Emma Glassco, the director of Liberia’s fisheries regulatory body – the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) – has rejected calls for her resignation over allegations of corruption ranging from the illegal dismissal of NaFAA workers to unfair treatment of onboard observers.
In response to these calls, Glassco has requested the formation of an independent committee – organized by the executive arm of the Liberian government – to investigate the graft claims against her and the NaFAA, claiming these allegations are politically motivated. Glassco was hired by former Liberian President Goerge Weah, who lost his bid for reelection to Joseph Boakai in November 2023.
“I want to get my fair justice. I want people to probe these allegations to see if I did anything illegal, and then I will avail myself to whatever consequences may arise. But, simply to exert pressure and demand my unceremonious removal is not fair to me.” Glassco told Front Page Africa.
NaFAA, which was created in October 2017 as an autonomous body to regulate the Liberian fishery sector, backed up its director, issuing a statement on 27 February saying Glassco has been unfairly targeted and defamed despite her “hard-earned reputation.”
Allegations against Glassco include illegally dismissing NaFAA workers and unfairly deducting observer dues and denying them insurance.
Protesting workers also claimed their salaries have not increased in over five years, which is right around the time Glassco assumed her position, while others claim they have been kept on temporary employment status for too long, which runs contrary to Liberian labor laws.
Glassco has additionally been facing discontent among artisanal fishers, who are pushing for a reduction in fishing license fees.
License fees for artisanal vessels range from USD 200 (EUR 183) to USD 1,250 (EUR 1,145) annually for local vessels and USD 1,500 (EUR 1,374) for migrant canoes.
Despite the backlash, Glassco has insisted the fishers pay the fees for the 2024 fishing season to the authority’s compliance and enforcement teams spread across the nine Liberian coastal counties. Further, NaFAA has mandated the registration and inspection of artisanal fishing canoes, granting of fishing licenses, proper recording of catch data, and deployment of fisheries enumerators at landing sites.
Liberia’s Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries has been negotiating with NaFAA on the payment of the 2024 fishing license fees, but no firm decision has been taken.
“Why were these concerns not raised in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, or 2022 but are being raised now? That is my concern. I believe that I am being unfairly treated by those who want this job,” Glassco said. “No one is clinging to this job; let me make it clear. It is simply the opportunity to serve. I am not clinging to it, but I think the most trending method to remove people from office is to incite violence, tarnish the image or reputation of the institution, create an unpleasant working environment, and then demand resignation. That will not be the case with me. I will not resign under these circumstances.”
Since Glassco’s appointment in 2018, NaFAA has overseen the adoption of a national plan of action to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in line with nationwide and regional plans. During her time at the helm, NaFAA also inked a USD 40 million (EUR 36.6 million) investment with the World Bank to improve Liberia’s fisheries sector management.
