Chairman of Kailahun District Council which controls Yenga has disclosed to Concord Times that Guinean troops still occupy the disputed border town despite newspaper reports that President Ernest Koroma's recent visit to Guinea was to discuss the legitimacy of the government and people of Sierra Leone as owner of the area.
Tom Nyuma said yesterday that Yenga residents are still anxious to see the end of the illegal occupation of the area by Guineans after the decade-long civil conflict ended as it had seriously hindered economic and social development of the area for years.
"Guinean soldiers are still there and it is very clear that the people in that part of the country are not happy with this development," Nyuma said.
During President Koroma's visit to President Alpha Conde of Guinea on Thursday, the State House website stated, the two heads of states discussed Yenga as a burning issue between the two countries. Prof.
Conde said Yenga poses no threat and there can't be any problem between Sierra Leone and Guinea because of the township.
"The Guinean president also said he will work closely with President Koroma to find a final resolution to the Yenga issue and indicated willingness to sign any proposal put forward by the Sierra Leonean delegation on Yenga," the website noted, stating further that President Koroma, while addressing the Committee on Yenga, said there was still a great challenge of peacefully resolving the issue noting that it was significant for the two countries to work closely and strengthen the bilateral relationship.
It quoted President Koroma as saying: "I believe we have a great challenge before us as nations, as Heads of States and as peoples. But the fact that we are able to meet even as a technical committee is a great success for us."
Speaking to Concord Times in an exclusive interview on Sunday, MP representing Kailahun District, Hon. Musa Tamba Sam, said President Koroma had all the opportunity to resolve the issue of Yenga but had failed to do so.
"I was surprised in the sense that President Koroma was at the inauguration of President Conde and also recently the two leaders met at Forecariah, but could not raise this very important issue despite the unique opportunity he had to do so, I hope this time, their discussion will be in the interest of our people," Hon. Sam said.
However, it is still not clear when the Guinean troops will finally give up the disputed town but independent sources say a lot of mining and illegal trading activities are currently going on in the area.
