Police Plan Nationwide Motorcycle Inspection Amid Riders’ Resistance

Published: November 14, 2026

MONROVIA — The Liberia National Police (LNP) has announced plans to launch a nationwide inspection of motorcycles and tricycles to enforce registration, insurance, licensing and road safety requirements, drawing resistance from commercial riders who say previous enforcement measures have left them financially burdened and restricted from operating in major commercial areas.

The planned exercise, expected to begin between now and the end of 2027, will target motorcycles and tricycles operating without valid registration documents, insurance coverage, rider licenses and essential safety equipment, including helmets and reflective jackets.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Alphanso D. Bindah, chief of traffic at the LNP’s Public Safety Division, disclosed the plan Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, during a meeting with leaders of several motorcycle and tricycle unions in Monrovia.

Bindah said the police are currently concentrating on enforcing parking restrictions and regulations governing motorcycle and tricycle operations in designated areas. However, he warned that a broader inspection covering documentation and safety compliance is being prepared.

“For registration and insurance, it will come. When a policeman arrests you, they will ask you for registration, insurance and rider license, that is their duty and responsibility, but for now we can assure you that the enforcement is on motorcycle and tricycle parking,” Bindah said.

Although he did not announce a specific commencement date, the senior police official urged union leaders to inform their members and begin preparing for the nationwide exercise.

“Let me make it clear, we are going to have a national enforcement for inspection, on safety helmets, on registrations, on reflector jackets. That is in the making, which will be done by Unit 102 and others. So, start passing the information,” he stated.

“Don’t say the police didn’t tell us. We are telling you now. From now to next year, that enforcement is going to start,” Bindah emphasized.

Another police official, identified as Unit 118, also warned motorcyclists and tricycle operators against installing unauthorized extension lights on their vehicles. The official instructed union leaders to immediately inform their members to remove the lights, warning that violators would face a US$50 fine.

The announcement, however, generated mixed reactions among motorcycle union representatives, who welcomed some safety measures but questioned the proposed enforcement of registration, insurance and licensing requirements.

The financial secretary of the National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Associations of Liberia said union leaders support the use of helmets, appropriate footwear and rearview mirrors but believe the documentation requirements require further consultations.

“The issue of helmets, footwear, and view mirrors and other stuff, we appreciate it. But when we get to the issue of motorcycle registration, we really have to re-discuss it and re-strategize it because our guys have past experience and we had a lot of tension with that, so there is a need for proper planning,” the union official said.

The official’s concerns reflect longstanding disagreements between commercial motorcycle operators and police authorities over enforcement measures, particularly restrictions on access to central Monrovia and other commercial areas.

In Paynesville, several commercial riders interviewed following the announcement expressed frustration, arguing that mandatory insurance and licensing requirements have not provided the benefits they expected.

Thomas Beyan, a commercial motorcyclist operating around Parker Paint Junction, said he would not oppose motorcycle registration but questioned the value of insurance coverage and rider licensing.

“If they want us to register our bikes with plates, no problem. But you see this insurance and rider license, I have serious problem with it. It’s not beneficial for us,” Beyan said.

Another commercial rider, Joshua J. Flomo, criticized what he described as inadequate public awareness before enforcement exercises, arguing that poor communication leaves operators vulnerable to exploitation.

Flomo also accused some motorcycle union leaders of taking advantage of riders, describing them as “hijackers” who have failed to adequately represent their interests.

Other riders, including Joe K. Kpayea, A. Wawelee Morris and Forkpa Moses, expressed similar concerns, saying previous police regulations forced them to spend thousands of Liberian dollars on registration, insurance and licensing without corresponding improvements in their operating conditions.

One rider accused the police of encouraging operators to obtain the required documents before subsequently restricting their access to routes where they could earn enough money to recover the expenses.

“The police IG made us spend our money and get insurance, license and plates but later banned us from running where we are supposed to get our money back. We got insurance but companies refused to turn up when we encountered problems, then what’s the need?” the rider questioned.

The rider further alleged that insurance companies failed to provide assistance when insured motorcyclists encountered problems, raising questions about the benefits of mandatory coverage.

The renewed enforcement plans come against the backdrop of previous restrictions imposed on commercial motorcycles in central Monrovia.

In May 2024, police authorities introduced revised No-Go Zone regulations requiring operators to meet registration and other compliance conditions. The restrictions were subsequently maintained under Inspector General Gregory Coleman.

In February 2025, police again enforced restrictions on motorcycles operating in designated areas, reportedly seizing thousands of motorcycles, including some whose owners said they had already obtained registration documents and insurance coverage.

Commercial riders have maintained that the restrictions affected their incomes and left some operators struggling to repay money spent on meeting earlier compliance requirements.

While the LNP says the upcoming nationwide inspection is intended to strengthen road safety and ensure compliance with existing regulations, motorcycle operators are calling for broader consultations and clearer explanations of the financial obligations before enforcement begins.