The Liberian Senate has officially waded into the escalating controversy surrounding the Ministry of Transport’s concession agreement with a private firm, Liberia Traffic Management Inc. (LTMI). The Senate’s leadership has announced plans to meet with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to advise a halt to the implementation of the deal, pending a comprehensive review. The decision comes in the wake of widespread public concern and internal protests by Ministry of Transport employees who argue that the agreement effectively outsources vital government services to a foreign-owned company without due diligence or national consultation. Background and Concerns The 25-year concession, signed earlier this year, reportedly grants LTMI exclusive control over several core government functions previously managed by the Ministry of Transport. These include vehicle registration, driver’s licensing, traffic law enforcement, toll collection, and vehicle inspections. Critics of the deal warn that it risks undermining government sovereignty, displacing hundreds of public sector workers, and handing over sensitive national data and critical revenue streams to a private entity. According to protestors, the agreement was crafted and signed with minimal input from key stakeholders, including workers' unions, civil society organizations, and lawmakers. Grand Cape Mount County Senator Dabah Varpilah raised the issue during the Senate’s 41st sitting on Thursday, July 24, 2025. She highlighted what she described as “glaring irregularities” and “questionable motives” behind the agreement, suggesting that the arrangement poses both employment and national security risks. “We must ensure that any agreement signed in the name of the Liberian people upholds transparency, protects jobs, and aligns with our long-term national interest,” Senator Varpilah said. “This LTMI deal does not appear to do that.” Senate Steps In In response to the growing uproar, the Senate’s leadership, under President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, announced that it will formally engage the Executive Branch to request a temporary suspension of all LTMI-related operations. The Senate, through its oversight responsibility, will meet with the President to seek clarity on what exactly was signed, and what the implications are,” said Karnga-Lawrence. She added that any agreement affecting national revenue generation, data protection, and job security must be carefully vetted and inclusive of the views of the Liberian people. Employees Take to the Streets The protests by Ministry of Transport staff have gained momentum over the past two weeks. Workers have staged sit-ins and demonstrations outside ministry premises in Monrovia and other regions, demanding the cancellation of the agreement. Many fear mass layoffs, loss of government pensions, and weakening of public institutions in favor of foreign profiteering. Employees have also questioned the capacity of LTMI to manage such a vast and sensitive portfolio, warning that the country’s road safety and transportation infrastructure could be compromised under foreign control. Way Forward As the Senate prepares for its meeting with the President, there is growing anticipation over whether the Executive will heed the call to suspend the deal and open a broader dialogue. Insiders suggest the Senate may also push for a legislative review of all major concession agreements signed by the current administration since it took office in January 2024 a move that could set a precedent for stricter oversight of public-private partnerships going forward. For now, both Transport Ministry workers and the broader public await decisive leadership from the nation’s top officials leadership that prioritizes transparency, national interest, and the rights of public sector workers.
