245 Ghanaians illegally staying in Kuwait deported

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Kuwait is deporting at least 245 Ghanaians who are staying illegally in the country to Ghana.

The deportees are expected to land in Ghana on Saturday, May 23, 2020, Ghanaian officials disclosed on Friday.

Addressing the media, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the Government of Ghana has granted permission to its Kuwaiti counterparts “for the admission of the said deportees to Ghana.”

“This deportation is to be executed via a special charter arrangement at the cost of the Kuwaiti Government,” Mr. Nkrumah added.

The deportation comes at a time when Ghana’s borders remain closed to human travel as part of international travel restrictions under Ghana’s covid-19 response program. The restrictions are to limit the importation of cases into Ghana.

In line with exemptions that were granted for special evacuation flights of foreign nationals during this border closure period, the Government of Ghana hereby announces the following measures to safely admit the deportees while ensuring the risk to the covid-19 response program is mitigated;

1. The deportees will be mandatorily quarantined and tested for covid-19 immediately upon arrival into the Ghana.

• Deportees who test positive will be supported with treatment. Deportees who test positive will remain in quarantine for a second test at the end of the 14day quarantine period.

• In addition to the aforementioned covid-19 measures, the deportees will generally be received and handled in line with immigration regulations for all deportees. IE they will be in the custody of the state for preliminary investigations on the circumstances of their illegal stay in Kuwait. Upon completion of the investigations, a case by case determination will be made on the status and further handling of each deportee in accordance with law.

• The cost of quarantine and treatment is to be borne by the Government of Ghana.

• The National Security secretariat working in collaboration with the Military, Immigration and Police will be responsible for ensuring the mandatory quarantine is adequately enforced.

• The Ghana health service shall be responsible for testing and treatment if need be.

“The general public is hereby assured that all measures to ensure the health of the general population and the gains of the covid-19 response program are upheld are being taken by Government,” the Information Minister stressed.

Ghana’s Covid-19 case

About 217 new Covid-19 cases have been recorded in Ghana bringing the country’s case count to 6,486.

According to figures posted on the Ghana Health Service‘s webpage 53 more people have recovered after testing negative, putting the total number of persons who have recovered from Covid-19 in Ghana at 1,951.

The death toll still stands at 31.

Source: Daily Mail GH