By Alfred B Koroma
Sierra Leone is very much different from all other countries in the Third World, including sister Africa countries, in terms of immigration laws and concerns.
Sierra Leone is a free-for all country where foreigners sneak in and out, work without legal documents and without making payments of the required immigration and labour charges/laws.
However, the root causes of Sierra Leone’s socio-economic problems cannot be unconnected with its openness to foreigners. There are lots of foreigners in this country who compete with the nationals for jobs and other social opportunities and in most cases; they are even referred to as citizens.
In the field of trade and commerce, foreigners also top the list because the country is still yearning for foreign investors.
Investigations conducted by Africa 24 newspaper shows that, the Immigration Department charges for non-citizens employees is nothing to write home about. As for work permit, more than ¾ of the entire foreign labour force are not registered to pay for the work permit.
It is however, advisable for the Ministry of Labour to put together a crack team to actualize these payments. One of the problems associated with the ineffectiveness of the Immigration Department, even with the tireless efforts of the Chief Immigration Officer and his team, is that, the department and its management is strictly under pressure for lack of funds to operate.
In Liberia, every foreign national must pay for both residential and work permit failing which; the culprit(s) are deported without wasting time.
The same operates in The Gambia. In The Gambia, hospital bill varies and foreigners are charged higher than citizens for the same service.
In Guinea, when a Sierra Leonean or another national involved in a fracas with a Guinean national, the latter is always right while the foreigner(s) is punished without trial.
As for Sierra Leone, it is at the entry port in Lungi that foreigners are given preferential treatment over the citizens. This is done in all social services centers; foreigners are given priority over the citizen(s).
Sierra Leone is the only country where foreigners are ranked first and the citizen follow in that line instead of the reverse.
Inasmuch as we are trying to maintain our hospitality record in the sub-region, we should not also do it at the detriment of our nationality and the related problems of porous immigration boarders plus the hardship presently in the country.