Buduburam Refugee Camp, Ghana – Solomon Darko Quarm, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Gomoa East in the Central Region in Ghana has revealed that they have been given instruction by President Akufo Ado to demolish the Buduburam Refugee Camp and settlements around the camp.
The green light from President Ado followed a three-month ultimatum given by chiefs of Gomoa District to the government of Ghana to demolish the Buduburam Refugee Camp on the ground that the camp is being used as a hideout for prostitution and other crimes.
In a video posted to social media by CitiTube, a local television station in Ghana on May 19, 2021, the Gomoa Fetteh Traditional Council said many of the crimes committed in nearby cities are linked to persons inside the Buduburam Camp.
“The Government should get rid of those buildings over there. I think the place should not be a hiding place where people do a lot of things that do not to speak good well of Buduburam,” Chief of Gomoa District Nana Abor Attah stressed.
Chief Attah added, “So, I am pleading for the government to get rid of those buildings over there so that the place would be vacant and we can use the place for social amenity.”
In an interview with Adom News, a media outlet in Ghana, Mr. Quarm, the District Chief Executive for Gomoa East in the Central Region said the exercise is part of measures to clamp down on crime in Gomoa and Kasoa, where several criminal activities have been recorded.
“President Akufo Addo has given us the go ahead to demolish the place,” Mr Quarm told Adom News.
This, the District Chief Executive has asked residents of the Buduburam Refugee Camp and settlements around the camp to relocate or risk their properties being destroyed.
“The camp itself is a 141-acre land. All we are saying is that we are clearing the entire area. The chiefs held press conferences and issued an ultimatum to government.
“Following that we held meetings with various stakeholders. And our request has been granted. So very soon the camp will be closed and the entire area will be cleared for development in order to change the image of the town,” he said.
In Liberia, Emmanuel T. Marshall is the Executive Director for the Liberia Returnees Network, a group advocating for Liberian refugees to have a smooth return to their motherland.
His organization on May 30, 2021, launched what it terms as ‘home back home’ campaign to raise the amount of US$383,000.00 to be used to purchase land and build houses for Liberians living on the Buduburam Refugee Camp.
There, at the press event, Mr. Marshall called on the government of Liberia and other international organizations to rescue Liberian refugees that are living on the Buduburam Refugees Camp adding that the three months ultimatum given by the chiefs should not be taken lightly.
“We are calling on the government of Liberia, the embassies near Monrovia, UNHCR, IOM, the United Nations and all international partners to help in this regard.
We hereby launch our home back home campaign to raise the amount of US$383,000.00 to be used to purchase land, to build 15 2-bedroom house each, partly furnished, transportation for returnees back home, resettlement package, transporting of personal belongings of returnees,” Mr. Marshall told journalists in Monrovia in May.
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