181 Liberian refugees return home

Tema, Aug. 24, GNA - One hundred and eighty one Liberian refugees on Thursday left the Budumburam Camp for Liberia by sea to restart their lives and assist in the reconstruction of their country. The number added up to a total of 1,617 returnees who had been assisted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) this year, to voluntarily depart for home.

They travelled on board of Brenda Corlett Ship to embark on the three-and-a- half day journey Mr Fred Addo Mensah, Representative of the Public Information Unit of the UNHCR, said the Commission wanted to encourage about 8,000 out of the 41,450 Liberian refugees in Ghana, to return home by the end of June 2007.

He said UNHCR was providing them with packages in a form of transport allowances, agricultural equipments and seedlings that would enable them to support themselves and find life easier when they got home.

He stated that the exercise was been conducted with assistance from the Ghana Refugees Board; National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO); World Food Programme; National Catholic Secretariat; International Organisation for Migration; Customs Excise and Preventive Service and the Police.

Mr Mensah called for the support of corporate institutions and the general public to assist in the campaign to encourage more refugees to return home.

Mr Aboagye Tandoh, Safety Adviser for UNHCR, said monitoring mechanisms had been put in place to ensure the safety of the returnees and medical officers were on board to address any health problems that might be encountered during the journey.

"We are in touch with offices both in Monrovia and Ghana as well as other neighbouring countries to relay information immediately there is any problem. We also have 450 lifejackets on board and Police escorts to ensure safety", he said.

Mr Napoleon Hiuneh, one of the returnees, told newsmen that he was happy to be returning home to a stable Liberia and to make a living there.

He expressed surprise that he was able to move about in Ghana freely even though his refugee pass had expired and recounted a horrible experience in Cote d'Ivoire under the same situation.

Ms Mary-Ann Cummings Kpa, also a returnee, thanked God for the strength to live up to the challenge of being a refugee, adding; "although I am returning, my heart is very bereaved because I don't know whether I will meet my children and relatives dead or alive". She commended the Ghana Government and all Ghanaians for providing them warm hospitality.

Francis Roger, an 18 year old student, said: "I am happy to be going home at last to see my relatives in Liberia. You know there is no place like home".