Monrovia – Members of the House of Representatives have alarmed deception of the public by the Liberia Traffic Management Inc. (LTMI) regarding its capacity to manage the country’s transport services and have set up a committee to investigate allegations of poor services being rendered.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway
The House’s decision was triggered by the appearance and subsequent admission of providing substandard services by the LTMI’s management.
LTMI is a private, foreign-backed company that holds a controversial 25-year concession agreement with the Government of Liberia to modernize, digitize, and manage the country’s national traffic, vehicle, and transport services.
Under the signed agreement, LTMI manages core transport functions that were previously executed exclusively by the Ministry of Transport, such as driver and vehicle services, driver testing, certification, license issuance, and vehicle registration/licensing.
It also conducts Safety and Infrastructure that is inclusive of vehicle roadworthiness inspections, city parking management, and toll/truck management. It also does enforcement and logistics such as traffic violation ticketing, vehicle towing, and impound management in coordination with the Liberia National Police (LNP).
Company Faces Stiff Resistance
The concession was initially ratified in 2018 but was derailed by legal disputes and competing government agreements until it was activated by the Boakai administration.
Since the passage, the concession has been greeted by heavy criticism from the public and even with policymakers, including lawmakers themselves condemning the deal.
Lawmakers Invite Over Allegations Of Poor Performance
On the heels of public backlash, the company’s wound was recently deepened by allegations that it was issuing substandard drivers’ licenses, license plates, and other poor services, thus drawing the attention of two members of the House of Representatives; in writing separate letters that invited the management of the company and the LNP to speak to the glaring information of their ‘poor services’ being provided.
CEO Admits To Provision Of Substandard Services On ‘Temporary Basis’
Mohammed Abou Darwich, Chief Executive Officer of LTMI, on his appearance admitted to members of the House of producing substandard license plates and drivers’ licenses, but said it’s on a temporal basis.
According to him, these plates and documents are only being used in the meantime while the company awaits the arrivals of standard plates and relevant documents such as drivers’ licenses.
The LTMI CEO informed lawmakers that a ship full of these consignments is being stocked in Dubai due to the US-Iran war that has since made sea travel dangerous and somewhat inaccessible.
“Our shipment stocked in Dubai and due to the US/Iran war it’s not able to come. More than 70,000 plates are on board. LTMI is modernizing documents,” said the LTMI head.
Lawmakers Vexed
The revelation by the LTMI CEO added more fuel to the fire, with several lawmakers, including Montserrado County District 14 Representative Muka Kamara, Steve Tequah of Rivercess District 2, and Marie Johnson of Grand Gedeh District 2, among others, expressing displeasure over the company’s operations and recommending the contractual termination.
“They fooled us. They pretended like they knew the job better than their predecessor – the Ministry of Transport, but they know nothing. If money had been given to them, they must refund for these services; they must refund it,” contended Rep. Marie Johnson.
“They fictitiously made their way through. We need to de-ratify this agreement. It was bogusly and fictitiously obtained and must be de-ratified,” asserted Alexander Pour of River Gee County District 1.
“All I can tell you here is that you lied to us to award you this concession but frankly, you are incapacitated to perform these tasks. And I think all we can do now is to terminate this contract,” indicated Rivercess County District 2 Representative, Tequah.
House Sets Special Committee to Determine LTMI’s Fate
Following nearly two hours of presentation and extensive deliberation into the matter, plenary voted to constitute a specialized committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the concerns raised and provide recommendations for legislative action.
The decision followed a ‘way forward’ by Bong County District 2 Representative, James Kolleh, who also chairs the Rules, Order and Administration Committee of the House of Representatives.
The committee is chaired by Representative Gizzie Kollince, with Representative Moima Briggs-Mensah serving as Co-Chair.
Other members of the committee include Representatives Ivar K. Jones, Prince Koinah, Sumo Mulbah, Marie Johnson, and Samuel Browne. The proponents of the communications that triggered the invitation of the LTMI management are also named as resource persons on the committee.
Enshrined in its mandate, the committee has been mandated to investigate the issues surrounding the license plate concession arrangement, assess the concerns raised by lawmakers and the public, and report its findings and recommendations to plenary within two weeks.
The recommendations will determine whether LTMI will continue to operate as a traffic operating concession within Liberia or not.
