CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK:COALITION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS CALL FOR QUICK EVACUATION OF GHANAIAN STUDENTS STUDYING IN CHINAOver the past few weeks, the outbreak of coronavirus in China has become a matter of international interest. Due to the deadly nature of the virus, several Chinese educational institutions have quarantined students to prevent them from contracting and further spreading the virus which has claimed hundreds of lives and infected thousands.
Although, in as much as the Chinese government is helping to contain and ultimately eradicate the virus, it remains the duty of every nation to ensure the safety of its citizens irrespective of where they find themselves. Several countries, including Japan, The United States of America, United Kingdom, Korea, Morocco and Ethiopia have in this regard, arranged to evacuate their citizens.
This has caused the coalition of University students in Ghana, led by Mr. Ebenezer Assan ( convener), at the Cape Coast Technical University to call for quick evacuation of Ghanaian students studying in China through press release today Monday, 10th February, 2020. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Ghana!
The China chapter of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and the University Students Association of Ghana (USAG), have since the outbreak of the virus, appealed to government to evacuate them back to Ghana to prevent any possible contraction of the disease.The lockdown of Huwan has made life far more difficult and uncomfortable for our colleagues in China. Ghana government's continuos and unrepentant neglect of our colleagues in China is not only regrettable but also morally unjustifiable and unconscionable.
Living in such a tensed atmosphere is really difficult and frauatrating for most students particularly those who work to finance their education. According to the coalition, they have had extensive conversations with their colleague students and emotionally shared in their sentiments, with the thinking that their are living in constant fear and are exposed to extreme health risks which has serious repercussions on their mental health.
It is refreshing however, to note that no Ghanaian student in China has contracted the virus yet. It will therefore be proper to quickly evacuate them back home to prevent any infection and possible loss of lives. Hence, they passionately calling on the Government of Ghana to, as a matter of urgency, immediately take steps to evacuate their colleague Ghanaian students receiving education in China back to Ghana without delay.
The coalition said, will decide their next line of action if government fails to heed their call which is premised on the official position of Ghanaian Students in China. SIGNED: Ebenezer Assan (CONVENOR) CAPE COAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY MAHMUD ABDUL WALIU KABORE (P.R.O) KNUST EBENEZER AMOAH AFFEDZIE (MEMBER) KNUST, ISSAKA ISSIFU (MEMBER) ATU, MOHAMMED SEIDU (MEMBER) UENR. By: Akgri M. Daniel
