Illegal Liberians immigrants turned away

Ghana’s minister of interior, Malik Alhassan Yakubu, said a ship with 167 Liberians was denied entry into the country because it was carrying illegal immigrants, Ghana Radio reported on Thursday. “This ship came and it was messing around in Ghana’s waters,” Yakubu was quoted as saying. “It was necessary to find out exactly who were there. Those who did not have proper travel documents - those who could not legitimately enter the country - naturally, would not be allowed in.” News agency reports said the Swedish registered vessel, the MV Alnar was allowed to dock briefly on Sunday at Tema Harbour, some 25 km east of Accra where 134 Ghanaians, 20 Nigerians and two Sierra Leoneans got off. The Liberians were refused entry. Some 16,000 Liberians who fled the country’s seven-year civil war from 1990 still reside in Ghana and have in recent times clashed with police and local people. There are fears that a resurgence of fighting in the country’s northern Lofa county in recent months may spur a renewed influx of refugees from the war-torn country into other parts of West Africa.