Africa-Press – Liberia. Rep. Johnson and Minister Bangalu recognize the challenges faced by refugee returnees, adding that the government is working on establishing comprehensive rehabilitation and vocational programs.
Grand Gedeh County Electoral District #2 Representative Marie Johnson has stressed the pressing needs of rehabilitating drug users among the Liberian returnees from Ghana.
“We recognize the challenges faced by some of you, and we are working on establishing comprehensive rehabilitation programs,” she said.
The Grand Gedeh County Electoral District #2 Representative, who is the chair of the House Committee on Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement, revealed that there are ongoing discussions to create structured repatriation plans for other Liberian refugees abroad who wish to return home.
She said the move demonstrates the Government of Liberia’s commitment to protecting its citizens at home and abroad.
Rep. Johnson further urged the returnees to be law-abiding as their protection and reintegration remains a major priority of the Government.
At the same time, the Grand Gedeh County Lawmaker is rallying Liberians to demonstrate love for their compatriots returning home from Ghana.
Representative Marie Johnson wants Liberians to accept and work with them to mold their minds, as the Government reintegrates them into the society.
She also thanked President Joseph Boakai for the rapid intervention to ensure that the stranded Liberians returned home.
Also speaking, Liberia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Cllr. Jeror Cole Bangalu, highlighted the government’s broader plans to provide the returnees with opportunities across various sectors.
“We have a vision to reintegrate your skills into our national development plans,” he stated. He then mentioned areas such as electricity, vocational training including plumbing, carpentry, etc.
Minister Bangalu stressed that those with specialized skills would be given placements to contribute to Liberia’s development and growth.
The Youth and Sports Minister said the Liberian Government has strategized a Sectoral support plan for the returnees refugee from Ghana.
Minister Bangalu further assured the returnees that in the coming days the Ministry of Youth and Sports will organize a recreational activity for them through sports.
For his part, the LRRRC Boss, Patrick Worzie, assured Rep. Johnson, Minister Bangalu and the returnees that the government of Liberia is committed to repatriating them very soon into their respective counties of origin. He also expressed gratitude for their return after many years in Ghana.
Mr. Worzie emphasized the Government’s dedication to improving their living conditions and described the first phase of the repatriation program in the Country as successful.
“The LRRRC’s ninety-day program is meant to repatriate more than four thousand stranded Liberians from Ghana,” Worzie said.
These remarks were made over the weekend at the CARI Regional Transit Village in Suakoko District#5, Bong County, when Representative Marie J. Johnson and Liberia Youth and Sports Minister Jero Cole Bangalu officially visited the 770 repatriated Liberian Refugees.
Meanwhile, some of the returnees who spoke during the visitation lauded Representative Johnson and Youth and Sports Minister Bangalu for their insightful visit and their words of encouragement to them. They also expressed happiness to be back home and their willingness to contribute to the development of Liberia.
The returnees at the same time called on the government of Liberia to provide them the space in terms of building their capacity through education and technical and vocational skills.
Some of the returnees want the government to provide a level playing field for them to demonstrate some of the knowledge and skills acquired during their time as refugees in Ghana.
The Government of Liberia is currently dealing with a complex situation as statistics show that a huge percentage of its citizens repatriated from the Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana have been classified as drug addicts, with 15 of them reportedly facing mental health challenges among others.
The first group of 770 Liberians, who were stranded in Ghana, safely returned to Liberia in May 2024 after nearly four days of travel by road.
During a news conference in Monrovia recently, Patrick Worzie, the Executive Director of the Liberian Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission, expressed concerns about the returnees, describing many of them as potential threats to society.
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