A Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Okudzeto Ablakwa has justified government’s decision to set up a diplomatic mission in Kuwait.
There have been a series of reports on maltreatment of Ghanaian who go that country as domestic workers in Kuwait.
But Mr. Ablakwa believes the establishment of a mission in Kuwait will tackle the inhumane treatment some Ghanaians go through during their stay there.
“I will say that honourable Foreign Minister did provide a comprehensive response but I think this should be the beginning of how moving forward, we guarantee better protection of our citizens in the Gulf region…Some people will send videos of their relatives in the Gulf state and we need to put in an emergency response to rescue a number of our citizens who are in distress…”
Mr. Ablakwa further indicated that the move will afford government an opportunity to register its displeasure over the abuse of Ghanaian citizens to government officials in Kuwait.
“It is clear to me, listening to the Minister today, that there is the need now for emergency response. As we speak, we do not even have a hotline for emergency response. There are female workers who are being raped , enslaved, assaulted on a daily basis… We also have not had a high level delegation go to these countries to meet these governments to communicate our strongest revulsion and opposition to what is happening in this country and to urge them to take action.”
Meanwhile, National Security has been tasked to probe allegations of maltreatment meted out to some 63 Ghanaians who were recently deported.
According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, this has become necessary due to conflicting reports received from the deportees and the US Embassy on the treatment on the board a chartered flight to Ghana.
“This particular matter is the word of the US authorities against that of the Ghanaians who were repatriated but we haven’t instituted any investigation into the matter because that lies in the domain of the national security and we expect them to do so,” she said.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
