–NAFAA Acting DG Urges Students and Faculty of UL as He Dedicates Fisheries College
By: Laymah Kollie
Fendall – The Acting Director General of Liberia’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NAFAA) has urged students of the University of Liberia to embrace the newly constructed fisheries college on their campus. Director J. Cyrus Saygbe Sr. during the dedication ceremony stressed the importance of the Fisheries College to the education sector in Liberia.
NAFAA through the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project constructed the Country’s first College of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences.
The College title Center of Excellence comprises 28 rooms, 14 of which are self-contained, as well as 11 classrooms, 7 offices, and 4 bathrooms at the new University of Liberia College of Fisheries and Aquaculture. This state-of-the-art infrastructure is the product of a partnership between the Government of Liberia, through NaFAA, and the World Bank.
On March 28, 2025, NAFAA officially turned over the facility to the Authorities of the University of Liberia for onward usage. During the process, the NAFAA Acting DG cautioned beneficiaries of the facility to maintain, uphold, and preserve it. He said to the students “Own it, sustain it, take it like your own”.
Officially turning over the facility to the University of Liberia, Acting Director Saygbe pointed out that the new Fisheries & Aquaculture College at the University of Liberia will serve as a hub for academic excellence and hands-on training. It will provide students with the skills necessary to drive innovation, improve fisheries management, and promote sustainable practices across Liberia’s marine and aquaculture sectors. The students who graduate from this institution will be the future architects of Liberia’s vibrant and sustainable fisheries sector.
“Madam President, it is with immense joy and gratitude that I now turn to the official handover of the Center of Excellence consisting of 28 rooms, 14 of which are self-contained, as well as 11 classrooms, 7 offices, and 4 bathrooms at the new UL College of Fisheries and Aquaculture. This state-of-the-art infrastructure is the product of a partnership between the Government of Liberia, through NaFAA, and the World Bank”.
Accepting the facility, the University of Liberia’s President Prof. Layli Maparyan appreciated NAFAA for its passionate demonstration of constructing a Fisheries College in the Republic, particularly on the campus of the University of Liberia. She added that the facility will serve as a beacon of knowledge, training future generations of fisheries professionals, scientists, and policymakers who will drive the sustainable development of Liberia’s vast marine resources.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the Government of Liberia through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, and our esteemed partners at the World Bank for their unwavering commitment to this transformative initiative. Your investment in education and research underscores a firm belief in the potential of Liberian scholars and the critical role of academia in national development” she said.
Prof. Maparyan stated that the University of Liberia recognizes the importance of the blue economy and the sustainable management of marine resources.
Reaffirming her support, the UL boss said, that with this state-of-the-art facility, UL pledge to provide world-class education and research that will contribute meaningfully to the livelihoods of the fishing communities, the broader economy, and the preservation of Liberia’s rich aquatic ecosystems. “We endeavor to provide services that will enviably be second to none, with collaboration and support from our partners and expertise from our faculty and resource personnel”.
She further called upon UL faculty, students, and researchers to seize the opportunity with dedication and innovation. Urging them to leverage this platform to generate knowledge, develop sustainable fisheries policies, and foster regional collaboration that will position Liberia as a leader in fisheries education and marine resource management. “I am confident that this can happen under our watch because we have a team that is highly energized and motivated to make it happen” she lamented.
Remarking during the occasion on behalf of the World Bank, its lead Economist for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone Mr. Stefano Curto, stated that the Bank is pleased to partner with the University of Liberia and the National Fishery and Aquaculture Authority to build an institution that provides the technical know-how necessary for a successful and sustainable fisheries sector that can play a crucial role in the Liberian economy and help improve the livelihoods of the Liberian people.
“We are pleased to partner with the University of Liberia and the National Fishery and Aquaculture Authority to build an institution that provides the technical know-how necessary for a successful and sustainable fishery sector that can play a crucial role in the Liberian economy and help improve the livelihoods of the Liberian people.”
The occasion was graced by students, faculty, government ministers agencies, and representatives from the World Bank.
The Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP), under the National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority, was approved on September 21, 2021, by the World Bank Board of Directors and officially became effective on December 22, 2021, following up on a Project Preparatory Activity (PPA) Phase from January 2019 to December 2021 with the Development Objective to improve fisheries management and enhance livelihood and income for government and targeted beneficiaries.
It further supports activities aimed at increasing the national value addition provided by the fisheries sector, such as the establishment of industrial and artisanal fish landing sites at the Mesurado Pier, Monrovia, toward improving conditions for industrial fish landing and for export of high-value fish species and fish products and supporting marine sustainable fisheries production.
The project design is based on a holistic and integrated approach focusing on the delivery of 5 main components:
* Improving management and governance of fisheries;
* Improving fisheries value-addition of fish and fish products;
* Support to aquaculture;
* Project management; and
* Contingent emergency response component, which would be triggered and applied to provide swift response in the event of an of an eligible crisis or emergency.
