Youth groups at the Rokupr Rice Research Centre are calling on the Customs Department and Immigration to immediately intensify their border patrols along the Rokupr river, as it has become the latest entry point for human trafficking and goods.
A member of the coalition of youth groups at Rokupr, Mohamed Kamara, said business people from Guinea are in the habit of exploiting this nation without paying taxes.
He added that, “smugglers are part of the problem for the acute shortage of rice leading to an increase in the cost of basic goods particularly our staple food rice which is now sold at Le 100,000 a cup”.
Mohamed Kamara however maintained that police and customs post on the highway were not effective to cover major roads and river areas that were more porous within the area, particularly those sharing border with Guinea.
Mr Kamara pointed out that, “rivers are more difficult to protect than the mainland because nearby villages can easily be used as entry points by the smugglers without government’s attention.”
He also highlighted some of the major youths’ activities in the area which ranged from farming to motor cycling (Okada) and few vocational institutions, but lamented that a very good number of the youths were unemployed.