The National Legislative Watch (NLW) says it appreciates President George Manneh Weah for giving a listening ear to the call of the Liberian people, through NLW, to appoint heads to government institutions that were being headed by acting bosses for a period of time, including the Ministry of Public Works, Internal Audit Agency (IAA), Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) and the General Auditing Commission (GAC).
However, NLW is again calling on President Weah to appoint a proper head to the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) in order for the institution to fast-track its activities and services to the Liberian people.
The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) is the regulatory institution of government charged with the statutory responsibility to ensure a vibrant telecommunications sector in Liberia. The LTA was created by the Telecommunications ACT of 2007 (Telecom Act 2007), which repealed in its entirety Act No. 18 of the erstwhile National Transitional Legislative Assembly of Liberia creating an Interim Framework for Telecommunications Regulation in September 2005.
The institution is currently headed by Edwina Crump Zackpah as Acting Chairperson, a position she has occupied for nearly two years. President Weah named Zackpah as Acting Chairperson of LTA on June 5, 2020 after the suspension of then LTA boss, Ivan Brown, and has since been working to improve the institution.
Meanwhile, NLW is calling on President Weah to appoint her as the Chairperson-proper of the LTA, as she has maintained sanity at the entity since she took over. The group noted that Zackpah, as Acting Chairperson, has several limitations when it comes to carrying out the day-to-day activities of the entity, and that appointing her will give her the leverage to execute her function adequately.
According to NLW, Zackpah comes to the position with vast experience and competence, as well as moral rectitude. It said appointing her to the position will be a boost for President Weah in his promotion for gender equality in his government, as he is the Feminist-in-Chief of the Republic.
The group said a research conducted by NLW revealed that Zackpah was nominated for a seat to the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) Board of Commissioners by President George Mannah Weah in August 2018. She was confirmed unanimously by the Liberian Senate. She began her four-year tenure as Commissioner of Licensing and Regulations on September 1, 2018 under the Chairmanship of Ivan Brown.
According to the civil society group, Commissioner Zackpah brings over a decade of senior management experience from both the public and private sector in developing innovative banking and finance ICT services. “These experiences and her life journey has helped to define her passion that developing a strong ICT sector is the engine needed to improve the economy, education, agriculture, security, accountability, efficiency, banking and finance,” the group noted.
Prior to joining the LTA, Commissioner Zackpah worked at the Liberian Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) as the Vice President for Mortgage from November 2011 to August 2018, initially under the leadership of Francis Dennis and later John B.S. Davies III. She developed and launched the 1st and only 10-year mortgage loan product being offered in the Republic of Liberia. She worked closely with policy makers to create an enabling environment for the sustainable growth of the housing and mortgage sectors.
She previously worked with the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LIBTELCO) as the Director for Administration from February 2008 to November 2011, which was led by Managing Director Ben Wolo. She served as a member of the senior management team of professionals put together to resurrect LTC, which is now known as LIBTELCO.
The NLW said since her appointment by President Weah as caretaker of the entity, she has shown the ability to conduct the affairs of these institution with competence, professionalism and high degree of honesty; as such, called on President Weah to use his appointing power to nominate her as proper head of the LTA to enhance the operation of the entity.