A high-ranking worker on the Ministry of Transport has accused the Liberia Nationwide Police (LNP) of unleashing brutal power on peaceable civil servants along with her struggling the worst harm throughout a protest over a controversial contract reportedly awarded to a non-public firm.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway
Tensions erupted in Monrovia on Thursday morning, July 10, 2025 as scores of staff from the Ministry of Transport accused the LNP of violently suppressing a peaceable protest geared toward petitioning lawmakers over the reported controversial contract deal that threatens their jobs.
In an emotional account in a dwell video, Marline Cummings, who was recognized because the Director for Driver Licensing on the Ministry, defined how she and over 200 staff had gathered for the aim of petitioning the Legislature relating to the deal that will outsource the manufacturing of driver’s licenses and automobile license plates to Liberia Visitors Administration (LTM).
The employees concern the deal will result in the closure of the Ministry’s two main income-generating divisions- the Division of Motor Autos and the Division of Driver License – efficient Monday, July 14, and depart 265 staff successfully idle.
“We have been simply strolling to come back to the Home to petition our lawmakers. They requested us to maneuver to the facet to have a dialogue. Out of a sudden, the police commander got here and mentioned, ‘Assault!’—and we have been being attacked from each facet. That is police brutality,” Madam Cummings acknowledged.
In accordance with her, the peaceable meeting rapidly turned violent when armed police, allegedly appearing beneath orders from Inspector Normal Gregory Coleman, used teargas and power to disperse the group.
“They got here with weapons and teargas. Gregory Coleman despatched his thugs – his lawless armed males on us. I obtained brutalized for standing up. I obtained brutalized for saying the reality.”
Cummings, a civil servant with ten years of service to the Ministry, mentioned the deal not solely threatens the livelihoods of devoted public employees but additionally raises critical considerations about transparency and accountability.
“The one justification is you’re nonetheless on payroll. So, it means we are going to take the federal government’s cash and do nothing. Is that the type of governance we would like? The place is the transparency if civil servants can not even ask questions with out being brutalized?” she furthered.
She additionally questioned the federal government’s dedication to its acknowledged pillars of rule of legislation and good governance.
“I assumed rule of legislation was a pillar? I assumed transparency was a pillar? Then why are we being punished for demanding solutions?”
The incident has triggered widespread concern, with requires an investigation into the police’s actions and the character of the LTM contract.
When contacted, the Director of Press on the Ministry of Transport, Shadrach Brown, declined to reply on floor that he had not been given the permission to talk to the difficulty. The Liberia Nationwide Police has but to subject an official response to the matter amid these publicly allegations.
