Who Fingered GoL-LTM Concession Agreement? -Senators, Public Raise Alarm over Legal Flaws

MONROVIA – The government of Liberia under the aegis of former President George Manneh Weah in September 2018 signed a 25-year concession agreement with the Liberia Traffic Management Incorporated (LMTI) for the Lebanese-run company to take over City Parking System, Vehicle Inspection System, Driver Testing, among others.

While it is noteworthy to mention that the September 2018 concession agreement between the Government of Liberia and the LMTI did not usurp the functions of the Ministry of Transport to handle vehicle registration and driver licensing functions, it is now causing severe migraine for the Joseph Nyuma Boakai-led government, and Liberian Senate and larger public are concerned.

The Senate, in its most recent sitting, is advising the incumbent president to halt implementation of the LTMI concession.

The question many are asking is, ‘With $60 million question is, who might have fingered the LMTI concession agreement?’

Tensions galore amid ‘fingering’ allegations

The Senate’s decision to call on President Boakai to halt implementation of the LTMI concession comes against rising tension from staffers of the Ministry of Transport who have been picketing over what they perceive as flaws in the government’s implementation of the LTMI concession under ‘dubious’ circumstances.

It can be recalled aggrieved Transport Minister Spokesperson Marilyn Cummings who was recently subjected to undue police brutality warned that any attempt by the Boakai government to implement the LMTI concession would be utterly illegal because such attempt usurps the functions of the Ministry of Transport.

“The Ministry of Transport has the statutory mandate to handle drivers’ licensing and vehicle registration. This concession is bogus,” the outspoken MoT director stated recently when she appeared on a leading talk show.

Senator McGill Supports ‘Fingering’ Theory

Margibi Senator Nathaniel Falo McGill served as Minister of State under the former George Weah regime when the LTMI agreement was signed, but his revelations at plenary last Thursday has got many heads wagging in disbelief over how the Weah government could allow a grievous fraud slide without any repercussions.

Making his input during last Thursday’s Senate session, McGill confessed that the traffic management concession has two documents, and that President Weah failed to honor implementation of the concession because of such a dubious act.

“We have two documents. I was still in the Mansion when the document came out, and the Legal Advisor to the President, who has the responsibility to review all legal documents coming from this legislature, said that the document that the Traffic Management is purporting that it is the law is not the law. So, the government could not proceed to implement a concession when the government itself believed that the concession that the Traffic Management people were having was not the one that the president signed.”

The Margibi Senator continued: “So, how the president signature got on the one they are carrying around, the government itself was confused. You can’t have two documents. Nowhere in the world that a government will operate on two documents. The concessionaire carries around one document saying this is the document, but the government that gave you the concession is saying that is not what I signed.”

Meanwhile, the Plenary of the Liberian Senate has endorsed a decision that their leadership advise the President of Liberia to put a halt to the implementation of the Liberia Traffic Management (LTM) concession.

Troubling Excerpts from Original LMTI Agreement

The bitterness surrounding the ongoing LMTI concession agreement stems from contradictions with the Act that created the Ministry of Transport on August 25, 1987.

According to the Act, the Ministry of Transport is to formulate and administer all transport, insurance and maritime regulations in Liberia.

Excerpts from the 2018 LMTI concession agreement, copies of which are in possession of this paper, clearly supporting the MoT legal authority, indicate that the administration and policing and/or functions of the Ministry of Transport shall not be part of this concession agreement.

The agreement also clearly stated that the function of the Ministry of Transport and duties that cannot be concessional under this agreement as it relates to driver license system supported by the development of a secured biometric driver identification system and issuance of personalized vehicle Driver Licenses that comply with the Vehicle and Traffic Law and the ISO 18013 by the Ministry of Transport.

“Vehicle Registration System. The development of a secured vehicle identification and issuance of personalized vehicle registration documents that comply with the Vehicle and Traffic Law and International Standards by the Ministry of Transport.

“Motor Vehicle Office. The provision of single window driver license and vehicle registration offices in the fifteen counties sufficient to ensure efficient delivery of services by and through the Ministry of Transport,” the 2018 LMTI concession spelt out.

Citizens react

In the heat of the ongoing brouhaha over the awarding of a Ministry of Transport functions to a private firm, Liberians have been wagging their tongues for in disagreement with the awarding of the LMTI concession that usurps the functions of the Ministry of Trsansport.

“This is so bad. So, our government is outsourcing our data to foreigners? What are they doing with our info at the end of the contract? This is risky for our security situation,” says Ernest Dakinnah of Caldwell.

“Why can’t we learn from the past? Where in Lebanon can a Liberian company get a contract to handle drivers’ licensing and vehicle registration? This is so wrong,” commented Lucia Richardson in a social media post.

On the other hand, some aggrieved Liberians believed that the move to turn over vehicle registration and incensing to the LMTI is timely and cost-saving due to what they term as the corrupt nature of MoT workers.

“The Ministry of Transport and the Liberia National Police are the most corrupt government entities. This concession is the best thing for us that on the traffic,” say Jusu Binda, a kehkeh rider from Duala.