The Civil Society Network of Liberia (CSNL) has called for the immediate resignation of Sekou Dukuly, Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA) for “poor administrative management and massive financial disaster” at the institution.
According to a release, the NPA under Dukuly’s management has failed to maintain its status as the gateway to Liberia’s economy.
The investigation conducted by the CSNL shows how Mr. Dukuly has made several “poor administrative decisions and instituted policies” that has brought many criticisms to his leadership.
In just one year of his administration of the NPA, the institution is faced with inefficiency, lack of accountability, lack of revenue generation and wanton increased in expenditure, largely due to poor managerial skills, mismanagement, incompetence and favoritism.
Though, Mr. Dukuly is yet comment on this release, the CSNL said, under Dukuly’s administration, the NPA has witnessed an unprecedented surge in executive directors and senior directors from eight to 19 and 22 to 40 respectively; thereby raising the wage bill of from 800 thousands to 1.4 million monthly.
This increase in the wage bill has denied employees of their benefits, such as gas, rice and scratch cards.
“What is even devastating is that Mr. Dukuly is at the verge of kicking out 400 employees just to accommodate the fat salaries of his cronies and surrogates,” the release said.
The allegations that he has employed more persons of his ethnic group, is not only troubling, but worrisome.
Furthermore, the CSNL is critically concerned about is the astronomical compensation of Dukuly, adding: “It is totally insensitive to suffering Liberian for him to receive a compensation package of US$7,861 in salary; US$2,500 in housing allowance and US$750 for security allowance monthly in addition to annual board fees of US$21,600.”
The irregular promotions where political loyalists receive fast-tracked promotions at the detriment of experienced professionals at the entity is not only a bad managerial practice. It has the propensity to breed division among employees.
The fast-tracked promotions of political allies by Mr. Dukuly, is in violation of NPA Handbook Section 17, which provides that shall be based on merit upon recommendation from the Human Resource Department after employee appraisals.
The CSNL, meanwhile, deems it appalling and economically terrible that the NPA has failed to remit the expected subsidy or contributions to the National Budget.
The NPA contributed a mere amount of US$2 million out of the US$7 million approved in the 2024 National Budget as the entity’s subsidy to the budget. It is further disappointing that for the first time in the history of the NPA, the entity will not be contributing to the 2025 National Budget.
“We therefore tend to wonder as to how the UP Government will finance its ARREST Agenda when revenue generating entity like, NPA are not contributing to the national budget. The government needs state-owned enterprises and public corporations like the NPA, LPRC, LWSC, LEC and others to be transparently managed to fund its projects and programs. It is sad that the NPA has become a financial disaster and revenue generating failure under the inexperienced and inept Sekou Dukuly as Managing Director,” the release said.
The CSNL is of the strongest belief that the continuous stay of Mr. Dukuly as Managing Director of the National Port Authority is not in the interest of the Liberian People.
The reckless and disorganized leadership style of Mr. Dukuly has rendered the NPA from a “revenue generating institution to a financial liability.”
Increase in the wage bill has led to revenue collapse; 420 contractors face layoffs, while political appointees get inflated salaries and employees have not gotten their benefits since December, 2024.
The NPA is into administrative and financial crisis that needs urgent rescue.
According to the release, the CSNL reiterates calls for the resignation of Mr. Dukuly, noting: “If Mr. Dukuly cannot responsibly take responsibility for his mismanagement of the entity and leading it to near financial collapse, we then call on President Joseph Boakai to remove him as managing director to restore financial sanity and sound administrative management to the institution.”
The release is signed by Francis Collins, secrtary-general and approved by Sensee Kiadii, the executive director.