The Foreign Affairs Ministry says the government has successfully repatriated a total of 226 Ghanaians from Ukraine as of Friday, March 18.

A statement issued by the Ministry said the evacuation process for these nationals was funded by the government, with support from its honorary consuls and the Mental Health Authority which offered psycho-social services to “our distressed compatriots.”

These persons were rescued through neighbouring countries by land due to the shutdown of Ukraine’s airspace since the beginning of the unrest in the country.

It forms part of government’s partnership with diplomatic missions and stakeholders to get all Ghanaian nationals evacuated to safer zones and back to the country.

“Most Ghanaians in Ukraine, including those under siege, have reportedly left to neighbouring countries. So far, the Ministry has not been notified of any tragic loss of life or serious injury to our compatriots.

“The Government of Ghana, through its Honorary Consulate in Hungary, continues to monitor the situation and is redoubling efforts towards completing the evacuation of the remaining hatch of students and other Ghanaians there,” the statement said.

The Ministry expressed worry that despite government’s readiness to airlift home the stranded Ghanaians, some are refusing evacuation.

This was after the government had purchased tickets and paid for their Covid-19 test because they had previously expressed willingness to be evacuated.

“The government of Ghana wishes to seize this opportunity to express its profound gratitude to governments, international humanitarian organisations, religious bodies, groups, and individuals, notably the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, the Church of Pentecost and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) for their support, which in diverse ways culminated in the success of this very important national assignment.”

“The government also appreciates the efforts of the hardworking officers of our Diplomatic Missions in Prague, Berne, the Vatican City, Moscow, Ankara, Vienna and Berlin as well as our Honorary Consuls in Hungary, Romania, Poland and Slovakia in the evacuation of Ghanaian nationals.”

At least two batches of evacuated Ghanaians have already arrived in Accra since the beginning of March.

With the closure of Ukraine’s airspace following the invasion of Russia, the options available to Ghanaians have been travel by land to countries such as Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

Earlier, all the Ghanaian students, along with other Africans and Asians in Ukraine, faced widespread discrimination in their attempts to leave the country.