The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Integration, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has revealed that Ghana spent more than GH53,000,000 in evacuating stranded Ghanaians during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister further disclose that the amount covered consist of air fare, quarantine, food and insurance.
Although, 10,025 Ghanaians were stranded, government spent only on vulnerable among them constitute about 5,000 during the evacuating period between May and September last year.
The implementation plan that was put in place on May 23, 2020, include collaboration of the COVID-19 taskforce to bring back home these stranded Ghanaians.
In her words; “I wish to put on records that the evacuating exercise was executed in collaboration with other government agencies attached the information I will provide to the house particularly.”
“Those regarding the amount government spent on quarantine were provided to my ministry by the Security Secretariat, which was in charge of the quarantine.”
“Consequently, the sum of GH8,725,000 and $1,866,934 were approved by the government to cater for the cost of quarantine and air ticket for stranded Ghanaians in China and United Arab Emirates respectively.”
In addition, GH475,895 was extended on the evacuating on stranded Ghanaians in West and Central Africa.
“The government of Ghana also spent sum of GH44,460,530 on quarantine of various evacuation on eighty-five hostels spread across Accra, Prampram, Blogatanga and Takoradi respectively.”
“The government successfully evacuated a total of 10,025 stranded Ghanaians during the execution exercise which began May 23, 2020, and ended on September 18, 2020,” she added.
