Sudanese refugees in Ghana demand resettlement in the West

Sudanese refugees living in Ghana are demanding resettlement in another country, accusing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees of not providing them with food, education and proper accommodation. “We are not requesting just to go to America, we are requesting any country that it can provide what we need,” Ayoub Gamaradeen, Head of Sudanese Refugees Association told Portia Gabor on TV3 Midday Live on Wednesday. Though he conceded that their children are getting educated, the adults should also be educated to make them employable. On accommodation, he suggested, they are better of sleeping outside instead of the “leaking” structure that has been provided to them as shelter. About 200 Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers on Tuesday demonstrated against the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to demand the provision of adequate accommodation, education and healthcare. Hundreds of refugees escaped the civil war in Sudan’s western Darfur region and trekked about 3,000 km to Ghana in early 2004. Though Ayoub was grateful to Ghana for hosting them and allowing Sudanese to “roam around” in Ghana, he said lack of education and good accommodation is making life difficult for them. He indicated that their “patience have reached a limit” and demanded for better treatment. “Waiting for them to give us a refugee status from the Ghana refugee board, and also we are demanding from UNCHR to provide food, accommodation, education and also if they can’t provide for us  we are demanding from them to look for us a resettlement country for us…because we are not satisfied with what they are offering for us in Ghana.” Currently the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has recorded 640 Sudanese in Ghana, most of whom are residing at the Krisan Refugee Camp in the Western Region. By Isaac Essel | 3news.com | Ghana]]>