Coronavirus: We were not convinced with Akufo-Addo's SONA comment regarding our evacuation - NUGS-China

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) in Wuhan, China say they were not convinced with President Akufo-Addo's comment on their evacuation from China during the State of the Nation Address.

According to them, they did not get any positive assurance from President Akufo-Addo.

They have called on the government to evacuate them ever since the deadly coronavirus broke out in China.

Vice President of NUGS- Wuhan, Michael Adney told Citi News that no concrete assurances were given to restore their hopes.

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“On Thursday, we keenly watched the State of the Nation Address as delivered by His Excellency. Despite the assurance that they are still monitoring the situation and putting in place mechanisms to see if it becomes possible to evacuate us, we feel like the evacuation is not going to happen especially after the financial support and food they are providing.”

“Because as of now, the situation is at its peak and we believe that the longer we stay here, the more vulnerable we are to possibly get infected with the virus. And the more we stay here, the more difficult it becomes for us to be evacuated. We are basically coming into terms with it. But if the government assesses the situation and they feel they will come for us, we will accept it but we want it to be done in a fast manner,” he pleaded.

During the SONA, President Akufo-Addo said that government will evacuate Ghanaians students from China if the need arises.

According to him, the government will evacuate students from China if other options aimed at confining the disease to the area of origin fails.

“The government is in constant touch with experts on the subject who have advised that the basic principle of public health is to confine the disease to the area of origin but we have not ruled out the option of evacuating the students from Wuhan if that becomes necessary.”

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“We have put in place measures to ensure that if the evacuation happens, it will not lead to the dissemination of fear and panic amongst the general population,” the President said.