ECOWAS parliament digs deep in free movement

ECOWAS Parliament has conducted a two-day
fact-finding mission aimed at strengthening free movement of citizens
between member states.

 

As part of the tour, the delegation has
met with a cross section of citizens, including traders and border
security officials of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea at the two ports
of entry.

 

The high-powered delegation of ECOWAS
parliament headed by the Speaker, Mr. Mustapha Cisse, held a town-hall
meeting at the Liberia-Guinea border.

 

The fact-finding mission is aimed at
strengthening free movement of citizens between member states as
enshrined in the 1979 ECOWAS Protocol.

 

At the meeting 
on September 29, citizens of both countries complained of constant
harassment from security officers and called on the Parliament to
intervene.

 

In response, Speaker frowned on the
alleged harassment against citizens of both countries and called on
authorities to intervene.

 

He noted that the intent of ECOWAS is to
promote free movement of citizens among Member States and affirmed the
parliament’s commitments in working with the ECOWAS Commission and
regional leaders in addressing the situation.

 

“No matter what, we must come together
and don’t allow people from outside to divide us. Terrorists want to use
our territories to destroy us.

 

We need to wake up and work together.
ECOWAS will look at all of these concerns raised here and work towards a
lasting solution,” he assured.

 

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 detain
them.

 

She alleged that a Guinean security
officer identified as Alpha Conteh once beat up a pregnant Liberian lady
and placed her in detention at a ‘notorious’ check point known as Lion
Gate in Guinea for some unexplained reasons and
she (Madam Dolo) had to come and alert the Liberian authorities before
the lady was released upon their intervention.

 

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.

 

A local Guinean official Yakow Dacama
admitted to the maltreatment of citizens from both countries by their
respective security forces; adding: “Guinean traders also suffer
constant intimidation from Liberian Immigration and Police
officers at the border and various checkpoints within Liberia.”

 

Dacama disclosed that the situation
involving the pregnant Liberian lady was expeditiously dealt with,
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 behaviours.

 

However, security officials from both countries boasted of cordial relationship between and among themselves.

 

The Commander of the Liberia Immigration
Service (LIS) at the Ganta Details, Louise Dennis, asserted that most
citizens crossing the borders do not have relevant traveling documents
and dealing with such cases is one of the main
challenges they face daily.

 

Her statement was also bolstered by her Guinean counterpart, Diallo Mammadou.

 

Senator Prince Y. Johnson, the Third
Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, called on the security
apparatus of both countries to solve the problems to promote peace and
unity between the nations.

 

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 peace keeping mission.

 

The occasion was also graced by top
regional diplomats, including the Guinean Ambassador to Liberia, Alhaji
Abdoulaye Doré, 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.

 

Earlier, the ECOWAS Parliament delegation
visited the Liberia-Sierra Leone border and met with citizens and
borders security officers at Bo Waterside.

 

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 a regional currency within ECOWAS to
promote trade and economic growth.

 

Representing Liberia on the delegation
included Sen. Johnson, Rep. Edwin M. Snowe, the Head of Liberia’s
Parliamentary Delegation to ECOWAS, Rep. Haja Fata Siryon of Bomi and
Rep. Clarence Massaquoi of Lofa County.