The Ministry of Transport has sharply reacted to claims made by the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, Gregory Coleman, that the LNP has full authority over all transport related activities in the country.
It can be recalled that while appearing on a local radio talk show Monday, October 28, 2024 in Monrovia, Police IG Coleman disclosed that sooner or later, the LNP and the Liberia Traffic Management (LTM), will start to work on the enforcement and registration process of motor vehicle and other related activities, something the Ministry sees as undermining its function and operation.
But reacting recently to the police IG claimed, MOT Director of Communication, Shadrach D. Brown, asserted that the Transport Ministry has exclusive responsibility for the daily operations and regulations of all transport-related activities across the country.
According to him, the August 25, 1987 Act that established the Ministry of Transport, specifically Section 37.3(a), clearly outline the Ministry authority to administer, regulate, implement transport law, insurance law, as well as maritime law across all modes of transport including land, rail and air.
He indicated that the Transport Ministry retains the sole authority over processing motor vehicle documents and regulations.
“In light of recent statement made by the police IG during a radio talk show, we wish to clarify that all motor vehicle documentation must continue to be processed exclusively through the Ministry of Transport,” he said.
He reaffirmed that the Transport Ministry is tasked with executing policies in the transport sector, thus urging the public to adhere to all of the established protocols.
Accordingly, while the 2016 Police Act, Section 22.7.2(a)(8), designates the Liberia National Police with the enforcement of vehicle and traffic laws on the road, however, it did not grant the police the authority to dictate which entity the public should engage for transport related services.
The MOT Director of Communication then called on the police IG to stop misinforming the public as it relates to who has full authority over transport activities because according to him, the MOT is the sole operator of the sector and one of the biggest revenue sources of government.
“We strongly encourage all motor vehicle owners and operators including banking institutions to continue to do business with the Ministry of Transport. Any change in this process will only come through a direct presidential mandate from the President of Liberia,” he said.
In another related development, the Liberian Senate on Monday, October 28, 2024, commenced hearing into the Liberia Traffic Management (LTM) concession agreement.
The agreement seeks to outsource the country’s traffic management activities to a foreign partner in LTM, a move that have sparked widespread misunderstanding among authorities at the Liberia National Police, Ministry of Transport as well as the Ministry of Justice.
The MOT has maintained its opposition to the deal, arguing that if ratify by the legislature and sign into law by the President, it could put about 200 Liberians, who are currently employed within the traffic management role at the Ministry out of job.
Macpherson C. Marbiah writes/0886442881-0777250370