Even after numerous calls and advocacies against attempt to decentralize activities of Liberian Sea Ports and give it a regulatory authority, the Librarian Senate under the Leadership of Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karngar Lawrence continues to pursue the passage of said bill.
On Tuesday, October 17, at the height of the Liberian Senate’s Agenda was the a move to have a report from the Joint Committee on Public Corporation and Judiciary, Human Rights Claims and Petitions on a Bill for “An Act to Create Liberia Sea Port Regulatory Authority and Liberia Sea Port Decentralization.
The report was set for a debate for senators to give individual sticks on the matter. Debates at the Legislature are what set the agenda for decisions to be taken in favor or against.
Normally, in Liberia, such law, when the power that be has interest, the possibility for such law passing is high, a situation that would most likely be seen in days to come.
Without any definite reasons, the Liberian Senate could not debate the report from the Joint Committee on Public Corporation and Judiciary, Human Rights Claims and Petitions on the Bill for “An Act to Create Liberia Sea Port Regulatory Authority and Liberia Sea Port Decentralization.
When the law is passed, Liberian Sea ports will be individually decentralized with an authority institutes to manage and regulate their activities.
Prior to this point, there were reports that Senate Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karngar Lawrence have been allegedly behind this deal to have stick and control the sector.
While the debate on this bill is pending, there is high possibility that the law will be passed at the Senate.
The Pro Tempore came under public scrutiny when this news broke up with political pundits view this as unnecessary and only meant to have controlling power.
It cab be recalled authorities at the Free Port of Monrovia had a press conference, giving a descending view on the matter and urged the Liberian Senate to avoid such venture.
But, all these have seen to fall on death ears as the Liberian Senate at the verge of passing this bill into law.
Among the most vocal critics who criticised this move is David F. Williams, former Managing Director of the NPA and a seasoned port manager with extensive experience in both national and international port operations.
In a strongly worded rejoinder shared with Verity Newspaper, Williams made a compelling case against the Senate’s proposal, arguing that such a move would be economically counterproductive and contrary to best practices in the global port industry.
In his rejoinder titled: “The Senate Recommendation to Grant Autonomy to Outstation Ports Operating under NPA Should Be rejected”, Williams criticizes the Senate for proposing such a drastic change without conducting a thorough empirical study to justify its potential benefits.
He asserted that the recommendation is not only ill-conceived but also runs counter to established practices in the port management sector, both within the sub-region and internationally.
“The recommendation by the Liberian Senate to make the outstation ports autonomous should be rejected in its entirety,” Williams stated emphatically.
“There is no empirical study to support such a dramatic shift, and it does not align with port industry best practices, whether in the sub-region or globally.”
Williams pointed out that in major regional competitors such as Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire, port management is centralized under a single authority, which oversees multiple ports.
For instance, the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority manages six ports, the Nigerian Ports Authority oversees seven, and the Port of Abidjan manages five.
In each case, these ports are managed by a single governing body, with no autonomy granted to individual ports.
The former NPA Manager warned that introducing multiple autonomous port authorities in Liberia would lead to chaos, inefficiency, and a fragmentation of services, a scenario that Liberia can ill afford.
“If we were to adopt the Senate’s recommendation,” Williams cautions, “it would create a recipe for chaos and fragmentation, which is both unwarranted and inefficient. There exists no model in the sub-region where ports operate autonomously in such a manner, and for good reason, it simply doesn’t work.”
Williams acknowledged the urgent need for extensive capital investment in Liberia’s ports but argues that this can and should be achieved under the current centralized structure.
He advocated for a well-structured Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that is fair and equitable, rather than splintering the management of the ports.
According to Williams, the NPA should issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs) based on the specific needs of the outstation ports, ensuring that any investment is strategically aligned with the broader goals of national development.
But, all have seemed felt on deaf ears with the Liberian Senate under
