Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader, has asked the government to urgently evacuate Ghanaian students studying in Ukraine.
He believes that the government must act quickly to avoid any loss of life.
The Minority Leader stated on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, February 24, 2022, that due to the security situation in the regions, immediate government intervention is required to save Ghanaian students in that country.
“We should ensure the swift evacuation of Ghanaian students in Ukraine. This we must do to assure the students and their parents that they are Ghanaians and that they deserve our support. This is a matter of urgent public importance. I am indulging you to look at the matter because the Minister of Finance needs to make monies readily available to the Foreign Minister. The situation in Ukraine is very worrying, with imminent war.”
Following the escalation of tensions between Ukraine and Russia, calls have been made for Ghana’s government to evacuate its citizens to safety in order to avoid potentially disastrous situations.
The National Union of Ghanaian Students (NUGS) issued a similar call to the government on Wednesday.
“As conflicts escalate within the regions, governments of countries across the world are prioritizing the evacuation of their citizens across the area to forestall harm on their citizens. Some students have currently fled the region, showing growing insecurity and fear amongst students. Some of these students including the Executives of the NUGS chapter in Ukraine have touched down and have reached out to the National Secretariat of NUGS advising that urgent steps be taken to ensure the safety of their colleagues still in the regions.”
On Thursday morning, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine.
Despite calls from world leaders to de-escalate, Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, announced the military operation at dawn.
Explosions have been reported near major Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv.
Recent tensions have arisen as a result of Russia’s opposition to Ukraine’s efforts to join European institutions such as Nato and the EU.
The majority of Ghanaian students in Ukraine are concentrated in Kyiv and Kharkiv, the two major cities targeted by Russian missiles.
Find places of shelter as we engage authorities
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is urging Ghanaians in Ukraine to seek refuge and remain there while concrete steps are taken to ensure their safety in that country.
The Ministry in a statement said, “The Government of Ghana is gravely concerned about the security and safety of our over 1000 students and other Ghanaians in Ukraine.”
It thus asked them to stay safe “as we engage the authorities, our relevant diplomatic missions and our honorary consul on further measures”
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SOURCE: CITINEWS
