Drivers storm Transport Ministry

Hundreds of drivers Wednesday, 24 February stormed the Ministry of Transport in Broad Street, Monrovia in demand of license plates and other documents, already paid for, but yet to be delivered by the ministry.

According to the aggrieved drivers, they paid for the services several months ago, the ministry has defaulted in delivering items paid for. One aggrieved driver, Lassana Finner, expressed disappointment in the Government for the manner in which it has handled the issue, lamenting that despite being fully aware these services have not being provided, the authorities ordered the police to carry out inspection of vehicles plying the streets, parking vehicles without license plates and other relevant documents, including Third Party Liability insurance.

Mr. Finner claimed each time the police impound vehicles, they demand 1,500 Liberian Dollars from each driver in order to release a car. He said drivers and car owners that converged at the Transport Ministry Wednesday had already paid for these documents and obtained receipts, but the police are insisting the receipts are invalid unless they ply the streets with the new license plates printed by the Government.

According to him, he registered his car with the Transport Ministry since last November, but for the past four months he has been going at the ministry, they authorities keep telling him to go and come the next day without any tangible result, a fate faced by most of them.

Another affected driver, Blama Sheriff, said despite completing his registration since January 2016, he has not received his plate and other documents, while his vehicle remained packed at Via Town, Bushrod Island.

When contracted, the director for press and public affairs at the Transport Ministry, Samuel G. Barjibo, claimed the ministry had public service announcement both on radio and in newspapers, calling on drivers and owners of vehicles to come and pick up their license plates and relevant documents, but they have not been responding accordingly until the current inspection exercise by the Liberia National Police, thus, putting serious strain on the process.

By Bridgett Milton -Edited by Jonathan Browne