Bushrod Island — The ECOWAS Transport Union, in collaboration with the Federation of Road Transport Union of Liberia (FRTUL) and affiliate groups, began a three-day go-slow action on Monday, citing persistent harassment and excessive traffic ticketing by police.
By Blamo N. Toe, Nyantee S. Togba and Emmanuel Degleh
The protest, which affects transport services in Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu counties, is already disrupting travel between those areas and Monrovia.
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At a May 10 press conference on Bushrod Island, Jeremiah M. Sesay, spokesperson for the transport union, accused the Liberia National Police Traffic Division of issuing multiple, high-cost tickets for minor offenses--even when drivers have valid licenses, registrations, and insurance.
"We will park our commercial vehicles until our concerns are fully addressed," Sesay said. "This situation is worsening the hardship on already struggling drivers and undermining our ability to care for our families, maintain our vehicles, and survive."
Members of the Union displaying tickets issued by the police
Sesay criticized fines ranging from $50 to $150, claiming they are often unfair and arbitrary. He questioned whether officers would fine their own relatives in similar fashion.
While assuring the public that the action would remain peaceful and without roadblocks, Sesay urged citizens to respect the protest and avoid politicizing it.
He specifically called out Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman, accusing him of importing U.S.-style policing tactics that he said do not suit the Liberian context.
"We don't have time to write formal letters to the Police IG, the Traffic Division, or the Ministry of Transport," Sesay said. "Our go-slow action will send the message clearly."
Drivers in Kakata Join Protest
In Kakata, Margibi County, hundreds of commercial vehicles were parked as drivers joined the action, leaving many passengers stranded.
The drivers decried what they described as persistent police harassment along the Monrovia-Ganta highway.
Fedesco Hassaine, a national executive of FRTUL, said the situation has triggered a wider protest affecting cities including Kakata, Ganta, Buchanan, and Tubmanburg.
"Drivers are being issued multiple tickets by the same police officers for minor issues, and it's embarrassing," Hassaine said.
Police Practices Under Scrutiny
Lawrence Kabelah, the union's chief investigator, said officers routinely ticket drivers near parking lots before they even begin their routes. He cited infractions such as driving in slippers or carrying minor loads as examples of over-policing.
"We challenge the police to name any country where a single driver receives three tickets at such high costs," Kabelah said. "You issue tickets worth $50 to $150 for a broken tail light, but ignore the poor road network."
Vice President for Operations V. Edwin Keh warned that if authorities fail to address their concerns within the three-day window, transport fares will be doubled.
"We will increase fares, and that will hurt the struggling masses," Keh said. "This is a professional go-slow. Do not deploy police on the streets--there will be no roadblocks."
Government Steps In to Resolve Dispute
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport announced Monday that the dispute with commercial drivers has been resolved following a high-level meeting with the Liberia National Police and transport union leaders.
Deputy Minister for Land and Rail Transport Rudolph Natt and Assistant Minister Zunu Duyann convened an emergency meeting with union officials, including Director of Land Transport Jaspad White.
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At the conclusion of a follow-up dialogue with police at LNP headquarters, Inspector General Coleman assured the union that no officer would issue a ticket exceeding $20. He also agreed to reduce nighttime checkpoints to ensure smoother transport flow.
"The Ministry of Transport remains committed to fostering dialogue and building trust among all transport sector stakeholders," said Natt. "We thank the Liberia National Police for responding positively and the commercial drivers for resuming services in the interest of the public."
Duyann added that the resolution marks "a new beginning in government-driver cooperation" and vowed to keep communication lines open to prevent future disputes.
Commercial drivers have now pledged to return their vehicles to roads nationwide, restoring critical services in Monrovia and beyond.
