UNICEF has presented nutritional and educational items worth GHC 1,095,823.08 to refugees in the Bawku West District and Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region.
The items also included WASH facilities and early childhood development and recreational kits to improve on the living conditions of the refugees who escaped attacks of extremists in neighboring Burkina Faso some months ago.
Receiving the donations on behalf of the refugees, the Chief Director of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), Alhaji Inusah Abubakari, said the gesture was a relief to the beneficiary communities.
“In fact, our first visit to this place was an eye-sore; no water, no health or educational facilities and it was of great worry to the RCC, but with this massive provision, it is only proper we recognize the contribution of our patterns,” Alhaji Abubakari said.
The Chief Director reiterated the need for residents in that part of the Region to champion the “See Something, Say Something” campaign, and said anytime they saw any suspicious characters around, they should inform the security agencies in order to prevent any extremists attack in the country.
He expressed gratitude to UNICEF on behalf of the Regional Minister, Hon. Stephen Yakubu for the kind gesture, and was hopeful that more of such donations would come from other benevolent organizations and individuals to make life a bit comfortable for the refugees.
The Chief Field Officer of UNICEF, Mr. Bhanu Pathak said the donation was in addition to an earlier donation made in September to other communities that did not receive support.
Mr. Pathak said in September, 2022, UNICEF constructed seven boreholes at vantage points within the refugee camps, and created an enabling environment to support the educational needs of the numerous children in the camps.
The Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Emmanuel Kofi Dzotsi said the gesture was timely, as it would assist solve the basic health needs of the people.
He said a team of health professionals would be dispatched on November 24, 2022 to the camps to vaccinate all children against any childhood diseases.