Coronavirus: Ghanaian students in China want the government to evacuate them to Ghana

The stranded students said Wuhan, for instance, is on lockdown as all shops have closed down making it difficult for them to get basic necessities.

The President of the National Union of Ghana Students in China, Felix Gyawu Addo told Accra-based Joy FM that “Generally the anxiety and stress of being confined have also taken a toll so now the demand is evacuation.”

This is not the first time the union is demanding that they are evacuated back home. The China chapter of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and the University Students’ Association of Ghana (USAG) have since the outbreak appealed to the government to evacuate all Ghanaian students in China to avoid any possible contraction of the contagious coronavirus.

The student groups have also said that they are disappointed in Ghana’s Ambassador to China and the Foreign Affairs Ministry for how they have handled the issue so far.

Mr Gyawu Addo said they have not received any firm assurances from the government on a possible evacuation.

“Evacuation is what have been drummed home from the beginning of the outbreak by our brothers and sisters in Wuhan. But whiles some level of discussion has been made I can tell you nothing has been finalized.”

Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Ministry had earlier indicated that no Ghanaian student has been infected with the disease.

In a statement, the Ministry said “the Embassy of Ghana in Beijing and the Consulate-General in Guangzhou are in contact with the leadership of the Ghanaian community and the National Union of Ghana Students – China” for a frequent briefing on the welfare of all Ghanaian nationals.