The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) has been plunged into a leadership shake-up following the resignation of its Deputy Director for Administration, Helena M. Doe-Knuckles, who stepped down effective Friday, August 15, 2025.
Appointed by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in 2024, Madam Doe-Knuckles tendered her resignation through a letter to the LAA management. The Authority has acknowledged receipt of her resignation but has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
While her exact reasons for leaving remain officially undisclosed, credible sources familiar with the internal workings of the LAA cite deep-seated management conflicts and structural irregularities as major contributing factors.
According to insiders, the LAA has assumed direct control over the Roberts International Airport (RIA) in ways that conflict with its statutory role as an oversight body. By law, each airport should be managed by an appointed airport manager, but sources allege that the LAA leadership has sidelined the RIA manager and concentrated power at the top.
One source further revealed that Madam Doe-Knuckles was repeatedly denied the ability to fully perform her administrative functions. “The system here is toxic, unprocedural, and corrupt. Madam Doe-Knuckles insisted on reforms amid deepening internal impasse and alleged corruption, but to no avail. That prompted her exit,” the source claimed.
Among the disputes was the suspension of the staff retirement process in 2024. Madam Doe-Knuckles reportedly submitted a retirement list, but the Managing Director allegedly altered names and later halted the process altogether. This year, a new list was produced by the MD, sparking complaints of unfair treatment and legal challenges from affected employees.
Additionally, sources allege that key departments previously reporting to the Deputy Director for Administration were reassigned to the Managing Director, effectively stripping Madam Doe-Knuckles of much of her oversight authority. Similarly, departments that were to fall under the airport manager’s control were redirected, leaving the manager “with nothing meaningful to do,” a source noted.
Operational challenges at RIA have also come under scrutiny. Insiders claim that none of the airport’s 19 to 20 departments currently has an operational vehicle, including the security department. The airport’s perimeter fence is said to have multiple openings, raising concerns about criminal activity and wildlife intrusion on airport grounds.
These issues, combined with allegations of administrative friction, financial mismanagement, and resistance to transparency and reform, are believed to have fueled Doe-Knuckles’s resignation.
Her departure comes at a sensitive time for the LAA, which is responsible for overseeing Liberia’s aviation infrastructure and ensuring compliance with international safety standards. The resignation leaves the institution facing increased scrutiny and raises questions about governance and accountability in the country’s aviation sector.
As of press time, the LAA has not provided details on how it plans to fill the vacant post or address the internal concerns linked to Madam Doe-Knuckles’s exit.
