4300 Liberian refugees at Buduburam Camp set to return home

In a significant move, 4,300 Liberians residing at the Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana's Central Region are scheduled to return to Liberia between May and June 2024.

This repatriation initiative, organized by the Liberian Government through the Liberia Refugee Repatriation Resettlement Commission, aims to bring its citizens back home.

The first group of 770 refugees will begin

Read full articletheir journey tomorrow, Graphic Online reports.

The Buduburam Camp, established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1990, has served as a refuge for over 12,000 Liberians fleeing the civil wars from 1989 to 2003.

Additionally, it provided sanctuary for Sierra Leonean refugees during their civil war from 1991 to 2002. The camp has long been a temporary haven for those displaced by conflict.

Deputy Minister of Legal Affairs of Liberia, Jeddi Armah, leading the delegation, emphasized the importance of this repatriation process, which has been discussed and agreed upon by Ghana and Liberia since 2021.

He expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian government for their support and encouraged the refugees to return to Liberia, highlighting the opportunities for rebuilding their homeland.

The President of Liberians in Ghana, Dennis Gwion, noted that the majority of the refugees are prepared to leave the camp, while a few with stable employment and accommodations outside the camp may choose to stay.

The repatriation process is voluntary, and many residents expressed eagerness to return home, although some cited educational and work commitments as reasons for delaying their departure.

Among the residents, Wilmot Dweh plans to complete his tertiary education before returning, while Oretha Baba Russell, a hairdresser in Tema, has already informed her employer about her departure.

She looks forward to starting her own hairdressing business in Liberia. The return marks a new beginning for many who have spent years in exile.