PHOTO: NaFAA’s DG joyfully displaying CSAL certificate of Honor after she was gowned Friday Aug 27, 2021 at Mesurado Pier near Coast Guard Base Bushrod Island
Monrovia Liberia-The Director General of the National fisheries and Aquaculture Authority NaFAA has attributed the rapid progress taking place in the Liberian fisheries sector to what she termed as team work within the fisheries workforce.
Mrs. Emma Metieh Glassco disclosed that when her administration took over the helm of leadership at NaFAA, the management ‘developed a smart work culture that synergized all efforts toward meeting its goals, making fisheries an economically viable sector that will create jobs, address food security and improve coastal livelihood.
Mrs. Glassco who is a fisheries scientist, mentioned that the effort of the management team has yield success and as a result management is pleased that all the sacrifices of the employees are making impact locally and internationally.
According to a NaFAA press release, Director General Glassco was speaking last Friday (August 27, 2021, when the Civil Servants Association of Liberia (CSAL) honored her for what it termed as “her transformational efforts aimed at bringing absolute reforms to the fisheries sector thereby creating the enabling environment for excellent for performance”, Mrs. Glassco further revealed that “I want to inform you that it has been a collective effort, sacrificing of time and sleep, and working odd hours to reach this far, the secret is team work” she noted.
The Liberian Fisheries Expert pointed that from all indications NaFAA’s Management has succeeded in ensuring a speedy growth from 75 thousand budget to over 4 million budget, and has also succeeded in attracting over 50 million dollars in projects from international partners, of which 40 million is from the World Bank with a prime activity to construct a modern fishing port at the Mesurado Pier and landing clusters in 4 coastal counties including Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Grand Kru, Maryland.
The NaFAA Boss proudly boasted of her administration in reforming the fisheries sector, constructing NaFAA as an institution, ensuring all its structural and institutional frameworks are completed.
“We have reform the sector and its legal framework in keeping with international best practices, the New Fisheries Management and Development law was passed and brought into force, a New Fisheries Regulation was completed and gazette by the Government of Liberia, and we have ensured compliance to international protocols as well as settled our financial obligation to our international organization” the NaFAA Fisheries Expert emphatically mentioned. She added by stating that these achievements have significantly curb revenue leakages, and increase revenue by more to 1000%, provided a safe environment for fisheries investment and strengthened international cooperation.
Moreover, Madam Glassco noted that it has strengthened fight against Illegal Unreported and Unregulated fishing IUU, as well as meeting the Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, & 14. “Additionally, it has supported the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development Pillar 1, 2 as well as the overall goal of the Agenda” Mrs. Glassco stated during the honoring ceremony.
Hon Glassco stated during her speech that the honoring ceremony “today has motivated the top management and staff to push forward and as a result the public can be assure of the unflinching commitment to ensure an economically viable and sustainable fisheries sector.
At the same time, she mentioned that “coastal dwellers livelihood remains the paramount responsibility of NaFAA’s management as fishermen capacity improvement and safety at sea is prime and cannot be overlooked, and our fish mongers processing facilities, storage and market access are pivotal to the fisheries value chain,” It is about a collaborative effort, working together to transform and improve the sector.
Meanwhile, Director General Glassco has revealed that the government of Liberia through NaFAA will shortly receive “over 500 pieces of Yamaha outboard motor engines as a gift from the People of Japan for our artisanal fishermen. She added that the engine will be arriving in the country by mid-September.
She indicated that “It is the first time ever in Liberia and we thank the President, His Excellency George Manneh Weah for his leadership in making this happen. She also mentioned that in addition to the arrival of the engines, “we are expecting additional support from the Japanese Government through the FAO, covering fish handling and processing facilities, additional motor engines and other technical support”.
But the Liberian Fisheries Expert concluded by stating that the fisheries sector is still untapped as there are more investment opportunities to be explored.
Speaker earlier, the President of the Civil Servant Association of Liberia Moibah Keller Johnson challenged other presidential appointees to emulate the good work of Hon. Emma Metieh Glassco who has taken the Liberian Fisheries Authority International attracting huge investments in the sector.