President Nana Akufo-Addo

There are increasing calls on the government to evacuate Ghanaians stranded in other countries.

The latest to join are some Ghanaians stranded in the United States of America (USA) who are appealing to the government to facilitate their return.

The group, Concerned and Stranded Ghanaians in the USA, are willing to pay for their own tickets if President Nana Akufo-Addo allows them to return home.

In an open letter copied to Adomonline.com, the group is, among other things, willing to be quarantined and tested for coronavirus when they arrive in Ghana.

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OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT FROM GHANAIANS STRANDED IN THE USA:

Dear His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

BACKGROUND

From the ending of December 2019 when COVID 19 was discovered in Wuhan which is the capital city of Hubei province in the People’s Republic of China, it has caused a lot of destruction and destabilization across the world that has never been experienced in modern times. This has led to the World Health Organization(WHO) labeling it officially as a pandemic on 11 March 2020 when the virus spread to over 100 countries across the globe.

Since then WHO designed some guidelines for countries to follow to contain the disease since there is no vaccine currently available to prevent infection. Scientists across the globe estimate that it may take about 12-18 months to develop a vaccine.

Countries have adopted the recommendations of WHO in addition to the closing of borders to contain the spread of the virus. This situation has completely affected global air travel. Countries such as Britain, the Netherlands, and the European Union, the USA, etc have organized special flights to Ghana and abroad to repatriate their citizens back home. They are doing this irrespective of the fact that globally they are the hardest hit in terms of the reported cases and death arising from the pandemic.

The Republic of South Africa has more Covid-19  reported cases and death than Ghana, yet they repatriated 62 of their citizens from Ghana on 13 April 2020.

Similarly, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, our neighbor in the West African Sub-Region has more Covid-19 reported cases and deaths than Ghana but beginning from 10 May 2020 are going to repatriate over 700 stranded Nigerians in the USA via an Ethiopian Airlines special repatriation flights.

LEADERSHIP

Your excellency, you have shown leadership in fighting the spread of the virus in Ghana that has globally won your admiration from well-meaning people. Restating your intervention to contain the spread of the disease here would tantamount to belaboring the point.

Nevertheless, one missing piece in all this intervention is your responsibility to Ghanaians stranded and trapped abroad who are currently unable to come home because of the closure of our land, sea, and air borders until 31 May 20200 (likely to be extended again beyond this date).

When your Excellency swore the oath of office on 7 January 2017, it was a constitutional affirmation to protect and promote the interest of Ghanaians residing not only in Ghana but abroad. The test of a great leader and nation is measured by how far the leader and state are willing to go to protect its citizens not just at home but abroad especially in perilous times like this as done by other countries mentioned above (supra).

CHALLENGE

There are a lot of Ghanaians currently stranded and trapped in the USA who came here inter alia for;

  1. Studies
  2. Official duties
  3. Medical reasons
  4. Tourism among others

These categories are all trapped and cannot return home because of the border closure and living in very poor conditions. They didn’t bargain for this extended stay and finding it difficult to cope both physically, mentally, and financially as this pandemic is showing no signs of abating.

SOLUTION

Any hopes of returning to Ghana have disappeared into the horizon unless once again as you have demonstrated in the past you show leadership.

Accordingly, it is respectfully proposed that you;

  1.  Direct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to liaise with the Ghana Embassy in Washington DC and the Ghana Permanent Mission in New York to coordinate with all Ghanaians living in the USA and organize repatriation flights for those who are in the category listed above willing to return home at their own expense;
  2. Quarantine the above returnees for the mandatory 2 weeks;
  3. Test for COVID-19;
  4. Treat those who may test positive for the virus;
  5. Release those who test negative to be with their families.

Your Excellency this action once again will put you on the global stage as a true and strong leader in the face of a looming pandemic, and posterity is going to judge you for that one day. Leadership is not to make decisions that please people but to make difficult decisions that protect every Ghanaian irrespective of where they are. As a listening leader that you have proven to be, I know you are going to consider this humble plea of stranded Ghanaians in the USA with the greatest of circumspection and make this decision in our favor.

Long live His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo

Long live Ghana

From Concerned and Stranded Ghanaians in the USA.




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