250 Ghanaians arrive from UAE today with over 600 more to follow – Ayorkor Botchwey

The government has announced the arrival of 250 Ghanaians from the United Arab Emirates, Tuesday.

Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, while addressing a pressing conference on the government’s handling of the pandemic, said this is the second batch of arrivals from the Emirates.

The arrivals will be quarantined on their arrival in the country, subject to the coronavirus prevention protocols.

Going further, the Minister said on June 17 and on Sunday June 21, “we have over 400 Ghanaians who will be coming home.”

On Friday, June 19, 13 Ghanaians are expected to arrive from Burkina Faso while 195 are expected from Lebanon, Ayorkor Botchwey said.

She said stranded Ghanaians in New York and Washington DC in the US are expected at the end of the month.

Ghanaians are also expected from Guangzhou in Southern China; others are expected from other parts of Africa, the Minister said.

“Let me conclude by saying the government of Ghana is committed to successfully bring back our nationals who are stranded outside because of obvious reasons…” she said.

Meanwhile, some Ghanaians have already arrived in the country and are in mandatory quarantine, the Minister noted.

These evacuations follow President’s Akufo-Addo’s announcement on May 31, indicating that despite the country’s borders remaining closed to human traffic, Ghanaians stranded abroad would be allowed to return.

“They will be subjected to the mandatory quarantine and safety protocols [on their arrival in the country,] he said in his tenth address to the nation on his administration’s handling of the pandemic.