NPP’s concerns worth noting
The former ruling National Patriotic Party here recently took the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s administration to task for the ongoing inspection exercises for insurance and annual vehicle registration. The NPP said, in a news conference that it is totally against the government’s decision in compelling private and commercial vehicles to take insurance protection before plying the streets of Monrovia, as well as other municipalities and highways across the country.
“Vehicle owners need to pay between US$165.00 and US$1,000.00 to insure their cars; those not bearing the insurance stickers on Monday were being impounded. Many people did not make it to school or to work on Monday due to the scarcity of cars on the roads, as taxi and bus owners parked their cars to avoid the Police checkpoints. The insurance plan is being re-introduced after it was interrupted more than a decade ago by the nation’s civil war, while government cars, including ministers, directors, senators, representatives and other officials of this government ply the streets without their cars being insured or bearing registered license plate,” the party said, describing the action as unacceptable, and that it would resist the process on grounds that it is not in the people’s interest.
We believe the party’s concerns are rational, especially on issue that has to do with government vehicles being ignored by the Police. The appropriate government institutions must be made to also comply with the exercises as no sector of our society should been seen as being above the law. If the Insurance policy was ‘interrupted more than a decade ago by the nation’s civil war,’ it is but prudent that all measures are put in place before its reintroduction. It is time that the Ministries of Finance, Transport and Justice make sure that everyone abides by the law because it is national safety issue, not only for private citizens and business people, which tends to defeat its overriding objectives. The NPP, as a legitimate political party has spoken rightly in the interest of the masses, who are currently enduring the adverse repercussions of what should be a national program. The enforcement of laws or government policies should cut across segregation to achieve the desire results.
We totally support the ex-ruling party’s call that the ongoing exercises, as part of our revenue generation process, should be wholistic, without any room for contention as is unfolding now. This paper is fully aware that the ongoing exercises are for the safety of the general population, but the way the government has proceeded, is found wanting. To ignore these concerns and continue with the exclusive arrest and impounding of commercial and privately-owned vehicles is sheer demonstration of insensitivity to the plight of the people, who heavily bear the brunt of the unfair enforcement.
