By Amos Harris
MONROVIA – The former Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Madam Emma Metieh Glassco, is expected to serve as the Special Guest of Honor at this year’s International Day for Women in Maritime celebration. The prestigious event is organized by the Women in Maritime of West and Central Africa (WIMOWCA) Liberia Chapter.
According to an official invitation issued by the President of the WIMOWCA Liberia Chapter, Mrs. Olivia Faith Tah-Johnson, the main ceremony is scheduled to take place today, May 18, 2026, at the Monrovia City Hall on Capitol Hill. The celebration will bring together key maritime stakeholders, industry professionals, students, and international partners who are collectively committed to advancing gender equality and women’s participation in the maritime and fisheries sectors.
Organizers disclosed that Madam Glassco was selected for the honor in recognition of her outstanding, transformative contributions to Liberia’s blue economy. Her credentials include serving as the founding President of the Women in Maritime Association (WIMAFRICA) Liberia Chapter, alongside her relentless, ongoing advocacy for women’s empowerment within non-traditional marine professions. Her institutional leadership and professional accomplishments have contributed significantly to strengthening Liberia’s visibility within regional and international maritime bodies.
As part of the strategic activities marking this year’s celebration, the WIMOWCA Liberia Chapter also hosted a massive, one-day career awareness and mentorship workshop on Friday, May 15, 2026. The preparatory program brought together graduating senior students from thirty-two high schools across Montserrado County, along with various university departments offering marine and maritime-related academic programs.
According to the organizers, the workshop was specifically structured to educate, inspire, and empower young women to explore lucrative career paths within the maritime industry. The students benefited from expert lectures, direct mentorship sessions, interactive panel discussions, and a guided educational tour of the Freeport of Monrovia.
The leadership of WIMOWCA expressed strong confidence that Madam Glassco’s keynote participation at the main event will serve as a powerful source of inspiration for the young female students aspiring to build careers in fisheries science, maritime administration, marine engineering, and port operations.
International partners and regional maritime stakeholders continue to recognize Madam Glassco’s institutional contributions as instrumental in modernizing Liberia’s maritime governance framework and expanding the executive role of women in maritime leadership across the West and Central African sub-region.