The Inquirer (Monrovia)
8 May 2008
Immigration authorities have announced the arrest of eight Ghanaians who allegedly entered the country illegally onboard a canoe.
The accused men have been identified by immigration officials as Maxwell Narty, Seth Mansah, Emmanuel Omaboe, Armah Okine. Others are Justin Eousie, Darko Ebenezer and Edward Blay.
The Senior Inspector of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN), Col. Jebbe Jabateh, told this paper that the accused were arrested on Tuesday shortly after they entered the country.
He said at the moment, the BIN is conducting a preliminary investigation into the matter and at the end of the process it intends to charge the accused with illegal entry.
Col. Jabateh said the eight- crew members of the canoe arrived in the country with no passengers on board.
When asked about the whereabouts of the canoe, Col. Jabateh said that it is currently detained at the Freeport of Monrovia.
When the accused men were asked on the issue of their arrest when our reporter met them at the BIN offices, their spokesman, Maxwell Narty, said that their entry in the country was not deliberate.
According to him, they entered Liberia while returning on a fishing trip from the territorial waters of Sierra Leone, and in the process their canoe encountered engine problem.
He said as a result of the danger, they could have probably lost their lives; hence they were left with no other option but to stop over in Liberia.
He added that in such an emergence situation, the first thing to do is to first find somewhere to land before any other thing can happen stressing that if they had not taken the decision they took, all of them could have been dead by now.
He then appealed to the Liberian authorities and the Ghanaian Ambassador in Liberia to find a way out of the situation for them because as he put it, they acted to save their lives and not with the intention to enter Liberia illegally.
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I wonder why the Senior Inspector Of the Bureau of Immigration will hold eight illegal Aliens in the Bureau's holding cell without being formerly charge. Secondly, the interview conducted by the Aliens' Representative was a coach and must have the doing of an Insider at the Bureau of Immigration.
During my service with this Agency, survey conducted along fishing points along the coastal belt of Liberia where Ghanaians are settle continue to use for smuggling and importation of Illegal Aliens with key sponsors residing in these areas as chief fish masters, liasing with some Auhorities for smooth path. The arrival of illegal Ghanaians into by used of canoes someimes include children and women and become the bigest scandals of Illegal Entry by that community. The eight should charge with illegal entry and wish your Reporter will interview residents of West Point, Viatown, Slipway, Cornerwest, Baanjor Beach as well, every sub location where his community is based.
I will certainly want to recommend that Authorities at the Bureau Of Immigraion and Naturalization to deign new operations along the coastal belts of the country as create a central departure and arrival point of all fishing canoes while ID cards be given to legally authorize to work fishermen which could certain for check/ inspection during departure and arrival as to curtail an infiltraion potential could threaten national seurity.
Alfred Lincoln STATE OF INDIANA
Alfred Lincoln, Did you read the report? If you did, I think you would have realized that it wasn't news worthy. Men having difficulties at sea landing in Liberian waters. Oh they are Aliens.....No they are from Ghana. Would you call the thousands of Liberians residing in other African countries today in whatsoever capacity or situation they may find themselves Aliens? Great work done by our immigration officers..Yes this is what will solve our problems in Liberia. The Aliens have to go. What will be your reaction if you read that Guinea or Cote d'ivoire have arrested some "aliens" who happened to be Liberians? You know the right cause to persue in this case as a former employee of the bureau. Contact their embassy I guess and proceed from there I am quite sure that may be the appropiate way the handle such cases. Or from your writing I may be wrong. Alex.
Alex,you a funny man, gave the brother(Alfred Lincoln) a break. Can you Imaging, what the Bureau of Immigration had to put up with.
Cabbie, You may be right, the brother needs a break. Look I commend the Bureau for carrying on their duties. My urgument is, it wasn't news worthy. Just like all this news about Ellen being honored here and there all the time. Great development huh? I will like to read about steps being taken by the present administration to help those kids who were given guns instead of books to kill our people for certain people to get into power, and today are roaming our streets uselessly commiting all sort of crimes including arm robbery. Wouldn't that be nice? Or passing a living wage bill so the ordinary liberian employee can be paid a living wage to help curb the corruption in our country.These are the kind of developments that are news worthy my friend. Alex.
Alex , don't get me wrong, I am in agreement, with your writing. It was well articulated. I was only laughing at your comment "OR FROM YOUR WRITING I MAYBE WRONG"(Sarcastic). I assume you was referring to what Mr. Alfred Lincoln wrote. In my view that was Hilarious. I, said you was funny and couldn't Imaging what, The Bureau of Immigration had to deal with(IN TERMS OF EMPLOYEE). Thanks DR.PELLAR
I wonder why the Senior Inspector Of the Bureau of Immigration will hold eight illegal Aliens in the Bureau's holding cell without being formerly charge. Secondly, the interview conducted by the Aliens' Representative was a coach and must have the doing of an Insider at the Bureau of Immigration.
During my service with this Agency, survey conducted along fishing points concluded that, the coastal belt of Liberia where Ghanaians are settled continued to used for the smuggling and importation of Illegal Aliens/Drugs while key sponsors residing in these areas as chief fishing masters, liasing with some Auhorities for smooth path. The arrival of illegal Ghanaians into Liberia by used of canoes someimes include children and women and become the bigest scandals of Illegal Entry by that community. The eight should be charge with illegal entry and wish your Reporter will interview residents of West Point, Viatown, Slipway, Cornerwest, Baanjor Beach as well, every sub location where his community is based.
I will certainly want to recommend that Authorities at the Bureau Of Immigration and Naturalization deign new operations along the coastal belts of the country as to create a central departure and arrival point of all fishing canoes while ID cards be given to legally authorize to work fishermen which could certain for check/ inspection during departure and arrival as to curtail an infiltraion of potential enemies/ drugs that could threaten national seurity.
Alfred Lincoln STATE OF INDIANA
I thank God that those eight African brothers saved their lives by entering Liberian soil. Wow, so Liberia is still remembered for her prewar "Save-heaven" status? Bravo, mama Liberia, that others can still remember you in this way. However, I will advise the Immigration of Liberia to contact the Immigration or Maritime Office of Sierra Leone if those eight Ghanaians truly entered and exited Sierra Leone's territorial waters legally as they alleged before charging them with illegal entry. This requires a little research on the part of the Liberian Immigration. Bravo, Mama Liberia, all of your greatness was not entirely wiped away by the senseless war.