LRRRC, Sen. Joseph Tour Rehabilitation Center For ‘Disadvantaged Youth’ In Tubmanburg

-Center Will Officially Open In December 2019

The Liberia Refugee Repatriation Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) in partnership with the office of Montserrado County Senator Saah H. Joseph has toured the official rehabilitation center for ‘Disadvantaged youth or National Internally Displaced Persons (NIDPs) commonly known as ‘Zogos’ in Liberia.

As part of project to rehabilitate and reintegrate those disadvantaged young Liberians, the LRRRC early this year launched a survey that covers Montserrado, Margibi, and Grand Bassa Counties with the aim of establishing accurate documentation of zogos’ in an effort to rekindle their lives and make them productive citizens again.

The NIDPs are disadvantaged youths with fewer opportunities than their peers, and are considered as youth at risk, vulnerable, disconnected or socially excluded in the society.

At that time, the survey shows 5,274 households in 46 communities with 46 pre-selected ghettos, detailing that males constitute 91% of the total 5,274 respondents, which implies that male are vulnerable to drugs addiction than female, comprising 8.5%.

The LRRRC headed by its visionary Executive Director, Rev. Fester Logan identified the LRRRC and UNHCR compound in Tubmanburg, Bomi County as one of the most secured places in the country to host those NIDPs.

The compound is well fenced, protected with bar wires, nice buildings that can host up to two hundred persons. Directly opposite the compound is the annex of the Bomi County Community College (BCCC) that is exclusively used for vocational and other technical skills.

While in the compound, those ‘Disadvantaged youth’ will received all medical needs, provided food three times a day, provided clothes, and other essential needs as they go through the rehabilitation process. They will also learn other vocational and technical skills which will help them rewrite the future positively to help rekindle their lives.

Speaking to reporters upon the completion of the tour at the facilities, the Executive Director of LRRRC, Rev Fester Logan thanked Senator Saah H. Joseph and the office of President George Manneh Weah for the effort that is helping to repair the lost hopes of the ‘Disadvantaged youth’ in the country.

“This is the government of Liberia’s project. This is the vision of President George Manneh Weah.  We are happy that President Weah is really in support of this project,” Rev. Logan said.

According to him, they will work with them for six months on rehabilitation, providing all medical needs and begin the training programs that will last for one-year-six months intensively.

He said they will be trained in agriculture, carpentry and other productive skills for their lives. The LRRRC boss however expressed happiness that those NIDPs have been trooping at their offices expressing interest in what the commission has planned for them.

“We will not pay them. We will provide the necessary treatments and rehabilitate them well. At the end of the program, we will have an elaborate program to reintegrate them into the society. We have had community engagements on this aspect,” Rev. Logan said.

According to him, the recruitment exercise has shown significant increase in the number of men. He said most of them are educated; some are ex-combatants that never make used of the NCDDRR program, while others are involved due to peer pressure and abandonment.

For his part, Montserrado County Senator Saah H. Joseph thanked the LRRRC for implementing the vision of the Liberian chief executive.

“December 1, 2019, we will carry them to the center with enough food, medications and other basic needs and we will do all we can do to bring them back into the society as productive citizens,” Senator Joseph added.

The chairman of the Liberian Senate Committee on Executive further added “This is the heart beat of the President. I will provide 50 pieces of computers, to be added to the skill training programs.”