Minority yells at Govt, gives 3 days Ultimatum
Minority Group in Parliament has charged Government to endeavor to bring back to Ghana, distressed Ghanaians, especially students in coronavirus-infested China with immediate effect.
They have subsequently given government a three-day ultimatum to comply with this call, else, they will apply measures in the constitution and standing orders of Parliament at their disposal to compel Government to comply with their directives.
According to them, they do not see Government’s failure to bring its distressed nationals from China, weeks after the out-break of the fast spreading disease as shirking its responsibility, but share display of callousness and insensibility.
The Minority expressed these sentiments via a pcs encounter with the parliamentary Press Corps in Parliament House last Tuesday.
Addressed by Hon. Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwah, Member for Parliament of North Tongu and Minority Spokesman on Foreign Affairs and Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, MP for Juabuso who also doubles as Minority Spokesman on Health, they maintain that Government was capable of evacuating distressed Ghanaians from China, but had failed to do that out of callousness and insensitivity on the part of the Nana Akuffo-Addo led New Patriotic Party (NPP) Administration.
They maintained that even less endowed countries in Africa such as war-torn Libya, Mauritius, Morrocco, Egypt, Algeria, Mauritania had evacuated their nationals in this situation”so what is Ghana doing for her nationals under this trying moments?’ they questioned.
The Minority spokespersons indicated that countries such as America, Britain, France and Germany had done the first and second batches of the evacuation of their nationals from China and even embarking on third batches, against this background they could not comprehend why the Akuffo Addo NPP led Government should remain so adamant in evacuating distressed Ghanaians, especially students from China, even though (Minority) persistently called on Government to evacuate Ghanaian National from China since the outbreak of the disease.
ATTA MILLS DID IT
According to them, when the Ebola Virus broke out about nine years ago, the Ata Mills led NDC government then had to grapple with the situation by putting in place the necessary structures and subsequent evacuation of over 16,000 Ghanaian nNationals from affected countries. As a result they stressed, the structures and personnel are still available for use in respect of the Coronavirus. However, the NPP administration is only being insensitive ti its nationals. They stated that as compared to the Ebola numbers, the numbers for Corona Virus are even less (about 400) and therefore cost less. They argued that even with one chartered flight, it could do the evacuation.
Endangered Ghanaian Students
According to the Minority, they are in constant touch with leadership of Ghanaian Students in the Wunye Province of China where the Virus is most prone. These leaders they say do not only paint a distressed and gloomy picture of the situation, but also feel quite endangered. This is because besides the exhaustion of the meager amount given them in respect of their upkeep in the crisis, shops from where they can obtain nose masks have been closed down, though they are required to us, multiple masks “what is more their school is about to be converted into Corona Virus Camp for quarantine purposes”.
Fear of Importing Disease into Ghana?
The spokespersons contended that the failure or refusal of government to evacuate its citizens from China could be premised on the fear that the evacuated nationals could bring the disease into the country if they are evacuated here. This however, was neither here nor there while wondering if Ghana should leave her distussed citizens to their fate to die under this circumstance, they are also wondering how Ghana would appear in the face of comnuly of nations in this regard.
GHANA CONTINUES TO FRET WITH CHINA
The spokespersons were also at a loss to why Ghana should treat her nationals in china this way, while she continues to do business and receive Chinese into the country on daily basis without reservations and proper screening of such visitors. According to them, some countries in Europe and America had banned their flight to and from china.
EVACUTE THEM NOW
While sticking to their guns in their call on government to evacuate Ghanaians from china within their ultimatum, the Minority urged government to, endeavor to evacuate the distressed and endangered Ghanaians especially students from coronavirus infested china with immediate effect as infection and death numbers continuous to escalate by the day.
This evacuation should be done in compliance with UN and WHO requirement. Also, with existing facilities and personnel in the country, they see no reason why the Nana Akuffo – Addo led NPP Government should delay and shirk its responsibility towards its nationals both at home and abroad, especially those in contemporary china.
Source: S.O. Ankamah