Refugees Reject
Package, Seek Nigeria’s Intervention
Abdul Semiu Babalola, Lagos
Sierra
Leonean refugees at the Oru camp in Ijebu Ode, South West
Nigeria are rejecting a welfare package of N75, 000 offered by
the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR.
The refugees, who chose to remain in Nigeria and integrate into
the local community, say the post repatriation package is
inadequate to cater for their needs.
Speaking on their challenges in an interview with Voice of
Nigeria, a cross section of the expatriates, some of whom have
spent more than ten years at Oru, located just about 130
kilometres from the commercial city of Lagos, said the amount
was too meagre to have any meaningful impacts on their lives.
Too little
The fund, offered by the refugee agency, was meant to be
utilised for small scale businesses and to cope with the
challenges of post integration.
One of the refugees, who identified himself simply as Leonard
Williams said of the offer, “We were not just surprised, we are
disappointed…Was that the amount approved from Geneva?’’ He
questioned.
At a seminar to train the refugees on setting up small
businesses, an official of the Refugee Agency had told them that
an individual would be given N75, 000 cash to fully pursue the
local integration programme.
The chairman of the Sierra Leonean refugee council, Charles
Lebbie said,”We are very sad about the way we are being treated
by the UNHCR. We have been promised that those who choose local
integration will be given suitable accommodation, their welfare
such as health, education of their children from primary to
secondary school level taken care of and will be given some cash
to set up a business…Surprisingly, they are now telling us that
they will give out N75, 000 to an individual.’’
About 200 Liberian refugees at the camp have also opted for
local integration and their papers are being processed.
The Liberian Refugee Welfare Council Chairman at the camp,
Mohammed Sackor also expressed shock at the UNHCR welfare
proposal.
“We are shocked that UNHCR is only offering N75, 000, many of us
are actually worried. We are made to understand that the local
integration is a regional decision. But if you go to refugee
camp in Ghana, there is no issue of local integration. There is
no issue of closure of camp even in the Guinea not to talk about
invocation of the cessation clause as was done here in Nigeria.
UNHCR still operates the camps,” he added.
He continued,”Since the cessation clause we have been abandoned
with no welfare- food, medicines, clothing and any form of
support. The women have taken to prostitution, the old and aged
are left without support while the young men have resorted to
doing menial jobs. Look around the camp it’s bushy with
dangerous animals lurking around.
The Christmas is just a few days away, many of us are going to
mark it with empty stomachs. My appeal is to the International
community and the Nigerian government who have been so
supportive to come to our assistance with relief materials.’’
The refugees numbering about four hundred, including women and
children expressed displeasure over what they described as
UNHCR’s renege on earlier promise to provide accommodation and
financing for those who have opted to be integrated.
Appeal for increase
The refugees are seeking the intervention of relevant bodies
and authorities.
’’We are appealing to the international community and Nigeria as
our host nation, to please intervene in this matter. If they can
increase the money to N300, 000 it will be okay. At least we can
get an accommodation with half of it and the other half to start
a business,” Lebbie pleaded.
Citing the example of Liberia where Sierra Leonean refugees who
opted for local integration there were said to have free
accommodation, farmlands and some cash, those in Nigeria request
the UNHCR to provide them same benefits.
‘Good Samaritans’
Some faith based local groups, churches, Islamic
organisations and non-governmental organisations have been to
the rescue of the refugees, providing relief materials,
especially during festive periods.
That gesture is said to have however been halted, after the
UNHCR announced it had officially closed the camp.
Hundreds of refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia, who are
awaiting documentation processing for the local integration
Programme as well as some minority African nationals, still
reside at the vast camp.
Yinka
