Senior staffs of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 held a day-long brainstorming session on some of the challenges faced by the institution and how it could be addressed.
FDA senior staffs who were part of the one-day forum include Deputy Managing Director for Administration and Finance, Victor W. Kpaiseh; Deputy Managing Director for Commercial and Technical Services, Gertrude Korvayan Nyaley; Deputy Managing Director for Conservation, Community and Carbon, Nora Bowier; Technical Managers, technicians, Comptroller, Isaac K Kipi; Human Resource boss, Angeline Yini, and consultants.
The focal discussion point of the forum was to identify the challenges of FDA and also move the internal discussions a step further in order to transform the institution. FDA is currently carrying out an institutional assessment with funding from the UK Aid.
Delivering the opening statement at the commencement of the forum in the Providence Island room at the Liberian Learning Center in Paynesville, the Deputy Managing Director for Conservation, Community and Carbon, Bowier, said the gathering was necessary because it will enable them to know the gaps within the various divisions or departments that are impeding the growth of the institution. She said despite of the hard-feeling that employees will get due to the management’s new policy, management should be drastic in taking some strong managerial decisions that will improve the institution. Bowier urged all participants to feel free and openly discuss the challenges of their respective divisions or department in order to find the needed solution.
For her part, the Deputy Managing Director for Commercial and Technical Services, Nyaley, disclosed the challenges faced by the various regions across Liberia. She made specific emphasis on regions 2 and 5 as regions that lack staffs and support. She emphasized that most of the challenges faced by the institution are in the region areas and, therefore, needs swift intervention.
At the closing, the Deputy Managing Director for Administration and Finance, Kpaiseh, said the strength of FDA is not in the animals or the forest; instead, in the employees, especially those at this forum. Director Kpaiseh emphasized that FDA is one body, and so everyone should collectively work together for transformative purpose, instead of defending their area. He asked all with expertise in conservation but employed under commercial not to keep their idea, but rather share it for the improvement of the institution. He indicated that FDA’s progress is squarely on this current generation, and so it is incumbent upon everyone as employees to bring the necessary expertise on board that will transform the institution.
According to him, FDA is field work and, therefore, it will be unfair to keep having staffs sitting at the head office in Monrovia and signing for DSA, while the regions are empty. He pointed out the management’s new plan to employ more people at the regional level instead of the central office.
The workshop was facilitated by David Rothe, international expert, and E. Ekema A. Witherspoon, national expert.