The Green Revolution of Liberia has vehemently opposed the 55th Legislature’s proposal to establish the Liberia Seaport Authority and grant autonomy to Liberia’s seaports.
As a civil society organization, Green Revolution sees the legislation as a covert attempt to destabilize the National Port Authority (NPA), the central governing body for all ports in Liberia since its establishment.
The NPA, founded by a legislative act in 1967 and amended in 1970, has long been responsible for managing, planning, and building public ports across Liberia. The Green Revolution argues that the proposed legislation, if passed, would erode NPA’s oversight capacity, undermining its ability to sustain cohesive and effective port management.
The proposal’s supporters, including Senator Emmanuel Nuquay, claim that giving autonomy to ports like Buchanan, Greenville, and Harper would stimulate local economic growth, create jobs, attract investment, and increase vessel traffic. However, the Green Revolution counters these claims, calling them “fictitious lies,” asserting that the benefits outlined are misleading and would create unrealistic expectations in the host countries. The organization argues that separating the ports from NPA’s control would adversely affect workforce stability and community relations without producing any promised economic benefits.
In a statement, the Green Revolution raised concerns over corruption, alleging that some senators have vested interests in the proposal. “This bill is simply a front for corrupt deals with businesses from Turkey, China, and Indonesia,” the group alleged, warning that the legislation would serve only to benefit select foreign businesses while sidelining Liberian interests. The group further voiced doubts about the feasibility of autonomy for smaller ports, noting that none of the ports, including Monrovia’s Freeport, has the resources to sustain it independently, citing the NPA’s collective standing as the primary means for funding essential services like dredging and acquiring equipment.
Green Revolution’s scepticism toward the proposal is rooted in Liberia’s seaports’ logistical challenges. For instance, the Port of Buchanan’s modernization plan currently includes dredging, expansion of the commercial pier, and modern administrative facilities.
These initiatives, funded and coordinated by the NPA, would likely stall under an autonomous model, lacking the necessary financial backing to continue these improvements independently.
Moreover, the Green Revolution warns of potential social discord if port autonomy were granted. Business analysts also caution that host counties, such as Grand Bassa, might attempt to claim these ports as exclusive regional assets, sidelining other ethnic groups and potentially sparking tribal conflicts.
The organization also highlights that current employees and pensioners who were employed under the NPA would face an uncertain future, as they might be forced to reapply or lose their jobs entirely under new autonomous management.
The Green Revolution’s criticism also extends to claims that port autonomy would increase vessel traffic, attract investors, and generate significant local employment. According to the organization, the notion that port autonomy would lead to increased traffic and business opportunities is unfounded. It argues that vessel traffic depends not on port governance but on the strength of the market; without a substantial market demand, vessel traffic and related economic activities would remain stagnant.
Furthermore, the group notes that investors are primarily attracted by profitability and market potential, not port nomenclature.
