Everyone stands to benefit if refugees are included in society — Deputy Interior Minister

Deputy Interior Minister Naana Eyiah Quansah has reiterated the need for refugees in Ghana to be actively included in society for the benefit of both refugees and Ghanaians.

Delivering the keynote address at the World Refugee Day commemoration held in Accra on Thursday, June 21, Mrs Quansah said "all of us stand to benefit if refugees are included in society."

She noted that including refugees in development and providing them with opportunities will help prevent them from resorting to negative means of survival.

"Apart from the fact that they help build our society, we all know that people who are left out of development and opportunity find negative ways to survive. None of us desires such a situation, so once again I encourage the private sector to stand in solidarity with refugees," the Deputy Minister stated.

The Gomoa Central lawmaker commended the government for its refugee inclusion policies like granting refugees access to basic social services including education and issuing identification cards to enable them to engage in economic activity.

However, she urged continued support from the UN Refugee Agency and other partners to help the country continue catering for the needs of the over 12,000 registered refugees living in Ghana.

Stakeholders who attended the event including representatives from the Ghana Refugee Board, UNHCR and civil society groups pledged their continued solidarity with refugees as called for by the Deputy Minister.

The World Refugee Day commemoration emphasized that taking an inclusive approach towards refugees is a win-win for both refugees and their host communities.