With over 260 workers on the Ministry of Transport prone to shedding their jobs, the Senate Chair on protection, intelligence, and safety has written to Plenary, citing the Minister of Justice and the Police Director, Coleman, to offer additional clarification on the contract.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Capitol Hill, July 18, 2025: Lofa County Senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Protection, Intelligence, Safety, and Veteran Affairs, Momo Cyrus, has written to the Liberian Senate, requesting that the august physique summon the Minister of Justice and Police Inspector Normal Gregory O. Coleman, with the goal of addressing nationwide safety considerations.
Sen. Cyrus, in his communication learn in open session on Thursday, July 17, 2025, requests Plenary endorsement to ask the Minister of Justice and the Inspector Normal of Police to handle Nationwide Safety considerations linked to outsourcing Site visitors Administration Providers to the Liberia Site visitors Administration, Inc., a international firm.
” In my capability as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Protection, Intelligence, Safety and Veteran Affairs, and in step with the oversight obligations assigned to this committee, I respectfully request the endorsement of Plenary to ask the Minister of Justice and Legal professional Normal together with the Inspector Normal of the Liberia Nationwide Police to seem earlier than the Liberian Senate to handle mounting nationwide safety considerations surrounding the latest outsourcing of core visitors administration providers to a personal, foreign-controlled entity, particularly Liberia Site visitors Administration, Inc. (LTMI).” He famous.
In accordance with him, whereas efforts to enhance visitors effectivity and street security are commendable, the outsourcing association, which grants LTMI vital authority over automobile registration, licensing, and enforcement operations, raises a number of safety and sovereignty purple flags.
The Lofa County Senator talked about entry to delicate nationwide knowledge, because the agency could acquire unrestricted entry to the Biometric and logistical knowledge of auto house owners and operators nationwide, together with authorities and diplomatic fleets.
He additional outlined the chain of Custody dangers as an element, including that the mixing of a foreign-controlled agency into the issuance and authentication of license plates, automobile tags, and official decals introduces the chance of unauthorized duplication, forgery, and potential sabotage.
“Lack of State Oversight and Command: Delegating enforcement capabilities, together with. Towing and visitors violation enforcement by a personal entity blurs the road between state authority and business curiosity, undermining public belief and police legitimacy. Income Assortment & Accountability: Questions persist relating to the fiscal. Transparency and authorized foundation of revenue-sharing agreements tied to fines, registration charges, and enforcement surcharges administered by the personal agency,” he stated.
Sen. Cyrus disclosed that the precedent for Privatizing Core Safety Features is one other main unfavorable issue as a result of this transfer could open the door to future outsourcing of different essential state capabilities historically held below public legislation enforcement.
“Given the implications of this growth, I respectfully request that Plenary authorizes the looks of the Minister of Justice and the Inspector Normal of Police earlier than this august physique to Current the authorized framework below which the outsourcing association was made; Make clear the oversight mechanisms in place to stop misuse or knowledge leakage,” he famous.
Senator Cyrus assured the Senate that no nationwide safety curiosity or statutory mandate has been compromised.
“Deal with the scope and limits of LTMI’s operational mandate relating to the Liberia Nationwide Police Site visitors Division and the Ministry of Transport. The Legislature has an obligation to make sure that all public-private partnerships, particularly these intersecting with nationwide safety, are clear, constitutional, and non-threatening to state sovereignty. I sit up for Plenary’s approval of this request within the spirit of safeguarding public curiosity and institutional integrity,” he concluded. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
