By Solomon T Gaye
A Liberian businessman decries the alleged harassment and intimidation of business people at the Loguatuo Border LRA (Customs) check point linking Liberia to Ivory Coast, which is hampering cross-borders trade at that main port of entry in Nimba County.
Speaking in Loguatuo, petty trader Arthur Daysue accused officers assigned at the customs check point in Loguatuo of allegedly extorting huge sums of cash from wheelbarrows carrying loads, in the name of gate drop.
Another trader, Peter Wehyee, also complained, stating, “Many of us petty traders living in towns and villages along the Loguatuo belt buy goods from the Ivorian side of the border, but collection of huge sums cash for little goods in wheelbarrows without receipts by LRA is creating serious hardship for petty traders in the district,” Wehyee lamented.
Beatrice Weamie, another trader, also weighed in saying, “We are suffering in the hands of customs, paying gate drop of L$2,000 and L$3,000 for goods in wheelbarrows, coupled with other unspecified payments without flag receipt.”
During a normal routine at the Loguatuo border over the weekend, petty traders were seen standing in queues paying money to the officer that was sitting opposite the check point with a black plastic bag before leaving with their goods, a development which adds some element of truth to the traders’ complaints.
