The Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah has recently disclosed that the government is presently seeking international diplomacy and effort to resolve the ongoing border dispute with Guinea over the town of Yenga, located in the Kailahun District near the Makona River.
However, The Minister of Internal Affairs, Retired Assistant Inspector General of police, Morie Lengor has also confirmed that the situation in Yenga Township is calm, though the Guinean side has closed its border, affecting local trade and other socio-economic services.
According to the minister, a detailed investigative report has been submitted to both the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU), urging their intervention to uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a member states, adding that similar document was also presented to the United Nation Resident Representative in Sierra Leone on behalf of the United Nation In New York, USA.
Also, local communities, particularly in areas like Koindu and Sokoma, are facing significant challenges due to the dispute. Women who relied on cross-border markets for their livelihoods have been cut off from their sources of income, while children are unable to attend school due to the prevailing insecurity.
Many families have been displaced, living without adequate shelter or basic household items. Reports of safety concerns, including instances of sexual harassment and abuse, have also emerged from discussions with affected groups.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Retired Assistant Inspector General of police, Morie Lengor has also said that to support residents there, the government has provided food assistance and is working with private businesses to market their agricultural products locally.
Minister Lengor emphasized that government is committed to resolving the Yenga dispute through peaceful diplomacy.
He called on all Sierra Leoneans to promote peace and resist any calls for conflict, asserting that “war is not an option.”
In response to the escalating situation, Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has directed Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Michael Imran Kanu, to formally brief the UN Secretary-General and the UN Security Council on the matter.
The conflict over Yenga dates back to the early 2000s, when Guinean troops entered the area during Sierra Leone’s civil war. Initially deployed to assist in combating rebel forces, those troops have remained in the region, leading to ongoing tensions regarding control of the town. Despite the end of the civil war, the Guinean military presence has persisted, complicating the situation further.
