Coronavirus: Chinese Gov't Is Protecting Ghanaian Students – Ambassador

The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Shi Ting Wang says the Chinese government is doing all it can to protect Ghanaian students currently studying in China against the deadly coronavirus.

Ambassador Shi Ting Wang says Ghana's Foreign Affairs Ministry is in constant touch with the Chinese government to ensure that the students are safe.

President Nana Akufo-Addo during the State of the Nation Address on Thursday announced that he will not rule out the possibility of evacuating Ghanaian students from Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus.

Addressing a news conference in Accra today [Friday], Ambassador Shi Ting Wang said China will do what is right to keep all students safe.

“It is understandable that people are worried. We are human beings. Our authorities tasked to protect the foreigners of Hubei province and universities are working hard to keep the students safe. The universities keep doing routine inspections and monitoring the temperature of every student on a daily basis.”

“The Chinese municipal government has published a 24-hour English speaking services hotline for foreigners including Ghanaian students. If any student feels unwell, the local government will respond immediately and arrange the student for medical treatment in time. Up till now, everyone is safe. Nobody reported a case of being infected,” he stated.

The Chinese Ambassador also denied media reports that claimed that Ghanaian students have been left stranded following the outbreak.

“We have so many Chinese people assisting them. I heard from the media that I was starving them by not giving them food and water. We will make sure that they will have sufficient supply of food and other things. Probably, there may be one or two cases which are special cases but to say I’m starving them, that is not true,” he noted.

Gov’t evacuate students when need arises

Following the outbreak of the coronavirus, there have been calls from the Minority, the China chapter of National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and parents to evacuate Ghanaian students from the country.

The Minority Caucus in Parliament a few days ago even gave the government a three-day ultimatum to evacuate Ghanaians living in China in the midst of the ravaging coronavirus.

On the back of this, President Nana Akufo-Addo, while delivering the 2020 State of the Nation Address, said the government will evacuate Ghanaians students from China if the need arises.

He noted that the government will do so if other options aimed at confining the disease to the area of origin fails.

---citinewsroom