Clampdown on Nigerians who tested positive for Coronavirus while travelling through any of Ghana’s airports have been heightened by the aviation authorities in the country.
It was alleged that Ghanaian officials moved affected Nigerian travelers to M Plaza Hotel in Accra, the country’s capital, and force them to pay $100 (N56,000) per night to isolate themselves at the place.
According to SaharaReporters, the amount does not give the affected person access to water or food at the hotel.
As a result, about five Nigerians including a pregnant woman, who are currently being forced to stay at the facility by Ghanaian Government officials, have not had their bath and a decent meal for about six days.
Despite repeated pleas to move them to a government isolation centre in the city, the Ghanaian officials have declined the request, instead offering only antibiotics to the Nigerian travellers, who tested positive for the virus while on transit.
One affected traveller told newsmen that after keeping a Nigerian on transit with COVID-19 at this Accra hotel for one week, they allow you to leave only after you have paid another $700 to retrieve your passport.
He said, “Passengers who test positive for COVID are forced to pay $100 a night in a hotel that’s not worth the amount.
“They don’t feed patients, no water or food at the hotel.
“The worst part is that after seven days of paying $100 if you still test positive, they allow you go but you must pay $700 before having your passport back.
“Those who don’t have money are left at the lobby of the hotel without drugs which is usually antibiotics.
“There is a pregnant woman currently among the Nigerians being forced to stay at M Plaza Hotel in Accra. She has been unattended to and has not bathed for several days.
“When I was taken to the place, I was the one that bought food for her. They are really treating Nigerians badly in Ghana.”
On Tuesday, Ghana announced that it will fine airlines $3,500 for each passenger flown into the international airport in Accra without being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Under new measures that took effect on Wednesday, air carriers will also be fined the same amount for travellers, who fail to fill out a health declaration form before boarding their flight to Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
Under the new rule, Ghanaians who fly in without meeting the requirements will be allowed to enter the country and undergo 14-day quarantine, while foreigners may be refused entry.
Ghana has one of the strictest Coronavirus-related restrictions in West Africa.
The country has had 132,000 confirmed cases and 1,243 deaths since the pandemic began, according to Reuters.