MONROVIA – The Collaborating Transport Unions of Liberia on Monday, July 28, 2025, launched a nationwide peaceful protest, decrying what they described as systemic injustice, economic marginalization, and governmental overreach in Liberia’s transportation sector. The protest, which brings together a broad coalition of commercial drivers, union leaders, and transport workers across the country, follows months of failed dialogue with state authorities over pressing issues that, according to the unions, continue to threaten their livelihoods and the dignity of their profession.
In a statement released to the media, the unions emphasized that the protest is not born out of hostility but rather a desperate effort to defend their rights after exhausting all formal channels for redress. They accused government authorities of ignoring repeated letters, meetings, and peaceful engagements while allowing growing exploitation within the transport sector to persist.
The unions outlined three major grievances fueling their protest. First, they condemned persistent harassment and unjust ticketing practices by traffic police officers. Drivers in Monrovia and across the country reportedly face routine intimidation, receiving multiple tickets in a single day without due cause. Many of these fines, they said, exceed their daily earnings, leaving drivers unable to legally operate and pushing them deeper into financial distress.
Second, the unions registered strong opposition to the government’s concession agreement with Liberia Traffic Management Incorporated (LTMI), a foreign firm now overseeing licensing, vehicle registration, city towing, and inspection. They argued that this concession was granted without adequate consultation with stakeholders and has created an exploitative environment. “Local institutions like the Ministry of Transport and the Liberia National Police have the capacity to perform these duties,” the statement noted. “Outsourcing to LTMI sidelines Liberians, undermines sovereignty, and opens the door for inflated service costs determined by a foreign entity.”
The third grievance centered on excessive towing and impoundment fees under LTMI’s supervision. Commercial drivers claim that if an impounded vehicle is not retrieved within five days, fees multiply, doubling or tripling in cost, placing overwhelming financial burdens on drivers already struggling to afford basic needs. The unions noted that these fees are often imposed arbitrarily and without adequate legal procedures, amounting to what they called “state-sanctioned extortion.”
The transport unions were particularly incensed that LTMI continues its operations despite the Liberian Senate’s recent recommendation for the Executive Branch to suspend the company’s activities pending further review. Protesters allege that LTMI enforcement teams, frequently accompanied by traffic police, are still active on Monrovia’s streets, creating congestion through what they described as manufactured bottlenecks meant to generate fines.
In their statement, the unions reaffirmed their support for President Joseph Boakai’s ARREST Agenda, which stands for Accessibility, Reform, Social Equity, Empowerment, Sustainability, and Transparency. However, they argued that these principles remain rhetorical unless reflected in government policy and action. “How can we speak of accessibility and social equity when local drivers are excluded from decisions that directly impact their work and welfare?” the unions asked.
The unions are demanding four specific actions from the government: the immediate cancellation of LTMI’s concession; the return of licensing and registration duties to the Ministry of Transport; regulation of towing and impoundment fees; and respectful, lawful treatment of drivers by traffic enforcement officers.
They pledged that the ongoing protest would remain peaceful and disciplined, instructing members to avoid confrontation and maintain calm. “We are patriots, not enemies of progress,” the statement read. “But until our concerns are addressed and justice is served, the trucks will remain parked.”
As of Monday morning, several commercial transport hubs in Monrovia and surrounding counties were either inactive or partially shut down as union members gathered to march peacefully. Civil society groups, some lawmakers, and community leaders have begun weighing in on the unfolding situation, calling for urgent dialogue between the unions and the government to prevent escalation.
The Collaborating Transport Unions of Liberia emphasized their willingness to return to the table for constructive dialogue but warned that failure to act decisively and fairly could deepen public distrust and further destabilize an already strained economic environment.
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