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Evacuation of ‘stranded’ Ghanaians abroad: 1,100 land in Accra …from different destinations across the world
At least 1,100 Ghanaians living in foreign lands have been evacuated into the country in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Of the number, 230 were flown in from Kuwait, 77 from Nigeria, 41 being students who were on an exchange programme in Washington DC, United States of America (USA), 154 from Dubai and 141 students in Benin who arrived in the country via Intercity STC buses.
The rest are Egypt, 3; South Africa, 5; Israel, 45; 14 mine workers from Burkina Faso and China, 25.
Taking her turn at the COVID-19 press briefing in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said the Ghanaians were brought into the country between May and early part of this month.
She said a further 250 stranded Ghanaians were expected in the country yesterday from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
An additional 400, she noted, would arrive in the country today and June 21 from China while 196 Ghanaians were in line to be evacuated to the country on June 19 from Lebanon.
Some others from China and New York and Washington, both in the USA, would arrive at the country’s shores by the end of this month, she added.
The Minister however noted that the processes of evacuating Ghanaians from the diaspora into the country have been impeded by high cost of hotels to accommodate the arriving party who are to undergo mandatory quarantine.
Additionally, difficulty in the categorisation of persons considered as destitute has derailed the process, Madam Botchwey added.
She assured Ghanaians in the diaspora of the government’s commitment to liaise with its counterparts in other countries to ensure all stranded were brought home to safety.
Owing to the global spread of COVID-19, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in a bid to protect the country from the disease and reduce infection rate directed the closure of all Ghana’s borders on March 22 this year.
The directive, which is still in force, however, does not apply to goods, supplies and cargo.
Source: Ghanaian Times
The Dzidula Pink Foundation, a new organisation dedicated to cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support, has been officially launched in Accra, with a passionate call for national commitment to fighting the disease. The launch event, held last week Friday, carried the theme: “Beyond the diagnosis: A future of restoration, care and courage.”
Speaking at the event, Madam Abena Brigidi, founder and CEO of Nimed Capital Limited, emphasised that cancer remains one of the most devastating health challenges facing families across the country. “Cancer does not discriminate—it affects mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons. It drains families emotionally and financially, and behind every statistic is a human story and a future suddenly thrown into uncertainty,” she said.
Sharing her personal encounters with cancer, having lost both her husband and father to the disease, Madam Brigidi highlighted the emotional, financial, and physical scars left behind. “I stand here not just as a speaker, but as a witness to what cancer can take away,” she stated. “I have watched loved ones fight bravely, and I have felt the deep pain that loss leaves behind.”
She stressed that awareness and early detection are critical to reducing deaths, noting that many Ghanaians still lack access to proper screening, reliable information, and adequate treatment. She appealed to healthcare professionals, corporate institutions, policymakers, the media, and the general public to join hands in the fight. “Early detection saves lives. Your support today can lead to someone’s healing tomorrow,” she said.
Madam Brigidi further called for collective responsibility to sustain the foundation’s mission. “To our medical professionals, we need your expertise. To corporate partners, your resources. To the media, your voice. To policymakers, your support. And to the public, your compassion,” she urged. She also insisted that breast cancer awareness should not be limited to annual campaigns, saying, “Breast cancer awareness must not be seasonal.”
Mrs Diana Fafa Gozo, founder of the Dzidula Pink Foundation, shared her own cancer journey, describing the shock of diagnosis, the fear that followed, and the difficult path through treatment. Her experience transformed her pain into purpose and inspired her to create a foundation to ensure no cancer patient walks alone.
Mrs Gozo explained that many patients struggle not only with treatment costs but also with emotional resilience. She outlined the foundation’s initiatives, which include awareness and early detection campaigns, patient support funds, community outreach, and survival support circles. “This foundation is my offering of gratitude, courage, and compassion and a reminder that no one should walk the cancer journey alone,” she concluded.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says it will deploy teams of Public Health Officers, members of its Sanitation Taskforce, and labourers, including sweepers and janitors, across all sub-metros to support the third National Sanitation Day exercise.
It explained that these teams will be equipped with waste collection trucks, tippers, and other tools to help with desilting, refuse collection, and transporting waste to approved disposal sites.
The AMA reminded residents that failing to comply with the sanitation directive or refusing to participate in communal labour is an offence.
It said offenders risk a fine of up to 100 penalty units, imprisonment between 30 days and six months, or both, with repeat offenders liable to additional daily penalties.
It urged all residents, traders, transport operators, market women, shop owners, landlords, tenants, and businesses to actively participate in the exercise.
The AMA said it counts on everyone’s collective responsibility to keep Accra clean, liveable, and resilient, especially as the city approaches Christmas and the New Year.
By: Jacob Aggrey
