There was a severe congestion at Nafaa centers across regions on the first day of partial resumption of operations, following the announcement by the Traffic Management Authority regarding the reopening of its doors after nearly six months of closure. About 30 members from the Internal Security Forces were brought in to manage the affairs of the authority.
The first phase involved registering foreign vehicles that had not yet been registered and issuing them Lebanese plates, with the second phase set to focus on renewing and replacing driving licenses. Some citizens complained about the slow pace due to the inexperience of those brought in to manage the processes. One individual at the Nafaa center in Sidon remarked, "At this rate, the center will not be able to register more than 25 vehicles a day." He believed that "a better-studied mechanism for resuming operations was necessary."
This first phase follows communications among stakeholders in the automobile sector and others connected to the Ministry of Interior and Nafaa to find solutions that could reactivate the automotive sector and facilitate the movement of new vehicles. It is noteworthy that the authority had been closed for months due to the commitment of its employees and staff to the open-ended strike announced by the Public Administration Employees Association, demanding improvements in their living conditions and salary increases, amidst their refusal to return to work based solely on promises.
