Immigration officials at the Ga inland checkpoint in the Upper West Region have arrested five Burkinabe nationals for entering the country through unapproved routes.
They were arrested at about 11:07 GMT on Sunday, January 17, 2021.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the migrants sneaked into Ghana through the unapproved route around the Leo enclave bordering neighbouring Burkina Faso.
The five were on board a sprinter bus with registration number GT 4893-17 bound for Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region for farming activities.
The ages of the busted irregular migrants range between 26 and 34 years.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Upper West Immigration Service, the arrest was effected as part of their operational functions on undocumented or prohibited migration and the presidential directive on land borders closure since March 2020 as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the foreigners have been sent back to their home country.
Border closure: We’ll deal with illegal immigrants, Ghanaian accomplices – Nana Addo
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has earlier closed the country’s land borders indefinitely as part of measures to fight the Coronavirus.
He has thus warned, that foreigners who enter into Ghana within this period when the country’s borders have been closed will be dealt with together with their Ghanaian accomplices.
He observed that despite the closures of the borders, some immigrants are able to enter the country illegally. He said most of these people are noted to be carriers of COVID-19.
Akufo-Addo expressed his displeasure over how “a few Ghanaians are aiding some West African nationals to enter our country [Ghana] illegally, despite the closure of our borders. “Not only will persons who enter our country illegally be strictly dealt with, but so will Ghanaians who facilitate their entry.”
“These are unpatriotic acts and must stop. We cannot continue to allow a few persons, who are motivated by their own selfish, money-making interests, to endanger the lives of the rest of the population.”
The president further called on Ghanaians to be each other’s keeper during the COVID-19 pandemic.
