Amid reports that some Ghanaians in Ukraine are turning down evacuation options from the government, the Foreign Affairs Minister has urged them not to miss the opportunity to leave the distressed European nation.

In a meeting with relatives of Ghanaian nationals in Ukraine, Shirley Ayorkor-Botchwey urged relatives of Ghanaians in and around Ukraine “to encourage them to take advantage of this evacuation exercise to return to Ghana.”

Ghana has been mainly concerned with the plight of students who were in Ukraine when it was invaded by Russia.

The Minister indicated that about 527 Ghanaian nationals had crossed the Ukrainian border to various European countries.

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

“My Ministry, therefore, collaborated with the Ghana Diplomatic Missions in Bern in Switzerland, Prague in the Czech Republic, Ankara, Turkey, and the Vatican, Holy See, Ghana’s Honorary Consuls in Ukraine, Hungary, Romania, Ghanaian communities and students’ unions in Poland, Hungary and Romania as well as religious groups to facilitate the evacuation of our nationals after being conveyed from Ukraine by road to the closest borders of the European Countries mentioned earlier,” she explained.

“We are all gratified to learn that over 500 of our citizens have made it safely across various European borders to safety. We share in your anxieties and pray for the safe return of all our compatriots to Ghana.”

The government believes there were about 1,200 Ghanaians in Ukraine with 945 of them being students registered with the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Ukraine.

According to the Minister, 49 Ghanaians, including one child, have moved to the Czech Republic, 25 Ghanaians are in Slovakia, 134 Ghanaians in Romania, 81 in Poland, and 221 in Hungary.

“The Government of Ghana is ready to evacuate all the five hundred and twenty-seven (527) of our citizens in a coordinated manner,” the Minister assured.

Seventeen Ghanaians who were evacuated from Ukraine touched down at the Kotoka International Airport on Tuesday morning.

“Two other batches from Romania in different groups of 70 and 64, respectively, are expected to arrive later this week,” she added.

“I wish to reiterate that the government has put in place the necessary package to facilitate transportation, accommodation, feeding, medical support, etc. to ease any burden on our compatriots.”