Aflao, March 23, GNA-A Total of 203 Togolese refugees living in the Aflao and Denu areas of the Volta Region were on Thursday evacuated to their country under a voluntary repatriation programme being undertaken by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) with the consent of the refugees. This brings to 2,800 Togolese refugees repatriated by the Agency so far from the Volta Region within the past three months.

UNHCR Ghana officers assisted by Ghanaians officials led the refugees in a convoy of vehicles to the Aflao border where they were handed over to the Togolese officials and the UNHCR representatives in that country. The refugees, including children were earlier treated of minor ailments.

Mr. Anicet Ndayisaba, Head of Field Programmes of the UNHCR in Ghana told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that another batch of the refugees in the Aflao and Denu areas would be repatriated in two weeks. Regarding payment of repatriation grants, he said the UNHCR in Ghana provided some food and soft drinks as well as transport to convey the refugees to the frontier.

Mr Ndayisaba said the UNHCR in Togo would pay each adult refugee 60,000 CFA francs and 30,000 CFA franc to each child in addition to a food package expected to last two months and transport to convey them to their final destinations.

He said the refugee Agency would be assessing whether any of the refugees would opt to remain in Ghana, explaining that if any so whished, the Agency would assist with input for them to go into income generating activities to enable them to live on their own and integrate into the Ghanaian society.

He said any such plans would have to be discussed first between the Ghanaian authorities, the Agency and other stakeholders. 23 March 08