Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey
Stranded Ghanaian-Germans in Ghana have been airlifted to Germany today, June 7, 2020.
A special flight to airlift them touched down at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra on Sunday.
The flight was arranged by the Ghanaian government, diaspora Organisation in Germany, the Ghana and German embassies in Berlin and Accra, Ghanaian Ambassador to Georgina Ama Blay, told DGN Online.
The airplane arrived from Riga International Airport in Latvia. The evacuees flew out on strict baggage standards of one check-in baggage of no more than 24kg and one carry-on bag of no heavier than 5kg.
DGN Online understands that the cost per head was €750 Euros.
The airplane set off from Accra around 11am, and was expected to arrive at Algiers International Airport at 3:45pm, then depart at 4:30 pm to arrive in Dusseldorf at 7:15 pm.
The Presidency in Ghana approved the evacuation in a letter dated June 2 authorizing the flight in view of the closure of the country’s borders.
The letter signed by the President’s Executive Secretary read, ““By a copy of this letter, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Ghana Immigration Service and the National Security Coordinator are to grant the necessary permits/passes to enable them travel.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has revealed that “arrangements are in progress to assist with the evacuation of stranded Ghanaians in other countries such as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Kenya, Ethiopia and Switzerland.”
By Melvin Tarlue