MONROVIA – The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) has announced that it will begin implementing staff layoffs, reshuffling, and rightsizing measures starting in early July 2025. According to a press release issued on June 28 and signed by LAA Management, the decision follows a resolution from the Board of Directors authorizing the workforce restructuring as part of efforts to streamline operations and improve long-term institutional efficiency.
LAA Management emphasized that the process will be carried out in accordance with the Decent Work Act of Liberia, the Standing Orders of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), and related labor laws. The Authority clarified that the move is not a witch-hunt but a step toward enhancing performance and aligning with international standards, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations.
The announcement comes amid worsening economic conditions in Liberia, with growing public frustration over rising unemployment and the high cost of living. The restructuring has drawn swift and pointed criticism from opposition figures, most notably Wantoe Teah Wantoe, a political commentator and member of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).
In a Facebook post on Sunday, June 29, Wantoe slammed the LAA’s decision, calling it “a direct blow to ordinary Liberians trying to survive in an already crumbling economy.” He said the announcement reflects the government’s misplaced priorities, accusing it of punishing working-class citizens while doing little to solve the nation’s employment crisis.
“This is not reform,” Wantoe wrote. “It is institutional cruelty dressed in bureaucratic language.”
He cited the lack of a national employment plan, the absence of social safety nets, and recent controversies surrounding job creation and labor permits. Wantoe also referenced the statement by the Minister of Youth and Sports, who previously declared that job creation for young people was not his responsibility. Additionally, he raised concerns over reports that the Ministry of Labor had issued more than 1,000 Liberian work permits to foreign nationals, putting further strain on the job market.
Wantoe also criticized the LAA for failing to address concerns over airline safety, particularly ongoing allegations that ASKY Airlines has operated flights with aircraft facing technical difficulties. He noted that, while planes continue to depart without passenger luggage and safety issues remain unresolved, the LAA has chosen to focus on laying off staff rather than prioritizing regulatory enforcement and consumer protection.
“If this were happening in Ghana or Ivory Coast, there would be immediate action,” he wrote. “What we see here is not governance. It is negligence.”
He concluded by calling on the LAA Board of Directors and the Ministry of Transport to provide a full public explanation and demanded a comprehensive national employment and economic rescue plan. “Liberia cannot afford another empty press release. We need leadership with solutions, not silence,” Wantoe added.
