Liberia: Sources: Board of Directors Frown on ‘Unlawful’ Dismissal of National Port Authority Comptroller
Franklin Sackor was recently controversially dismissed as comptroller of the National Port Authority
Monrovia – Franklin Sackor’s dismissal from the position of Comptroller General at the National Port Authority is said to be drawing ire amongst members of the Board of Directors although there has not been an official statement from the body.
Report by Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, [email protected]
Sources say the Board sees the action of the NPA Managing Director to dismiss Sackor as illegal; something they claim undermines their authority.
Chapter VI, Section 56, sub-section 3 of the Act Repealing and Adopting Chapter Six of the Public Authorities Law reads: “The Executive Officer/Managing Director shall conduct the ordinary business of the NPA, Subject to approval of the Board with regards to senior officers and staff, the Executive Officer/Managing Director shall be responsible for the organization, appointment
This means, the Managing Director before appointing, hiring and dismissing, he/she must get the approval of the Board of Directors.
One source said Mr. Sarkoh had not received a warning or suspension from the senior management prior to his dismissal, claiming that it was
The management of NPA on Monday confirmed the dismissal of Sackor from the post, citing ‘gross incompetence and ineptitude on the job.’
The management also accused Sackor of failing to provide bank statements of financial dealings from the months of February to May 2018 and his failure to justify the reason a private entity was placed on the payroll of the NPA.
“…Therefore, he is expected to turn over the keys of the office of the comptroller, his assigned vehicle and all other properties belonging to the entity,” according to a statement by the NPA Communication department on the sacking of Mr. Sackor.
Before his dismissal, there were reports of a deepening feud between the recently appointed Managing Director Bill Twehway and several managerial staffs of the NPA including former acting Managing Director Celia Cuffy-Browne.
FrontPage Africa, on October 8, reported that Mr. Twehway was angered that Sarkoh was still taking orders from the former Acting Managing Director Cuffy-Brown and neglecting his instructions.
Mr. Twehway, who is a former member of the Legislature, later reportedly instituted a stop audit on expenditures, prompting reactions from some senior staff that it was a move to purge individuals who were not showing him loyalty.
However, others hailed the audit as a key reason some discrepancies at the country’s gateway the economy are being spotted.
A stop audit is a process undertaken by new management looking to examine or inspect various books of accounts of a preceding management in a bid to ascertain the accuracy and what the new management is about to take control of.
There were also reports that auditors unearthed a number of unexplained expenditures, something that may have put Mr. Sarkoh in some troubles as Mr. Twehway reportedly sought to reverse several decisions that were made by the Acting MD Cuffy- Browne.
Meanwhile, FPA has gathered that the Board is holding deliberations before initiating an investigation into the situation of
