Senate Overrides Boakai’s Veto in NPA Transition? -Dukuly, Board, Others Likely Replaced, Clash Predicted

MONROVIA – The Liberian Legislature has moved to restructure the National Port Authority (NPA) in a manner that bypasses President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s explicit instructions, removing the agency’s top management and board during a transitional period. The bills, passed for the second time in as many months, introduce a new management framework while excluding the sitting leadership of Managing Director Sekou Hussein Dukuly and the Board, despite presidential warnings that such a move could disrupt ongoing projects, undermine institutional memory, and trigger legal complications. As THE ANALYST reports, observers say the legislative approach has sparked concerns over governance, continuity, and constitutional authority in one of Liberia’s most strategic public institutions.

For the second time in two months, the Liberian Legislature has acted against President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s guidance by passing port reform bills that exclude the current management and board of the National Port Authority (NPA) from the legally mandated transition process.

The move comes despite the President’s repeated insistence that the sitting leadership must remain part of any transitional arrangements.

At the heart of the dispute is the transitional clause governing the proposed restructuring of Liberia’s port system. President Boakai’s veto did not oppose decentralization itself; rather, it warned against a disorderly transition that removes the NPA leadership at a time when continuity, institutional memory, and contractual compliance are critical.

In his veto message, the President emphasized that the management of the NPA must be included in the transition and that the process should last at least one year. He argued that abrupt removal of leadership could expose the state to contractual disputes, undermine investor confidence, and create uncertainty across the maritime sector.

The President recommended a framework in which the existing board and management would work alongside a transitional team to ensure reforms were implemented legally and orderly. However, the Legislature has now disregarded that recommendation. While the revised bills include a one-year transition period, they simultaneously stipulate that the Managing Director and board are to be removed immediately upon enactment. Junior directors and managers from the ports are designated to lead the transition for the full year.

Legal analysts and governance observers have criticized the move, saying it directly contradicts both the letter and spirit of the President’s veto. Instead of correcting the defect highlighted by the Executive, they argue, the Legislature has entrenched it, effectively turning the transition into what some describe as a “junta-styled” takeover of a major public institution.

Documents show that the President’s objections were specific. Paragraphs one and two of page six of his veto letter stressed that the NPA management must be included and that the process must not be rushed.

The Justice Minister’s opinion reinforced this position, warning that excluding the Executive could be legally sound on paper but practically disastrous in implementation. Yet, for a second time, the Legislature has chosen to ignore these warnings.

Observers note that by legislating the automatic removal of the board and Managing Director, the Legislature assumes powers traditionally reserved for the President, including authority over hiring and firing senior officials of public corporations.

Supporters of Dukuly argue that the approach is not only legally questionable but institutionally reckless.

Under Dukuly, the NPA has conducted reforms, negotiated with global terminal operators, and engaged bilateral and multilateral partners. Removing leadership while delegating oversight to junior officials risks stalling projects and weakening the state’s negotiating position.

Other provisions flagged by the President, including clauses that consolidate control over port assets under the Liberia Seaport Regulatory Agency, remain in the bills. Critics say these measures centralize power while stripping existing institutions of authority, making experienced leadership during transition even more critical.

The process by which the Legislature acted has also drawn concern. Both the President and Justice Minister recommended broader consultations with agencies directly responsible for ports, maritime regulation, finance, and commerce. Records indicate these consultations did not take place.

The bills were revised and passed without meaningful participation from the NPA, Liberia Maritime Authority, or other Executive agencies.

Supporters of Dukuly and the board argue that the Legislature has forced the President into a corner: either approve a law that violates his principles or veto again and escalate the confrontation.

As the bills now await presidential action, the dispute has become a clear test of governance and authority. It is no longer about whether Liberia should decentralize its ports but whether the Legislature can sideline executive-approved management while imposing a transition that critics warn could destabilize one of Liberia’s most strategic institutions.

For now, Sekou Hussein Dukuly and the NPA board remain in office, but the Legislature’s signal is clear: the new transition will proceed with leadership excluded, raising questions about continuity, accountability, and the future of Liberia’s port system.