Liberia, Ghana rap on long-standing relations
Photo Credit: Mia
On Wednesday, September 29, 2021, Ghanaian Ambassador to Liberia His Excellency Kwabena Okubi-Appiah paid a courtesy call on Internal Affairs Minister Honorable Varney A. Sirleaf in Monrovia.
The new Ghanaian Ambassador assumed office in Liberia in July this year.
Ambassador Okubi-Appiah said his visit was in line with a plan of meeting with top members of the Liberian Government as a mean of exploring areas of cooperation.
A Press Release from the Internal Affairs Ministry said the Ghanaian Envoy recounted the long-standing relations between and Liberia and Ghana pre-dating his country’s Independence.
For his part, Minister Sirleaf welcomed the Ghanaian Ambassador, saying Ghana will forever be remembered for its role in the restoration of peace to Liberia when the West African Nation sent troops which formed part of peacekeeping forces during the civil wars in Liberia. He recalled how Ghana also hosted thousands of Liberians who fled the civil unrest as well as the many peace conferences including the final resolution held in Accra, known as the Accra Peace Accord.
The release quotes Minister Sirleaf as saying, the Ministry of Ministry of Internal Affairs is currently leading some of the outcomes of the Accra Peace Accord such as the National Roadmap on Peacebuilding and Reconciliation through the Liberia Peacebuilding Office and Office of the National Peace Ambassador and the Decentralization Program terming them as flagship programs of the Liberian Government.
Ambassador Okubi-Appiah also served on the peace mission in Liberia as member of the Ghanaian Air force. He remembered the famous Operations Octopus which took place in 1992.
In a related development, in his capacity as Board Chair of the Liberia Refugees Repatriation and Resettlement Commission, LRRRC, Minister Sirleaf raised concerns of recent reports of Liberians being evicted from the Buduburam Camp, hosting former Liberian refugees.
According to Minister Sirleaf although there has been a formal communication regarding the information from Accra, it was important to obtain further details from the Ambassador.
Responding, Ambassador Okubi-Appiah denied any maltreatment of Liberians, adding that the Ghanaian Government will never disown any Liberian who desires live in the Country.
“Ghana is not telling Liberians to go, rather it was a demolition exercise of structures”. The Ghanaian Envoy reiterated.
He said his country the rights of Liberian citizens to stay in part of Ghana without hindrance.
“In Ghana the land belongs to the traditional people, so since the refugee situation ended, the traditional people requested to reclaim the land on which the Buduburam Camp was built. However, the demolition exercise has been extended to the end of December, 2021”. He furthered.
In conclusion, the release said the two personalities also discussed wide range of issues that would be mutually beneficial to the already existing bi-lateral cooperation.