By Yusupha Jobe
Spokesman of Ministry of foreign affairs has said that the government is finalizing plans to extend financial support to Gambian students trapped within the epicenter of the corona-virus in China.
Speaking to the voice in an exclusive interview Saikou Ceesay said: “the government together with the ministry of foreign affairs is right now working on finalizing all necessary financial support that will be given to Gambian students trapped within the corona-virus crisis in China. We are aware of daily constant rise in price of local commodities in hit corona virus-epicenter in China.”
“So, extending financial aid will help in solving their daily feeding and this is just in matter of days for them to receive government support financially from our embassy officials in China. This is already in due course everything is finalized and soon will get monetary support from the government that can keep them during the course of the crisis.”
He said the government and his ministry’s continues support in ensuring their safety during the course of the corona-virus fight more especially of students living in center of the affected Wuhan city in China.
He stated that 4 out of the 27 Gambian students living within the affected corona-virus area of Wuhan in China have already left the city to Thailand and the Gambia in particular adding that as the ministry of foreign affairs and the officials of Gambian embassy in China including the students body are everyday in communication regarding daily information of the virus and the safety students in general.
“In total we have about 190 Gambia students currently living in China and 27 of them happened to live in the affected corona-virus area of Wuhan. So, 4 out of the trapped 27 students currently living in the affected area have already travelled to Thailand and Gambia. So, we are now left with only 24 Gambians students currently living in the hit corona-virus city of Wuhan who will soon receive financial support from the government to support their feeding in the course of the virus,” he added.
He then downplayed the possibility of evacuating the trapped Gambian students in China arguing that as such efforts could be dangerous regarding the situation of the virus
He added: “as of now we are not thinking of evacuation Gambian students trapped in corona virus hit area in China. Because to us evacuating them is not the situation you can be evacuating someone and, in the event, you also get affected. And we believe the stance of China to make total elimination of the corona-virus.”
