PHOTO: Newly constructed housing units
By E. Festus G. Frazer, efgfrazerjr@gmail.com
NIMBA, Liberia- The United Nations High Commissioner of Refugee (UNHCR) has turned over to the government of Liberia 93 housing units for used by the Ivorian refugees in Bahn, Nimba County.
The project was funded by the European Union and UNCHR and implemented by UNFPA under the EU spot light initiative.
Speaking during the dedication ceremony of the housing units, the UNCHR country representative to Liberia, Ms. Roseline Okoro disclosed that the Bahn refugee settlement was originally established as a camp to provide refuge for refugees who fled Ivory Coast in 2010 after the outbreak of violence following an election in the country. She said, the settlement is also home to Ivorian refugees who fled their country in similar situations back in 2002.
“We are grateful to the people of Bahn who generously provided the land for establishment of the Bahn refugee camp as it was known at the time. This settlement has served as a home of hundreds of Ivorian refugees,” Ms. Okoro disclosed.
Settlement has accommodated 26,000 refugees
Since its inception, the settlement has provided refuge to over 26,000 refugees, most of whom have returned to Ivory Coast.
She said the Bahn refugee settlement is a home to 958 Ivorian refugees who have opted to integrate in Liberia and who also live in peaceful coexistence with their Liberian hosts.
Ms. Roseline Okoro furthered that since the establishment of the settlement in 2011, the UNHCR has supported the construction of schools, health centers, WASH facilities and transitional shelters.
The UNHCR country representative assured the gathering that the UNHCR remains firmly committed to it’s partnership with the government of Liberia. She asserted that with the closure of the settlement’s clinic in 2017, the UNHCR provided support to the Bahn Health center through the construction of an entire ward and equipped it with medicines and also provided an ambulance and WaSH facilities.
She maintained that during the same year, the Bahn refugee school was handed over to the government and the Liberian curriculum was adopted.
“I want to assure you Mr. President, that the UNHCR remains firmly committed to it’s partnership with the government of Liberia. Mr. President, every journey people take must end somewhere, every refugee needs and deserves a place to call home. The refugees who lived in Bahn settlement have decided to make Liberia their home. The durable shelters built are part of a joint effort between the United Nations and the government of Liberia.
The durable shelters built includes 20% donated to the local communities as a means of fostering peaceful coexistence and showing gratitude to the local communities who hosted refugees.” Ms. Roseline Okoro said.
EU funded, UNFPA constructed
She explained that the project was funded by the EU/UN spotlight initiative that provides support to vulnerable women survivors of violence and female headed households. She maintained that the funding provided by the EU Spotlight initiative. And the housing units constructed by UNFPA have given the refugees the opportunity to start a new life, to better their fortunes and to provide protection for themselves and their children.
“We say a big thank you to the EU/UN spotlight initiative for providing the funding and to the UNFPA who constructed the durable housing units on their behalf. You have given the refugees an opportunity to start a new life and to provide protection for themselves and their children.” She asserted.
The UNHCR country representative used the occasion to thank various donors including, the governments of the United States, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands and the UK as well as other private donors from Spain.
She then appealed on behalf of the refugees to the Liberian government for its continue generosity and to help bring to fruition the refugees dream of becoming naturalized Liberia citizens. She also used the opportunity to request for a waiver for their documentation fees, as many refugees do not have the means of paying the documents required to stay in Liberia legally or permanently.
Also speaking during remarks, the executive Director for the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement commission disclosed that between September 2020 and January 24, 21021, 25901 new refugees arrived in Liberia through border points in Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee and Maryland Counties. He said, prior to the arrival, the LRRRC has worked with an old case load of 8170 Ivorian refugees.
He also said, the dedication ceremony was also a part of a local integration road map intended to construct durable housing units in Bahn Nimba County and PTP Grand Gedeh County for refugees who have opted for local integration.
“We want to be thankful to the legislative Caucus of Nimba and the people of Bahn for the timely gesture. We remain grateful for the Land you have given for the resettlement of the refugees.”
He puts the total cost of the project at US $740,000 dollars. He disclosed that 304 refugees family has declared their intentions to locally integrate in Bahn, Nimba County. He also revealed that EU spotlight initiative will construct additional fifteen housing units through UNFPA later this year.
“Mr. President, we want to also inform you that additional fifteen housing units will be constructed under the EU spotlight initiative. The 93 housing units we’re turning over today, 10 were constructed by UNFPA with funding from the EU spotlight initiative which costs US $ 90 thousand. The remaining eighty three units also cost US $650 thousand.” Rev. Logan asserted.
He also unearthed that the government of Liberia through the LRRRC has purchased, acquired and deeded 1113.1 acres of land in PTP Grand Gedeh County for similar initiative. This, he said, is in addition to the 315 acres acquired in Bahn,. Rev. Festus Logan also disclosed that the LRRRC intends to use agriculture as a indispensable tool to foster the Pro Poor Agenda for prosperity and development, PAPD.
Meanwhile, president George Manneh Weah call on the refugees to be law abiding and to help keep the nation stable if they must reside permanently in Liberia.
For his part, the EU ambassador to Liberia, Laurent Delahousse said, he was happy to see Liberia give back what it has received. Recalled how Liberian were refugees years ago in neighboring Guinea.
At the same time, Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf thanked the people of Nimba for the land donated and called on the refugees and community members to coexist.