Sierra Leone has had a long standing socio-cultural and economic ties with Guinea; a relationship that stems over centuries to the extent that the two sister states have become interwoven into a peaceful bilateral cultural co-existence. In this type of arrangement, members of the two states could move back and forth with their goods without hindrance as long as they full the respective custom regulations.

Of late, there has been a radical shift in the mutual co-existence in which traders from Sierra Leone have been subjected to continuous harassment to the extent of having their goods impounded even when they have fulfilled the relevant custom provisions.

There is total lawlessness perpetrated by the Guinean forces at the Geikeudu area by the Kailahun axis where both the Guinea security forces and their counterparts in the custom sector are having a field day by cracking down on traders coming from Sierra Leone with their truck load of goods and alcoholic beverages confiscated by Guinea officials at the Geikeudu axis even when they have fulfilled the custom conditions on the border.

In June this year, a Sierra Leonean, Sahr Jabba and some few other traders from Sierra Leone were arrested and their goods confiscated around the Geikeudu border.

According to one Mohamed Kai who was among the traders arrested, `the Guinean security forces around Farana and Majanna perfecture do not even ask for relevant documents like Laisse Passe, as their main interest is in the goods the traders are taking across to Guinea.’ Imagine a mini-van loaded with alcoholic drinks and beverages like Lion Vodka, Root power, Royal touch, Commando, Overnight etc. seized by these forces with the flimsy excuse of not having satisfied what they term as the `provisions of the Guinea custom’.

Almost every week, a Sierra Leonean will fall prey into the dragnet of these forces that a representative group led by their leader, Madam Kadiatu made a complaint to the traditional leaders in Kailahun who made attempts to mediate between these traders and the Guinea security forces, but their efforts were futile as the practice is almost reaching a crescendo, thus forcing the traders to seek the intervention of the central government of Sierra Leone through the Minister of Trade.

These traders say that the monies they are trading in are micro- credit loans they had taken from the banks and other credit – awarding outlets, and that the loans are to be paid with interests.

The question therefore arises that if the Guinean authorities continue to impound their goods, they will be left with no alternative, but to abandon the business. But how can they abandon the trade when they are already indebted to these micro- credit institutions? This is the million dollar question.

Communications have been made by the traders` representative to their business partners mainly Kadco Company (SL Ltd) for the company to step up their complaints to the relevant authorities in government for an amicable solution to this growing threat to the business community around the Kailahun axis. Investigations conducted into the incident state that a sister company inside Guinea is behind this unholy activities as the products they produce in Guinea are of inferior qualities which the customers in the country (Guinea) do not want and instead prefer the alcoholic beverages produced in Sierra Leone.

This is the crux of the matter for which the authorities in both countries should adopt a win-win situation rather than allow it to blow out of proportion.

It must be recalled that the behavior of the state security forces is in contravention of the spirit of both the ECOWAS and the MRU protocols of free trade among and between member states.