PHOTO: County Atty. Johnson (Above) and CSO leader Togba (Below)
By King Brown, sarwahking@gmail.com
BUCHANAN, Liberia – Grand Bassa County Attorney Randolph Johnson has threatened to arrest the Chairman of the local Civil Society Organization, Barley Togba if motorcyclists stage unspecified protest action that will cause insecurity in the county.
County Attorney Johnson also criticized Chairman Togba for what he called unethical behavior, accusing him of being compromised and conflicted into a rising crisis between two separate leaderships of the Motorcycle and Tricycle Union in Grand Bassa County.
County Attorney Johnson CSO Chairman Togba
The County’s chief prosecutor said that while he is making frantic efforts to resolve the crisis between the rival unions that have the propensity to derail peace that might lead to civil disobedience in Grand Bassa, the CSO local chairman has allegedly taken side with the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union, telling them not to be law-abiding citizens.
Speaking recently at a one-day dialogue program organized by the Grand Bassa Chapter of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia in Buchanan, County Attorney Johnson said the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union and the National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association of Liberia are engulfed with serious leadership crisis.
If not managed properly, he warned that it could lead to chaos and vandalizing of properties in the county.
According to him, he had a press conference last Wednesday July 6, 2022 addressing the conflict between the two Motorcycle and Tricycle Unions in the County and at the closed of his media engagement, Mr. Togba allegedly interrupted after he (Attorney Randolph Johnson) ordered immediate closure of the motorcyclists building.
Attorney Johnson said he mandated the police to ensure that the union’s office remained closed until the motorcyclists resolve their misunderstanding, because they have tried to solve the differences amongst them but, according to him, they are not yielding any concrete result.
CSO leader reacts
But the Chairman of the CSO in Grand Bassa County Barley Togba has denied the accusation linking him to any motorcyclists’ crisis.
He said that he does not have any interest in the case between the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union and the National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association of Liberia.
Mr. Togba challenged the County Attorney that he does not have the capacity to order his arrest on the basis of any statement he made within the confines of the law, noting that he is awaiting Attorney Johnson arrested order anytime against him.
The local CSO leader accused the County Attorney of being in cohood with the National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association of Liberia, because the Union is allegedly being supported undercover by the ruling CDC party government to be used as a major campaign block for their re-election come 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections in Liberia.
Pres. Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Isaac Paye (Left) Pres. Motorcycle and Tricycle Association of Liberia Samuel Debah, Jr.
Meanwhile, County Attorney Johnson has ordered that the motorcyclists will not have access to the union’s office building until a full understanding is reached from their matter.
If anyone forcefully opens the union’s office, the person will be arrested and the law will take its course.
Mr. Togba has expressed disappointment about decision taken to close down the union’s office building and blasted the Grand Bassa County Attorney for the action.
The local CSO lead said the statement by the government’s chief prosecutor in the County against him clearly shows he is conflicted and already compromised.
He said if the current conflict between the motorcyclists’ union turns violent, the County Attorney will be the first person arrested by the Liberia National Police for interrogation.
Motorcyclists Federation threat to forcefully open office building
Based on that, the Local office of the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union of Grand Bassa County has threatened to forcefully open their office building closed down on the order of the County Attorney.
According to the Secretary General of the union, the County Attorney Johnson ordered them to close their building due to some misunderstanding between them and another new union in the county.
Mr. David Jackson said that the new motorcycle union called NAFOMTAL is claiming ownership of the building, something that prompted the county attorney to order the closure of the building until the Matter is well looked into.
He said due to the fact that they can no longer wait but to open their building within the period of three days if the county attorney does not bring the matter to a logical conclusion.
For his part, the President of the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union, Isaac Paye has said it is about time that motorcyclists stand up for their rights.
According to him, they will not be in the county for motorcyclists to be suppressed by their county leaders.
Mr. Paye has also joined his motorcyclists to call on the county attorney to see reason in reopening their office for the progress of their union.
He said the closure of their office is causing serious embarrassment to their operation noting that they have no other place to discuss the growth and development of their union except their office.
According to him, they do not want any problem in the county; therefore, they want the county Attorney to allow them to use their building.
Also speaking, the President of the National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association of Liberia Samuel Junior urged cyclists in Grand Bassa County not to deal with any other union except NAFOMTAL.
Mr. Junior said that NAFOMATAL is the only legally recognized and registered Union cloth with the authority to govern Motorcycle and Tricycle in Liberia.
According to him, there are individuals in the county impersonating as a union, misleading and exploiting money every day from motorbike riders.
He mentioned that based on the complaints from those aggrieved motorcyclists, they are working with relevant institutions in the country to take appropriate action against those impersonating as union, though he did not call their names.
Mr. Junior warned those involved in such criminal acts to desist, noting that the government through the Ministry of Transportation is aware of their operations; as such, they will not relent in dealing with those who will be caught impersonating.
But when contacted, the Assistant Director for Operation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Division at the Ministry of Transport, he said the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association in Liberia is the only legally registered institution with a permit document.
The Director said the permit document gives them the authority to govern Motorcycle and Tricycle riders in Grand Bassa County.
Director Willington Kumuh said with the exception of the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association in Liberia, no other union is allowed to regulate the activities of Motorcycle and Tricycle riders in the 15 counties of Liberia.
According to him, the Ministry of Transport has granted NAFOMTAL all of the legitimate rights and legal documents recognizing their leadership to do business in leading cyclists across the country.
He mentioned that under the Transport Ministry, they have no other Motorcycle and Tricycle union to issue a permit document except NAFOMTAL which has been approved to operate anywhere in Liberia.
He said the Ministry of Transport is fully supporting the one union system because several unions have been wrongfully impounding commercial cyclist bikes, misusing of power, taking advantage of riders and exploiting them, a complaint he said they received almost every time at the ministry.
The National Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Association in Liberia and the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union of Liberia have been in serious conflict over whom to lead the Motorcycle and Tricycle riders in Grand Bassa County.