The Chairman of the ruling Unity Party, Luther Tarpeh, has written Vice president, Jeremiah Koung, to intervene in easing the growing tension between the Liberia National Police and motorcyclists across Liberia.
Chairman Tarpeh, in his communication, appealed to the Liberian Government to relinquish its plan of restricting motorcyclists and keh-keh riders from plying the principal streets.
Weeks ago, the Liberian Government, through the Liberia National Police signed a symbolic MOU with motorcyclists, in which the LNP termed the ELWA Junction through Central Monrovia and the Free Port through Central Monrovia as no-go zones for motorcyclists and keh-keh riders, beginning May 15, 2024.
However, since the pronouncement, hundreds of motorcyclists have not endorsed the proposal and have been having pocket protests.
Chairman Tarpeh said, although the government’s measures are meant to promote safety and orderliness in Monrovia, the timing for that restrictive movement ban could be misconstrued as an act of ungratefulness to the young men who overwhelmingly supported the Rescue Mission in the recent elections in 2023.
“Mr. Vice President, I write to draw your attention to the growing tension between the Liberian National Police (LNP) and the commercial motorcyclists, since the LNP proposed a ban preventing motorcyclists from accessing main streets in Monrovia beginning May 15, 2024,” his letter read.
“Several of them traveled with us everywhere at their own expense on the campaign trail because they wanted better living conditions for themselves and their families. I remain optimistic of our government’s economic deliverable to the people of Liberia very soon,” Tarpeh reminded government.
“However, the timing to implement this mandate is worrisome as this may affect the bread and butter issues for the members of this sector,” his communication to VP Koung stated.
Chairman Tarpeh is at the same time proposing to Vice president Jeremiah Koung to convene a round table discussion between the Liberia National Police and the motorcyclists to find a common ground and discuss safety issues in the traffic, instead of banning them from plying major roads in the first three months of the Koung-Boakai government.
