By Bill W. Cooper
Rivercess County Senator, Wellington Geevon Smith has raised serious concerns over the influx of Burkinabe migrants into the county ahead of Liberia’s October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections.
In his communication read in plenary, Tuesday, July 4, 2023, Sen. Smith expressed his worries about the potential consequences of this influx on local communities and called for immediate attention from the government to address the issue.
However, Rivercess County, located in southeastern Liberia, is known for its vibrant culture and agricultural potential, but in recent months, it has been reported that the area has witnessed a significant rise in the number of Burkinabe migrants seeking opportunities and a better life.
While issues of migration is common, the sudden surge has raised eyebrows and sparked debates among local residents and officials, and the Rivercess County lawmaker stressed that he along with his constituents will not take it lightly.
“Mr. Pro-temp and colleagues, if I stand to be corrected, Burkina Faso and Rivercess County has no boundaries. So, it baffles me to see the huge influx of Burkinabe in the county and we as government just sit and decide to nothing about it,” he said.
However, in what appeared to be as an apparent defense of the Burkinabe, Lofa County Senator, Steve Zargo justified, “Colleagues we have to be very careful about how we go about handling this situation before Liberia is seen as an unfriendly and selfish country.”
“Don’t you forget, that we as a country signed up to the ECOWAS treaty which calls for free movement of regional citizens? So, it is possible that those Burkinabe coming into Liberia might have been on a friendly or friendship business and not the other way round,” he reminded his colleagues.
But in a sharp reaction to the Lofa County Senator, Sen. Smith argued, “Colleagues, the term free movement does not in any way says free settlement, and if we as a government fail to arrest this situation now, we might not be able to do so in the future.”
“And as Senator, I am sounding the caveat that either the government take the necessary action now or we the people of Rivercess County will take our course against illegal presence of Burkinabe in our county,” she warned.
According to him, the Burkinabe presence in large numbers could further strain the already limited resources and infrastructure of Rivercess County as well as expressed concerns about potential conflicts over land and employment opportunities, which could negatively impact the livelihoods of the local population.
The senator urged the government to take immediate action to prevent such conflicts and ensure peaceful coexistence among all residents.
Meanwhile, the instrument was later forwarded to the Senate joint Committees on Defense, Security and Veteran Affairs, and Internal Affairs to probe the matter and report back to the body next week.
