Civil Servants at the Ministry of Transport are at risk of losing their jobs amid a controversial Traffic Management Concession, reminiscent of the MedTech Scientific deal, which is costing the country 80% of its revenue intake.
By Stephen G. Fellajuah
Monrovia, July 17, 2025: Over 265 employees are at risk of losing their positions due to a controversial concession agreement between the Government of Liberia and Liberia Traffic Management Inc. (LTM). The agreement sparked national outrage, with Liberians branding the deal as illegal, economically damaging, and a threat to national security.
The 25-year contract, which officially took effect on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, transfers key traffic and transportation functions from the Ministry of Transport to a foreign-backed private firm, raising serious concerns among public officials and civil society groups.
Spearheading the workforce, Patrick S. Piah, Director of the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) at the Ministry of Transport, called the agreement “evil” and a direct assault on the rights and livelihoods of Liberians.
“This agreement is not just a bad policy, it’s an attack on Liberian workers and families,” Piah told the New Dawn newspaper during an exclusive interview. “When one Liberian loses a job, it affects six to ten other people who depend on that income. Over 265 employees are at risk of losing their positions at the Ministry. That means over 1,300 lives will be impacted in an already struggling economy.”
Piah further accused the government of violating the 1987 Act of Legislature that established the Ministry of Transport. “To strip a government ministry of its legal mandate without repealing or amending the law is not only unlawful, but also unconstitutional,” he emphasized.
The agreement, drafted initially under former President George M. Weah’s administration in 2018, was shelved due to widespread institutional resistance. It remained dormant for years because of jurisdictional disputes involving the Ministry of Transport, the Liberia National Police, and the Ministry of Justice.
Piah claims the concession was rejected outright by the Weah administration due to its economic and security implications. However, the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has moved forward with full implementation, which Piah and others see as a betrayal of public trust.
Also raising alarm bells is Momo Tarnuekollie Cyrus, Chair of the Senate Committee on Defense, Security, Intelligence, and Veteran Affairs. Speaking from the Senate, the Lofa County Senator issued a stern warning:
National security is not for sale. This agreement puts sensitive national data and core public functions in the hands of a foreign-controlled entity. That’s unacceptable, he added.
Under the agreement, Liberia Traffic Management Inc. is tasked with vehicle registration and licensing, traffic ticket management, Vehicle towing and impound, and City parking.
Other functions include Vehicle inspection, Driver testing and certification, Freight and trucking oversight, and Motor Vehicle office operations.
Critics argue that giving a private foreign firm control over these systems compromises national sovereignty and potentially exposes sensitive citizen data to unauthorized use or misuse.
Concerns also center around transparency and financial accountability. According to Musa Kromah, Assistant Director for Documentation and Billing at the Ministry of Transport, the new system is more expensive for ordinary citizens and less beneficial to the state.
“A taxi driver used to pay $78 to register under the Ministry,” Kromah explained. “Now they are paying $190 to LTM. That’s more than double.”
A stark difference in how revenue is distributed. Under the Ministry of Transport, 70% of all revenue collected was allocated directly to the Government of Liberia through a private-public partnership. However, with the new LTM contract, only 30% reportedly goes to the state, while the company retains the remaining 70%.
Additional concerns have been raised about LTM’s failure to issue official receipts from the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA). According to internal sources, the LRA has distanced itself from the company’s operations.
Further complicating the issue, Inspector General of Police Gregory Coleman has allegedly endorsed LTM-issued driver’s licenses and related documents, leading to questions about coordination, legality, and transparency.
Piah and Kromah are not alone in their criticism. A growing number of Liberians, including civil servants and ordinary citizens, have joined calls for President George Weah to immediately revoke the agreement.
“Mr. President, we elected you because of your experience and wisdom,” said Piah. “This is the time to prove that you are here to rescue Liberia, not to hand over national control to foreign companies.”
They further vowed to take their grievances to the international community, including the U.S. and French embassies, the European Union, and other foreign partners who support Liberia’s development.
“We will exert every means available to us. Suppose we must appeal to every foreign partner that values transparency and democracy. In that case, we will do so,” they said, during an interview on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at the MoT headquarters in Monrovia.
The Boakai administration has defended the concession as a step toward modernization, arguing that Liberia’s traffic management systems have remained outdated and inefficient for decades.
According to a government statement, the transition to LTM aims to reduce road accidents, improve compliance with traffic laws, and generate long-term revenue through streamlined digital systems. Officials insist that oversight mechanisms will be established to ensure transparency and protect national interests.
However, given the scale of opposition and the controversial nature of the agreement, public pressure continues to mount, potentially forcing the administration to revisit or revise the deal in the coming weeks.
As Liberia grapples with economic hardship and the need for institutional reform, the LTM concession has exposed deep divides over how much of the public sector should be privatized, especially when national sovereignty, jobs, and public accountability are at stake. Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
