PHOTO: NaFAA Director General, Emma M. Glassco addressing UL graduates
By Kelvin Gonlah, gonlahkelvin1995@gmail.com
The Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Emmma M. Glassco has recommended diversification in Liberia’s academic programs, as she delivered the keynote address at the 103rd commencement convocation of the University of Liberia (UL) at its main Fendell campus outside Monrovia.
The UL continued its 103rd Graduation Convocation exercise on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, combining the Thomas J.R. Faulkner College of Sciences and Technology, School of Nursing and Midwifery, William R. Tubman Jr College of Agriculture and Forestry, and Engineering Colleges.
The Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) served as the Guest Speaker on Tuesday which was attended by the University of Liberia Staff, Administrators, Parents, and well-wishers.
At the well-attended occasion attended by thousands parents, family members and well-wishers, the NaFAA boss Madam Glassco recommended that the diversification of Aquaculture should be a focal point in Liberian academic programs.
This, she stressed, is necessary as a step forward in creating a prepared nation to address current and future challenges.
She said that it should serve as a national call for all educational stakeholders including government to have a solicit views on Aquaculture as a national growth in the Liberian Economy.
“Diversification in our academic programs is an essential step forward in creating a prepared nation for the future. This should serve as a national call to action for all educational stakeholders including the government, to increase its investments in the educational sector which is practically the only way towards elevating Liberia’s economic status,” the head of the National Fisheries Authority asserted.
Madam Glassco explained that the purpose of the diversification in Liberian academic programs is to increase investments in the educational sector which is practically the only way towards elevating Liberia’s economic status and creating jobs for Liberians.
The UL 103rd graduation keynote speaker challenged all academic institutions in Liberia to create additional programs other than the established ones such as medicine, law, accounting, public administration, and sociology.
Madam Glassco urged Administrators of academic institutions not to limit students’ skills development to skills demand but rather they should develop a variety of skills that can be marketable to the region and the world at large.
Citing the track record of the Republic of Cuba, the NaFAA boss mentioned that Liberia can also export its labor force to attract foreign remittances as Cuba exports healthcare services using sending physicians, nurses, and healthcare technicians to other countries as a revenue source. She stressed that Liberia can do the same or better, reflecting on Liberia’s record of once having the most sophisticated labor force in West Africa in the 1960s.
At the same time, the Liberian Fisheries expert underscored the need for the government and the private sectors should consider skills development to tap into emerging industries such as the multi-billion dollars Seaweed industry of which Liberia is a natural habitat.
She indicated that research has shown that seaweed, which is commonly seen as dirt along beaches when it is pushed out by the ocean tides is currently valued at 17.85 billion United States dollars and can be used as vegetables, animal feeds, fertilizers, cosmetics, and industrial gums, as Indonesia for example is a leading exporter in this industry followed by America and China.
She noted that mango is an important fruit widely consumed globally as substantial investment can be made into Mango to aid in boosting the viability of the Liberian agricultural sector thereby creating an entire value chain, from harvest to processing and to foreign markets, eventually creating jobs in agriculture, marketing and logistics.
Madam Glassco further mentioned that Mali is a leading exporter of Mango currently exports 600, 000 metric tons of mango, and generates a revenue of 30 million dollars annually.
‘We need to build a society of creativity and innovation using our available resources thus making us more independent and self-sufficient towards becoming an export-based economy instead of an import-based economy. I strongly believe we can grow enough to feed ourselves and share with the world at large”. DG Glassco asserted.
Meanwhile, Madam Glassco has challenged the graduates to explore new opportunities in the private sector to expand the growth of Liberia rather than seeking job opportunities in government immediately after graduation.
She urged that nation-building is a collective effort from everyone, therefore if Liberians should build a new Liberia, everyone must strive in creating a better Liberia urging with collective skills, resources, and innovative ideas simply “thinking outside the box”.
Making the assertion, Madam Glassco said that the government of Liberia through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) is sourcing an additional $5Million United States dollars for the establishment of a Regional Center of Excellence for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences to be hosted in Liberia.
“The Government of Liberia is sourcing an additional 5 million dollars for the establishment of the Regional Center of Excellence for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences to be hosted here in Liberia,” she added.
Madam Glassco informed graduates of the Science Colleges that considering the appreciable level of development in the fisheries sector, skilled people are still needed in areas such as boat construction, fish handling, and processing, fishing gear production, feed production, fish pon construction, hatchery, and management among others.
NaFAA boss also disclosed that her greatest goal is to make Liberia an export-based economy for fish and seafood products serving international markets, thus attracting foreign earnings to help in strengthening the local dollar value, thereby contributing to GDP with the utmost objective of transitioning from subsistence fishing to semi-industrial or industrial fishing.
On January 25, 2023, the University of Liberia in collaboration with the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) launched a fisheries science degree program on its Capitol Hill campus in Monrovia.