Don’t Travel To Gao – Foreign Ministry

Government has warned Ghanaians not to travel to the Gao Region of Northern Mali and its surrounding areas in the northeastern part of the country. The Ministry of the Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, which issued alerts to Ghanaian citizens, said those already in the Gao Region are also advised to leave immediately for their

safety and security.In a statement issued Tuesday, the ministry explained that the alert was in accordance with the recent abductions and the executions of travellers, especially Christians, including Ghanaians, in the Gao Region of Northern Mali. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration advises against all travel to Gao

and its surrounding areas in the northeastern Mali, the statement emphasised. It also added that commercial transport operators and drivers, who still ply the Gao route from Ghana, are particularly advised, as a matter of urgency, to suspend all operations to that part of Mali. Those who, for any reason, are unable to leave are

advised to minimise their movement, monitor developments in the local security situation and follow precautions also based on their own best judgment, the Foreign Ministry urged. According to the statement, Ghanaians who choose to depart the Gao Region are advised to exercise the utmost caution as they move to a

departure point, only when judged to be safe to do so. The Government of Ghana’s ability to also facilitate the departure of Ghanaian nationals from the Gao Region is very limited, the statement intimated and asked all those who require assistance to leave and contact the ministry through these numbers: +223 71762020, +233 20295768 and +233 77807