Diaspora News of Sunday, 24 May 2020

Source: Joseph Kingsley Eyiah, Contributor

Coronavirus: Stranded Ghanaian-Canadians arrive in Toronto on special flight

Some of the passengers checking in at the airport Some of the passengers checking in at the airport

Over 300 Ghanaian Canadians who were stranded in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic were flown to Toronto on Tuesday, May 19 night by the Canadian government on a special flight.

Ethopian Airline plane was arranged by the Canadian Mission in Accra to fly those Ghanaian Canadians directly from Accra to Toronto after an abortive attempt to repatriate them on April 30.

The Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario (GCAO), led by its President, Emmanuel Duodu, played a very crucial advocacy role in these members of the Ghanaian community in Canada, back to their families and jobs.

“Families have reunited, those who were short on medications have a sigh of relief, those who need to come home to prepare for work are delighted and above all they are back home to their residences,” said Mr. Duodu in Toronto with great joy.

The President of GCAO, therefore expressed gratitude to the government of Ghana.

“On behalf of our Ghanaian Community in Toronto, Ontario and beyond, I would like to express our appreciation to the Canadian Mission in Accra, Honorable Jean Yip – MP Scarborough Agincourt and her staff, The Minister of Foreign Affairs – Honorable Philipe Champagne and his staff and Global affairs staff for the coordination and assistance in the evacuation of Ghanaian-Canadians to Toronto May 19th, 2020.

The global pandemic has disrupted many vital services in the world and for us to successfully work with government agencies to get Canadians back home means a lot to our community." he wrote.