The Partnership for Democracy and Nation-Building (PADENAB), a non-governmental organization based on the Buduburam Refugee Camp, on July 26 distributed a consignment of food items valued at $1,500 dollars.

The items which include rice, oil and maggie cube were distributed among nearly one thousand ageing refugees on the camp.

PADENAB's Chairman, Mr. John Grimes said his organization which was established two years ago, is involved in soliciting assistance from individuals and humanitarian organizations to address some of many problems facing the refugee population.

Mr. Grimes told the ageing audience that the items distributed among them was a donation from the Friends of Brumskine (FOB) based in the United States of America following an appeal from PADENAB.

He noted that the consignment was PADENAB's way of identifying with the ageing refugees as "our war-torn country celebrates its 156th Independence Anniversary."

The UN Agency for Refugees, the UNHCR officially withdrawn assistance from the Liberian refugees in Ghana in July 2000. This left the refugees to face numerous problems including food, education and health and sanitation.

The UNHCR, following the escalation of the second round of war in Liberia, resumed its activities to the Liberian refugees but only limited to the re-opening of its office and a census exercise of the refugee population.

Currently, there are an estimated 45,000 Liberian refugees in Ghana.