MONROVIA – Liberian Embassies and diplomatic missions across Africa and other parts of the world have been issued a strict mandate not to issue laissez-passer to any Liberian citizen wanting to return to Liberia, FrontPageAfrica has gathered. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has vehemently denied the issuing the mandate.
Report by Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]
A source in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, informed FPA that he and several others who had gone there to process visas for various European countries were denied the Liberian traveling certificate to return while their visas are being processed.
“The guy sat by me and read the memo they had received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Liberia asking them to halt the issuance of laissez-passer.
The source who was shown a copy of the memo but was denied of making a copy of it told FrontPageAfrica that the memo is dated February 1, 2020 and was issued by Henry B. Fahnbulleh, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“I came for visa for Swedish visa and I had to leave my passport for the visa to be processed. The passport would be sent to me via DHL. That’s the procedure here. So, I cannot continue being in Abidjan, I decided to go to the Liberian Embassy to get laissez-passer to return to my own country but I was denied. Now, I’m stranded, I can’t continue to pay the hotel bills and I’m out of cash,” the source said.
According to him, several other Liberians there are experiencing a similar situation.
But speaking to the Assistant Minister for Public Affairs, Mr. Sylvester Pewee said the Foreign Ministry has not issued any such memo to any of its missions abroad.
He, however, said the laissez-passer will not be issued unless where there is a proven emergency.
“You cannot have a passport and then apply for a laissez-passer,” he said. He said the mission has to be satisfied with the emergency before they can issue you a laissez-passer,” he maintained.
While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is denying issuing such a memo, FPA sources in Ghana and Sierra Leone confirmed that they have also put a halt to giving out laissez-passer irrespective of the case the person may present.
“I came for visa for Swedish visa and I had to leave my passport for the visa to be processed. The passport would be sent to me via DHL. That’s the procedure here. So, I cannot continue being in Abidjan, I decided to go to the Liberian Embassy to get laissez-passer to return to my own country but I was denied. Now, I’m stranded, I can’t continue to pay the hotel bills and I’m out of cash.”
– Stranded source in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
A Lesson from Costa’s Saga?
The Liberian government came under heavy criticism in January after its failure to arrest Mr. Henry P. Costa, chairman of the Council of Patriots who successfully organized two mass protests against Weah-led administration.
He was accused by the government of entering Liberia from Ghana on December 19 with a doctored laissez-passer.
According to the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), while the booklet was authentic, the signature and stamp on it were forged.
Costa, however, said he could not be held liable as it was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Costa was first denied from leaving for the United States via the Roberts International Airport pending an arrest for investigation in connection to how he obtained the laissez-passer.
Costa later fled Liberia via Sierra Leone where the government futilely tried extradite him to Liberia for investigation.
It was later revealed that one Monie Hooke Momolu, a former Foreign Affairs employee helped Costa obtain the traveling document.