Ghana’s Contribution to West African Sub-Regional Stability: The Issue of Hosting Refugees

Abstract

The emergence of conflicts in West Africa, especially the conflict which ravaged Liberia from 1989-2003, posed a major refugee challenge to the sub-region including Ghana. The hosting of refugees by Ghana dates back to the country’s immediate post-independent era, but became more prominent from the 1990s, when the Liberian refugee settlement was established in the country. The contribution of the Buduburam local host community to the Liberian refugees and its impact on the community is the problem investigated in this study. It is relevant to note that, the Liberian refugee situation in Ghana led to the establishment of permanent refugee hosting structures in the country. Relevant literature was reviewed from both Africa and outside Africa on host community-refugee relations as well as the impact of refugees on their hosts. The refugee situation in Africa in the period of anti-colonialism and post colonialism was also considered in the review. The theory which underpins the study is the theory of the distribution of burdens and benefits to local hosts, propounded by Berth Whitaker. Both quantitative and qualitative data was employed for the study and primary and secondary sources of data were used. The primary sources of data which formed the basis of the study were structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews whilst the secondary sources included books, magazines, reports, and bulletins etc. The study has shown that the local host community finds the refugee settlement beneficial rather than a burden to them. Among the benefits to the local host community is the transformation of the host community from a rural to urban settlement with modern infrastructure and amenities. Notwithstanding this benefit, the community also reaped some negative effects of the refugee settlement such as the rise in crime, high cost of living and pressure on the host community land among others. Among the recommendations made by the researcher, is that an International Centre for Refugee Studies be set up at Buduburam for being, arguably, the most developed refugee camp in Africa. Also, local industries must be established in the Buduburam community to employ both the local people and the refugees among other recommendations.