Deputy Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Laud Affrifah, has revealed that some 21 people, including five Ghanaians, were arrested early Tuesday morning for attempting to illegally enter the country despite the closure of the nation’s land borders.
The illegal immigrants comprised nine Beninuans, three Nigerians, one Malian, three Ivorians and five Ghanaians.
Mr Affrifah, making the disclosure at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, said the 16 foreign nationals had been sent back to their countries with the five Ghanaians retained and under mandatory quarantine.
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He added that, an American, together with 12 ‘Okada riders’ illegally transporting some persons into the country yesterday, were arrested and would be subsequently prosecuted.
Mr Affrifah, speaking further, warned communities around Ghana’s borders, particularly the Aflao and Elubo borders, to desist from smuggling persons into the country.
“We want to send caution to our border communities and transporters, we are not in normal times so the manner they have been operating in conspiring to smuggle persons into and out of the country should cease,” he said.
“Border communities form a critical part in our border management and we expect them to cooperate with us and rather inform us of illegal entries, when the virus hits, it will hit them too,” he added.