President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has made an additional appointment to government, naming Mr. Abner Wanah Yonly, Sr. as Port Manager for Regional Airports, with specific responsibility for James Spriggs Payne Airport.
The appointment forms part of the Boakai Administration’s broader agenda to strengthen institutional effectiveness, enhance human capacity development, and modernize national infrastructure, particularly within Liberia’s aviation sector.
Mr. Yonly was highly recommended by the Managing Director of the Liberia Airports Authority (LAA) and brings a wealth of professional experience to the role. His background spans aviation operations and safety, air safety investigation, cybersecurity and aviation-related systems, and aviation program support gained during his service as a retired U.S. Army Sergeant. He also holds top-secret security clearance, underscoring his exposure to high-level operational and security environments.
Beyond his technical credentials, Mr. Yonly is internationally recognized for a historic aviation feat. A Liberian pilot born and raised in Liberia, he became the first African to successfully complete a solo transatlantic flight in a single-engine aircraft. His journey, undertaken to demonstrate the capabilities and potential of Black Africans in global aviation, spanned multiple regions and countries.
Fleeing Liberia’s nearly 15-year civil war as a young man, Mr. Yonly spent time in refugee camps in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana before relocating to the United States, where he pursued formal aviation training. His record-breaking flight began in Maryland, continued through Canada, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain, before proceeding to Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. He ultimately landed at Roberts International Airport in Harbel, and then flew on to Monrovia, marking the successful completion of the journey.
President Boakai has urged Mr. Yonly to serve with diligence, integrity, and professionalism, emphasizing that their leadership should advance national development and reflect the collective aspirations of the Liberian people.
The appointment is expected to contribute to improved management, safety oversight, and operational efficiency at regional airports, as the government intensifies efforts to strengthen Liberia’s aviation infrastructure and global connectivity.
