The Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA) has begun formulating a multi-year strategic plan that will guide the institution’s operations over the next five years, 2024-2029.
The process got underway on April 4, 2024, with a two-day strategic working retreat in Ganta, Nimba County, under the theme; “Rethinking and Setting the Agenda for a Vibrant Maritime Sector.”
The LiMA Commissioner, Neto Zarzar Lighe, said he envisions that the new strategy would seek to dedicate tasks to specific people and departments with fixed timelines and not a loose venture.
“We will be more specific on how we dedicate tasks. For example, we will know who to check regarding a particularly targeted goal and all monitored activities. It is not just going to be open. As we complete this strategy, we will be assigning tasks from time to time and do regular follow-ups,” he said.
He also indicated that the services and expertise of consultants who have vast knowledge in maritime and strategic planning were hired to work along with LiMA’s in-house technical team, with the intent that there would be independent critiques of what needs to be done.
“We did not think that it would be wise for us to do it ourselves because it would mean we were evaluating ourselves. We want to get the best out of this working retreat, and eventually we will have a working document that we will be able to run with and put hands on as a major milestone during our time at the Liberia Maritime Authority,” Cllr. Lighe pointed out.
Commissioner Lighe mentioned that the strategic planning session is meant to build on the gains the institution has made, as well as improve in areas where challenges still exist and not to cast aspersion on the previous leadership.
“The Liberia Maritime Authority is an enviable institution and we must continue to bring value to it,” the LiMA boss emphasized.
The lead strategist on the multi-year document, the Director of Corporate Strategy, John Cuffey, said the process was necessary to ensure that the new leadership has a tailored roadmap that would guide the institution’s operations with the input of every member of the senior staff.
He emphasized further that the working session demonstrates that the new Commissioner is a hands-on person who is eager to get the institution running without procrastination.
“We want the full participation of everyone so that the outcome of this retreat represents the entire workforce of the Liberia Maritime Authority,” Cuffey indicated.
He also disclosed that several analyses would be done to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, resource mobilization, as well as set vision and mission on how we will achieve the actual intent of the strategic plan, noting, “This time, we want to ensure that the outcome of this retreat is implemented.”
