PHOTO: Supt Janjay Baikpeh (above) and the shut down offices of the motorcyclist union in Buchanan (below)
By King Brown, Sarwahking@gmail.com
BUCHANAN, Liberia- The Motorcycle leadership crisis in the Motorcycle Union of Grand Bassa County is far from being resolved.
Amidst the conflict, Superintendent Janjay Baikpeh has backed the County Attorney of Grand Bassa, Randolph Johnson for his decision to immediately shut down the offices of the union in the port city of Buchanan.
Besides the closure of the union’s office, Attorney Johnson last week threatened to arrest the local Chairman of the Civil Society, Mr. Togba for meddling in the motorcyclist union’s leadership crisis.
According to the Superintendent, the County Attorney was right to have ordered the building closed down and banned all parties from using it. He said that Mr. Johnson’s decision was intended to save the building from being destroyed by any of the disenchanted parties involved in the crisis.
Mr. Baikpeh said the two parties claiming ownership of the building are the National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association of Liberia and the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union of Liberia in serious leadership conflict over whom to lead the Motorcycle and Tricycle riders in Grand Bassa County.
But according to the Superintendent, none of the aggrieved parties has the legal rights to take over the building, because it is owned by the government and not an organization.
“This is a country of laws and not man. The structure was not built for any organization rather individual so we don’t want people to fight over it that will lead to the destruction of properties and wounding of peaceful citizens in the county,” the Grand Bassa County Superintendent said.
Until the two motorcycle union leaderships can resolve their differences, re-structure themselves and form a legitimate body, no one will be allowed to use the building, he added.
Superintendent Baikpeh mentioned that as local county administration, they will not condone any act of lawlessness from citizens that threatens the peace and stability of the county, adding that the decision of the County Attorney has saved the motorcyclists from causing violence and protects the building from fire incidents.
President of the National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association of Liberia Samuel Debah Junior
“The County Attorney is a legal person and will look at the legal aspect and give the place to a group that has all legal rights. We did not give your deeds for that land you occupied because the land and building belong to the government and not any organization,” the Superintendent asserted.
At the same time, Superintendent Baikpeh is warning motorcyclists to desist from fighting over the building and refrain from all forms of violence, threatening that if anyone caught exhibiting unlawful acts, they will be arrested by the Liberia National police and the law will take its course regardless of the person’s status.
County Attorney Randolph Johnson was hailed for his timely intervention into the motorcyclist’s crisis, and urged to properly investigate the matter in order to avoid the occurrence of violence and destruction of properties.
The Grand Bassa County Superintendent said while investigations are ongoing, his administration will invite the Ministry of Transport to get involved and determine the legitimate registered institution with a permit document that has the authority to govern all activities of Motorcycle and Tricycle riders in Grand Bassa County.
“We will also contact the Ministry of Transport to let us know who they have granted all of the legal rights and legal documents recognizing NFOMTAL or FOMATUL leadership to do business in leading cyclists across the county because we don’t want confusion here”.
He said if he gets evidence that politicians are responsible for all the confusion amongst motorcyclists in the county he will not hesitate but will go after them.
“If we just get any evidence that any politician is linked to bringing motorcycle union leaders into this crisis, we will not hesitate but will go after you, let the press carry it,” Superintendent Baikpeh has warned.
In recent times, the local president of the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union of Liberia (FOMTUL) Isaac Paye has been accusing the National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association of Liberia (NFOMTAL) of allegedly being supported undercover by the CDC led government to be used as a major campaign block for their reelection come 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections in Liberia.
He alleged that because of the government interference through the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Nathaniel F. Mcgill and the Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee, the motorcycle leadership has been engulfed with a serious crisis that has the propensity to cause insecurity in the County.
Mr. Paye has alleged that Minister Mcgill and Mayor Koijee are fighting to dissolve FOMTUL because they refused to support the CDC government reelection on grounds that the motorcycle body is a non-political organization.
He said based on that, the two senior officials of the Coalition for Democratic Change government have established a new motorcycle union called the National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association of Liberia (NFOMTAL) headed by Samuel Debah Junior to fight against them.
Meanwhile, the Pesident of the National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association of Liberia (NFOMTAL) has since denied the accusation.
He said they are not supported by any government officials as alleged by their colleagues, but they want to introduce a one union system in Liberia that will regulate the activities of all motorcycle and tricycle riders across the 15 counties of Liberia.