By Emmanuel Mafelah,mafelahemmanuel29@gmail.com
Gbarnga- Hundreds of illegal Aliens are said to be residing in Liberia’s central Bong County, some 169 kilometers northeast of Monrovia.
Information gathered by this Reporter in the County’s capital, Gbarnga and its surrounding indicates that at least 600 foreigners are residing here illegally and they are said to be working or involved in trade or doing other activities.
According to reports, these aliens, are yet to get their resident permits or legal documents from the government through the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) and the Ministry of Labor through its local Labor Commissioner based in the county.
Those foreigners are working in various places, especially on Gold mines, selling in shops and stores in the County.
Bong County shares border mainly with Guinea and has a number of unmanned crossing points.
When contacted, Bong County Labor Commissioner Saybee Weyea confirmed the presence of foreigners and aliens, who do not have residence and work permits but are living and working in the County.
Mr. Weyea said at present, his office has continued to engage operators of mines in the County and business owners, so that foreign workers can get their work permits or legal documents in order to have a free and safe society for all.
There are reports that some of them are working with other health and educational institutions in Bong.
Illegal aliens in the areas are said to be Nigerians, Sierra Leoneans, Guineans, Ghanaians, Indians, Ivorians, among others.
Most of the businesses some of these illegal occupants are engaged in are those that are designated for Liberians and so they are now competing with the locals in major cities Gbarnga and its environs.
Security personnel in border towns say there are about 36 entry points in the county but only 28 are recognized by national government and are where state security personnel are assigned.
But the rest of the eight crossing points are considered illegal. It is mostly through these points that illegal entries take place into the county, some sources at the Liberia Immigration Services (LIS) offices in the county told www.newspublictrust.com.
According to Bong County Labor Commissioner Saybee Weyea, an earlier visits he made with some of these employers revealed that most of the work permits being carried by legal aliens were nearing expiration, while others had no permits but were working in those places.
According to him, despite the challenges his office faces (including the lack of vehicle to move around the county), he has been able to track down more than three foreigners whose papers he said were expired. He said they were made to pay for new ones to the office of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) in the County.