Some 245 Ghanaians living in Kuwait illegally will be deported to Ghana on Saturday, May 23, the government has announced.

The deportees will arrive via a special chattered flight at the cost of the Kuwaiti government.

As Ghana’s borders remain closed to prevent importation of the novel coronavirus, “the government of Ghana has…granted a special permit for the admission of the said deportees to Ghana,” Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said at a press conference Friday.

Addressing the media at the press centre of the Ministry, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said all the deportees will be mandatorily quarantined and tested for the coronavirus upon arrival into the country.

Deportees who test positive would be given the necessary supportive treatment while those who test negative will remain in quarantine for a second test at the end of a 14-day quarantine period, said Oppong Nkrumah.

He said all the deportees will remain in the custody of the state in line with immigration laws of Ghana on deportees.

Preliminary investigation would then commence into the circumstances of their illegal stay in Kuwait, the Minister said.

He added: “it is after this investigation that a case by case determination would be made on the status and further handling of each deportee…”

The cost of quarantine and treatment will be borne by government, he stated.

He also assured that all safety measures would be adhered to in the handling of the deportees.