Ahead of his inauguration on Monday, January 22, 2024, the President-elect of the Republic of Liberia, H.E. Ambassador Joseph Nyumah Boakai, has initiated talks with the management of the Liberia Traffic Management (LTM) for possible takeover of the printing of driver license and license plate, as well as the vehicle registration and road safety matters, in contrast to existing Liberian laws and total disregard to the Act that created the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Liberia and the Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC).
On January 15, 2024, the office of the President-elect released a statement informing the public that Ambassador Boakai has been touring the facility of the Liberia Traffic Management (LTM) in Paynesville and found out that, with the set-up, the nation will have a one-stop shop for the processing of all instruments from driversโ licenses, licenses plates, road worthiness inspection to insurance policies. The release heaped praises on the LTM, noting that its Traffic Enforcement Center has all the equipment ready for use and hoped that the legal hurdles surrounding the investment will be overcome so that the public will benefit from the just revenues of this investment.
According to information, President-elect Boakai was taken there by former Police Inspector General, Gregory Coleman, who is said to have vested interest in the LTM. It was reported that it was Coleman who lured Boakai into believing that the deal is in the best interest of the Liberia National Police (LNP).
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Unfortunately, the in-coming Boakai administration fell short of doing due diligence on the company, its owner and its alleged mission to Liberia.
Investigation conducted by the Hot Pepper has revealed that the Liberia Traffic Management (LTM) is owned by a Lebanese, Dr. Imad Hajj, who is said to be an Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at the Faculty of Medicine, Saint George University of Beirut, Lebanon.
The group first attempted to begin operation in Liberia during the latter days of the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf administration. They came with a lucrative gift for the LNPโproviding the police with uniforms and boots, with a vow to do more if/when they were given the contract.
However, after deep investigation was conducted on the company, it was alleged that the group and its head had link to the Lebanese terrorist group, Hezbollah; as such, the Sirleaf government rejected the offer and disregarded their quest to secure a contract with the Liberian government.
Playing smart and maneuvering their way into the Liberian society, the group stayed in the country until President George M. Weah and his Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) took over in 2018. A year after, the group began to lobby for the Weah administration to consider their proposal. This time, they brought in customized motorbikes, cars and uniforms for the police.
President Weah, then Minister of State for Presidential Affairs now Senator of Margibi, Nathaniel F. McGill, and entourage would tour their facility, take due note of the items and proposal and leave.
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Unfortunately for the LTM, again, the Weah administration rejected their proposal on the basis that they could not usurp key functions of the Ministry of Transport and the Liberia National Police (LNP) to a foreign-owned company. Whether or not the Weah administration was tipped about the groupโs link to Hezbollah could not be ascertained by this paper.
Since then, the group has maintained its offices in Paynesville, awaiting the next administration to lure them into getting a contract that sees the Ministry of Transport contributing over US$20 million annually to the revenue envelope of the country.
Apparently smarter than before, the LTM team decided to secure an investment agreement through the National Legislature. In addition, they have allegedly secured an ally in the Boakai administration (Greg), and is tapping on his influence to get what they have haunted for more than half a decade.
Now, the LTM is insinuating that they will invest in a US$50 million facility for vehicle inspection and registration in the country. In return, the Government of Liberia (GOL) would turn over key functions of the Transport Ministry and the LNP to them, including vehicle registration, printing of license plate, titles and driver license. Also, they will be responsible for the installation of street lights, issuance of violation ticket and aiding the police in tracking down criminals.
The group is requesting 30% share of the total amount that will be generated annually.
As Boakaiโs inauguration takes place on Monday, the Representative of Montserrado Countyโs district #9, Frank Saah Foko, has disclosed that on Tuesday next week, he will be submitting to the floor of the plenary of the 55th House of Representatives his first letter to ascertain what is behind the Liberia Traffic Management that wants to usurp both LNP and Transport Ministry functions.
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The CDC lawmaker said, โIt is interesting to note that since Ellenโs time, the LTM has been rejected except to see Boakai visiting their Paynesville facility and considering the project an important step to our traffic management sector with a high possibility of jumpstarting the UP government.โ
He wondered how can the statutory responsibility of the Transport Ministry and portion of the Liberia National Police (LNP) be surrendered to a predominantly foreign company. โWe are hopeful that Tuesdayโs letter will give all sides and government functionaries concerned an opportunity to clearly lay out the benefits, legal ramifications and development agenda of the LTM,โ the lawmaker added.
The Ministry of Transport was established in 1987 by law and has the statutory mandate to administer all transport-related functions, including the issuances of vehicle license plates and driver’s license in the country. In the case where the ministry agrees to outsource certain portion of its function, it is important it be given to a Liberian-owned company, taking into consideration the security, legal and financial implications. This will help to ensure that the country receive maximum benefit from the endeavor, as compared to a foreign company that has no allegiance to the state.
As it stands, the printing of license plate and driver license is outsourced to a Liberian-owned company, MDMC, which has performed over the years without any deficiency. Taking the contract from Liberians and putting it in the hands of foreigners, only for personal interest, does not only contravene Ambassador Boakaiโs vision of improving the livelihood of Liberians but also dampens the hope of those who are of the conviction that the Boakai administration was elected to do better.