Published: October 23, 2026
MONROVIA — The Senate will question the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Liberia Revenue Authority next Thursday over the government’s earnings from its contract with Liberia Traffic Management, after Lofa County Sen. Momo T. Cyrus said the deal hands the company 70% of the revenue and warned he would support no government in 2029 that keeps it in place.
By Blamo N. Toe
Cyrus, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense, Security, Intelligence and Veterans Affairs, told the Senate during its regular Thursday session that the arrangement undermines the Ministry of Transport and costs the government revenue, while motorists pay for services the company fails to deliver.
“You give them 70% of the revenue, while the government takes only 30%,” Cyrus said. “Can you imagine that we have effectively undermined an entire ministry established by law, the Ministry of Transport, just to give contracts to Lebanese businessmen?”
Senate President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence responded by directing the Senate Secretariat to invite the Finance Ministry and the LRA to appear before the body.
“It is concerning, and we will add that issue to our resolution,” she said. “However, I think that next Thursday, we need to invite the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to appear before the Senate to discuss this matter.”
When contacted by The Liberian Investigator for a response to Cyrus’ allegations, LRA Commissioner General Dorbor Jallah said the authority would address the concerns later.
Cyrus said the government earned substantial revenue from vehicle registration, driver’s licenses and other transport services before it entered the arrangement with LTM, and that it now struggles to generate US$4 million from those services.
“They brought no capital into this country. No capital!” he said. “So, we cannot sit here as senators, calling ourselves honorable senators, and fail to intervene in these matters.”
He said some applicants spend an entire day trying to obtain a driver’s license, while others wait two to three weeks for documents they have already paid for. He also said residents of Lofa County must travel to Monrovia to obtain vehicle license plates.
“What is this? What kind of country are we running?” he said. “We are senators here. We have a responsibility to address these issues.”
Cyrus urged his colleagues to investigate the agreement, including the company’s revenue collections, government remittances and service delivery obligations.
He said the contract would be a major issue in the 2029 presidential and legislative elections.
“And I have said this publicly: This contract is an electoral issue! The Liberian people are not happy. The Liberian people are complaining,” he said.
“Those who are interested in the 2029 elections, including the president, should take note of what I am saying. I will not support any government in 2029 if Liberia Traffic Management remains in this country and this contract is not reviewed or canceled,” Cyrus said.
Karnga-Lawrence said recommendations had previously been made to address some of the concerns, and that the Senate Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget introduced amendments during the budget process aimed at resolving some revenue problems. She said the Senate must hear from the relevant institutions before deciding how to proceed.
She said the secretary of the Senate would work with Bong County Sen. Prince K. Moye and Gbarpolu County Sen. Amara M. Konneh on the wording of the invitation.
“I will ensure that the final communication is approved and dispatched today so that representatives of the Liberia Revenue Authority and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning can appear before us next Thursday at 12 noon,” Karnga-Lawrence said.
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