Re-locate refugee camp - Brig Danqauh

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Southern Command, Brigadier J. B. Danqauh on Sunday called for relocation of the Liberian refugee camp, as its current location has become potential security risk to the nation.

"The growing number of refugees in the camp, which includes ex-combatants, drug pushers, armed robbers and other social misfits and its geographical proximity to, Accra, which is the nerve centre of the country is highly military intelligence risk," Brig Danqauh said.

He said the growing insecurity in West Africa, as the experience of Liberia, Sierra Leone and its effect on neighbouring countries should serve as a guide to Ghana's security agencies in their operations and how to open the borders to large inflow of fresh refugee from Cote d'Ivoire.

Brig. Danquah, who was speaking to newsmen at Gomoa Budumbura Refugee Camp after leading a Military/Police dawn swoop operations, appealed to the Government to seriously reconsider the status of the refugees and move them further from the capital.

The eight-hour operation was to flush out and arrest criminals, ex-combatants, drug pushers and other social misfits and also search for arms.

At the end of the exercise, about 10,000 men of 15 years and above were rounded up for interrogation and screening, whilst the Ghana Immigration Service also registered about 2,000 fresh refugees who sneaked into the country without registration.

The GOC said, "its dangerous for the country to accommodate large body of refugees whose background and identity is unclear to live together near the hub centre of the nation."

Brig. Danquah stressed the security implications of large ideal strong men and women on the nation, "more especially when they have seen war, participated and are capable of carry arms."

He said no village, town or city within this proximity is safe if these people becomes violent and goes on rampage.

ACP Kofi Boakye, Accra Regional Police Commander warns the refugees against stretching the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality and United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees to indulge in criminal activities.

He said the security agencies would deal mercilessly with any criminals and social misfits both within and outside the camp.

ACP Boakye advised the law abiding refugees to expose the criminal elements among them stressing, "if you refuse to expose them, then you must be prepared to occasional dawn swoop by the military/police to get them, you may also be disturbed with a dock at your door made to go through rigorous search and screening."

He also warned the ex-combatants to either go back to their respective countries or be prepared to live in civilised peaceful society.

Mr John Thompson, the Camp Manager commended the officers and men who undertook the operations for respecting the human rights of the refugees even during the operations.

About 500 soldiers, 300 Police Officers and 25 Immigration Officers took part in the operations.

An aerial view of the camp by newsmen depicts an unkempt environment full of refuse, stagnant water, which is a dangerous health hazard.