Minister of Foreign affairs
Some 2,262 young Ghanaians have been brought back home from Lebanon as part of the government’s efforts to evacuate its stranded citizens from the Middle East.
They arrived in the country in various batches from June 19 to September 18, 2020, after suffering various forms of abuse from their employers.
The returnees who worked as domestic servants in Lebanese households consisted of persons with various illnesses, including nine mentally ill persons.
More than 80 per cent of them had part or all of their cumulated salaries not paid, while about 70 per cent had their passports confiscated by their employers and Lebanese agents.
Speaking at a brief ceremony on the rescue mission, a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Charles Wiredu, disclosed that the government contributed $634,150 while the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, and friends also contributed $428,450, which was used for the exercise. This sums up to a total of $1,062,600.
The Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister said the amount only covered their flights, adding that the government also covered the cost of the COVID-19 testing and 14-day quarantine for the returnees as well as provided psychological support as they reintegrate into society.
“Considering that majority of the girls were not paid any salaries, Travel Certificates (TCs) were issued free of charge instead of the usual $35 fee,” he said.
The rescue mission
Ghana’s Ambassador to Egypt, with a concurrent accreditation to Lebanon, Sudan and Palestine, Dr Winfred Nii Okai Hammond, said that the Ghana Mission in Cairo, and its Consulate in Beirut had a dialogue to obtain the release of suffering Ghanaian women from their masters and mistresses.
The Mission relocated its staff to Lebanon to help provide shelter, food, hospital services and medical supplies, local transportation and, occasionally, limited clothing for those who were thrown out from their contract homes without their salaries and personal effects.
So far, with the exception of 16 other persons who showed up after the evacuation process had been completed, almost all the stranded Ghanaian domestic workers have been evacuated from Lebanon.
Dr Hammond further told the gathering that there were about four men among the returnees while the majority are female who fell victim to agents who promised them greener pastures.
Additionally, he indicated that due to the government’s policy in 2017 that intended domestic migrant workers should not be allowed to travel to Gulf States and the Middle East countries, some agents paid their way through at Kotoka International Airport, whilst many of the victims were smuggled through neighbouring countries to fly out to their destinations.
“The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic further aggravated the precarious situation of the domestic workers as their employers are unable to pay them their salaries, yet they dared not talk about their cumulated salaries but rather forced to work under very inhumane conditions,” he said.
Ill-treatment
“Not only did these domestic workers not receive their outstanding salaries, they are being held until they could reimburse the $2000 – $3000 to their employers who literally bought them at these prices from their agents,” he added.
“Under these conditions, many escaped and ended up in the streets. Sadly, their exploiters reported them to the police, falsely accusing them of offences they did not commit. Consequently they were declared illegal in the country, while some imprisoned for no crime committed. It took a very tough battle for the Honorary Consul General to succeed in getting their release for deportation,” Dr Hammond said.
He therefore cautioned Ghanaians, especially females, not to be carried away by the juicy promises of higher incomes in the Middle East.
Research your destination
The Lebanese Ambassador to Ghana, Maher Kheir, for his part, said it is important for anyone traveling out of the country, especially on juicy offers, to research about their destination.
“I have one small message. If you are going to any country in the world, before you depart, you should know where you are going, and the kind of work you’ll be doing. Try and reach out to your consulate in that country to at least check up on you,” he advised.
Having narrated her ordeal, Alice Acheampong (a victim) expressed gratitude to President Nana Akufo-Addo, Mr Kennedy Agyapong and other supporters for the rescue.
“I therefore entreat young ladies who are being deceived by the agents to retreat from traveling outside the country as the agent is not being truthful about the scope of work,” she advised.
Source: dailystatesman.com.gh/Isabella Agyakwa
About The Author
