The leadership of the Global Union of Ghanaian Scholars (GUGS), the umbrella body for Ghanaian Students’ Associations in the diaspora, has urged the Government of Ghana to evacuate all Ghanaian Students, Scholars, and Academics from the Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China.

Their call comes on the heels of the death toll in China due to the coronavirus increases and how some students are Stucked in the epicentre of a viral outbreak.

A portion of the statements read “Ghanaian Students, Scholars, and Academics, within this landlocked province, are, above all, at high risk of contracting this fatal disease caused by the 2019-nCoV. The mortality rate in Wuhan city, Hubei Province is estimated at 4.9%, the highest of any city affected by this outbreak. Moreover, city lockdowns and ‘disease-scare’ has descended heavily on the mental health of our non-working-class students within the Hubei Province. Also, as carried out by other nations that show interest in the total wellbeing of their citizens, it would not be far-fetched to undertake evacuations with urgency.”

The union also commended the efforts of the Ghanaian Embassy in China. “We acknowledge the efforts of the Ghana Embassy in China, working on ways and means to aid the Students, Scholars, and Academics, who are most affected, and also, to the National Union of Ghana Students-China (NUGS-China) for their immense assistance in these hard times.

However, Ghana’s ambassador to China, H.E Edward Boateng last week on Happy FM’s Epa Hoa Daben show commended Ghanaians living in China especially Wuhan for their receptiveness to government lockdown procedures during this medical emergency.

The total number of confirmed deaths from the coronavirus in China has risen to 722, with at least 34,546 confirmed cases. The majority of those infected are in Hubei province.

Below is the full statement.