Coronavirus: Over 200 stranded Ghanaians in Dubai cry for govt intervention

More pressure is mounting on the government to put in measures to evacuate stranded Ghanaians in other countries.

Some over 200 Ghanaians in Dubai have joined the calls for the government to intervene and find a way to return them to their families amidst the spread of Coronavirus.

Expressing their frustrations in an interview with Kofi TV, some of the affected ladies noted that they have had to manage with living in the streets under very unhygienic conditions, without a place to lay their heads.

“We are Ghanaian women. Some of us have been here for over two years. I’ve been here for about a year and a half and I’m not getting any work to do. It is Haram here for a lady to sleep outside so someone sleeps with you."

"We don’t have anywhere to sleep, or bath, nor anything to eat. We are also ladies, and when we menstruate it is terrible. We went to the consulate to speak to them; they say they don’t have money for us. We need the government to help us.” One lady said.

Another added, “We have nowhere to stay, we are sleeping outside and we have been sacked from our workplaces also, we are helpless.”

Another guy who shared his sentiments said, “We would be dead by June if the government doesn’t help us, we need help. Just like the Kuwait government helped the deportees, our government should help us.”

The request by these standard Ghanaians in Dubai to be airlifted home follows the repatriation of some 230 Ghanaians, some of whom were deported from Kuwait on a chartered flight Saturday, May 23, 2020.

These persons were tested and have since been put in mandatory quarantine until further notice.

Though the government says it is implementing a clear strategy to return these stranded citizens home from abroad in phases, it appears many of them want immediate attention and intervention.

Meanwhile, the government of Ghana has said it will be chaotic if it tries flying back home all Ghanaians that are stranded abroad as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We don’t have a decision to bring in all Ghanaians”, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Charles Owiredu said at a press briefing on Tuesday, 26 May 2020.

According to him, “the government cannot make a decision saying: ‘All of these people should come in at the same time”.

“It is going to be very chaotic if you look at the numbers”, he said, “so, the decision was taken that let’s start with those from Kuwait.” He said.