Date: Aug 10 , 2019 .BY: Benjamin Xornam Glover
Two teenagers are in the custody of the police in Tema for
attempting to stow away to Belgium
The two, aged 15 and 16,
were intercepted midway their voyage aboard MSC Dymphia vessel from San-Pedro
in Cote d’Ivoire to Antwerp in Belgium
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| Library photo |
They were
found hiding in the engine compartment of the vessel during a routine
inspection by the crew and were later handed over to another vessel, MSC
Katyanyni, at the port of Antwerp in Belgium
which was bound for the Tema
Port.
The pair, who are said to
hail from Takoradi and Cape
Coast
According to the Tema
Regional Commander of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Assistant
Commissioner of Immigration (ACI) Ms Belinda Adwoa Sika Anim, the two had been
handed over to the police in Tema.
She indicated that the two teens during interrogation revealed that they hailed
from Takoradi and Cape
Coast
She added that the two
stated that they started their journey in Abidjan ,
Cote d'Ivoire with the
intention of travelling to Europe in search of greener pastures and, therefore,
clandestinely joined the voyage to Belgium
Five Nigerians also arrested
The return of the two Ghanaian stowaway teens
comes on the back of the arrests of five Nigerians who also attempted to stow
away to Europe onboard M.V ZIM Rio Grande and CMA CGM Lapis from Tin Can Island
Port in Nigeria
The five were picked
when the vessels docked at the Tema Harbour en route to Europe .
The GIS gave their names
as Henry Okechuku, Jimmy Omorode and Nino Brown. The rest were Joseph Obasi and
Hope Ekele.
According to ACI Sika Anim, the five had also been handed over to the police at
the Tema Fishing Harbour
She said the five were
currently awaiting travel certificates from the Nigerian High Commission for
their repatriation to their home country and further action in accordance with
standard practice.
The Tema Regional
Commander of the GIS re-echoed the dangers associated with stowaway and
cautioned Ghanaians, especially the youth, to refrain from such unproductive
ventures.
Arrests so far
ACI Anim noted that the
Command had so far recorded nine stowaway cases in the first half of the year
with all involving males.
That, she said, was a
worrying situation especially when such acts could lead to extreme injuries and
deaths.
ACI Anim called on
relevant stakeholders to help stop the situation and assured the public that
the Public Affairs Unit of the command would continue to sensitise the general
public, especially the youth, to the dangers associated with irregular
migration and educate them on the right way to travel.
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