According to the Ghana Embassy in Riyadh, it has come to the notice of officials of the Embassy that many Ghanaians illegally resident in Saudi Arabia were not heeding to the call to take advantage of the Amnesty granted by the Saudi government to leave without penalty.

A statement issued and signed by Marcel Domayele, the Acting Head of Mission said Ghanaians who fail to take advantage of the Amnesty could be arrested, detained and fined for non- compliance with the country’s laws.

It said the Embassy was still processing Emergency Travel Certificates and therefore urged Ghanaian residents to take advantaged.

The statement said the Embassy had gathered that, “False rumours by some died hard illegal Ghanaians and their cohorts are doing the rounds that the amnesty directive by the governmentof Saudi Arabia is fake.”

“Subsequently, such illegal Ghanaian illegal immigrants are digging in their heels to continue to stay in Saudi Arabia at all cost only to soon turn into consular nightmare for the Embassy.”

“Indeed, they are on record as stated that unless and until they see the faces of Embassy officials in WhatsApp videos circulating and urging them to leave under the amnesty, they will never believe it, let alone appear for Emergency Travel Certificates. In that regard they are discouraging the willing souls desperate on visiting the Embassy to acquire TCs to leave the country with tales of Embassy staff arresting them forcibly for immediate deportation to Ghana”.

The statement from Mr Domayele said there was no credence in the “rumours” and therefore urged “vulberable” illegal Ghanaians to take advantage of the amnesty because the last day for processing them for depart by the Embassy and host immigration authorities is Thursday June 15, 2017.

It said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will embark on official holidays, from Sunday June 18, 2017 for two weeks, during which all businesses would come to a halt and therefore those arrested may never have the chance of the Embassy being informed let alone coming to their aid.

“Meanwhile the Embassy will not be in position to assist any amnesty violators and so compliance now is the only remedy to avert unforeseen and untold hardships,” it added.

It further urged Ghanaians currently in the business of using Nigeria as a route to transport housemands to Saudi Arabia and the Guld to halt all such untoward migratory activities and the traffickers must cease forthwith to ply this negative trade.

The Embassy in May 2017 issues a public notice to urge illegal immigrants to take advantage of the amnesty.

Below is a copy of the statement from the Ghana Embassy in Saudi Arabia