By Festus Poquie
Ernest Hughes, who formally assumed duties as managing director of the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) on Nov. 17, has come under scrutiny after immediately removing several senior managers and replacing them with aides he reportedly brought to the airport the same day he took office.
According to multiple sources familiar with the agency, Hughes ousted the chief financial officer, the comptroller, the head of security and the human resources director during an administrative session on his first day.
The departures were followed by the issuance of employment letters to the incoming appointees, letters that sources said were issued without any open, competitive recruitment process.
It is also narrated that within two weeks of taking office, Hughes and several of the new hires approved payroll disbursements that resulted in payments to themselves.
People who spoke to Oracle News Daily on the condition of anonymity—characterized the changes as an “instant managerial overhaul” that concentrated authority in a small circle of newly appointed officials handling entity’s finances.
Legal and governance concerns
The rapid removals and appointments have raised questions about compliance with Liberia’s public financial management (PFM) principles and the safeguards designed to protect public resources.
PFM statutes and best-practice guidelines in Liberia and internationally typically require transparent, merit-based recruitment for key financial positions and protections to preserve the independence of comptrollers and other fiscal officers.
Such provisions aim to prevent conflicts of interest, ensure proper separation of duties, and safeguard public spending from undue influence.
Legal experts and governance advocates said the alleged actions at LAA if confirmed could undermine those safeguards.
“The independence of the comptroller function is a cornerstone of public financial management,” said a governance specialist who requested anonymity.
“Removing a comptroller abruptly and replacing them with close associates, without a transparent recruitment process, raises serious red flags about internal controls and the integrity of payroll and procurement processes.”
The alleged payroll payments shortly after the appointments heighten concerns, governance observers added, because established controls normally require multiple levels of review and verification before payroll disbursements for senior staff are processed.
Repeated attempts to reach Managing Director Hughes for comment were unsuccessful. Hughes Chief of Office Staff told the Oracle the managing director was out of the country and would return in about two weeks to respond to questions.
Inquiries sent on Mobile phone and WhatsApp got no reply.
The chairman of the LAA Board of Directors was not available for comment about the governance implications of the sudden personnel changes.
Nyan Mantein did not respond to requests for clarification on whether the board had approved the dismissals and new appointments, or to say whether it had been consulted in advance.
The development stands in contrast to repeated public statements by President Joseph Boakai calling for transparency and accountability from officials.
Coming of the new team
A formal LAA event on Nov. 17 introduced Hughes as managing director following the retirement of his predecessor, Jero H. Mends-Cole. At that event Hughes called on employees to work as a team and emphasized safety, security and improved customer service.
He was introduced alongside a new deputy managing director for administration and a newly named board chairman, according to LAA materials released at the time.
Best practices and next steps
Governance experts recommended a number of immediate steps to restore confidence and ensure compliance with PFM standards:
- The LAA board should publicly disclose whether it authorized the dismissals and hires and provide documentation of the recruitment processes used.
- Relevant oversight bodies and the Ministry of Finance should review the circumstances of the comptroller’s removal and the subsequent appointments to determine whether PFM rules and internal controls were observed.
- Payroll disbursements made in the first two weeks of the new administration should be audited or subjected to an independent review to confirm proper approvals and prevent potential misuse of public funds.
- Pending the outcome of reviews, the board could consider placing any questionable appointments on administrative hold and re-opening positions to a competitive, merit-based recruitment process.
- The authority should publish employment policies and strengthen whistleblower protections so staff can report concerns without fear of retaliation.
What remains clear is that the new leadership’s early personnel moves have prompted immediate questions about transparency and the protection of public finances at one of Liberia’s most strategic institutions.
