The Fetentaa Refugee camp at Fetentaa in the Berekum West district was the venue for the commemoration of the 2017 World Refugee Day in the Brong Ahafo Region on Tuesday.
World Refugee Day is observed every year across the globe on 20th June to raise the public awareness about refugee’s situations throughout the world.
This was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in the Resolution 55/76 on 4th of December in 2000.
Marking this year's celebration with various activities at the Fetentaa camp, which is dominated by Ivorians since its inception in 2011, about 400 pupils gathered to observe the programme to know their fate in the ensuing year.
A spectacular display of dances and cultural activities which showcased the culture of La Cote D'Ivoire took centre stage amidst cheers from the crowd and dignitaries who had come to grace the occasion.
The performance of the Bin Kadi Dance by the drama troop at the camp threw spectators into a state of weeping when the group performed a sorrowful sketch to depict the pains and torture they went through during the post elections violence in Ivory Coast in 2011 before their arrival in Ghana.
Reading a speech on behalf of the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi , the Sunyani field officer of the UNHCR said through their work, they have witnessed the courage, tenacity and brilliance of refugees on daily basis even on the front lines of conflict.
Mr Emmanuel Twum said the programme was to honour the resilience and courage of more than 65 million refugees in the world , calling for the inclusion of them into the society. He added that their experience with them was that "refugees bring solutions, not problems."
"Having lost their homes, their work, and sometimes their families - they don't give up - they find a way to start again.... building connections, and creating new opportunities.
The statement further advised that refugees should not be feared though there were economic instability, political upheaval and violence close to home, depicting that " fear and exclusion will not lead us to a better place - they can only lead to barriers, alienation and despair. "
Concluding the statement, he said: " when we pause to contemplate the fate of the millions of people who can not return to their homes tonight because of war or persecution - it's also a moment to ask ourselves what each of us can do or overcome indifference or fear and embrace the idea of inclusion, to welcome refugees to our own communities, and to counter narratives that would seek to exclude and marginalise refugees and other uprooted people. "
The commemoration was attended by the chiefs of Fetentaa, the Berekum municipal Chief Executive, Kofi Agyei as well as representatives from the Ghana Health service, the Environmental Health service and the Ghana Police Service who all pledged their support for the refugees.
The refugees, however, bemoaned the lack of jobs for them in the area.
They appealed to government to include them in various recruitment processes since some of them are capable of doing government work with their education qualification.
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