Ghanaians in Italy willing to go back home to Ghana has been presented the chance with a package for resettlement.

This was disclosed by Maria Giovanna Fidone, a representative for the Council in Italy for Refugees (an NGO) when she met Executive Committee members of the Council of Ghana Nationals Association in Italy (COGNAI) in Vicenza, north of Italy.

She informed the COGNAI Board that the community of three African countries, Egypt, Ghana and Cameroun, in Italy has been selected to begin the first phase ot its program which will be extented to July 2009. “The main objective of the project is to present voluntary repatriation as one of the possible solution for the foreigner, regularily or irregularily, residing in Europe who do not have opportunity of integration,” she noted. She indicated that the three mentioned African communities in Italy has been observed to be more organised hence the need to start the project with its people.

The package for this voluntary repatriation includes an air ticket to the country of origin, plus €700 for a single person and €1,400 for a family. Not only that arrangement would be made to house the voluntary returnee if the person does not have such facility upon returning home, will be fixed in a job training program and assisted to settle in the country of origin.

According to the Council in Italy for Refugees representative, questinaire sheets would be sent to the national Association of the three countries for unward distribution to its members. Some of the questions and information being demanded includes: name of the applicant (optional), age, marital status, level of education, area of occupation in Italy - among this sector which states retail services, agriculture, hand crafting, building, training, medical, education. The questionaire also demands to know if the returnee would like to go to the country of origin on medium or long term, what kind of assistance or guarantees the person needs in relation to economic aspects, to housing, education, training and job replacement. It also asks the applicant to state his or her opinion who should provide support and guarantee, giving options refering to the Italian State (Ministry of Interior), NGO in the country of origin, the International Organisation for Migration (I.O.M.), Social Services of Municipalities and whether the returnee when in the country of origin would be interested in performing a concrete socio-professional program in the country through support or assistance of a local NGO.

“We consider very important to have a direct contact with you, members of the Egypt, Ghana and Cameroun communities in Italy to understnad your expectations in relation to this voluntary repatriation. We are particularly interested in understanding what, in your opinion are the minimum guarantees and essential conditions in the phase decision taking and information you would like to have before eventually returning to your country of origin,” Maria Giovanna said.

She mentioned also at the meeting applicants under this project includes immigrants who have been refused refugee status, people who are old and have no possibilty of getting a job in Italy or those with incurable illness.

The possibilty of how the applicant in all these processes would be paid one lump sum covering contribution into the Italian Pension Scheme is also being considered under the package for the voluntary returnee. She however cautioned that illegal immigrants in Italy who are arrested by the police and are to be repatriated would not have the benefits stated under the program and therefore asked people under this category to take advantage of the project before they land in the grip of the police .

“Careful analysis of the applicant would be accessed before processing any application,” she stressed, explaining that the information of the applicant from the family in the country of origin would be gathered to make sure the person would be well received upon arrival whilst a progress check would also be conducted from time to time.

Upon a question whether the applicant can apply to settle in another country, not the country of origin, for reason of insecurity or any other, Maria Giovanna replied that information would be sort from that country chosen for resettlement if they are prepared to accept the applicant before the application can be processed.

The Council in Italy for Refugees representative under the discussion finally told the COGNAI Executive members, which included the President, Omari Somuah and Gilbert Abasimi - the General Secretary - her organisation will present a budget on the project to the Italian government after gathering all the neccesary information from the community of the three African countries mentioned in the first phase of the program.