Monrovia-On Monday, Could 12, 2025, business drivers throughout Liberia’s together with the Western Area started a Go-Gradual motion in protest of what they describe as growing police harassment and the imposition of extreme visitors fines.
In accordance with info, the deliberate motion is being organized by the Western Area Industrial Drivers Union. The union’s Vice President for Operations, Varney Kear disclosed that the protest is a response to what he calls an “alarming scenario” involving the Liberia Nationwide Police (LNP) and the Liberia Site visitors Administration (LTM).
On Monday, the scenario paralyzed each business exercise as commuters touring from one finish to a different have been unable to maneuver from one space to a different. Drivers in Cape Mount, Bomi, Bong and different elements of the nation refused to place their autos on the street for business functions.
The scenario additionally affected Monrovia, the primary capital of Liberia as a number of business drivers refused to place their car on the road-a scenario many described as embarrassing. How lengthy the strike motion by business will final is but to be established however Liberians are involved concerning the unfolding scenario within the nation.
Talking not too long ago concerning the police harassment, “Our drivers are being issued a number of tickets for a single violation, in some instances receiving three separate fines from completely different officers for a similar incident,” Kear said. “This isn’t America. That is Liberia. We would like enforcement of our personal visitors legal guidelines, not practices copied from elsewhere,” stated Varney Kear, Vice President for Operations of the Industrial Union.
Previous to yesterday’s strike motion, Jeremiah M. Sesay, the spokesperson for the union, expressed frustration with what he described as a rising tradition of abuse and exploitation by visitors officers.
“We’ve come right here right now to name on the eye of the nationwide authorities, notably the Liberia Nationwide Police, Liberia Site visitors Administration, and different related authorities, concerning the constant harassment of economic drivers,” Sesay stated.
He cited a case the place a business driver was issued visitors tickets totaling US$150, roughly L$30,000, for a single violation, whereas the driving force stories solely L$3,000 in day by day earnings. “How do you count on a driver making L$3,000 a day to pay an L$30,000 ticket?” Sesayquestioned.
The union deliberate to current a petition itemizing of three key grievances supported by proof, to related authorities authorities. Different union members additionally echoed comparable sentiment with Kear, stating that there are too many checkpoints alongside the Bomi, Cape Mount freeway. They referred to as for pressing reforms and higher accountability amongst visitors enforcement officers.
Yesterday’s strike motion affected transportation providers throughout a number of counties within the area together with Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Bong and Gbarpolu Counties resulting in delays for commuters and financial disruptions.
Authorities of the Liberia Nationwide Police and the Liberia Site visitors Administration have but to reply to the union’s claims and to go-slow motion that begun yesterday.
