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The Minority caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to government to evacuate its citizens living in China as the deadly Coronavirus continues to claim more lives in the Asian country.
The caucus is also questioning the loud silence by President Akufo-Addo since the outbreak while his administration seems unfazed by the distress calls of particularly Ghanaian students in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.
The Caucus says it is equally minded by the available WHO protocols on evacuations and will insist those protocols are followed in the evacuation process.
At a press conference Tuesday, Minority spokespersons on Foreign Affairs and Health said they are minded by all protocols set out by the WHO, insisting that those protocols will duly be followed in the evacuation process.
Per a report by Accra-based Citi FM, Minority spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa said: “The leadership of this country, cannot be callous, cannot be insensitive… when it is about the life of our nation. It is in times like these that we asses the value that leadership places on the life of our citizens. We hereby call on the Akufo-government to immediately evacuate our students, particularly those under lock and key.”
Mr Ablakwa, who was a former President of the National Union of Ghana Students, further added: “We’ve discussed as a Minority and the leadership of the Minority caucus have asked that we give a three-day ultimatum to the Akufo Addo government. They have three days, latest by Friday, the evacuation of Ghanain students should take place and these students should be brought to us. We owe them. We should not be callous and insensitive to their plight”.
Also known as the China-virus, the new coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province. The city of 11 million was later put on lockdown.
The outbreak was declared a global emergency by the WHO on 30 January.
The disease is believed to have killed over 1000 people and infected 43,000 others around the world.
Ghana has since recorded 13 cases of the virus but was proven negative following a series of tests.
The Ghana Health Service has since mounted surveillance at the country’s ports of entry as the government commits over GHc2.5million ($455,000) to fight the disease.
By Jonathan Ofori, Daily Mail GH
Email Daily Mail GH: stories@dailymailgh.com or
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