A Ghanaian medical doctor who smuggled himself into the country to avoid a mandatory coronavirus quarantine has been arrested at Sogakope in the Volta Region from where he entered Ghana.
The man, who was travellling from the United States of America, is suspected to have entered Ghana through Togo to the Sogakope Inland Border Post where he was finally intercepted by immigration officials.
“…significantly, this Ghanaian is a medical doctor. We expected him to know better,” Deputy Comptroller General of the Ghana Immigration Service Laud Ofori-Afrifa stated at a news briefing Tuesday.
Following the closure of Ghana’s borders to human traffic in a move by government to limit and stop the importation of the coronavirus, Mr Ofori-Afrifa said people are now attempting to cross into Ghana through the landed borders.
He said immigration officials have observed various attempts by both foreigners and Ghanaians to enter illegally through the Aflao border area because Ethiopian Airlines continues to fly to Lome, Togo.
“We are watching that border very closely,” he stated.
The deputy Comptroller General said the doctor was arrested with four others, including two Ivorians.
They hired a vehicle from Aflao and were travelling to Accra when they were arrested.
“They are all being sent into mandatory quarantine and thereafter the issue of prosecution will be considered,” he said
Meanwhile, an American who illegally crossed into Ghana through the Aflao border in the Volta Region has been arrested and placed under mandatory quarantine for the next 14 days.
He was said to have flown through neighbouring Togo on March 20, just two days before Ghana announced suspension of flights into the country and closure of all its borders on the back of the outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus.
21 arrested at Elubo border
At the Elubo border in the Western Region, 21 more persons were arrested Tuesday morning for attempting to enter illegally.
They included five Ghanaians, 9 Benenoise, 3 Nigerien, a Malian and 3 Ivoirians.
“They have been sent back but the Ghanaians have been retained and are being sent to mandatory quarantine,” Mr Ofori-Afrifa stated.
From the country’s northern borders, there were attempts by some Nigeriens and Burkinabes to travel out of the country in buses but were stopped.
Warning
The deputy Comptroller General has meanwhile warned all persons against attempts to illegally enter Ghana, saying “Do not attempt to enter; you face arrest, detention, mandatory quarantine and possible prosecution”
By 3news.com|Ghana