The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, H.E. Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., headed a high-level Liberian government delegation to Accra, Ghana for the first consultative dialogue held in the conference room of the Ministry of National Security of Ghana from Thursday, October 21, 2021 to Friday, October 22, 2021 at the instance of the Government of Liberia (GOL) to discuss the situation of current and former Liberian refugees in Ghana, including issues relating to the imminent demolition of the decommissioned Buduburam Refugee Camp, amongst others.
Honorable Ambrose Derry, Minister for the Interior of the Republic of Ghana, who headed the Ghanaian delegation to the dialogue, welcomed the Liberian delegation, praised the Government of Liberia (GOL) for initiating the meeting and recounted the long-standing relations and brotherly ties subsisting between the two countries and peoples.
Interior Minister Derry further indicated in his opening remarks that the Government of Ghana was under immense pressure from the owners (Chiefs of the District where the Buduburam Camp is situated) of the land hosting the Buduburam Camp to either turn over their land in the soonest time or the Liberians, Ghanaians and other nationals residing in the Buduburam Camp risk being evicted and the Buduburam Camp demolished through Ghanaian Court Order should legal proceedings be pursued by the owners of the land; stressing that the situation is beyond the control of the Government of Ghana and that the owners of the land and the Government of Ghana anticipate that all the Liberians, Ghanaians and other Nationals living in the Buduburam Camp would relocate from the Buduburam Camp latest by November 21, 2021 and the Camp turned over to the owners of the land who are the District Chiefs by November 27, 2021 to demolish by December 1, 2021; stressing that in Ghana, land is not owned by the Government.
For his part, Foreign Minister Kemayah introduced his Delegation and conveyed special thanks and best wishes on behalf of H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia and the Government and People of Liberia to H.E. Mr. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, and the Government and People of Ghana for hosting Liberian refugees for more than three (3) decades; the good and global peacekeeping records of Ghana, the sacrifices of its citizens, and providing logistical and financial contributions for the restoration of lasting peace and stability to Liberia and the world at large; as well as the warm hospitality accorded the Liberian Delegation and for accepting the Government of Liberia’s proposal to hold fruitful deliberations aimed at finding amicable and lasting solutions to issues relating to current and former Liberian refugees in Ghana; including, but not limited to the Buduburam Camp.
Foreign Minister Kemayah further thanked the Government of Ghana for the extended deadline of December 1, 2021 as a result of the earlier intervention of the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia; and expressed that the situation of Liberians in the Buduburam Camp was very concerning to His Excellency President Weah and the Government and People of Liberia; stressing that the Government of Liberia is very much interested in a Win-Win Amicable solution of the situation with the current and former Liberian Refugees in Ghana; including the Buduburam Camp.
The Liberian Chief Diplomat urged the Government of Ghana’s indulgence to reconsider its decision; in relation to the demolition of the Buduburam Camp; asserting that the extended December 1, 2021 deadline set by the Ghanaian authorities for the demolition of the Buduburam Camp may not be practical; and called for either a one-year or reasonable less time of extension of the deadline in the event of worst case scenario if the Government of Ghana does not reconsider its decision to demolish the Buduburam Camp; hence, to allow the Governments of Ghana and Liberia to work closely together at the bilateral level to do a comprehensive review of the situation of the current and former Liberian Refugees in Ghana; including, but not limited to the identification of gaps where such exist in the implementation of programs and benefits intended for current and former Liberian Refugees; reconciling relevant statistical data and developing a Roadmap for amicable and lasting solutions to the situation of current and former Liberian refugees in Ghana; including, but not limited to the Buduburam Camp; the reported situation of employment restrictions placed in the resident permits of former and current Liberian refugees which deny them opportunities to work and earn income for their sustenance and the livelihood of their families, and the reported nine (9) year residential limit regarding the number of years former and current Liberian refugees are allowed to either stay or live in Ghana, and a workable timeframe for the implementation of such Roadmap; an exercise which would add value to the legacy of Ghana for serving as safe haven for former and current Liberian refugees who went to Ghana in pursuit of life, liberty, happiness and freedom during the heydays of the Liberian civil crisis; Foreign Minister Kemayah emphasized.
The Liberian Foreign Minister also brought to the attention of the Government of Ghana through its Ghanaian delegation the reported situation of employment restrictions placed in the resident permits of former and current Liberian refugees which deny them opportunities to work and earn income for their sustenance and the livelihood of their families, and the reported nine (9) year residential limit regarding the number of years former and current Liberian refugees are allowed to either stay or live in Ghana.
The persuasive and smooth talking Liberian Foreign Minister added that the purpose of the dialogue was not limited to the planned demolition of the Buduburam Camp, but also, included matters concerning the safety, benefits, full protection, status, nature and scope of all the issues affecting former and current Liberian refugees in Ghana, as well as the status of the local integration exercise, the need to identify and address gaps which may be identified on the part of either the Ghanaian Government, Liberian Government, the current and former refugees themselves or all of them.
Foreign Minister Kemayah noted that consistent with statistical data in the possession of the Liberian Government, Ghana has hosted about 40,000 Liberian refugees since 2003; and as times progress after the cessation clause was applied by the UNHCR and the Ghana Refugee Board, a mixture of these population continues to live in Ghana, including an estimated520 recognized Liberian refugees, 3,493 integrated Liberian refugees, 2,459Liberian Refugees in the indecisive category; with either No Choice or Rejection Option, and500 Liberians in the exempted caseload category, which constitutes either undocumented or deactivated refugees, respectively.
Interior Minister Derry, who also headed the Ghanaian delegation was quick to clarify that the Government of Ghana has no plan or intention to throw Liberians out of Ghana or to demolish the Buduburam Camp without first considering the safety, protection, fundamental rights and well-being of Liberians and other nationals in the area. The Ghanaian Head of Delegation assured Foreign Minister Kemayah and delegation that the Government of Ghana is fully committed to working closely and collaboratively with the Government of Liberia to take frantic steps towards addressing the aforesaid concerns raised by Foreign Minister Kemayah and his Liberian delegation.
Following deliberations by the two sides during the first consultative dialogue, the Government of Ghana accepted the proposal of Foreign Minister Kemayah and delegation to establish a Joint Technical Committee (JTC) to work closely together at the bilateral level to do a comprehensive review of the situation of the current and former Liberian Refugees in Ghana; including, but not limited to the identification of gaps where such exist in the implementation of programs and benefits intended for current and former Liberian Refugees; reconciling relevant statistical data and developing a comprehensive Roadmap for amicable and lasting solutions to the situation of current and former Liberian refugees in Ghana; including, but not limited to the Buduburam Camp; the reported situation of employment restrictions placed in the resident permits of former and current Liberian refugees which deny them opportunities to work and earn income for their sustenance and the livelihood of their families, and the reported nine (9) year residential limit regarding the number of years former and current Liberian refugees are allowed to either stay or live in Ghana, and a workable timeframe for the implementation of such Roadmap. Accordingly, the Joint Technical Committee established by the Governments of Ghana and Liberia is comprised of the Ghana Refugee Board, Liberia Refugee, Repatriation and Resettlement Commission, Ghana Immigration Service, Liberia Immigration Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia and the Ministry of National Security of Ghana with the mandate to review the nature, scope and status of current and former Liberian refugees; verify and reconcile all refugee related data; identify gaps where such exist, and develop a comprehensive roadmap/plan of action to address all the gaps identified and proffer a realistic timeline for the implementation of the comprehensive roadmap or plan of action.
The delegations of the Republics of Ghana and Liberia at the First consultative dialogue welcomed the continuous historical and fraternal bonds between the two Heads of State of the Republics of Ghana and Liberia; H.E. Mr. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, as well as the longstanding traditional strong bilateral and friendly ties subsisting between the two Governments and Peoples.
Liberia’s Foreign Minister, Ambassador Kemayah recognized the role played by the Minister for the Interior of Ghana, Honorable Ambrose Derry and Senior Presidential Adviser of Ghana, Honorable Yaw Osafo Marfo in the consultative dialogue, and particularly thanked the two officials of Ghana and the Minister of National Security of the Republic of Ghana for participating in the discussions and anchoring the decisions agreed upon; while the Ghanaian Delegation equally registered its profoundest appreciation to the Liberian Government for the brotherly and successful deliberations; and also, especially recognized Foreign Minister Kemayah for his pivotal role and Leadership demonstrated in organizing the First Consultative Dialogue between the Governments of the Republic of Ghana and Liberia; and moreover, leading the Liberian Delegation in said Dialogue.
The Liberian Delegation further extended thanks and appreciation to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana, H.E. Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey for her instrumentality in co-organizing along with Foreign Minister Kemayah the First Consultative Dialogue between the Governments of the Republic of Ghana and Liberia on the situation of current and former Liberian Refugees in Ghana.
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian delegation proposed that a Second Consultative Dialogue between the Governments of Ghana and Liberia on the situation of current and former Liberian Refugees in Ghana be held in Monrovia at which time the comprehensive roadmap/plan of action to be developed by the Joint Technical Team would be signed and published as a testament to the cordial relations and Pan African brotherhood which continue to grow from strength to strength between the two countries and peoples.
The Liberian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Head of Delegation passionately welcomed the proposal from the Ghanaian Side for the holding of the second consultative meeting in Monrovia and informed that the Government of Liberia would be very pleased to receive the Ghanaian Side and called for stronger and deeper coordination and partnership for mutually beneficial and socioeconomic growth and shared prosperity for the Governments and peoples of the Republics of Ghana and Liberia.
The Liberian delegation headed by H.E. Amb. Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, which fully participated in the First Consultative Dialogue included the Commissioner General, Hon. Robert Budy of the Liberia Immigration Service; Hon. Festus R. B. Logan, Executive Director of the Liberia Refugee, Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC); Hon. Adonie Greaves, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cllr. Reuben Sirleaf, Senior Legal Counsel-Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alieu Massaquoi, Charge D’Affaire among others; while the Ghanaian Delegation headed by Hon. Ambrose Derry, Minister for the Interior of the Republic of Ghana included the Deputy Attorney General and Deputy Minister of Justice, Madam Diana Asonaba Dapaah, Chairman of Ghana Refugee Board, Mr. Kenneth Attafuah; Mr. Tetteh K. Padi, acting executive secretary.