In an effort to adhere to the legality surrounding its Executive Leadership and Board Membership, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has convened and concluded a policy council sitting at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County.
The Policy Council of the EPA is charged with the responsibility of setting the policy direction of the agency, as well as coordinating the vetting process that will lead to the top three(3) applicants who are expected to be selected from a competitive process for onward submission to the office of the President for selection of one(1) person.
President Boakai expected to name One person of the three applicants as Director/CEO with a tenure of 7 years as enshrined in Section 16 of the EPA Act of 2003.
The policy council’s authority is to also constitute the EPA Board which will work alongside with the Executive Director and Management team to actualize the day-to-day functionality of the Agency.
The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia decided after concluding what it considered a “monumental” 1st council sitting of the newly established policy council consistent with the Act establishing the EPA in 2003.
The policy council convened from May 3-4, 2024 with technical support from the EPA and UNDP with funding from the Swedish International Development Agency(SIDA).
Members of the EPA Policy Council are drawn from Government line Ministries and Agencies, Members of the Liberian Senate and the House of Representatives, the Liberia National Students Union, the Liberia National Bar Association, and the Liberia Marketing Association, amongst others.
The individuals from the line ministries and agencies were appointed by President Joseph Boakai on April 11, 2024.
The EPA believes their action demonstrates the Government’s commitment to follow the legal steps to appoint an Executive Director/CEO of the EPA who will enjoy a 7-year tenure, the constitution of a Board who will similarly vet the Deputy Executive Director of the Agency, as well as ensure the establishment of County and District Environmental Committees consistent with legal instruments guiding the Agency.
The legal instruments include the EPA Act, The National Environmental Policy, and the Environmental Protection and Management Law(EPML).
The milestone sitting sets the basis as well for the establishment of the County and District Environmental Committees to support the decentralization of the Agency
