Kotoka International Airport
File photo: Kotoka International Airport

Amid Ghana’s border closure over the COVID-19 pandemic, it has emerged that a number of stranded Ghanaians have been evacuated from various countries.

To ensure a well-coordinated evacuation exercise, the government decided to undertake the exercise in phases.

Speaking on Accra-based GTV on the progress of the evacuation, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah explained that some citizens are already in the country with more to be brought in.

“Apart from the 245 Ghanaians who came in from Kuwait, on June 4 we received persons from Nigeria, 15 from Mauritania and five from Turkey on June 5 and 6 respectively,” he said.

He said “35 others came in from United States and 14 from Burkina while four persons again arrived from Mauritania on June 9, 2020.”

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He added that about 500 people are expected to be evacuated from London mid-June, with 300 to come from New York a week later and before the end of the month, another 300 will come from Washington D.C.

He said consultations with the Ghana Mission in Beijing were underway to also evacuate about 670 from China and about 500 from Abu Dhabi.

For several weeks, the Foreign Ministry and its Missions abroad, together with key agencies such as the Interior and Aviation Ministries, as well as the Ghana Immigration Service have been working closely to bring back home stranded Ghanaians in several countries after the easing of restrictions by President Nana Akufo-Addo including opening of schools.