By Godgift Harris
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defense, Security, Intelligence and Veterans Affairs, Momo T. Cyrus, has called for the immediate suspension of government’s decision to outsource vehicle registration and driver licensing.
Cyrus warned that the move exposes Liberia to governance failures, revenue losses, and national security vulnerabilities.
He made the statement on Monday, February 16, 2026.
Cyrus criticized the transfer of statutory functions from the Ministry of Transport (MoT) to Liberia Traffic Management (LTM), a foreign-controlled operator.
He argued that the decision “undermines statutory order, and weakens oversight of systems central to public safety, identity management and coordination among law enforcement agencies.”
Hear Cyrus: “Vehicle registration and driver licensing are core sovereign responsibilities, because they involve sensitive personal, biometric, and vehicular data.”
For him, externalizing such function creates accountability gaps, and places critical national databases beyond direct state control at a time when Liberia faces emerging transnational threats.
Cyrus cited recent security assessments pointing to increased exploitation of digital infrastructure by international criminal networks operating across West Africa and beyond, including cyber-enabled financial crimes, and illicit telecommunications activity.
He said, these trends heighten the danger of outsourcing identity-linked databases and vehicle movement records, which could be abused if improperly managed or inadequately protected.
Beyond security concerns, the Committee raised alarm over the fiscal terms of the concession.
Sen. Cyrus said, reports indicate the operator retains a disproportionate share of revenues from registration and licensing services, with limited safeguards to ensure adequate government returns.
Such an arrangement, he warned, risks revenue leakage and diminishes the state’s capacity to reinvest in transport safety, institutional development, and security infrastructure.
Cyrus also cited reports that more than 200 Liberian professionals were displaced following the transfer. He described the layoffs as a setback to local capacity-building in a sensitive public sector.
He questioned whether the move aligns with national employment priorities and long-term institutional strengthening?
While acknowledging the importance of investor confidence, the Committee stressed that national security and statutory governance must take precedence.
It argued that lawful contracts, strong institutions, and sovereign control over security-linked functions provide a more reliable foundation for sustainable investment than expedited concessions lacking transparency.
The Committee has called for a comprehensive legislative and security review to examine the legal basis of the transfer, the fiscal terms of the concession, data protection implications, and the broader impact on employment and public trust.
Public skepticism over the arrangement appears to be growing.
Critics argue that vehicle registration and licensing should remain under direct state control, noting that MoT traditionally collects revenue for the government, while LTM is alleged to be collecting funds for its partners.
Questions have also been raised about the issuance of two different license plates in one country, prompting broader concerns about policy coherence and accountability.
As scrutiny intensifies, lawmakers and citizens alike are asking who authorized the contract, under what legal framework it was executed, and where the country is headed if core state functions continue to be outsourced without clear safeguards.