Eastern Immigration office works on shoestring

The regional Immigration office in Kenema city is in serious difficulties due to lack of resources to carry out its duties.
In an interview with the regional Immigration officer, Dominic Usman at his office, he explained that he occupied only one small room without a computer, furniture and vehicle.
In terms of staff, he said the regional office was understaffed with only two volunteers, one office assistant, and four staff: two in Kono and two in Kailahun districts.
He said, “the eastern region is full of numerous illegal crossing points and the lack of adequate staff is making our work very hard for us because they alone can not search the entire eastern region for illegal immigrants”.
Mr Usman stated that he had volunteers at the Buedu and Menekoma crossing points which had not been officially open for the past one year in Kailahun district.
He further explained that his men in Koidu and Kailahun did frequent spot checks in the two districts.
But when questioned about the presence of many illegal emigrants into the country through illegal crossing points in the Kono and Kailahun districts, the regional Immigration officer noted that his skeletal staff often moved round the towns in search of illegal immigrant to regularize their travelling documents.