Gbarnga, Bong County – The decentralization process of Liberia is becoming more manifest as the Ministry of Transport over the weekend opened and officially decided its regional office along the Gbarnga-Lofa highway in Bong County.
Report by Mae Azango [email protected]
“This is a sign of relief to the people to see the opening of the service center in Bong County, because they won’t have to go through the hardship of driving all the way to Monrovia to get their driver’s licenses and do their vehicle registration,” said the county’s Superintendent, Selena Polson Mappy.
“We must say thank you to your predecessor, Mr. Minister, because she was the brain behind the opening of the service centers in Bong County and the inclusion of the Ministry of Transport into the County service center, so let me say thanks to her and to the Ministry of Transport family that today the citizens of Bong County will be breathing the fresh air of relief,” Supt. Mappy added.
Supt. Mappy who cut the ribbons to the transport regional office during the dedication, promised that with the center now placed in a building that hosts the county’s administration, government is bound to collect its due revenues. She said it will put an end to excuses made by vehicles and motorcycles owners who were in the habit of blaming their failure to register their vehicles on government’s inability to decentralize the transport services.
To buttress the government joint inspection team’s rigid enforcement process of vehicles registration throughout the country, Transport Ministry started its decentralization process by opening service windows in (Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties) under the administration of Madam Angela Cassell Bush.
The Ministry of Transport is also making efforts to ensure that services are accessible to residents and citizens throughout the country. The vision of its exercises is being continued by Minister Samuel Wlue who recently took over the ministry.
The dedication of a regional office depicts transport’s presence in Bong County and it will strengthen the commitment of taking the transport services provided by government to the people.
The regional office, like the service window is automatic and it will issue driver’s licenses as well as register vehicles effectively and on time,” Min. Wlue said.
He cautioned the administration and supervisors of the regional office to use the multipurpose building for its intended purpose for the benefit of the people.
Mr. Burnet Bull, a representative of the Liberia Revenue Authority, (LRA), assured users of the service center that the LRA window will always be effective.
The Four-room and two bathrooms facility is self-contained and fenced. It has both front and back poaches and its own exclusive water running system from a borehole.
In a related development, Transport Minister Wlue is also urging members of transport unions in the country to respect the laws of Liberia in the discharge of their duties.
Addressing over 20 executives of the various motor vehicle, motorcycles and tricycle unions recently at the Ministry of Transport, Minister Wlue encouraged them to observe all traffic safety rules prescribed by the law.
At the acquaintance meeting, Minister Wlue also committed his Ministry, as a service-delivery institution and said he will ensure that all entities over which it has oversight, delivers the needed services to customers in the best, speedy and reliable manner.
The leaders of the various unions lauded Minister Wlue for the invitation to exchange views on critical issues for the overall improvement of the transport sector in the country and described the action as a good beginning while looking forward to more of such interactions.
Meanwhile, the transport unions recommended for inclusion on the enforcement teams during inspection; need for adequate public awareness prior to inspections, requested parking lots for tricycles in Monrovia, request for government subsidies in the union, and the government’s intervention to help protect some of the businesses reserved exclusively for Liberians.