'Facilities at Ivorian refugee camp under stress'

Accra, Ghana (PANA) – Facilities at the Ivorian refugee camp at Ampain in south-west Ghana are overstretched as hundreds of people fleeing the fighting in Cote d'Ivoire continue to arrive at the camp.

According to the camp manager, Kelly Forson, between 200 and 300 Ivorian refugees have been arriving daily, putting severe pressure on facilities such as food, tents and water.

The state-owned Graphic newspaper quoted Forson as saying the Ampain camp has more than 2,000 refugees and there is the need for more land to cope with the increase in the daily arrivals.

He said the main problems were feeding and water supply.

Two boreholes have been drilled while the UN Population Agency, UNFPA, has donated two large water containers to store water.

The refugees also need food, Forson said, adding that health and sanitation facilities at the camp had to be improved.

Fighting between forces loyal to the internationally recognised president Alassane Ouattara and the incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo, who has refused to step down, escalated this week with heavy exchange of fire in the main city, Abidjan.

The Graphic reported that 69 military and paramilitary personnel have entered Ghana recently through unapproved routes in the Brong Ahafo and Western regions of Ghana.

It said some of them came with “dangerous weapons”.

Meanwhile, some 1,500 refugees also arrived through various border posts in the Brong Ahafo region in the west of Ghana.
-0- PANA MA 2April2011