Minority gives gov’t 3-day ultimatum to evacuate Ghanaian students in China

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has given Government a three-day ultimatum to evacuate Ghanaians living in China in the midst of the ravaging coronavirus.

The caucus says it is unfathomable that President Akufo-Addo has remained quiet on the matter since the outbreak while his administration seems unmoved by the distress calls of particularly Ghanaian students in China.

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.

Minority Spokespersons on Foreign Affairs and Health, Samual Okudzeto Ablakwah and Kobina Mintah Akandoh addressed the press in Parliament this afternoon.

” We have convened this press conference to renew our demands on the Akufo Addo led government to immediately evacuate our nationals in Wuhuan, particularly students who are stranded and continue to cry out for help. 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.

“We have 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,” Mr. Ablakwa said while addressing the press.

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.

There have been more than 40,000 cases of the virus globally, mostly in China.

Students desperate for evacuation

Ghanaian students in Wuhan have been calling on the government to evacuate them over the novel coronavirus fears.

But the government insists it will take its time on the matter and weigh its options.

A Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, also complained about the lack of action from the state on the calls.

The Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare has stressed that the government will not bow to any pressure, despite calls for students to be evacuated.