Five Burkinabes Grabbed For Sneaking Into Ghana Through Hamile

Five Burkinabes have been arrested by Immigration personnel after attempting to enter Ghana illegally via an unapproved route near Hamile in the Upper West Region.

This brings to over 200 the number of Burkinabe nationals arrested and repatriated on the Ghana-Burkina Faso border in the Upper West Region since the closure of Ghana's borders.

Speaking to Citi News, the Upper West Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Immigration Service, Ibn Yussif Duranah indicated that the suspects have been screened and repatriated this morning.

“They were coming from Burkina Faso to Ghana and their intent was to enter Ghana illegally to proceed to Sunyani for farming activities. It was done through an unapproved route around the Hamile border. The five persons arrested yesternight comprised of four males and a female with the age range of three to 29 years. We have two kids among the males. Having arrested them yesternight, we could not have invoked the protocol of repatriation so we had to keep them at the Hamile Sector Command. Then this morning, the port health was called upon to screen them on their health status before they were repatriated. So they’ve since been handed over to the Burkina Faso authorities,” he indicated.

Closed borders

Ghana's land, sea, and air borders have been closed since Sunday, March 22. Only cargo, goods and supplies are allowed into the country from other countries.

The move is part of efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country, yet some foreigners continue to illegally find their way into the country.

Since the border closure, many foreign nationals have been arrested in different parts of the country using unapproved routes to enter the country.

Most of these people, after investigations and tests, are noted to be carriers of COVID-19.

In one of the most recent developments, for instance, some four Burkina Faso nationals were arrested by Immigration officials at Babile in the Upper West Region for illegally entering Ghana for economic purposes.

The four were arrested on board a Hyundai Grace H300 mini bus with registration number AS 3289-11, en route to Wa.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has indicated that foreigners who enter into Ghana when the country's borders have been closed will be dealt with together with their Ghanaian accomplices.

---citinewsroom