Liberia: ‘Aviation Is Not a Joke’

In a blistering critique of Liberia’s aviation sector, Alhajji James Attoh, the country’s first Director General of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), has raised serious concerns over what he describes as “complacency and inexperience” at the heart of the nation’s air transport infrastructure.

Attoh, who also served as the first Chair of the LCAA Board under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, said Liberia’s aviation sector is “messing up” and warned that continued neglect could lead to tragedy. His comments come in the wake of a recent power outage incident at the Roberts International Airport (RIA), which managers claimed was the result of a ‘bird strike’ on a transformer.

“They were lucky the bird only struck the transformer,” Attoh said. “What if it had flown into an aircraft engine? I doubt if we even have adequate firefighting equipment at the airport.”

He told the Daily Observer in an interview that the lack of preparedness shown by the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) during a Senate hearing following the incident was both shocking and disappointing.

According to him, the authorities failed to present a master plan, something he considers fundamental to airport operations and development.

“When I was appointed as DG, Minister Kabah made me develop a comprehensive plan. Within five years, we led an autonomous authority because that was the vision,” he said. “Today, they don’t even have a basic plan.”

Attoh criticized the RIA management’s approach to the Senate appearance, describing their demeanor as unserious.

“They laughed during a Senate session. I asked myself, what are these guys doing? Aviation is not a joke. An aircraft is man-made; anything can happen in the air.”

He also condemned the appointment of what he referred to as an unqualified airport manager, James K. Mulbah, claiming he was politically appointed without the necessary aviation background.

“You don’t take someone who knows nothing about aviation and make him airport manager. He should be learning on the job as a deputy, not leading such a sensitive entity.”

Attoh questioned the technical capacity of the airport, particularly its power infrastructure and engineering staff.

“Do they have a qualified electrical engineer on payroll? The runway and air navigation systems should never go off. You need dedicated power and engineering staff. Where are they?”

He further raised safety concerns over the Invincible Sports Park located near the runway, calling it a “potential disaster zone.”

“It’s right at the beginning of the takeoff zone and the end of the touchdown zone. If a disabled aircraft comes in for landing and can’t reach the runway, it could crash right into that park. And no one is raising these issues with the government, they’re too scared.”

Attoh said the RIA should function like a self-contained city with its own power, firefighting, engineering, and safety management systems. He questioned whether aircraft operating in Liberia are being properly audited, especially those used to transport high-profile government officials.

“I saw President Boakai disembark from a single-engine aircraft. My heart skipped a beat. Does the Civil Aviation Authority audit these operators? Do they even have safety management systems in place?”

The former aviation chief described the current state of the sector as a “critical national problem” and called for urgent reforms, particularly in appointing qualified individuals to key institutions.

“LEC, Health, Public Works, Mines and Energy, Justice, these are not places for novices. You send engineers, lawyers, doctors, people with technical know-how. Aviation is no different.”

He added that much of the civil aviation progress he envisioned when establishing the LCAA has not materialized.

“After I left, it became a money-grabbing scheme. No innovation. Just people stealing and pretending they’re working.”

Attoh also condemned the ongoing encroachment on the Spriggs Payne Airfield property, another indication of what he described as lax oversight and poor policy implementation.

In conclusion, he appealed to the Minister of Transport to demonstrate political will and take bold action.

“The Civil Aviation Authority is supposed to lead, but they are just too relaxed. We can’t afford to joke with lives in the air.”

By Liberian Observer.