability to finance and manage the ports effectively. Liberia’s population of 5.5 million pales in comparison to the robust markets and economies of these countries, which can justify autonomous port systems,” he narrated.
Baysah also explained that the smaller counties hosting ports like Grand Bassa, Sinoe, and Maryland have populations that make it impractical for their ports to stand alone economically, noting, “Without significant market demand, these ports would struggle to sustain themselves, leading to operational failures.”
Baysah further narrated that the interdependency of Liberia’s four ports is a critical aspect of the country’s maritime operations, disclosing that revenues generated from larger ports, like the Freeport of Monrovia, help subsidize and support the smaller, less profitable ports in Buchanan, Greenville, and Harper.
He has at the same time revealed that for port autonomy to work there must be a substandard population and a vibrant market capable of sustaining the economic activities of the ports.
The NPA Director of Communication also intoned that the Freeport of Monrovia accounts for 95 percent of Liberia’s port throughout, thus leaving a mere five percent for Buchanan, Greenville, and Harper combined.
“Therefore, granting autonomy to Liberia’s ports at this time would lead to economic fragmentation, inefficiency, and ultimately the collapse of the outstation ports, as such, disintegration would hinder Liberia’s ability to manage its maritime sector effectively and would deal a severe blow to the country’s already struggling economy,” he added.
