MONROVIA – Former Director General of the National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Emma Metieh Glassco, has decried her abrupt dismissal by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, suggesting that political motives disrupted her tenure despite what she calls “unprecedented achievements” in Liberia’s fisheries sector.
In a lengthy public statement following her removal, Glassco expressed gratitude for her time at NaFAA but hinted at political interference, stating, “I thought I would have had time to say goodbye to you all, but politics has interrupted our wonderful plans, leaving mixed feelings.”
Glassco, who led the agency for seven years, detailed a series of accomplishments under her leadership, including securing over $100 million in international funding, advancing fisheries regulations, and initiating infrastructure projects such as the Mesurado Fishing Pier. She also highlighted institutional reforms like the establishment of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences BSc program at the University of Liberia.
However, she acknowledged that challenges remained, particularly Liberia’s struggle to fully comply with international fisheries regulations—a potential factor in her dismissal. She noted that while NaFAA had met most of the European Union’s “Yellow Card” benchmarks inherited from the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration, gaps remained in prosecuting distant water fleets under Liberia’s maritime program.
Glassco stopped short of directly accusing the Boakai administration of wrongdoing but signaled her intent to defend her record. “Please support your new boss in the interest of Liberia to sustain the gains built over the years while I seek redress on clearing my character,” she wrote.
