Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong (left) and Jeddi Mowbray Armah
On Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana, met with Jeddi Mowbray Armah, Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in Accra, focused on the ongoing repatriation of Liberians affected by the demolition of the Buduburam Settlement.
The Buduburam Settlement, a former refugee camp, was established in 1990 by the Ghana Refugee Board and UNHCR to host refugees fleeing Liberia’s civil wars from 1989 to 2003. The camp, located approximately 44 kilometers outside Accra, housed thousands of Liberians for over three decades.
However, on February 27, 2024, a section of the camp, primarily occupied by former Liberian refugees, was demolished by order of the Gomoa Fetteh Traditional Council and the Gomoa East District Assembly, leaving numerous Liberians displaced.
Ampratwum-Sarpong welcomed the Liberian delegation and emphasized the importance of the relationship between the two nations.
He stressed the need to maintain this cordial relationship and ensure continued cooperation between Ghana and Liberia, both at the official level and among their people.
Cllr. Armah conveyed Liberia’s profound gratitude to Ghana for hosting the Liberian refugee community for such an extended period.
On behalf of Liberia’s President, H.E. Joseph Nyumah Boakai, he expressed a strong commitment to strengthening the ties between Liberia and Ghana.
He highlighted the long-standing communal connections, such as the presence of Ghanaian fishing communities along the Liberian coastline, and urged Ghanaian authorities to safeguard the displaced Liberians until the repatriation process is completed in the coming weeks.
The meeting covered several technical details of the repatriation efforts, including a revised timeline and frequency of departures from the Buduburam Settlement, the conditions of those displaced now residing 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.
Deputy Minister Jeddi Armah was accompanied by Phillip Garjay Innis, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Liberia in Accra. Several senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana also attended the meeting.
The repatriation plan involves a total of 4,323 stranded Liberians scheduled for return in phases. The first phase saw 611 individuals make the journey back to Liberia on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, after 34 years in Ghana.
The second group is set to depart by road on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
This meeting underscores the ongoing collaboration between Liberia and Ghana to address the humanitarian needs of displaced Liberians and reinforces the enduring partnership between the two West African nations.
