Published: September 16, 2024
MONROVIA – The Liberian Investigator has documented blatant violations of the police-imposed ‘No Go Zone’ restriction for motorcycles in Monrovia by ordinary citizens, motorcyclists, and law enforcers, including members of the Liberia National Police who often neglect to wear helmets.
Furthermore, law enforcement officials have reportedly failed to perform thorough inspections of motorbikes at various checkpoints in designated areas has noticeably decreased. Some national security officers have even joined ordinary citizens in violating established regulations by deliberately refusing to wear helmets.
On Wednesday, May 15, 2024, the ‘No Go Zone’ restriction officially took effect under the directive of Police Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman. Motorcyclists were required to register their bikes at the Ministry of Transport and insure them. They were also mandated to wear helmets, operate with only one passenger, and don reflective jackets, protective shoes, and view mirrors at all times.
On Friday, May 17, 2024, IGP Coleman and then-Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Jane A. MaCauley, met in Monrovia to address health concerns regarding the use of one helmet by multiple motorcyclists. They implemented safety regulations to prevent the transmission of pathogenic organisms and reduce head injuries during road traffic accidents.
Following this meeting, IGP Coleman, in collaboration with NPHIL, mandated that all motorcyclists and passengers adhere to several hygiene measures, including the regular cleaning of helmets using disinfectant sprays. The Liberian government, through the LNP and NPHIL, also demanded that motorcyclists refrain from placing their gloves inside helmets, while passengers should cover their heads before wearing a helmet.
Despite these regulations, The Liberian Investigator observed that many motorcyclists and their passengers often choose to hold their helmets in their hands instead of wearing them. Additionally, ordinary citizens, motorcyclists, and officers from the Liberia National Police and the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) disregarding the regulations by operating in and around Monrovia without helmets and gloves.
Initially, after the regulations were introduced, the vehicles of private workers, LNP officers, LIS members, Armed Forces of Liberia personnel, and other private security officers were seized or their riders were denied access to their destinations by police officers at various checkpoints for violations.
LNP Spokesperson Madam Cecelia Clarke emphasized the importance of these regulations in a promotional video featuring social media influencers, stating, “Remember, compliance with these regulations is not just about following the laws; it is about saving our lives.”
Key checkpoints, including those before the National Port Authority, Clara Town Store, Vai Town before entering Central Monrovia, Capitol By-Pass, Sinkor, and SKD Boulevard – 72nd Junction corridors, and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Ministerial Complex 540 Community, which were once stringently monitored, are now less intensely enforced. These checkpoints are often left abandoned by law enforcers and have become self-regulated during various parts of the day.
In some cases, commercial motorcyclists violate the ‘one rider to one passenger’ policy, carrying up to three or four persons on a single bike. Additionally, some officers have been observed sitting alongside tricycle riders, a practice typically prohibited and punishable under police regulations.
As of May 15, when the ‘No Go Zone’ restrictions were reinforced, a three-month grace period was granted to motorcyclists to regularize their status. However, as of September 15, 2024, one month past the expiration of this grace period, IGP Coleman and his team have yet to provide a public update on the enforcement of the movement of motorcyclists across Monrovia.
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