The Liberian authorities on Wednesday, has put a ban on motorcycle taxis in its capital city, Monrovia, forcing hundreds of commuters to walk to work.

CEOAFRICA gathered that police set up roadblocks at key junctions to impose the ban after condemning the bikers of riding heedlessly and causing accidents.

The privately owned motorcycle taxis are said to be the main mode of transport in Monrovia and many other African cities.

According to a police statement, any cyclists caught in the city centre and main roads will have their bikes confiscated and a fine of $200 (£124).

This trend has however been greeted with anger by the motorcyclist whose means of income depended on.

 Monrovia, which has a population of more than a million, has few roads which are in a bad condition and most residents rely on motorcycle taxis because it easy to get around on them according to source.

There are few buses and no rail network in the city, which was badly affected by a brutal civil war that ended about a decade ago.

An analyst has said that the measure could herald a return to "gangsterism" if the commercial bike riders were unable to earn a living.

 Police spokesman Sam Collins however said it was being enforced because of "the wave of accidents involving motorcyclists and the taking away of precious lives".