Buduburam is a former refugee camp and settlement located west of Accra, Ghana, along the AccraâÂÂCape Coast Highway. It was established in 1990 by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to host Liberian refugees fleeing the First Liberian Civil War and Second Liberian Civil War. Refugee status for most residents formally ended in 2010 following the withdrawal of UNHCR services. In 2024, large-scale demolitions and repatriation efforts effectively ended its role as a refugee settlement.
Buduburam was established in 1990 to accommodate Liberian refugees fleeing violence associated with the rise of Charles Taylor and the outbreak of civil war. The UNHCR and partner organizations initially provided humanitarian aid, shelter, and basic services.
Following LiberiaâÂÂs 1997 elections, which were deemed sufficient for repatriation by international observers, the UNHCR reduced assistance and encouraged voluntary return. While some refugees repatriated, many remained, and Buduburam evolved into a long-term settlement.
Renewed conflict in Liberia in the late 1990s led to additional refugee arrivals, prompting continued international involvement. However, assistance was increasingly limited to vulnerable populations, including minors, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
The UNHCR began withdrawing services in 2007, and in June 2010, refugee status for most Liberians in Ghana officially ceased. Despite this, many residents remained in Buduburam, which functioned as an informal settlement for more than a decade.
Although no longer officially recognized as a refugee camp after 2010, Buduburam remained inhabited by former refugees and their descendants.
In early 2024, traditional authorities in the Gomoa East District initiated the demolition of structures within Buduburam, displacing thousands of residents. Reports indicated that homes, schools, and community structures were destroyed as part of the process.
By mid-2024, coordinated efforts between the governments of Ghana and Liberia, along with international partners, facilitated the voluntary repatriation of several hundred to thousands of former residents. These developments effectively marked the end of BuduburamâÂÂs function as a refugee settlement.
Following the demolition of structures in Buduburam in early 2024, large numbers of former residents opted to return to Liberia.
The Liberian government, through the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), coordinated with Ghanaian authorities and international partners to facilitate voluntary repatriation. Initial groups of returnees departed in May 2024, with several hundred individuals transported by road from Ghana to Liberia.
The repatriation process drew criticism from advocacy groups, including the Liberia Returnees Network, which argued that the process was poorly managed and lacked adequate reintegration support.
Despite these concerns, the repatriation effort marked a significant step in the final dissolution of Buduburam as a refugee settlement.
In 2008, the University of Alberta collaborated with camp residents and the Center for Youth Empowerment to produce a music CD titled Giving Voice to Hope: Music of Liberian Refugees. The project aimed to raise awareness of displacement in West Africa while supporting musicians in the camp.