MONROVIA – What began as a largely unnoticed movement of migrant laborers into Liberia’s southeastern region has evolved into one of the country’s most urgent security, governance, and environmental crises, with official government estimates placing the Burkinabè population in Liberia at approximately 140,000 — a figure many residents in affected communities dismiss as a severe undercount. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has now elevated the matter to the highest levels of national policy, warning of alarming security implications and ordering a coordinated government response, even as lawmakers, conservationists, civil society organizations, and traditional community leaders grow increasingly impatient with what they describe as a widening gap between official concern and decisive enforcement, as THE ANALYST reports,
The Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission submitted a report to President Boakai indicating that the 140,000 figure captures Burkinabè nationals concentrated primarily in the southeastern counties of Grand Gedeh and River Gee, where many are engaged in farming and mining activities. The report prompted an immediate presidential response.
President Boakai described the growing presence of undocumented foreign nationals in strategic parts of the country as alarming and instructed relevant government institutions to develop a coordinated national response, including a nationwide documentation and registration exercise.
Locals Say the Real Figure Is 200,000 or More
Residents in affected communities are skeptical of the official numbers, arguing that thousands of migrants reside deep within forested areas, far from towns and villages, making accurate population assessments practically impossible.
“The figure from the government should not be taken as accurate,” said a local elder from Grand Gedeh County who requested anonymity. “That figure is only applicable to those who are residing in the towns and villages while there are thousands of other undocumented ones in the forest; they do not come to town. They stay there and do everything there. So if you add these numbers you should be talking about 200,000 or more.”
Legislature Sounds the Alarm
Grand Gedeh County Senator Thomas Yaya Nimely has informed the Senate that more than 60,000 Burkinabè nationals are believed to be in his county alone, with increasing population pressures contributing to land disputes and community tensions.
Lawmakers are examining implications for immigration enforcement, border security, natural resource governance, and public safety, and have called for a more comprehensive investigation.
Controversial Land Deal Revoked
Public anger reached a flashpoint last year when residents protested a controversial transaction in which Grand Gedeh County Superintendent Alex Chersia Grant reportedly facilitated the lease of approximately 600 acres of community land to a Burkinabè national for thirty years. The Liberia Land Authority subsequently revoked the transaction following public outcry, and officials connected to the deal faced dismissal.
Illegal Mining Spreads Beyond the Southeast
The challenge is no longer confined to Grand Gedeh and River Gee. Authorities in Koningla Chiefdom, Bopolu District, Gbarpolu County, have reported the presence of approximately 100 Burkinabè nationals engaged in illegal mining without trade licenses, mining permits, or residency documentation.
Officials from the Ministry of Mines and Energy have reportedly encountered resistance and physical attacks during nighttime inspection operations, raising fresh concerns about lawlessness in remote mining communities.
Environmental Destruction Alarms Conservationists
Conservation groups warn that illegal settlements, farming operations, and mining activities are driving significant deforestation, biodiversity loss, and depletion of forest reserves in southeastern Liberia. Particularly alarming are reports that some activities are occurring within or in close proximity to protected conservation areas.
Civil Society: Government Is “Playing Lip Service”
Civil society organizations accuse the government of prioritizing documentation and potential revenue generation over genuine enforcement. Some advocates have questioned reports that foreign nationals may be required to pay approximately US$150 for residency permits, arguing that national security concerns must take precedence.
“The issue is not money. The issue is security, environmental protection, and respect for Liberia’s laws,” one advocate remarked.
Government officials acknowledge that many Burkinabè nationals were initially brought into Liberia by local farmers and mining operators seeking cheap labor — a reality that has complicated enforcement, since local economic interests have often benefited directly from the migration.