REGSEC GIVES REFUGEES A MONTH ULTIMATUM TO RELOCATE TO CAMP

The Chairman of the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC), Hon. Stephen Yakubu has given a month ultimatum to asylum seekers from Burkina Faso in the Garu District of the Region to relocate to the Tarikom Refugees Camp in the Bawku West District.

He said the 3235 asylum seekers spread across four communities in the Garu District risked been repatriated if they failed to comply by the month ultimatum.

Hon. Yakubu gave the ultimatum on Tuesday when he met the chiefs of the various host communities of the refugees at their palaces.

“I must say that REGSEC is not happy at all about refugees living in our border communities. They have only two options to either move to the camp or leave the country.

“We are ready to assist them relocate with the necessary support to make their stay there comfortable and this is the decision of the REGSEC,” he told the Chiefs.

The REGSEC Chair said the security of the country would be at risk if the refugees were left without any proper profiling to ascertain their true identities.

He noted that any genuine asylum seeker must be ready to follow the host County’s regulations but not bent on doing what pleased them.

At the Kugri Naba’s Palace, Chief Abdulai Asidiwaya thanked the REGSEC members for the swift intervention to relocate the refugees and assured them of his full support.

He said the asylum seekers would comply with the directive immediately they harvested their farm crops.

There are 1545 refugees at Kugri Nateenga, 1294 at Nwadua, 190 at Songo and 209 at Denugu all in the Garu District.