By: Rancy S. Teewia
As the Ministry of Transport (MOT) embarks on introducing new vehicle plates and the registration of vehicles for 2021, a vehicle owner has frowned on what he called irregularities and corrupt practices in the process, saying that the process is shrouded with the exploitation of vehicle owners.
Speaking to The Analyst on yesterday, Wednesday, an aggrieved vehicle owner, Sheikh Abubakar Kromah, said there are some employees of the Ministry of Transport requesting vehicle owners for extra money with promise to expedite the processing of vehicle documents. He also said refusal by the customer to adhere to these individuals makes it difficult to be served.
“If you go to the Ministry to process your document there are lots of people who happen to be employees of the ministry asking for money so that they can process your document; and if you say no to them, you will be delayed throughout the day without attention.
Sheikh Abubakar Kromah criticized this practice, saying it is absolute corruption intended to exploit and/or rob vehicles owners in the process of registering their vehicles at the ministry. “Today, we got at this Ministry at 7: AM; and while we were standing on line, there was electricity outage which was latter resolved; but few minutes after, a lady closed the window who we thought should serve us and said she was no longer working without explaining to us any tangible reason,” the Sheikh narrated.
Annoyed by this act of carelessness, the vehicle owners present protested and that if they were not served, they wouldn’t leave the window, considering the time they spent there wanting their vehicles registered.
“Since 7: AM this morning we have been here; and while we were standing, you ordered security and they started to drag us from the ministry Sheikh Kromah noted. He said that it is rather frustrating for Minister Samuel Wulue to sit in the Ministry doing nothing, but to encourage corruption, which has the propensity of slowing the generation of revenue for the government at the ministry which serves as one of the government’s major source of revenue generation.
“It is very shameful for Minister Samuel Wulue to be encouraging corrupt practices, and playing fun with one of the government’s major source of revenue generation; and I thinking is wrong and President Weah should take serious action against him,” Sheikh Kromah asserted.
He recommended that the government should open more centers for vehicle registration for the smooth operation of the process, adding that the ministry is one of the Government major source of revenue generation and it should not be taking lightly.
On January 5, 2021, the Ministry of Transport launched the new license plate for vehicles in line with the traffic and vehicle law of Liberia, which requires the printing of new vehicle plates after every five years. At the time, the ministry gave all vehicle owners residing in Liberia three months ultimatum to complete the process for 2021.
The complaint by the sheikh comes shortly after the President of Liberia mandated public servants against errors and laxity in the discharged of their duties.
Our reporter who went to verify the claim by Sheikh Kromah could not meet Transport Minister Samuel Wlue as he was told the Minister was out of office.
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