Liberia Immigration Service Enrolls 48,000 Burkinabés in Grand Gedeh County

By Christian Appleton

Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County – In a significant move to regulate cross-border migration, the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) detachment in Grand Gedeh County has completed a three-month-long registration of 48,000 Burkinabé nationals. The mass enrollment, which ran from May 20 to August 20, 2025, marks a major step in managing the growing presence of migrants in the region.

Commander Alex Kpakolo, head of the LIS Grand Gedeh detachment, announced the completion of the operation at a closing ceremony in Zwedru. “We have reached the ceiling with 48,000 Burkinabés now officially enrolled,” Kpakolo stated, adding that no further entry would be permitted for unregistered nationals.

The registration effort comes in response to an increasing number of Burkinabé migrants entering the county, many seeking farmland or fleeing instability in their home country. The Grand Gedeh region, with its extensive forests and proximity to the border, has become a key entry point.

Following the enrollment, Dennis B. Sartee, Director for Operations at the Liberia Immigration Service, detailed the next phase. He announced that all registered individuals must now obtain a resident permit at a cost of $150 USD per person. This permit will formalize their status and provide legal protection within Liberia.

Sartee praised the collaboration between LIS officers and local authorities, highlighting the support from local leaders, security partners, and the Burkinabé community itself as crucial to the operation’s success.

The large-scale registration has drawn mixed reactions from local residents and forest landowners. While some appreciate the effort to regulate undocumented migrants, others have voiced concerns about the pressure on local resources, including farmland, and the potential environmental impact.

As Liberia continues to face migration challenges in its border regions, the Grand Gedeh operation may serve as a model for future registration drives aimed at controlling unregulated movement across its borders.