The management of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) has strongly refuted media reports that the government through LRRRC has reneged to fulfill its initial promises made to the returnees and are being maltreated.
In the August 9, 2024 edition of the Women Voices Newspaper Captioned, ” Liberian Returnees Protest Against LRRRC for Maltreatment and Unfulfilled Promises”, the paper stated that the returnees are grappling with significant challenges due to LRRRC unmet financial commitment.
The paper also quoted an unnamed protester that LRRRC took away all the mattresses, rice, oil and left.
However, the Management of the LRRRC clarified that at no time did the government through LRRRC fail to live up to its promises. “This is false and misleading”,the LRRRC disclosed.
The management providing further information indicated that the LRRRC is currently working with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to ensure that final payment is made to returnees.
The LRRRC at the same time call on the media to report facts based information instead of spreading falsehood or promoting misinformation that has the propensity to
undermine the progress government has made on bringing back former refugees.
It can be recalled that the government through LRRRC under the first and second phases of the repatriation program, repatriated 1,539 stranded Liberians from Buduburam Camp, Ghana.
770 of that number arrived under the first phase while 769 arrived under the second phase. The former refugees arrived in Liberia on 24th and 11th of May and June 2024, LRRRC added.
As part of initial efforts before their arrival, the government renovated the CARI Regional Transit Center in Gbarnga with 24 hours electricity and other facilities.
Additionally, The government also prepared other LRRRC local offices across the country for a short stay before re-integration into the community.
Narrating more, The stranded Liberians while at CARI, according to LRRRC provided 24 hours services including three-time feeding per day as well as security for their safety.
The LRRRC and partners also provided mattresses, phones, sim cards and other essential packages to the former refugees as an initial empowerment.
As it stands, the government through LRRRC and the ministry of Finanace and Development Planning has made a tremedious efforts to pay about 80% of the total returnees while each family head received US$300 while the dependent received US$225 contrary to untrue media reports.
