The lives of four Ghanaians hang in the balance if an $8 million ransom being demanded by Somali pirates is not paid by Thursday, November 10, 2011.
The four are part of 24 other nationals who have been captured by the Somali Pirates on an MV IcebergI Vessel.
A son of one of the four Ghanaians, Francis Koomson Jnr claimed he has information his father and all the captives will be killed on Thursday if the ransom is not paid.
“He [his father] called us yesterday telling us that the pirate commander will be coming on board today and if nobody comes to their aid they will be executed today.”
He said the pirates are demanding $8 million from the ship owners or risk losing the lives of captives who have been in the custody of the pirates for several months.
According to him, his father is becoming weaker by the day due to inhuman treatments being meted out to them by the pirates.
Koomson Jnr. appealed to government to pay the ransom amount in order for his dad and the other captives to be freed.
His appeal did not go unnoticed as Member of Parliament for Weija Shirley Ayorkor Botchway asked an urgent question on the floor of Parliament demanding to know what government is doing to secure the release of the captives.
But Foreign Affairs Minister Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni in an answer said government is doing all it can to secure the release of the captives.
He stated however that the government of Ghana is not prepared to pay any ransom to secure the release of the captured persons.
He explained such payment would only set a bad precedent which would make Ghanaian crew members aboard any ship prone to attacks by Somali or any other pirates across the world.
From: Ghana/Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com
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