Monrovia – The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the National Port Authority (NPA) to reinstate three senior staff—Sema G. Tulay, Georgina Dixon, and Annett S. Nebo—after an investigation concluded their dismissals were unlawful, violated the Code of Conduct, and breached internal regulations.
In a detailed 14-page report released July 25, 2025, the Ombudsman ruled that the dismissals were carried out without due process and in contradiction of both the NPA’s Employee Handbook and the 2014 Code of Conduct for public officials. The report also accuses the NPA Management of obstructing the investigation by refusing to appear for scheduled hearings, claiming the Ombudsman lacked jurisdiction.
The report, titled “Report No. 008 of 2025: Investigation on Administrative Complaint on Alleged Ethical Breach of the Code of Conduct and Illegal Dismissal”, stems from a complaint filed earlier this year by the three former NPA staffers, who were dismissed in October 2024 following a controversial internal audit that cited discrepancies during auctions held between 2022 and 2023.
NPA Found in Breach of Law and Procedure
According to the report, the complainants were suspended, investigated, and later dismissed based on the audit’s findings. However, the Ombudsman found that they were denied the opportunity to adequately review or respond to the audit report and were not allowed legal representation during the investigation—actions which the Ombudsman described as violations of both their constitutional and administrative rights.
“The dismissals, as alleged by the complainants, occurred without them being provided the opportunity to properly respond to the findings,” the report states. “The complainants assert that their dismissals were arbitrary, lacked transparency, and violated legal instruments such as their right to due process.”
The investigation found the NPA in violation of:
• Article 5, Section 2 (A)(I) of the NPA Employees Handbook
• Section 4.10 of the Code of Conduct, which mandates fair and honest treatment of employees
• Article 20(a) of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, which guarantees the right to due process
Reinstatement and Disciplinary Recommendations
The Ombudsman has ordered the immediate reinstatement of the three employees to their previous positions, with retroactive payment of salaries and benefits. It has also instructed the NPA to urgently address issues of transparency and accountability raised in the internal audit and to investigate claims that vendors may have altered bank deposit slips—allegations which the audit reportedly ignored.
In a strong rebuke of NPA leadership, the report further recommended that Managing Director Sekou Dukuly and his in-house counsel enroll in administrative training at the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA) within seven days at their own expense. Failure to comply, the Ombudsman warned, will result in a formal recommendation for their suspension.
NPA’s Legal Arguments Rejected
The NPA’s legal team, led by Cllr. Pei Edwin Gausi, had challenged the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction, claiming the matter was strictly a labor dispute and that the employees were not public officials. But the Ombudsman dismissed those arguments, citing the NPA’s establishment by acts of the Liberian Legislature and its classification as a state-owned enterprise.
“The NPA, falls under the Executive Branch of the Liberian Government… therefore, the NPA is subject to the ethical supervisory authority of the Office of the Ombudsman,” the report noted.
Monitoring and Government Action
The Ombudsman’s office said it will closely monitor NPA’s compliance with its recommendations and will escalate the matter to relevant government agencies if the port authority fails to act. The report has been formally submitted to the Ministry of Labor and the NPA Board for further enforcement.
This case marks a significant test of the powers of the Ombudsman Office, and could set a precedent for how public institutions handle internal disciplinary actions and ethical accountability in Liberia.
