President makes new appointment to stabilise authority
New DG for Aquaculture Authority
LIBERIA: After being named as the Acting Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) last week, J Cyrus Saygbe officially stepped into the position on Monday with a commitment to address the challenges currently facing the organisation.
“Today, as I step into this role as Acting Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), I am committed to embodying professionalism, respect, and unwavering adherence to our values, thereby transforming challenges into opportunities. I would also like to acknowledge Madam Emma Glassco, for keeping the torch burning over the years. We will build on the successes and overcome the challenges. We now stand at a pivotal juncture,” he said in his inception speech.
These challenges include fiscal complications and labour issues that need to be addressed. Saygbe confirmed that an internal auditor had been assigned to review these issues and that he was committed to stabilising the financial status of the entity.
Saygbe added that a stable NaFAA would be able to advance aquaculture initiatives by outsourcing hatcheries and launching innovative breeding programs, with a particular focus on fingerling production.
He added that his administration also envisions significant industrial expansion through public-private partnerships aimed at developing fisheries processing and canning facilities in Liberia, a strategy that will create new opportunities for graduates from the University of Liberia’s Fisheries Department and serve as a catalyst for broader economic growth.
“Our comprehensive plans include the construction of a unified office complex where our workforce can collaborate as one cohesive family,” he said.
Pointing to the World Bank financed Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project that has current balance of approximately $21 million and that is due to end in September next year, Saygbe noted that this “demonstrates the incredible potential of the sector to drive economic growth, enhance livelihoods, and secure food security.”
As such, he expressed explicit confidence in the Project Implementation Unit and expressed optimism that the project would meet its development objectives and end with a satisfactory rating at closure.
Saygbe was appointed by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai following the suspension of Madam Emma Metieh Glassco a month ago.
He has over 16 years of project design and management experience in Liberia and has successfully led the implementation of at least 10 development projects in collaboration with a range of partners, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank, the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, among others.
His work spans various sectors, such as agriculture and fisheries, private sector development, education, construction, democracy and governance, digital connectivity, and gender and youth development.
Saygbe holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, a Master of Business Administration, a Master’s degree in Public Personnel Administration, and is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP).
He is also a charter member of the PMI Liberia Chapter, where he currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors. Mr. Saygbe formerly served as the Private Sector Project Management Specialist at USAID/Liberia, where he applied his expertise to foster impactful developmental initiatives across Liberia.
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