A total of 4,300 Liberians residing at the Buduburam Refugee Camp in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region are set to return to Liberia between May and June 2024 as part of the Liberian Government’s repatriation plan facilitated by the Liberia Refugee Repatriation Resettlement Commission.
The repatriation initiative will kick off on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, with 770 individuals being transported from Ghana to Liberia, as disclosed during a pre-departure meeting between representatives of the Liberian Government and the Buduburam Liberian Community.
Mr. Jeddi Armah, Deputy Minister of Legal Affairs of Liberia, who headed the government delegation, emphasized the closure of Liberian refugees’ stay in Ghana and highlighted the extensive discussions and agreements reached between Ghana and Liberia since 2021 regarding the repatriation process.
Encouraging Liberians to take advantage of the opportunities provided for their smooth return and reintegration, Mr. Armah underscored the temporary nature of the camp, originally established as a refuge during the war.
Expressing gratitude to Ghana’s government and citizens for their support during their time of need, Mr. Dennis Gwion, President of Liberians in Ghana, affirmed the voluntary nature of the repatriation, noting that those opting to remain were primarily individuals with stable employment and housing outside the camp.
“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,” he added.
Residents shared mixed sentiments about the repatriation, with some eagerly looking forward to returning to Liberia, while others cited educational or work commitments as reasons for delaying their departure.
The Buduburam Camp, established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1990, served as a sanctuary for more than 12,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees fleeing civil wars in their respective countries.