MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court has ordered the Government of Liberia to respond within 30 days to a $10 million lawsuit filed by former Director-General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Emma Metieh-Glassco. The lawsuit, filed on March 24, 2025, accuses the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai of violating her rights, unlawfully removing her from office, and causing severe reputational and emotional distress.
Metieh-Glassco, who was appointed to the position on February 15, 2022, and served until her abrupt suspension in February 2025, argues that the government’s decision to remove her was illegal. She maintains that the NaFAA Act mandates her removal only for just cause and after a formal investigation, which she claims never took place. Her legal team contends that the suspension was carried out without a fully constituted NaFAA Board of Directors and was based on an incomplete and improper inquiry.
The former NaFAA head alleges that the government’s actions have severely damaged her reputation and caused her significant psychological trauma. She insists that public statements made about her alleged involvement in financial improprieties have tarnished her professional standing. Her petition demands compensation for the unexpired portion of her four-year contract, totaling over $175,000, in addition to $5 million for reputational damage and psychological distress. She is also seeking punitive damages of $10 million and has called on the Liberian government to retract all false statements and issue a public apology.
According to her legal complaint, Metieh-Glassco’s tenure at NaFAA was marked by key achievements, including hosting an international fisheries conference that elevated Liberia’s global standing in the sector. She argues that her removal lacked justification and was executed in violation of both national and international laws protecting public officials’ contractual rights.
The ECOWAS Court, which adjudicates human rights cases across West Africa, will now determine whether the Liberian government’s actions breached Metieh-Glassco’s legal protections. She is represented by Toun-Ya Legal Consultancy and Arbitration Chambers LLC, led by Cllr. Kabineh Janeh, in collaboration with Global Lead Counsel Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus.
