'Ebola Causes The Postponement of Igbo Cultural Diaspora Summit In Ghana ...As Igbo King Commends Government

The Crown King of Igbo community in Ghana, HRM Dr. Chukwudi Ihenetu, Eze Indigbo has commended the government of Ghana and it citizenry for continually exhibiting class in the democratic governance system and generally maintaining long lasting peace in the nation.He made this known during an official announcement of the postponement of the Igbo Cultural Diaspora Summit in Ghana. The Summit which was initially salted to hold from August 18th to 31st in conjunction with the Ga Traditional Council, he explains has been postponed due to a three months moratorium placed on international conferences in Ghana by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The move by Government of Ghana was to curtail the possible export of Ebola disease to Ghana, hence an additional warning that Ghanaians do not to travel to Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea in order to avoid contracting the killer Ebola disease.
However, Nigeria, the other neighbouring country known to have recorded a few Ebola deaths, escaped a similar travel ban from Ghana because, according to the minister, Nigeria appears to have successfully contained the menace. Even so, HRM Dr. Chukwudi Ihenetu believes it is respectful for Nigerians to equally adhere to the ministry's rule in order to prevent and reduce chances for Ghanaians in contracting the disease.

Moving on Dr. Chukwudi Ihenetu used the occasion to plead with journalists present to disabuse the contention and perceptions among some Ghanaians who eschew the presence of some Nigerians in the country for the fear they may be carrying the Ebola disease with them. He advised notwithstanding that any Nigerian Nationals who notices symptoms of the disease should contact the nearest medical center for support in order to contain it immediately. On Thursday, 14 August 2014, Ghana suspended all international meetings it was scheduled to host for the next three months as part of efforts to combat the disease. In a travel advisory issued at a press conference in Accra, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hannah Tetteh, emphasised the need for Ghanaian citizens to avoid travelling to the countries where Ebola has killed over a thousand people.

Ms Tetteh said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Government of Ghana is advising all Ghanaian citizens not to travel to the Ebola affected countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia unless it is absolutely necessary. Even then we would encourage you not to travel especially given the accelerated presence of the Ebola disease. "The reason why we are doing this is because ultimately it is movements between our various states and coming into contact with people who have been affected by the virus which creates greater opportunities for transmission of the virus.”