Government team visits Elubo to ascertain Ivorian refugee situation

A four-member Government team led by Mr Kobby Acheampong, Deputy Minister of the Interior, on Sunday visited Elubo in the Jomoro District of the Western Region, to ascertain the Ivorian refugee situation in the area.

Other members of the group were Mr Ken Dzirasah, Chairman, Refugee Board, Dr. P.A.Wiredu, Director of Ghana Immigration Service, and Alhaji Salifu Osumana, Chief Director, Ministry of the Interior.

The team visited the newly established Ampain and Elubo refugee camps, interacted with Madam Nguessan Assable, Ivorian District Police Commissioner in-Charge of his country’s side of the Elubo border, and paid a courtesy call on Nana Nyamike Fofole 11, Chief of Ampain.

Mr Acheampong told journalists at Ampain that the visit had brought to light the enormity of the refugee problem caused by political instability in Cote d’Ivoire.

He said the Government of Ghana and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) would intensify efforts to appreciably handle the refugee situation.

Mr Acheampong said the Government would ensure that conditions at the camps were improved adding that there was the need to beef up security at the Elubo border to prevent lapses.

He explained that the team interacted with Madam Assable to identify means of preventing Ivorian security personnel from infiltrating the Ghana side of the border.

Mr Kelly Forson, Manager of the Ampain Refugee Camp, told GNA that the site was accommodating 170 refugees in ‘temporary tents’.

He expressed the hope that construction of permanent structures at Ampain camp would be completed before the raining season sets in.

Mr Forson said the camp had electricity and water supply problems.

At the Elubo Refugee Camp, Miss Marvis Abo, Field Officer of UNHCR, said the facility was providing shelter for 548 refugees.

She said refugees at Elubo were transferred to Ampain and other camps within 48 hours of their arrival because Elubo was closer to the border.

Source: GNA