Monrovia, Liberia–Commercial drivers across Liberia’s Western Region have announced a Go-Slow action set to begin on Monday, May 12, 2025, in protest of what they describe as increasing police harassment and the imposition of excessive traffic fines.
The planned action is being organized by the Western Region Commercial Drivers Union.
According to the union’s Vice President for Operations, Varney Kear, the protest is a response to what he calls an “alarming situation” involving the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the Liberia Traffic Management (LTM).
“Our drivers are being issued multiple tickets for a single violation, in some cases receiving three separate fines from different officers for the same incident,” Kear stated. “This is not America. This is Liberia. We want enforcement of our own traffic laws, not practices copied from elsewhere.”
Jeremiah M. Sesay, the spokesperson for the union, expressed frustration with what he described as a growing culture of abuse and exploitation by traffic officers.
“We have come here today to call on the attention of the national government, particularly the Liberia National Police, Liberia Traffic Management, and other relevant authorities, about the consistent harassment of commercial drivers,” Sesay said.
He cited a case where a commercial driver was issued traffic tickets totaling $150 USD, roughly L$30,000, for a single violation, while the driver reports only L$3,000 in daily income.
“How do you expect a driver making L$3,000 a day to pay an L$30,000 ticket?” Sesay questioned.
The union said it plans to present a petition listing three key grievances, supported by evidence, to relevant government authorities.
Other union members also echoed similar sentiment with Kear, stating that there are too many checkpoints along the Bomi, Cape Mount highway.
They called for urgent reforms and greater accountability among traffic enforcement officers.
The Go-Slow is expected to affect transportation services across several counties in the region Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu Counties, possibly leading to delays for commuters and economic disruptions.
Authorities of both, the Liberia National Police and the Liberia Traffic Management have yet to respond to the union’s claims or the pending protest.
