Monrovia – President George Manneh Weah has reportedly accepted a request for an indefinite leave of absence from Mr. James Kollie, Commissioner of the Liberia Maritime Authority.
FrontPageAfrica has learned that in the same vein, the President named Cllr. Margaret C. Ansumana as Officer-in-Charge pending the return of Mr. Kollie’s sabbatical.
In a communication viewed by FrontPageAfrica, President Weah instructed Cllr. Ansumana to coordinate the activities of the LMA with the president’s office.
She is currently, the Senior Deputy Commissioner, Maritime Operations/Deputy Corporate Registrar and was an alternate permanent rep at the International Maritime Organization(IMO). She holds an L.L.M., Masters of Laws in International Maritime Law, IMO International Maritime Law Institute, Msida, Malta as well as an L.L.B. Bachelor of Laws, Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia.
Cllr. Ansumana also holds a B.B.A, Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Liberia and is a Corporate and Maritime laws expert, experienced in the International Maritime and Corporate Services Industry and extensive management, administrative and supervisory experience and ability.
Established in 1948, The LMA became a founding member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and has over the years played a critical role in promulgating maritime safety, security and environmental protection.
Formerly the Bureau of Maritime Affairs, the BMA was renamed following the passage of Liberia Maritime Authority Act of 2010, when BMA transitioned into the iMA), a public corporation with greater responsibility of managing all commercial activities within the maritime domain of Liberia.
The Liberian Maritime Program is currently recognized as the second largest ship registry in the world. Its activities are governed by the Liberia Maritime Laws [Title 21 of the Liberian Code of Laws revised], with a mandate to regulate all foreign and domestic waterborne commerce, enforce maritime treaties, including Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS); Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL); the Standards for Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers (STCW) and the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC).