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President Boakai endorses Fraudulent LTM deal: hundreds of Liberians to lose jobs

  • Writer: Michael T
    Michael T
  • Jul 22, 2025
  • 3 min read
President Boakai inspecting LTM Facility
President Boakai inspecting LTM Facility

President Joseph Boakai has finally endorsed the controversial and widely criticized 70%–30% LTM Transport deal. This 25-year agreement with Liberia Traffic Management Inc. (LTM), a foreign-owned company now in control of vehicle licensing and registration, has been described by critics as one of the most exploitative deals in recent history. The 70-30 split is fundamentally against the government and the country’s interest, apparently structured to enrich a few corrupt individuals[1][2].


Unlike Boakai, his two predecessors, former Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and George Weah, both flatly rejected the deal after realizing its exploitative nature. According to sources, Sirleaf went as far as to toss the proposal “on the floor and insult those behind it,” while Weah similarly withdrew after his Minister, Sam Wulu, fully explained the potential consequences[1][3].


Liberia’s past leaders saw the deal as fundamentally misaligned with the country’s interests. The deal, now ordered into full effect by President Boakai, with his Justice Minister Oswald Tweh ensuring its implementation, has raised questions about the administration’s commitment to transparency and public welfare[4][5]. President Boakai confirmed the validity of the agreement and instructed the Minister of Justice to ensure its full implementation, emphasizing its legal and legislative backing[4][5].


Now, accusations of corruption swirl around the deal. Whispered allegations claim that up to $5 million in “appeasement” payments were distributed to individuals in the President’s circle. The Justice Minister, Police Director, and even the President’s own son are purported to have shares in LTM. Furthermore, persistent but unverified reports suggest that as much as $2 million may have been delivered to the President before his inauguration, raising serious concerns about the motivations and beneficiaries of the concession. These claims have heightened public distrust but remain, as of now, unsubstantiated by formal investigation[3].


Financial details of the LTM deal have only stoked further controversy. The government—once earning nearly $9.1 million annually from the Ministry of Transport’s licensing services—will now receive just $1.5 million each year from the Lebanese company, a mere fraction of the potential revenue[1][2]. Over the full 25-year term, LTM is projected to contribute no more than $40 million to the government, while estimates suggest the Ministry could have generated $225 million in the same period[1][6][7]. Critics argue this arrangement is a clear blueprint for elite enrichment at the expense of ordinary Liberians and the public treasury[3][2].


The most immediate victims of the deal are the more than 250 Ministry of Transport employees facing redundancy, displaced to allow the President’s close circle and foreign interests to profit[8][9][10][11]. Aggrieved ministry employees, bracing for massive job cuts, have protested and appealed to the Legislature, calling the deal both illegal and against the public good[6][7][2]. Their spokesperson summed up the national mood: “This is not a deal for Liberia, but for a few in power and their associates”[1][9][3].


As the controversy spills, the future of hundreds of livelihoods hangs in the balance. With mounting concerns about transparency, legality, and national sovereignty, the LTM deal has become, for many Liberians, the embodiment of a government forsaking the public interest for the private gain of a privileged few[1][3][6].




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Additional Sources


[5] Liberia: President Boakai Endorses LTM Concession, Directs Justice Minister to Ensure Full Implementation Amid Transport Minister’s Open Bid - FrontPageAfrica https://frontpageafricaonline.com/news/liberia-president-boakai-endorses-ltm-concession-directs-justice-minister-to-ensure-full-implementation-amid-transport-ministers-open-bid/

[8] Govt Officially Turns Over Traffic Management to LTM Today https://allafrica.com/stories/202507170588.html

[9] Liberia: Over 265 Employees' Jobs At Risk At MOT https://allafrica.com/stories/202507180483.html

[15] Liberia: Traffic Management Deal Could Render Over 200 Jobless, Minister Says https://oraclenewsdaily.com/2024/10/30/liberia-traffic-management-deal-could-render-over-200-jobless-minister-says/

[16] Ex-transport official slams outsourcing of vehicle licensing ... https://liberianinvestigator.com/news/kolliegbo-condemns-ltm-vehicle-licensing-outsourcing/

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