750 Liberians return home
The first batch of about 750 Liberian refugees residing at Gomoa Buduburam in the Central Region has left for their home country.
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The refugees who boarded 20 buses were accompanied by cargo vehicles carrying their personal belongings. Information available to the Daily Graphic indicates that they were part of those whose structures were demolished recently by traditional rulers at Gomoa Buduburam.
They also formed part of a total of 4,300 others scheduled to go back to Liberia between May and June this year. The repatriation was in line with plans by the Liberia Refugee Repatriation Resettlement Commission to send their citizens to the camp back home.
Buduburam refugee camp
The Buduburam camp was established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1990. The 144-acre camp was home to more than 12,000 Liberian refugees who fled their country during the first Liberian civil war between 1989 and 1996, and the second civil war from 1999 to 2003, as well as Sierra Leone refugees who also fled the country’s civil war between 1991 and 2002.
Closure
At a pre-departure ceremony last week, the Deputy Minister of Legal Affairs of Liberia, Jeddi Armah, who led a government delegation to the country, said the return of the refugees was to bring closure to their presence in Ghana.
He said conversations around the repatriation process were held and agreed upon by both Ghana and Liberia since 2021. "We have had fruitful engagements and discussions with the Ghanaian government throughout this period, and they have been giving us the necessary and needed support to undertake this exercise," the minister added.
Mr Armah urged the refugees to seize the opportunity and return to Liberia, saying the government had made provisions for their smooth repatriation and stay in their home country.
He said the camp which was established as a haven for their temporary stay during the war could no longer be a choice for their continued stay in Ghana. The minister advised them to see the repatriation as a renewal process which came with lots of opportunities to rebuild the Liberia they all envisioned and wanted.
Mr Armah expressed appreciation to the government and people of Ghana for hosting his countrymen and women during their time of need and distress.