GANTA, Nimba – The Ministry of Transport says it has registered 3,100 motorcycles in Nimba and collected L$11,119,525 (US$70,377) and US$6,100 in registration fees.

Addressing journalists on Saturday, January 4, 2019, Alex Sayon Nyanplu, the ministry’s coordinator for the northern region (which includes Nimba), said the fees were collected over a two-month period ending on December 30.

Nyanplu said motorcyclists and vehicle owners have generally been cooperative since the ministry began its registration exercises in the county.

“Motorcyclists in Ganta and other parts of the county are complying and cooperating with us, and the influx are still coming to us as we are putting our reports together,” he said.

“As we speak, they are still coming on a daily basis to do their registration without tension being mounted them.”

The exercise is mainly meant to ensure that government revenues are being collected – no inspection is actually done on the vehicles before they are registered. However, the registration helps authorities better track missing or stolen vehicles, Nyanplu said, as motorcyclists must present valid documents proving that they own the vehicles.

The registration fee for motorcycles is US$25 or its Liberian dollar equivalent and entitles a motorcyclist to a license plate. Each plate can be used for five years, although motorists are still required to renew their registration each year for the same price.

Nyanplu said all categories of motorcycles (commercial, government-owned, and NGO-owned) are required to register their vehicles at the same US$25 fee.

That fee had previously been US$50, Nyanplu said. However, motorcyclists complained that it was too high, prompting the ministry to reduce the fee to the current level. He said the Ministry of Transport expects the continued compliance and cooperation of vehicle owners.

He warned against vehicle owners transferring plates from one vehicle to another, noting that it was criminal.

In addition to the funds raised from registering motorcycles, the northern region coordinator said the ministry also collected L$1,959,290 (US$12,400) and US$5,305 from other 100 vehicles.

“If you brought your vehicle and [came] to the ministry here in Nimba, just in the course of an hour, you will obtain your plate,” he said.

Nyanplu said vehicle registration fees ranged from US$75 to US$500, based on the class of vehicle.

He stressed the need to establish sub-offices of the Ministry of Transport within Nimba’s six major cities to allow the ministry to more easily register vehicles and collect revenues.

Featured photo by Eric Opa Doue