Ganta, Nimba County – A high-power delegation of ECOWAS Parliament headed by its Speaker, Mustapha Cisse Lo over the weekend conducted a two-day fact-finding mission aimed at strengthening the free movement of citizens between member states.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
As part of the mission, the delegation met with cross-section citizens including traders and border security officials of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea at the two ports of entry.
At a town-hall meeting with citizens at the Liberia-Guinea border on Saturday, September 29, citizens of both countries complained that they are constantly harassed by security forces of both countries who extort money from them and called on ECOWAS Parliament to intervene and ensure free movement.
In response, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Mustapha Cisse Lo frowned on the alleged harassment meted against citizens of both countries and called on authorities of both countries to intervene and Stop the Situation.
Speaker Cisse Lo noted that the intent of ECOWAS is to promote free movement of citizens among member states and affirmed the ECOWAS Parliament’s commitments in working with the ECOWAS Commission and regional leaders in addressing the situation.
Citizens’ complaints
Madam Yah Dolo, one of several Liberian traders who explained their ordeals to the delegation said Liberians involved with cross-border trade are often maltreated by Guinean security personnel on their business trips.
Madam Dolo said on several occasions, security personnel demand money from them despite having all of the required traveling documents, and if their demands are not met, they (security) would beat on them and sometimes detained them.
She alleged that one Guinean security officer identified as Alpha Conde beat on a pregnant Liberian lady and placed her in detention at a ‘notorious’ checkpoint known as Lion Gate in Guinea for some unexplained reasons and she (Madam Dolo) had to come alert Liberian security before the lady was released.
According to her, due to the constant harassment meted against them by the Guinean authorities and the rapid decrease in the currency value, most of them have gone out of business.
She called on the regional bloc to intervene and bring back the harmonious relationship that once existed between the sisterly countries prior to the civil war in Liberia.
Meanwhile, a local official in Guinea identified as Yakow Dacama admitted to the maltreatment of citizens from both countries by their respective security forces; adding that Guinean traders also suffered constant intimidation by Liberian Immigration and Police officers at the border and various checkpoints in Liberia.
Dacama said the situation involving the pregnant Liberian lady was expeditiously dealt, adding that the perpetrator was made to pay for his crime.
He called for the intervention of both countries’ governments, ECOWAS and the Mano River Union to stop the unwholesome behaviors.
But security officials from both countries boasted of cordial relationship between them.
The Commander of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) at the Ganta Details, Louise Dennis asserted that most of the citizens crossing the borders do not have relevant documents and dealing with them is one of the main challenges they are facing with.
Her statement was also bolstered by her Guinean counterpart, Diallo Mammadou.
Senator Prince Johnson, the Third Deputy Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament called on the security apparatus of both countries to solve the problems to promote peace and unity among the two countries.
Senator Johnson recounted the historic tides existing between the two countries and hailed Guinea her pivotal role in ending the Liberian civil war by sending its troops to form part of the peacekeeping mission.
The occasion was also graced by top regional diplomats including the Guinean ambassador to Liberia, alhaji Abdoulaye Dore and the Special Representative of the ECOWAS Commission’s President to Liberia, Babatunde Ajisomo who pledged to engage their respective leaders to bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, the ECOWAS Parliament delegation earlier on Friday, September 28 visited the Liberia-Sierra Leone borders and met with citizens and borders security officers.
Citizens boasted of a cordial relationship between the two countries and thanked the delegation for the visit.
They, however, lamented over the decrease in value of their local currencies against the United States dollars and called for the introduction of one regional currency within ECOWAS to promote trade and economic growth.
Representing Liberia on the delegation included the Third Deputy Speaker, Sen. Prince Y. Johnson of Nimba County, head of Liberia’s Parliamentary delegation to ECOWAS, Rep. Edwin M. Snowe of Bomi, Rep. Haja Fata Siryon also of Bomi and Rep. Clarence Massaquoi of Lofa County.