The Ghana Immigration Service has once again quelled multiple attempts by Ghanaians and foreigners to enter the country illegally following the closure of Ghana’s borders.
Ghana closed its borders recently to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.
This is the second time the GIS has intercepted some illegal immigrants after the border shut down.
Addressing the press in Accra on Sunday, the Deputy Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Laud Ofori Afrifa, stated that more and more individuals continue to use parts of the Aflao border to enter the country illegally.
He noted that three Nigerians picked up on Sunday dawn adding that they have been quarantined on a mandatory basis.
“The borders remain closed as directed by the President. Subsequently, there are still attempts by people to enter the country all around especially on the Eastern border around Togo. Many people have been turned back but they still try to come in. On Sunday dawn, three Nigerians and a Ghanaian were intercepted having entered through various unapproved routes on the Aflao-border stretch. They have been arrested and the driver has also been arrested and they are going into mandatory quarantine and a decision will be taken,” he said.
Caution
Laud Afrifa further warned recalcitrant persons who despite the closure continue to aid the immigrants to be mindful of the risk they expose the country to.
“All this is that we are still having some unpatriotic and unscrupulous persons in the border communities who are determined to undermine the government in order to control the Coronavirus. Some quarters are also conspiring. This tells us that the danger or what we should expect if we continue to smuggle persons across the borders. What you are doing is that you are undermining this country and putting it at risk. We continue to caution the border communities to stop this illegal and criminal activity in the country.”
COVID-19 cases in Ghana hit 152
Ghana’s case count for COVID-19 has increased to 152 as of Sunday, March 29, 2020.
This followed the confirmation of 11 new cases by the Ghana Health Service.
Ten (10) of the new cases were among persons who were under mandatory quarantine in Tamale under the direction of the Regional Security Committee of the Northern Region.
The 10 cases involved Guinean residents who travelled through Burkina Faso and Togo to Ghana and were picked following intelligence report.
The eleventh case was recorded in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The 10 Guineans are currently asymptomatic; yet to show signs of COVID-19, but the government says it is collaborating with the relevant authorities in the West African sub-region to send them back to their home country for treatment.
The 10 Guineans who were confirmed COVID-19 positive in Ghana arrived in the country before President Nana Akufo-Addo’s directive for the closure of Ghana’s land, sea and air borders.
The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah made the announcement at the press conference on Sunday where he said the Guineans will be sent back to their home country for treatment.
“The information I have is that the Ghanaian and other West African authorities are completing arrangements so that they can be repatriated to their county of origin so that treatment to take place there. So they will not be treated in this jurisdiction,” he said.
