-Summons LAA, Transport Ministry Over Safety Concerns
By Jerromie S. Walters
The House of Representatives has passed into law the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Government of Liberia and Afriland First Holdings, S.A., following a comprehensive review and recommendations from the Committee on Banking, Currency, and Insurance, chaired by Maryland County Pleebo District #2 Representative Anthony Williams.
The newly ratified agreement establishes the Liberia Corporation for Strategic Investment (LCSI), a joint venture in which the Liberian government will hold an 80 percent stake while Afriland retains 20 percent ownership. The partnership aims to mobilize financial resources, support education and human capital development, and implement strategic projects across all fifteen counties.
Under the law, the Ministry of Finance is required to submit quarterly progress reports to the Legislature to ensure transparency. The agreement also mandates the inclusion of Liberians in the LCSI management structure and grants certain tax exemptions, excluding income and withholding taxes, as outlined in Chapter 3, Article 9. Performance benchmarks and periodic reviews have been embedded to guarantee accountability.
The Committee confirmed that Afriland complies fully with Liberia’s financial regulations and found no legal or sovereignty concerns in the agreement. Lawmakers praised the initiative as a significant step toward economic revitalization, job creation, and financial inclusion. The bill now awaits concurrence from the Liberian Senate.
In a separate development, the House of Representatives has summoned the Liberia Airport Authority and the Ministry of Transport to appear before Plenary next Tuesday to address growing aviation safety concerns. The decision follows a formal communication from Montserrado County District #7 Representative Emmanuel Dahn, who raised alarms over a recent near-crash incident involving an ASKY Airlines flight from Accra to Monrovia, which was forced to make an emergency landing in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Representative Dahn highlighted life-threatening risks and criticized the airline’s handling of baggage restrictions, with multiple passengers reporting misplaced luggage without explanation. He urged swift legislative action to prevent future safety lapses. The invited authorities are expected to provide updates on the emergency landing, existing safety protocols, measures to prevent recurrence, and passenger rights regarding baggage handling.
