Government Must Enforce The Concession Agreement On Traffic Management

Government-Must-Enforce-The-Concession-Agreement-On-Traffic-Management

In Recent Weeks, employees of the Ministry of Transport and commercial drivers took to the streets in protest against the implementation of the Liberia Traffic Management Concession Agreement enacted In December 2018 by the 54th Legislature.

The Protesters Claimed that the agreement was tampered with, especially the vehicle registration and driver’s license portions. They alleged that these portions of the concession agreement were left with the Ministry of Transport, as contained in the original document. However, they protested that ‘hidden hands’ altered the agreement thus allowing the Liberia Traffic Management Incorporated (LTMI) to take control.  They frowned at the Liberian government’s decision to outsource the issuance of driver’s license and vehicle registration to LTMI.

In the Wake of the protest and frustration expressed by employees of the Transport Ministry and commercial drivers, the House of Representatives asked President Joseph Nyumah Boakai to halt implementation of the agreement, thereby leaving the function with the relevant government ministry.

We Believe That the decision of the House of Representatives is an overreach not supported by any law governing the state. When the agreement was ratified, it was done by majority of lawmakers in the 54th Legislature who were re-elected to the 55th Legislature. If there are issues with the concession agreement, it is not the lawmakers that should half its implementation but rather, a court of competent jurisdiction.

There Are Processes involved in amending a law; let those processes and procedures be followed. Moreover, if anyone has problem with the agreement, that person should go to court requesting the court to stop the enforcement through a petition for a writ of prohibition.

The House of Representatives has no authority whatsoever to ask the President to stop the enforcement of a law. The Executive Branch has a constitutional obligation to enforce every law passed by the Legislature and should not pay heed to an instruction not supported by law from a segment of the Legislature and ignore it role.

It Is Our request that President Boakai enforces the Liberia Traffic Management Concession agreement in keeping with law and should not halt its implementation by word of mouth from those who legitimized the same document.

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