MONROVIA, Liberia — A Verity News investigation has uncovered a series of allegations against James Spriggs Payne Airport (JSPA) Port Manager Abner Yonly, raising serious questions about financial accountability, administrative authority, personnel management, and compliance with established procedures at the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA).
The allegations include a reported attempt to secure approximately US$40 million from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning without the prior approval of LAA’s senior management, questionable banking arrangements, the alleged solicitation or receipt of funds outside approved financial procedures, and the reported refusal to implement a management directive involving three security officers.
Verity News reviewed an internal communication reportedly prepared for the LAA Board of Directors seeking an examination of the matters and possible administrative action.
At the heart of the controversy is whether the JSPA Port Manager acted within his delegated authority or made decisions that bypassed the Authority’s established reporting structures and approval processes.
The allegations remain unproven, and Verity News is pursuing independent verification.
US$40 MILLION REQUEST RAISES QUESTIONS
One of the most significant allegations concerns a reported communication to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning seeking approximately US$40 million for the operations and development of JSPA.
According to the information reviewed by Verity News, the request was allegedly submitted without the prior knowledge, review, approval, or authorization of the LAA Managing Director and senior management.
If confirmed, the circumstances surrounding the request could expose serious weaknesses in the coordination and authorization of major funding initiatives undertaken in the Authority’s name.
Verity News has not established whether the request was formally received by the Ministry, whether it was approved, or whether any money was disbursed. The original letter and its authorization trail remain critical to determining who initiated the request and under what authority.
The investigation has also identified allegations concerning bank accounts reportedly established or maintained on behalf of JSPA without authorization from LAA’s senior leadership.
The internal communication further raises concerns that money may have been solicited or received from external entities outside the Authority’s approved financial management and reporting procedures.
The available information does not identify the banks, the external entities involved, or the amounts allegedly solicited or received.
Nevertheless, the allegations raise questions about the financial controls governing JSPA, particularly who has authority to establish accounts, solicit funds, receive payments, and report financial transactions on behalf of the airport.
Verity News has not independently confirmed the existence of unauthorized accounts or established that any money was improperly received. Banking records, financial authorizations, and correspondence with external entities would be necessary to establish the facts.
Another major concern involves a directive reportedly issued on July 6, 2026, from the Office of the LAA Managing Director ordering the reassignment of three security officers from Roberts International Airport (RIA) to JSPA.
The communication alleges that Yonly declined to accept the officers and failed to implement the instruction as directed.
If substantiated, the incident would raise questions about compliance with management decisions and the chain of command within the Authority.
Verity News has not established why the officers were allegedly rejected, whether the Port Manager formally challenged the directive, or whether the reassignment was eventually completed.
The original directive and subsequent correspondence could help determine whether the incident represented a breakdown in communication or a failure to comply with an authorized administrative decision.
The allegations extend to personnel management, including the reported removal of an individual identified as Mr. Bosco from an office assignment and other employment-related decisions allegedly taken without approval from senior management.
The communication does not provide sufficient details to determine the circumstances surrounding the personnel actions or whether they fell within the Port Manager’s delegated authority.
However, the allegations place the airport’s internal administrative procedures under scrutiny, particularly the division of responsibilities between the Port Manager and LAA’s senior leadership.
The message was not included in the material reviewed by Verity News, preventing independent assessment of its contents or the circumstances surrounding the exchange.
The central issue is whether the alleged incidents reflect failures in institutional oversight, disputes over delegated authority, or possible violations of established financial and administrative procedures.
Verity News is seeking documentary evidence concerning the reported US$40 million funding request, the alleged banking arrangements, any transactions involving external entities, the July 6 personnel directive, and the disputed administrative decisions.
The newspaper is also seeking responses from Yonly, the LAA Managing Director, the Board of Directors, and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
However, the allegations raise issues that merit examination by the appropriate authorities, particularly where financial controls, public resources, and compliance with institutional directives are concerned.
