For the past couple of weeks, since the novel coronavirus spread around the world, Ghanaian rapper, Pappy Kojo who is currently in Italy, has been on a social media campaign pleading with the government to be ‘rescued’ and brought back home.

“I’m not safe, I live just across a busy street and people keep using that road every minute which is not safe for me, I’ve been calling out to the government; yet no response. I’m a Ghanaian and I’ve done a lot for this country in terms of creative arts. Sincerely I’m not safe, I have something to feed on now but I’m afraid I might soon run out of food,”  he told MzGee in a video  interview on 3FM’s Showbuzz.

 

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However, Mrs. Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture,  in an interview today with MzGee, stated that although she understands the plight of the rapper, his request cannot be granted.

“Currently, travelling is out of the question. We’re not encouraging people to come to Ghana,” she said.

“Ghanaians can return home but if you’re in a country which is locked down and you don’t have flight coming in, then how do you travel? He wants to be jetted back to Ghana? How is that possible? We cannot arrange a jet to bring an individual back.

“We’re trying to contain a situation and the directive is that for countries which have recorded over 200 cases, we are not allowing people from those countries into Ghana because we are also trying to contain the situation here. And I believe that wherever he finds himself, if he follows the guidelines from the protocols, he will be safe,” she added.

Italy’s coronavirus count is currently at 59,138 with 5,476 deaths and 7,024 recovered.