By Amos Harris
What began as a peaceful protest by employees of Liberia’s Ministry of Transport on Thursday quickly descended into violence after officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) allegedly brutalized several staff members. The employees were expressing disapproval over a controversial agreement between the Liberian government and a foreign firm, Liberia Traffic Management (LTM).
According to eyewitnesses and injured protesters, police officers, reportedly acting on the orders of LNP Inspector General Gregory Coleman, used excessive force to disperse the demonstrating workers. The protest, held within the compound of the Ministry of Transport in central Monrovia, was in opposition to the government’s decision to outsource key public functions, such as vehicle registration and licensing, to LTM, a foreign-owned entity.
Protesters carried placards and chanted slogans, accusing the government of compromising Liberia’s sovereignty and transferring vital national revenue sources to private foreign hands. “This is a sellout,” cried one protester. “You can’t hand over our national resources like that.”
At the heart of the protest is a deal that, according to the employees, allows LTM to remit a mere US$4 million annually to the Liberian government—a figure that the workers insist falls far below the true revenue potential of the transport sector. “We can raise more than four million in just three months,” said a protesting employee who requested anonymity. “This deal isn’t for the country; it’s for the pockets of a few individuals in high positions who are facilitating it.”
Those who oppose the agreement claim the foreign firm will gain full control of all income generated from vehicle registration, licensing, and traffic-related services—areas traditionally handled by the Ministry of Transport and believed to be essential to national development. “This is not just about business,” said another worker. “It’s about control, sovereignty, and the long-term implications for our country.”
Trouble began early Thursday morning as news of the planned sit-in circulated, leading to the deployment of dozens of LNP officers around the Ministry premises. As workers began voicing their discontent and calling for the revocation of the deal, the situation quickly escalated. According to several eyewitnesses, officers began using batons without warning to break up the protest, leaving numerous employees injured. “It was brutal,” recounted a Ministry worker limping from a swollen leg. “We were unarmed and peaceful. The next thing we knew, they were swinging sticks and hitting people without mercy.”
Videos circulating on social media appear to show officers physically assaulting unarmed protesters, prompting a swift and angry response from the public. Human rights advocates and civil society groups have condemned the police’s actions and are now demanding an independent investigation into the use of force. Some of the protesting workers were reportedly arrested and taken to the Liberia National Police Headquarters. Their current status remains unclear, as the LNP has yet to issue any public statement on the matter.
In a dramatic twist, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Jeremiah Koon, happened to pass by the scene during the protest and was stopped by some of the workers. Eyewitnesses say the Speaker listened to their grievances and even took some of them to his office for further dialogue. “We appreciate Speaker Koon for his intervention,” one protest leader said. “It shows that someone is listening.” The workers used the opportunity to plead with the Speaker and lawmakers to intervene and prevent what they described as “a dangerous and exploitative agreement that will haunt Liberia’s future.”
Protesters also allege that certain senior government officials are secretly profiting from the LTM deal. “This is not about improving the transport sector. It’s about individuals lining their pockets at the expense of the country,” one employee charged. While these corruption allegations have yet to be independently verified, they have added to the growing public distrust in the deal and similar government contracts with foreign firms. Critics argue that a pattern has emerged in recent years, where foreign companies are granted extensive control over key national assets without sufficient public oversight.
As the story of the protest and the police crackdown continues to dominate national discourse, civil society groups, student movements, and opposition parties are rallying behind the workers. Calls for a full review and public disclosure of the agreement between the Ministry of Transport and Liberia Traffic Management are growing louder. “How the government responds will show whether it is truly committed to transparency, justice, and national interest,” an observer noted.
So far, officials from the Ministry of Transport have remained silent, declining to answer media inquiries. The LNP has also not responded to allegations of police brutality, adding to mounting frustration. Despite the injuries, arrests, and silence from officials, employees at the Ministry of Transport say they are not backing down. “We will not be intimidated,” said one protest leader. “This is our country, and we have a right to know what’s happening with our national assets. We’ll keep fighting for what’s right even if we have to face the police again.”
Observers say the coming days will be critical as pressure builds on the government to respond decisively. With opposition leaders demanding hearings and independent investigations, and civil society vowing to mobilize nationwide support, the controversy over the LTM deal may become a defining moment for the Boakai administration.