The Chairman of the Unity Party (UP), J. Luther Tarpeh, has written Vice President, Jeremiah Koung to intervene in easing what he sees as a growing tension between the Liberia National Police and motorcyclists.
In his communication to Vice President Koung, Tarpeh appealed to the Liberian Government to relinquish its plan of banning motorcyclists and keh-keh riders from the principal streets of Monrovia.
Weeks ago, the Liberian government through the Liberia National Police signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union of Liberia restricting bike riders from using the city center beginning May 15, 2024.
However, Chairman Tarpeh says the timing to implement such restriction is worrisome.
He said although the restriction is intended promote public safety and orderliness, but the timing could be misconstrued as an act of ungratefulness to the young men, who overwhelmingly supported the Rescue Mission in the 2023 Presidential Elections that brought President Joseph Boakai to the presidency.
“Mr. Vice President, I write to draw your attention to the growing tension between the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the commercial motorcyclists, since the LNP proposed a ban preventing motorcyclists from accessing main streets in Monrovia beginning May 15, 2024,” Tarpeh added.
The Unity Party Chairman recalled that several motorcyclists traveled with them everywhere at their own expense during the campaign trail because they wanted better living conditions for themselves and their families.
“The timing to implement this mandate is worrisome as this may affect the bread and butter issues for the members of this sector”, Chairman Tarpeh pleaded in his communication to VP Koung.
Tarpeh observed that the timely intervention of Vice President Koung cannot be overemphasized to help ease the growing tension because according to him, opposition politicians are gearing up to capitalize on the police restriction to turn the people against the Boakai Administration.
