Nineteen Burkinabes, who allegedly attempted to bribe Immigration Officers in order to be allowed entry into Ghana, have been repatriated, the Ghana Immigration Service says.
According to the Service, the foreigners entered Ghana illegally through the Northern regional town of Savelugu on May 3.
In a statement copied to JoyNews’ Martina Bugri, the Service said an OA bus with registration number GT 8242-19, on which the foreigners and other Ghanaians were travelling, was intercepted en route to Accra.
Public Relations Officer of the Service in the Northern region, Christian Kobla Kekeli Zilevu, said when the passengers were interrogated it was revealed that they used unapproved routes into the country.
He said the Burkinabes attempted bribing the immigration officials with each of them offering a GH₵100 to the officers to be allowed to continue their journey.
The officers, however, turned down the bribe and arrested them, Mr Zilevu said.
“The Deputy Northern Regional Commander of the Immigration Service sent a signal to the Officer In Charge of the Paga Border post about the situation and asked that they receive and repatriate the foreigners while alternative arrangement is made to transport the remaining passengers who were Ghanaian nationals to Accra,” the statement added.
The Service is pleased with operators of OA transport, who they said, cooperated effectively in handling the issue.
Mr Zilevu appealed to other transport operators to emulate their example to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has closed all of Ghana’s borders until May 31. The move is part of measures being taken by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus which was imported into the country.