Photo: Christopher Pike / Bloomberg
Stranded Ghanaians in the UAE will be airlifted to Ghana, effective Friday, June 12, 2020, Embassy officials have told Daily Mail GH.
Another flight will also head into the West African country on Tuesday, June 16, 2020.
Officials of the Ghanaian Embassy in Abu Dhabi said passengers are to pay GhC4,000 for economy, and GhC7,800 for business class via Emirates Airlines.
Ghana’s borders have remained shut since March following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. At least 450 Ghanaians have registered with the Embassy to return home.
According to officials, bookings for the flight will start on Monday, June 8, 2020. The embassy has served notice that any individual wishing to travel would have to pay for the cost of a ticket themselves, but confirmed it was working to identify those that needed financial aid.
“I believe, as Emirates begins the sale of tickets tomorrow, we will be able to better identify the genuine persons [who need help with funds], especially after the first flight leaves on Friday,” The National newspaper quoted an embassy spokesperson to have said.
Last week, Dar Al Ber Society, a charity organisation in Dubai, set up a donation drive to help secure air tickets home for as many of the group as possible.
So far, only GhC14,000 has been raised but donations are still open. The charity is hoping to meet with a consulate official on Monday to facilitate more assistance for those that need it.
In the meantime, it has been providing food, water, medical aid and personal hygiene products to those staying in the temporary accommodation.
Meanwhile, the local police in Dubai have picked up at least 87 homeless Ghanaians who have been putting up at a park due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Dubai police, majority of them have been out of jobs since the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
Dailymailgh.com understands that the police are keeping the homeless Ghanaians at a temporary location at a town called Al Quoz.
Many from the group said they lost their jobs before the coronavirus outbreak and some since. A few others went there in search for work on visit visas and were stranded when the borders closed on March 19.
