By Boima J.V.Boima

Photo on Flickr by lazyi

Local business communities have stated that the current unfolding crisis in Guinea is affecting the economy of Liberia. Though Ganta, one of Liberia ’s most-populated commercial cities lies hundreds of miles away from Conakry, Guinea ’s Capital, Ganta residents have pointed out some of  the economic repercussions the crisis is posing on the country. Tensions have been high since Sept. 28 when Guinean troops massacred at least 157 people during a pro-democracy protest. 

Liberian Journalists for Human Rights and Good Governance (LJHRGG) led a fact-finding tour to the Liberian/Guinean Border of Ganta, where, sitting in his makeshift, sidewalk stall with a few bales of used cloths and shoes piled around him, I met Mohammed Demin, a Ganta-based businessman. Demin spoke in an exclusive interview with the Ceasefire Team, saying that he buys most of his commodities in the Guinean Capital of Conakry. Denim disclosed that despite the current situation in Guinea he still moves  freely across the borders of the two countries: “I and other residents of  Ganta go to Conakry almost every month. When the crisis first started we were afraid. But after one month of crossing the borders of the two countries without disturbance, we have continued with our usual business activities.”

Madam Tawah Soah, a businesswoman who also sells clothes, told Ceasefire that since the start of the crisis in Guinea she has been doing business as usual, adding that there are no more military checkpoints on the road.

“I deal in both men and women’s clothes across the two countries. Since the incident started, no one has disturbed me. Unlike during the government of the late Lansana Conte, there are no checkpoints. However, we want peace, I mean a total calm to return to Guinea,” Md. Soah said.

Though the many Liberians business communities in Ganta that I spoke to said they could move across borders easily to selltheir goods, Liberia’s Ministry of Finance Custom department at the Ganta-Liberia/Guinean border is said to be hurting because of the decline in revenue collections as compared to previous years when there was no crisis in Guinea.

The chief revenue collector, James Akoi Gallah, who spoke to the Ceasefire team via cell phone, said that when the crisis started imports, which is the main source of revenue in his department, was much lower than usual.

“We experienced a dramatic decline in our revenue collection when the Guinean crisis started. Because of fear many Liberians halted their operations,” Mr. Galloh said.