– Orders Transport Ministry to Resume Full Operations
By Jerromie S. Walters
The Joint Committee on Investment and Concessions and Transport of the House of Representatives has imposed an immediate suspension on all operations of the Liberia Traffic Management (LTM) following its failure to appear before a critical investigative hearing. The decision comes after LTM disregarded a legislative summons on Thursday, July 31, 2025, without submitting any formal explanation, effectively stalling an inquiry into its controversial concession agreement.
The hearing was initiated in response to a formal petition from aggrieved employees of the Ministry of Transport, who raised concerns over the legality and implementation of LTM’s concession. While all other invited parties attended the session, LTM’s absence forced the Joint Committee to take swift action, issuing a “still order”—a legislative freeze—on the company’s activities until a full review of its contract is completed.
In the interim, the *Ministry of Transport has been directed to immediately resume its statutory duties, including motor vehicle registration, driver’s license issuance, and enforcement of all traffic regulations in coordination with the Liberia National Police. The Chief Clerk of the House has been instructed to formally notify all relevant institutions of this directive.
To ensure compliance, the Inspector General of Police has also been mandated to support the Transport Ministry in enforcing Liberia’s traffic laws during the transition period. Meanwhile, LTM and its legal team have been summoned to appear before the Joint Committee on Monday to explain their repeated failure to comply with legislative summons, an act that could be deemed contempt of Parliament.
The House’s decision comes days after the Liberian Senate’s formal resolution urging President Joseph Boakai to immediately suspend implementation of the LTM contract, citing potential irregularities and substantial economic losses for the government.
The Senate’s decision came during its July 24 session when Montserrado County Senator Abe Darius Dillon successfully moved a motion highlighting serious legal concerns about the concession’s validity.
Senator Dillon emphasized that while the Senate lacks authority to investigate potential fraud allegations, it maintains constitutional oversight responsibilities to ensure proper governance. His approved motion mandates Senate leadership to engage with the Executive Branch while recommending immediate suspension of the LTM agreement pending full review.
This legislative action comes amid sustained protests from Ministry of Transport employees, who on July 22 staged demonstrations against what they describe as a deeply flawed arrangement. The workers contend the 25-year concession, granted to Lebanese-owned LTM, will cost Liberia approximately $185 million in lost revenue while eliminating around 200 civil service positions. Under the 2018 agreement, LTM assumed control of critical transport functions including driver’s license issuance, vehicle registration, and traffic violation enforcement – operations previously managed by the Transport Ministry.
Financial analysis reveals stark disparities in the concession’s terms. While the Ministry traditionally generated $9.1 million annually from these services, the LTM deal reduces government receipts to just $1.5 million per year – creating a $7.6 million annual shortfall. Protesters highlighted that a previous Liberian contractor paid $48 million over four years, significantly more than LTM’s $40 million commitment across 25 years. “This isn’t just about jobs – it’s about national resources being given away for pennies,” one demonstrator stated.
The controversy extends beyond financial concerns to questions of legal authority and national security. Transport Ministry employees argue the concession violates Liberia’s 1987 Transport Act by transferring core regulatory functions to a private, foreign-owned entity now operating under Justice Ministry and police supervision. Many note the unusual circumstance of seeing the Police Inspector General’s signature on vehicle documents instead of transport officials.
This dispute illustrates the latest chapter in a complex legal saga dating to 2020, when the Transport Ministry initially contracted Modern Development Management Corporation (MDMC) before LTM successfully challenged the arrangement in court. Despite the Supreme Court upholding LTM’s contract in October 2024, tensions persisted as the Transport Ministry appeared to test the agreement’s boundaries by soliciting competing bids late last year.
