245 deportees set to arrive from Kuwait tomorrow

• Posted on May 22, 2020May 22, 2020
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Government has granted a special request to the government of Kuwait to deport some 245 Ghanaians who are illegally living in Kuwait.

They will be arriving on Saturday May 23, 2020 on a chartered flight sponsored by the Kuwait government.

Upon arrival, they will be quarantined and attended to under strict supervision at the cost of government, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah revealed on Friday.

The minister said government has no plans yet to offer extra support to the deportees after going through the necessary quarantine protocols.

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.

Government has announced the 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. The cost of quarantine and treatment is to be borne by the Government of Ghana.
5. The National Security secretariat working in collaboration with the Military, Immigration and Police will be responsible for ensuring the mandatory quarantine is adequately enforced.
6. The Ghana health service shall be responsible for testing and treatment if need be.

Meanwhile, the Information Ministry has assured the public 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.

-3news