STATEMENT FROM THE NEWLY APPOINTED DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE LIBERIA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, all protocol observed!!

It is a great honor for me today to enjoy the confidence and trust of the President of the Republic of Liberia, H.E Joseph N. Boakai, Sr. to serve as Director General of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority. I am excited and elated to answer this clarion call to national duty.

The Aviation Sector of a nation is an important element of economic development. Liberia has considerable potential for commercial aviation development that will:

• Create employment opportunities;
• Facilitate trade;
• Enable tourism, and support sustainable development.

Unfortunately to date, the potentials for this sector has not been exploited to its fullest.

Now is a perfect opportunity to leverage these potentials, given this new dispensation.

The Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) is the regulatory arm of the Liberian Government charged with the responsibility to:

• Provide regulation;
• Promote civil aviation;
• Foster safe and orderly development.

It is therefore incumbent upon us here at the LCAA to fulfill this mandate.

The most recent ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP) Continuous Monitoring Approach (CMA) audit on the civil aviation sector of Liberia was carried out on April 20 – May 2, 2022 by an ICAO Audit Team in accordance with ICAO’s guidelines and standards. The Audit resulted in an overall Effective Implementation (EI) scored of 27.84% for the eight critical elements namely:

• Primary Aviation Legislation and Civil Aviation Regulations;
• Civil Aviation Organization;
• Personnel Licensing and Training;
• Aircraft Operations;
• Airworthiness of Aircrafts;
• Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation;
• Air Navigation Services;
• Aerodromes and Ground Aids.

In accordance with ICAO Standards, there is a benchmark of a minimum score of 60% at the level of Effective Implementation (EI) for all member states. The first time Liberia was audited was in 2006, nonetheless, the country’s Effective Implementation (EI) score since 2006 has been 16.50%. Every effort to raise the EI score to the required minimum 60% must be exerted at this time to ensure compliance. This is our challenge and our objective. We must achieve that at all cost.

The current state of our aviation infrastructure, the prevailing condition at our main International Airport, RIA and the current condition here at the very LCAA, is sufficient reason for rebranding, revamping and rehabilitation. 

My own assessment here at the LCAA leaves much to be desired; a bloated staffing level, a non-compliant and inadequate office facility, a huge debt burden and, a dire need for training and incentivization to stimulate and motivate employees in order to achieve high levels of productivity and efficiencies.

I commit to immediately embark on a course of actions aimed at addressing and mitigating these anomalies with a high degree of urgency. I intend to formulate an action plan with short, medium and long-term objectives and targets.

The short-term initiatives will focus on achieving the 100 days deliverables as outlined in the Cluster Working Group (CWG) final report on the LCAA, prioritizing addressing the Significant Safety Concerns (SSCs) as highlighted in the 2022 ICAO USOAP CMA Audit results, and equally important is the acquisition of the Automatic Weather Observation Station (AWOS). Every effort will be made to ensure full compliance to meet minimum acceptable ICAO Standards, and Recommended Practices (SARPs) in the shortest possible time.

The medium to long-term objectives will aim at fulfilling requirements leading to the re-opening of the Aircraft Registry at the LCAA. Working in collaboration with the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA), the Executive Branch, The Ministry of Transport and all other relevant airports, facilitation stakeholders (LNP, Immigration, etc.). We will strive to effect a transformational change at the Roberts International Airport, to significantly improve operational functionality, provide superior customer services to give the travelling public a more pleasant and cordial airport experience, that which we are all yearning for.  

With a fully functional airport that meets ICAO Standards, efforts could then be exerted in collaboration with the relevant government agencies, to explore possibilities of attracting other Airlines to fly into the RIA.

Our strategic focus areas will include, but now limited to:

• Leading risks-based oversight and regulatory stewardship;
• Enhancing organizational diversity and capacity building;
• Developing relationships with relevant stakeholders to support global improvements in aviation;
• Enabling recovery: motivation and growth.

As a Team, we can all collaborate, cooperate and work assiduously to achieve our desired goals and objectives.

We can do this by upholding our core values to:

• Do the right thing;
• Promote continuous learning;
• Building collaborative relationships; and
• Respect for everyone.

THANK YOU………