The Ghana Refugees Board has told AccraReport.com, it has so far registered about ninety six Syrian refugees since the war started.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry announced a few weeks back that Ghana will welcome more Syrian refugees, especially those who have family and friends here.

More Syrians have since been applying to settle in Ghana but the Project Director of Refugee Board, Tetteh Padi says his outfit is yet to register any new arrivals since the Ministry’s announcement but those already here have asked to stay on.

“Since that announcement we have had eight families apply for asylum, eight families of fifteen individuals. So if you look at the trend over a whole period;for January alone if we have fifteen people it’s quite significant. Given the fact that we have travelled three, four years and we’ve had 96 so that’s the result of government encouraging Syrians who are present here to regularize their stay here by applying for asylum if they feel the need.”

“I’m unable to say how many have arrived. Infact I will say nobody has approached us to apply for asylum yet since the announcement . All the persons who have come to register are people who have been here before the announcement, some going as far back as 2012.”Mr. Padi added.

Government’s decision to accept refugees in Ghana has been intensely criticized by many Ghanaians who believe the move poses a threat to the country’s security.

But government has sought to calm the nerves of apprehensive Ghanaians, clarifying that they do not threaten Ghana’s security.

It also confirmed that the Syrian community in Ghana will foot the bills of these refugees.