Monrovia, Liberia – The Honourable Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, MP, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana, and Cllr. Jeddi Mowbray Armah, Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia met on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in Accra, Ghana.
The meeting’s main topic was the continuing return of Liberians who were impacted by the dismantling of the Buduburam Settlement, a former camp for refugees that provided housing to thousands of people throughout the country’s civil wars from 1989 to 2003.
During the meeting, Cllr. Armah expressed Liberia’s sincere gratitude to the Ghanaian government and people for providing refuge to the Liberian refugee community for the past thirty years on behalf of President Joseph Nyumah Boakai.
He highlighted the long-standing communal ties between Ghana and Liberia, such as the existence of Ghanaian fishing communities along the Liberian coastline, and stressed President Boakai’s commitment to fortifying those relationships. Additionally, Cllr. Armah asked Ghanaian authorities to protect the displaced Liberians until the upcoming weeks, when repatriation activities are expected to be finished.
Deputy Minister Armah was greeted by Honorable Ampratwum-Sarpong, who also underlined the significance of the diplomatic and interethnic ties that exist between Ghana and Liberia. He emphasized how important it is to keep up this friendly relationship and make sure that the two countries continue to cooperate.
A revised timeline and frequency of departures from the Buduburam Settlement, the conditions of those displaced now living in temporary shelters, and the logistics and security arrangements for the convoy of evacuees from Buduburam to the Elubo Border, the crossing point into Côte d’Ivoire, were among the technical details of the repatriation efforts that were discussed at the meeting.
The Charge d’Affaires of the Liberian Embassy in Accra, Phillip Garjay Innis, accompanied Deputy Minister Jeddi Armah. The meeting was also attended by a number of high-ranking representatives from Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Repatriations of 4,323 stranded Liberians are planned in stages. On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, following 34 years in Ghana, 611 people began their first wave of departure and returned to Liberia. On June 8, 2024, the second group depart by road.
Established in 1990 by the Ghana Refugee Board and UNHCR, the Buduburam Camp is situated about 44 kilometers outside of Accra and serves as a shelter for refugees from the civil wars in Liberia. Many Liberians were forced to flee their homes when the Gomoa Fetteh Traditional Council and the Gomoa East District Assembly ordered the demolition of a portion of the camp, which was mostly inhabited by former refugees from Liberia, on February 27, 2024.
This summit strengthens the long-standing connection between the two West African countries and highlights the continued cooperation between Liberia and Ghana to address the humanitarian needs of displaced Liberians.
