By: Alphanso G. Kalama;

Capitol Hill, Monrovia– Could a flock of birds be the unexpected culprit behind power outages at Liberia’s busiest airport? The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) has reported to the Senate Transport Committee that birds feeding at nearby dumpsites are interfering with the power supply at Roberts International Airport (RIA), causing operational disruptions.

The issue became apparent on Sunday evening when a sudden blackout affected airport operations. Initially, the LAA suspected a fault within the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) grid, but further investigations revealed an unusual source of the problem—birds perching on the airport’s transformers.

This interference has triggered recurrent electrical failures, impacting both passengers and staff at the terminal. The LAA has since issued an apology for the inconvenience and assured the public that technicians are working to resolve the problem alongside LEC engineers.

“The Liberia Airport Authority deeply regrets any disruption caused and is fully committed to addressing the situation as quickly and safely as possible,” the agency said in a statement.

While efforts to restore stable power are ongoing, the LAA has not yet announced a concrete plan to prevent future avian-related outages. However, the issue has raised growing concerns about wildlife management near critical infrastructure.