MONROVIA — The Managing Director of the National Transit Authority (NTA), Edmund Forh, has announced that his team is poised to address the pressing transportation issues facing Liberians across the country. Speaking to journalists at the NTA headquarters on Thursday, Forh revealed that 15 buses will return to the streets of Monrovia by November, a move aimed at easing the growing transportation needs in the capital and its surrounding areas.
This development follows the arrival of spare parts needed to repair several NTA buses that have been out of service for months. According to Forh, the goal is to provide affordable and reliable transportation options, reducing the strain on citizens who have struggled to secure affordable transit in recent months.
Monrovia’s streets are often congested with shared taxis during rush hours, creating a transportation bottleneck that fails to meet the demands of the city’s growing population. The limited capacity of these vehicles has compounded the issue, and despite the presence of buses, their availability has significantly declined in recent years.
Forh attributed this decline to the mismanagement of the previous NTA administration, stating that when he assumed office eight months ago, the NTA was in disarray. Out of 39 buses, only five were operational, with another five damaged beyond repair, and 29 requiring major mechanical repairs.
“We inherited an NTA without an administrative building. My deputies and I are currently working from the garage because the entire administrative building was destroyed by fire before we took over,” Forh explained.
Transportation issues have been further exacerbated by new safety regulations on motorcycles enforced by the Liberian National Police since May 15, 2024. While these measures aim to improve public safety, they have inadvertently led to a reduction in the number of motorbikes available for public transportation, causing overcrowded taxis and a sharp increase in transport costs.
Forh also addressed recent changes within the NTA, stating that he had demoted several directors and supervisors in an effort to promote employees with degrees to leadership positions, rather than retaining high school graduates in those roles. “This action should serve as motivation for those affected by my decision,” Forh said.
Deputy Managing Director for Operations, Noah Zawu Gibson, disclosed that plans are underway for the construction of a new administrative building for the NTA. He noted that the process for bidding is currently being coordinated with the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
It can be recalled that during the transition period, the NTA’s administrative offices in Gardnersville were destroyed by fire, resulting in the loss of over LD$809,000, nine million Leones, and US$600. Mr. Gibson assured the public that the current management is committed to restoring the NTA’s image and improving services in the best interest of the Liberian people.
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