Sierra Leonean
Refugees In Nigeria Reject UNHCR Package
Abdul Semiu Babalola, Lagos
Sierra
Leonean refugees at the Oru camp in South West Nigeria, who have
chosen to stay in Nigeria under the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) integration programme, have
rejected the UN agency’s welfare package of N75, 000 to cater
for post integration challenges.
They described the money as too small to cater for their needs.
According to them, the amount which was meant to set up their
businesses and cope with the challenges of post integration
after leaving the camp was too meagre to have any meaningful
impact, considering the high cost of living in the area.
One of the refugees Leonard Williams said, “We are not just
surprised, we are disappointed. Was that amount the money
approved from Geneva? Was that the agreed amount with other
implementing partners in the series of meetings held over the
past one year? Certainly not. By proposing to give us N75,000,
they have lost all the conscience of being a human being”.
Welfare Package
At the seminar held at Ijebu-Ode, meant to prepare the refugees
on how to set up their own businesses, an official of the
Refugee Agency had told the refugees that an individual will be
given N75, 000 welfare packages to enable them fully pursue the
local integration programme.
Analysis of the welfare package indicate that a family with one
to two children will receive N82,000,those with three children,
N87,000, four children N92,000, six children and above N100,000.
The money is meant to cover accommodation, feeding,
medicals,education and sundry expenses.
Regrets
The chairman of the Sierra Leonean refugee council, Charles
Lebbie told Voice of Nigeria that they were very sad about the
treatment meted out to them by the UNHCR.
His words, “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
money to set up a business that will make them independent”.
The refugees also expressed displeasure with the manner in which
the welfare package was being handled without other implementing
partners like ECOWAS, National Commission For Refugees (NCFR)
High Commissions of both Liberia, Sierra Leone and other
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) who had been involved in
the local integration programme.
Appeal
The Sierra Leonean refugees appealed to the International
Community and Nigeria to intervene so that the welfare package
can be increased to N300, 000:00 each, to secure accommodation
and start a business.
They also cited the example of Liberia where Sierra Leonean
refugees who opted for local integration were provided with free
accommodation, land to farm and money.
Scaring
Similarly, The Liberian Refugee Welfare Council Chairman at the
camp, Mohammed Sackor also expressed shock at the UNHCR welfare
proposal. About 200 Liberian refugees at the camp have also
opted for local integration, their papers are being processed.
He said “we are shocked that UNHCR is only offering N75,000: 00
, 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”.
Sackor stated that since there was no issue of closure of camp
in Guinea, the invocation of the cessation clause should not
have arisen in Nigeria.
He submitted that,” 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 is bushy
with dangerous animals lurking around”.
The Chairman, Liberian Refugee Welfare Council Chairman urged
the International community and the Nigerian government to
support the refugees with relief materials to celebrate upcoming
Christmas.
He recalled that in the past some faith- based local groups from
the churches and Islamic Organisations as well NGO used to
provide relief materials to support the refugees at the camp
particularly during festive period.
That has however stopped when the UNHCR announced it has
officially closed the camp, ironically many refugees from Sierra
Leone and Liberia who are still waiting for their papers for the
local Integration Programme as well as some minority African
nationalities still reside at the camp.
The Oru refugee camp is located 130 kilometers from the
commercial city of Lagos.
Qasim
