It Is Inaccurate To Say Gov’t Is Closing Down Buduburam Camp Because Of Riots

Government has downplayed suggestions that its decision to close down the Buduburam camp is as a result of the recent disturbances that rocked the facility reportedly leading to the death of one person.

Speaking to Citi News, a deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah said the government has for some time been considering the option of closing down the facility and integrating the refugees into Ghanaian society to ease the crime rate and riots that occasionally rock the facility.

“It will be inaccurate (to say it will be closed down because of the riots)because this is not the first time; the previous government under President Kufuor also considered it and this government has been considering this for a while. It is partly because of some of these riots and criminal activities and many persons with questionable backgrounds that have taken over that facility”.

The decision to close down the Buduburam camp has been received with mixed reactions from refugees at the camp.

While some of them expect the closure to be immediate others are hesitant in supporting the move.

They however told Citi News that it is government’s prerogative to close the camp and that will not be resisted.

Majority of the refugees are reportedly asking for repatriation to their country instead of integration into Ghanaian society.

The General Secretary of the Joint Liberian Refugee community in Ghana, Nelson Challey in an interview with Citi News said the refuges will not be surprised if the camp is closed.

According to him, they are not perturbed about the closure of the camp but expect an appropriate re-settlement option. He added that integrating thousands of refugees into the Ghanaian society will create chaos for the government since many average Ghanaians are unemployed.

Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has proposed a local integration rather than repatriation when the camp is finally closed.

Ewurabena Hutchful, Public Relations Officer of the Ghana office of UNHCR told Citi News that local integration will be more sustainable than repatriation.

“We do seek re-settlement because in this case we found out that repatriation will not be a sustainable solution for majority of the Liberians in Ghana. We need them to be in a sustainable situation until we equip them with skill training”.

Government says it is still discussing the closure date for the camp housing about 11, 000 refugees. It adds that it is however prepared to go for the re-settlement option, if the refugees and the UNHCR decide on that.