As a signatory to the UN 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the OAU 1969 Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, Ghana remains committed to providing international protection to persons fleeing persecution and generalised violence.

Services provided for refugees and asylum seekers in Ghana are merged with the National systems. This ensures that refugees receive social and other services at the same levels available to Ghanaian nationals. For instance, refugees attend the same schools and access the same health facilities as Ghanaians, having been enrolled on the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Refugees are documented by the National Identification Authority by being issued with the Non-Citizen version of the “Ghana Card”, which is modified to read “Refugee Identity Card”. This card ensures financial inclusion for refugees as everyone resident in Ghana must have been issued with it, in order to be able to carry out financial and many other critical transactions.

Currently, the country has registered about 11,174 refugees and asylum seekers. Persons seeking asylum in Ghana are from over 35 countries. Three thousand, two hundred and twenty-four (3,224) of these refugees and asylum seekers are nationals of Burkina Faso.

There are an estimated 8,000 Burkinabe nationals currently seeking asylum. The Ghana Refugee Board is in the process of registering them. The total number of Burkinabe nationals is therefore expected to increase significantly due to the expected new registrations. The Ghana Refugee Board currently manages two other refugee camps which are both located in the Ellembelle District in the country’s Western Region. The two camps host about 1,500 refugees and asylum seekers.

Refugees who are able to engage in livelihood activities, obtain shelter and look after themselves and their families are allowed to live outside of refugee camps. The Ghana Refugee Board must, however, be able to contact such persons at all times.

They are expected to be available for periodic verification and renewal of attestation document. In response to the Burkinabe influx, a reception centre and a settlement have been set up in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana. Similarly, the Ghana Refugee Board with assistance from the UNHCR is establishing a reception centre and settlement in the Upper East Region.

Registration of Burkinabe Asylum seekers will be done in that region. Former refugees who opted for an alternative legal status, are being assisted by Government and UNHCR to be issued with indefinite residence permits. This is a truly durable solution as opposed to being issued with 2-year renewable permits as was done on previous occasions. The GRB continues to monitor the situation in the Sahel region and has a contingency plan in place to deal with any eventual influx.

August 2023 Accra