Monrovia – Despite the Liberian Government’s 25-year concession agreement with Liberia Traffic Management (LTM), the project remains stalled, even though the Boakai-Koung administration initially showed interest in moving the concession forward.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
Signed with a vision to improve road safety and regulate traffic through a $50 million investment, the concession agreement aims to benefit all road users—including vehicle, tricycle, and motorcycle operators, as well as pedestrians and passengers. This ambitious project was expected to address Liberia’s longstanding road management issues, reduce accidents, and improve road conditions.
However, despite the government’s commitment, the agreement has encountered significant setbacks. Although the current administration expressed early intentions to enforce the contract, delays and administrative challenges have hindered its implementation. Negative reports in the media have recently cast the agreement in an unfavorable light, with criticisms directed toward the contract’s owners. Sources close to the administration, however, maintain that efforts are underway to resolve these issues and bring the project to fruition.
A US$50 million concession traffic management agreement to bring relief and safety to Liberian vehicle, tricycle, and motorcycle operators as well as pedestrians and passengers continues to be ignored. While there were early signs the Boakai-Koung administration would enforce it, the concession agreement continues to stall.
In response, some sources familiar with LTM claim that the criticisms are unfounded. They assert that the company is backed by respected Lebanese investors, including Dr. Imad Hajj, a well-known figure who was reportedly a popular choice for president in Lebanon according to recent referendums reported in major Lebanese media outlets.
Genesis of the LTM concession
The initiative began under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration and was later signed by President George Weah in 2018, with the agreement officially becoming law in January 2019. Contrary to recent reports, the government did not pressure the current Justice Minister to grant vehicle registration rights to Lebanese investors. Instead, a separate contract for vehicle registration was signed by the former Minister of Transport with another company.
Key Responsibilities Under the LTM Agreement
The agreement outlines LTM’s responsibilities, including the development of a comprehensive traffic ticket management system. This system, based on a web-based platform, is intended to facilitate the issuance, payment, and tracking of traffic violations, as well as manage demerit points for driver’s licenses. All traffic tickets issued by the Liberia National Police (LNP) under this system must comply with Section 12.52 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
LTM is also responsible for managing a vehicle towing and impound system, including setting up secure impound lots across Liberia’s 15 counties as per the development plan. By the fifth anniversary of the agreement, LTM must ensure there is at least one impound lot in each county capital, starting with two in greater Monrovia.
The agreement additionally tasks LTM with implementing a city parking system, including parking meters, and establishing a vehicle inspection system to maintain standards in emissions and other safety checks across Liberia. LTM is also to manage a driver testing and certification system, ensuring driver competence before licenses are issued, and to operate a secure biometric system for driver licenses and vehicle registrations, with single-window offices in all counties for efficient service delivery.
Delays and Legal Disputes
A state-of-the-art facility, developed in collaboration with the Liberia National Police and LTM, was established in 2019 with a $50 million investment. Equipped with inspection and registration technology, SUVs, and motorbikes for road safety enforcement, this facility remains inactive due to ongoing legal disputes. Meanwhile, the Weah administration awarded similar responsibilities to the Modern Development Management Corporation (MDMC), conflicting with LTM’s original concession.
Investigations by FrontPageAfrica and New Narratives revealed that the Ministry of Transport under the Weah administration assigned vehicle registration and license plate issuance—a responsibility initially intended for LTM—to MDMC approximately 18 months after the LTM agreement was ratified.
FrontPageAfrica has learned that the Boakai-Koung administration and the current Justice Minister are upholding the LTM concession, which legally supersedes subsequent contracts. However, internal opposition within the Ministry of Transport is reportedly hindering the agreement’s execution, though these claims remain unverified.
