Evacuating Stranded Ghanaians in China

Yesterday in the news, the opposition gave the government a three-day ultimatum to bring home Ghanaians stranded in China due to the Corona virus. Apparently, students have run out of food supplies, but they cannot go out, which means they are probably starving. Of course, if they are not infected, they probably will be better off leaving China, especially, with the information that Wuhan authorities concealed vital information from the public. The opposition is suggesting that the affected be quarantined in Ghana. Countries are evacuating their residents in China, so if Ghana followed suit, it would be in order. The major concern would be the usual Ghanaian attitude.

Countries such as Australia can mark out a location as a quarantine area, and affected Australians would comply, out of duty and conscientiousness. That cannot be guaranteed in Ghana, where people usually disrespect rules and regulations and sacrifice pragmatism for religious gullibility. Whichever location would be designated may not be beyond the reach of sensational and dubious people of God. Such might attribute infection, should there be any, to the witches and offer to pray for the infected to be released from the powers of witchcraft.

There is also the danger from people of influence such as politicians, rulers, business people, executives and other personalities in high places. Such might use their connections to get release papers from the high powers that be, so that their quarantined relatives and acquaintances might be granted permission to leave the limited space in order to rejoin the larger community. Of course, such ones might provide the nauseous excuse: Nyame nti, biribiara nsi", which literally translates, due to protection from God, nothing will happen, never mind that amidst this chorus, millions die every year when they could have lived. But we are averse to pragmatism.

The most probable explanation for not having worked ourselves to extinction due to our acts of omission is that “Africans gems are not harmful”, as we say in Ghana. However, we are in unknown waters here. The Corona virus is definitely not African and definitely, definitely harmful, worse, fatal. Therefore, should our people be brought home for quarantine, and should the people resort to the usual Ghanaian nefarious ways, we can be sure that the Corona Virus, should any have happened to have brought some home, would attack and kill swiftly and mercilessly. Not even Ebola could be relied upon to fight the Corona – virus to virus, savagery versus savagery! I just wish that the opposition had added suggestions about safe quarantining measures. Whether we are here at home, or they are in China and must be rescued, Ghanaians are Ghanaians and must be equally respected and protected.

Therefore, since the ultimatum ends tomorrow, Friday February 13, 2020, I am also giving the opposition 24-hours to produce pragmatic measures regarding security that would ensure that the evacuees would not put the lives of residents at home in jeopardy. Plans to evacuate must be matched by security measures for ensuring that evacuees remain quarantined until such time that it would be absolutely clear that they cannot infect anyone before they would be allowed to reintegrate.